MCH3013 : Global and Environmental Communications
- Offered for Year: 2026/27
- Module Leader(s): Ms Kellie Daniels
- Owning School: Arts & Cultures
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
- To develop awareness of the complexities of cross-cultural communication within the INGO sector.
- To recognise the differences in strategic communications roles and practice in other countries by proposing an international communications campaign.
- To develop a range of techniques for communication campaign planning in an international, cross-cultural context.
- To articulate a creative, persuasive and culturally appropriate response to a communications brief.
This module will build on students' knowledge of key communications concepts, including media relations, communications in the voluntary sector and strategic communications planning, and develop professional skills and apply them in a global context.
Students will be required to develop a reflective log to critically connect theory, practice, and personal learning, supporting deeper understanding of how knowledge is applied in real-world contexts. It also promotes metacognitive skills, self-awareness, and professional development by encouraging students to evaluate their decision-making, progress, and learning over time.
At the end of the module, students will be required to propose a strategic communications campaign for targeting international publics. The proposal will be delivered as a group verbal pitch, presented in response to a real industry brief.
Outline Of Syllabus
Topics may include:
- Role of strategic communications in INGO management
- Communications in developing countries
- Client briefing
- Reflective practice
- Big Ideas
- Content Creation
- Writing an executive summary
- Competitive communications pitches
- Globalising strategies, localising tactics
- Alternative communication channels
- Measurement and evaluation in communications
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 2 | 20:00 | 40:00 | Assessment preparation |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 11 | 1:30 | 16:30 | Lectures |
| Structured Guided Learning | Lecture materials | 11 | 0:30 | 5:30 | Lecture replacement materials, delivered non-synchronously online |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 5 | 1:00 | 5:00 | Seminars |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 6 | 2:00 | 12:00 | N/A |
| Structured Guided Learning | Structured non-synchronous discussion | 1 | 10:00 | 10:00 | Online discussion forum |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 111:00 | 111:00 | N/A |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
To nurture curriculum internationalisation and develop students’ global perspectives of the discipline, the lectures and non-synchronous lecture materials will focus on the examination and analysis of international communications case studies with the emphasis on the voluntary sector.
The on-campus seminars will focus on students’ critical assessment of the extent to which theory can be applied in relation to their campaign planning.
The Guided Independent Study time will be dedicated to students’ research and subsequent preparation for writing assessments and strategic PR campaign materials with tutors’ guidance provided via the Discussion Forum on Canvas.
The assessment strategy will be presented to students as a valuable communications experience providing them with the opportunity to apply their knowledge of and skills through the planning of a creative communications campaign for INGOs. It will enhance their critical thinking, professional writing, content creation, media relations and cross-cultural communication skills and have the potential to serve as a showcase for future employment.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Written exercise | 1 | M | 50 | Individual reflective log on learning and skills development including collaborative working. (1000 words maximum) |
| Oral Presentation | 1 | A | 50 | Group-produced slides pitching a strategic communications campaign in response to a client's brief and a group-produced executive summary (1,000 words). |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The assessment will be divided into two parts directly corresponding with the intended module learning outcomes.
In groups, students will be rewarded for their ability to deliver a creative and persuasive communications pitch with accompanying presentation slides supported by a proposal in response to a client‘s brief (K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, S4).
Individually, students will submit a reflective log on learning and skills development, including collaborative working. (K1, K2, K3, K4, S1, S2, S3, S4).
Students will also have opportunities for ongoing classroom-based feedback on their ideas. These opportunities include seminar group presentations that support the oral examination and allow formative feedback on presentation skill and their ability to identify relevant variables (political, cultural, economic and environmental) and critically assess their impact on public relations practice as well as offer recommendations for its future development (K2, K3, K4, S1, S2).
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MCH3013's Timetable