ALC8007 : Professional Communication in Globalised Workplaces
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Dr Alina Schartner
- Co-Module Leader: Dr Judith Reynolds
- Owning School: Education, Communication & Language Sci
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 2 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
The module explores the complex interplay between communication, culture, and professional practice in globalised workplaces. It combines theoretical knowledge with practical skill development, enabling students to critically analyse key concepts such as organisational identity, power relations in workplace contexts, leadership discourse, and intersectionality, while applying these insights to authentic professional contexts through case studies and real-world scenarios. The module also addresses contemporary societal challenges – including technology-mediated interaction, crisis communication, and the impact of AI on workplace discourse – alongside core themes relevant to intercultural professional communication such as politeness norms, multilingualism, and inclusive language practices. Through interactive tasks and reflective activities, students will explore different strategies for effective, ethical, and culturally sensitive communication across diverse professional settings. Designed for an international audience, the module fosters intercultural awareness and raises students’ awareness of the communicative competence needed to navigate professional situations such as job interviews and leadership roles in global teams.
Outline Of Syllabus
This module explores key themes in professional communication in globalised workplaces, focusing on how language, culture, and technology shape workplace interaction in global contexts. Topics may include:
Foundations of professional communication
Language, discourse, and organisational identity
The role of language in constructing professional identities
Power, intersectionality, and workplace communication
Leadership and the language of influence
Technology-mediated communication in professional contexts
Conflict and crisis communication in global workplaces
Politeness, small talk, and humour in professional interaction
Genres, register, and jargon in workplace discourse
Multilingualism and inclusive communication strategies
Artificial intelligence and automation in professional communication
The impact of diversity on workplace team communication
Language and communication in job interviews and team meetings
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:00 | 11:00 | Lectures introduce key theory and examples from empirical research. |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 80:00 | 80:00 | Students prepare and complete the written individual assignment. |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured research and reading activities | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Students will read one piece of essential reading associated with each lecture. |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Workshops | 11 | 2:00 | 22:00 | Interactive workshops support students in practicing a range of communication skills and applying theoretical knowledge to real-world scenarios. |
| Guided Independent Study | Student-led group activity | 1 | 40:00 | 40:00 | Students will work independently in groups to prepare the group assignment and poster presentation. |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 25:00 | 25:00 | Students identify and read relevant literature independently. |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The teaching methods for this module are designed to integrate theoretical knowledge with practical skill development. The approach combines lectures, interactive workshops, case studies, and collaborative activities to ensure students engage critically with concepts while developing effective and culturally appropriate communication strategies for real-world professional contexts.
Lectures provide a structured introduction to key theories and frameworks (e.g., organisational discourse, politeness theory, intersectionality), supporting all intended knowledge outcomes.
The interactive workshops encourage critical debate and application of theory to authentic workplace scenarios, fostering analytical skills and intercultural awareness.
Case studies and problem-based tasks simulate professional challenges such as inclusive communication, technology-mediated communication, and leadership in diverse teams (skill outcomes 1-4)
The group project and poster presentation promote collaborative learning and oral communication skills supporting all intended skill outcomes.
Reflective activities throughout the module encourage students to evaluate their own communication styles and adapt them for intercultural contexts (skill outcome 5).
This approach ensures that students not only understand theoretical principles but can also apply them creatively and ethically in multilingual, multicultural professional environments. The teaching methods are particularly suited to an international cohort, as they draw on diverse perspectives.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reflective log | 2 | M | 60 | Students will produce a portfolio of two critical reflections on their own professional communication skills and experience, engaging with and applying theoretical perspectives on intercultural and professional communication. |
| Poster | 2 | A | 40 | Working in small groups, students will design and present a research-informed poster that addresses a contemporary challenge in intercultural professional communication. Groups will record a 10-minute asynchronous oral presentation of their poster. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The assessment strategy is designed to reflect the dual focus of the module on critical theoretical engagement and practical communication skills, ensuring alignment with the knowledge and skill outcomes.
Assessment 1 (Individual Critical Reflective Portfolio) enables students to demonstrate advanced conceptual understanding and critical application of intercultural and professional communication theories. This written assignment assesses the ability to engage with scholarly literature, evaluate frameworks, and apply them reflexively to personal experience in authentic workplace scenarios. It develops students’ capacities for self-reflection on their communication behaviours as a means of learning about and developing their own professional communication skills.
Assessment 2 (Group Poster Presentation) focusses on collaborative problem-solving and the practical application of theory to real-world communication challenges. Working in diverse teams mirrors professional contexts and develops transferable skills such as teamwork, oral communication, and intercultural awareness. The poster format encourages creativity and visually impactful communication, and develops students’ expertise in communicating multimodally through the combination of poster content and oral presentation of the poster.
This combination supports the module’s aim to prepare an international cohort of students for careers in global workplaces.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- ALC8007's Timetable