University College for Interdisciplinary Learning

Communicating with Confidence

Course Unit Code

UCIL21302 (Blended delivery)

Also delivered as an in-person course in Semester 1

Course Unit Details

• Level 2
• 10 Credits
• Blended delivery, with a mixture of face-to-face and online teaching.
• Alliance Manchester Business School

Overview

The ability to communicate with confidence and impact can have a significant influence on our success in every aspect of our lives: our study, our relationships and our career.

This unit starts from the belief that we all have a unique ability to communicate with confidence and that this ability is not innate but rather, a skill which can be developed and learnt.

Drawing on theories from biology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, and techniques from the world of theatre and acting, the unit will support participants in learning how to manage nerves, communicate effectively and to engage with a wide variety of audiences, so that you can feel confident in any situation.

The unit is an interactive and practical one, and participants learn through active engagement with both the face-to-face and online teaching elements, as well as through group and individual, tuition. In addition, the learning process will be tailored to the needs and experience of the participants.

Aims

This unit aims to support participants in identifying barriers to their ability to communicate with authenticity and power and to then provide a toolkit of techniques, within a supportive and friendly (whilst also challenging environment) which enable these barriers to be overcome. Drawing on a wide range of disciplines the unit will equip you with a range of techniques so that you may come across with confidence in a wide range of situations and contexts.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the unit you will be able to:

• Describe the relationship between cognition, body language, speech and the audience
• Analyse personal strengths and recognise areas for improvement with respect to communication
• Have a toolkit of techniques which can be applied to manage anxiety and communicate with impact
• Manage yourself within challenging situations such as interviews and difficult conversations
• Deliver a presentation, in front of an audience, with confidence and impact

Syllabus

• Recognising and managing your 'inner critic'
• Body Language
• Vocal power and influence
• Managing anxiety
• Telling a powerful story
• Engaging the audience
• Interview technique
• Vital conversations
• Negotiating and influencing

Assessment

1. 12 minute presentation (40%)
2. 1500-word reflective essay (40%)
3. Ongoing, end-of-module assessments, including online discussions and reflective journal posts (20%)

Eligibility

UCIL units are designed to be accessible to undergraduate students from all disciplines.

UCIL units are credit-bearing and it is not possible to audit UCIL units or take them for additional/extra credits. You must enrol following the standard procedure for your School when adding units outside of your home School.

If you are not sure if you are able to enrol on UCIL units you should contact your School Undergraduate office. You may wish to contact your programme director if your programme does not currently allow you to take a UCIL unit.

You can also contact the UCIL office if you have any questions.

Teaching Staff

Dr Elaine Clark

Teaching and Learning Methods

Communicating with Confidence is a blended unit, made up of a mix of:

• Online learning modules
• Series of face-to-face workshops

Because the unit is practical and experiential in nature, you will need to try out what you have learnt, in practice, so regular and consistent engagement with all aspects of the unit is vital to ensure that you get the full benefit of the different elements of this blended course.

Be prepared to take part!