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CMNS 380 Course image

Communication Studies (CMNS) 380
Corporate Communication (Revision 1)

Revision 1 closed, replaced by current version.

Delivery mode: Individualized study with a video component.* Online-enhanced.
*Overseas students, please contact the University Library before registering in a course that has an audio/visual component.

Credits: 3 - Social Science.

Prerequisite: None. If the student has no management experience, ADMN 232 or COMM 243 is recommended.

Centre: Centre for State and Legal Studies

CMNS 380 has a Challenge for Credit option.

Course Web site

Overview

The purpose of Corporate Communication is to give practitioners of corporate communication a broad framework that allows them to make effective decisions about communication approaches, priorities, and activities.

The course addresses organizational issues within the context of communication and offers sufficient understanding of corporate communication analysis to enable practitioners to provide advice to leaders and teams in this respect. Exposure to issues of communication processes and ethics, among other current topics in this field, provides valuable guidance in applied communications problems. The course demands that students apply the concepts presented to real corporate settings and experiences.

Course Objectives

After completing Corporate Communication students should be able to achieve the following objectives:

  1. Describe the adaptive and mechanical organizational models in the context of twentieth century trends in organizations and communications.
  2. Explain ethical issues for communications managers.
  3. Define and describe the changing relationship between notions of leadership and communication.
  4. Evaluate and demonstrate effective consultation.
  5. Discuss and demonstrate the role of communications in strategic organizations.
  6. Diagnose stages of change and appropriate communication responses.
  7. Discuss and critique concepts of the learning organization.

Outline

Unit 1: Changing Concepts of Corporate Communications

Unit 2: The Relationship Between Leadership and Communication

Unit 3: Public Consultation and Issue Management
(sample online unit)

Unit 4: Strategy and Communication

Unit 5: Aiding Change Management

Unit 6: Communication and the Learning Organization

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Evaluation

To receive credit for CMNS 380, you must achieve a mark of at least 50 percent on each assignment, a mark of at least 50 percent on the term project, and a course composite grade of at least "D" (50 percent).  The weighting of the composite grade is as follows:

Assignment 1 Assignment 2 Assignment 3 Term Project Total
10% 20% 20% 50% 100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbook

McMillan, Bill and Stephen Murgatroyd, 1994. Opening the Door: Improving Decisions Through Public Consultation. Edmonton: Dark Horse Books.

Other materials

Communication Studies 380 Corporate Communication Videotape. 1999. Athabasca, AB: Athabasca University.

The course materials also include a study guide, student manual, and a reading file.

Special Course Feature

Students registered in this course may take part in computer conferencing.

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