This postgraduate course focuses on the key communication skills expected of engineers, particularly those interested in employment in predominantly English-speaking operating environments such as Australia. Engineers work in a diverse range of contexts, most of which demand high-quality communication skills in order for individuals to function as effective problem-solvers, team members, project managers and active participants in local, national and international communities. The integration of a practical focus on these skills into the engineering curriculum reflects contemporary expectations of graduates held by professional organisations; enables students to become more confident, competent communicators; and enhances the employment opportunities of graduate engineers. This course emphasises proficiency in all of the macro-skill areas (listening, speaking, reading and writing) and enables students to identify and to remedy any English language deficits.

Successful completion of this course will enable students to apply their technical expertise in their engineering specialisation on the basis of greater confidence in their capacity to communicate effectively in spoken and written English. Students should be able to:

• Distinguish between the appropriate levels and styles of English required for effective oral and written interaction with technical and non-technical audiences
• Express themselves clearly and accurately, taking account of the views of others and of socio-cultural differences
• Use high-frequency, high-priority vocabulary applicable to engineers, particularly when required to describe, explain, illustrate, discuss, compare, interpret, reflect, analyse, synthesise and propose ideas and information
• Prepare high-quality presentations and documents using a range of textual, diagrammatic and graphic media.

20% Continuous assessment (individual and group language tasks)

10% Report (short)

10% Oral presentation (mid-semester)

10% Report (long)

10% Oral presentation (end-of-semester)

20% Meeting simulation

20% Seminar attendance and participation

NOTE: All assessment items must be submitted and passed in order to complete this course. Some assessment tasks will be jointly assessed by technical and non-technical instructors.  

ENGN8150 is a semester course which consists of 12 one-hour lectures and 12 two-hour seminars. Students are required to attend one lecture and one seminar each week. Attendance at lectures and seminars is compulsory; any student who is absent on more than three occasions and does not provide relevant medical certificates will be deemed to have failed this component of the course. In addition to the weekly lectures and seminars, students are expected to dedicate a further seven non-contact hours to this subject, including:

• preparing for lectures and seminars by completing the weekly readings and set tasks
• undertaking the necessary research, drafting and proofreading necessary for the production of high-quality major assessment tasks
• collaborating with peers to complete group assessment tasks
• monitoring personal academic progress to ensure that any issues are discussed with the lecturer or course convenor and addressed in a timely manner.

Students entering this course are assumed to be competent in English. International students must have achieved an IELTS Overall Band Score of at least 6.0 or the equivalent standard in another recognised qualification.

Enrolment in the Master of Engineering (7709)

Ibbotson, M. (2008) Cambridge English for Engineering, Cambridge University Press

ANU Research School of Engineering E-brick : Professional Communication I (ENGN8150) – Professional Reading

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