MBARARA UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

P.O BOX 1410, MBARARA

Faculty of Computing and Informatics
Course Unit: Communication Skills
Course Name Communication Skills
Course Code SWE 1105 Credit 3
Units
Contact Hours 45 Core / Core
Elective
Lecturer Moreen K Mukisa (Mrs.) Lecturer
Venue Resource Center Time 08:00AM-11:00AM
Phone +256-782 468065 Phone N/A
+256-702537474
Email moreen@must.ac.ug Email N/A

Class support is only available on e-mail and on the Learning Management System on
www.lms.must.ac.ug. Office contact is reserved for Monday's and Wednesday’s between
10am-2:00pm in OFFICE 4, new science block level 3. PLEASE DO NOT CALL ME AFTER
5:00PM but you can send an email.
Course Description
This course is designed to expose students to the fundamentals of academic and professional
communication in order to develop professionals who can effectively apply communication
theories and best practices to meet their academic and corporate communication needs.
Course Objectives
The course aims to equip students with communication skills suitable for their academic
purposes. It is further meant to develop students’ skills necessary for effective communication in
business and life in general.

1
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the course students should be able to:
 Communicate effectively both verbally and non-verbally
 Apply the requisite academic communication skills in their essay writing and
other forms of academic writing
 Use various computer-mediated communication platforms in their academic and
professional work
 Relate to the interpersonal and organizational dynamics that affect effective
communication in organizations.

Teaching and Learning Pattern

• Lectures

• Practical Sessions (Peer to peer)

• Tutorials

Recommended text books: (Both available online and in MUST Library)

1. Effective Business Communication. Author: Asha Kaul (2000)

2. Essentials of Business Communication. Author: Mary Ellen Guffey 8th Edition 2013,
ISBN 10: 1-111-82123-2
3. Leadership for the twenty-first century. Author: Joseph C.Rost (1991) NewYork:
raeger.220 pp.

Weekly Schedule

Wk Topic Required Reading Assignments Contact

Hours
1-2 - Introduction
 Principles of -Definition of communi-
communication cation
-Importance of Assignment 1 9hrs
communication

2
 - Types of
Communication
- Communication Model
3-4  Communication -Criteria for effective
network communication
-The 4S’s of Effective
communication 3hrs
-Barriers to
communication
5  Writing and Read- -Critical reading and Assignment 2
ing Skills interpretations
-Making summaries, Practical Session 9hrs
indexing and library
skills
6-7  Interpersonal Skills -Interactions
- Team work
-office dynamics 3hrs
-Phone calls
-Referencing styles

8 MID SEMESTER MID SEMESTER MID SEMESTER 3 hrs

EXAMS EXAMS EXAMS
9  Applying for the -Curriculum Vitae
Job -Resume’
-Application Letters 3hrs
10  Interviews - Types of Interviews 3hrs
- Interview Techniques
- Preparation for the
Interview
- How to become and
effective interviewer
11  Oral presentations - Visual and multimedia Assignment 3
presentations
- Speaking and listening Practical Session 9hrs
Skills
-Making speeches, non-
verbal communication, -
public speaking.

12 •Information -Office Automation and

Communication ICTs
Technology –ICTs and -Advantages of Office
Electronic communication Automation and ICTs. 3hrs
applications - Skype, Google Drive
and other collaborative

3
 applications
13  Examination Skills -Preparing for
examinations Practical Session
- Writing examinations 6hrs
(question/answer
approaches).
14 Revision week Revision week Revision week 3 hrs
15 Summative Test Summative Test Summative Test 3hrs
16-17 FINAL EXAMS FINAL EXAMS FINAL EXAMS 3hrs

Assignment Explanations

The assignments will be in two categories, individual assignments and group assignment.
There will also be marks for class participation and attendance.

Assessment Criteria
Tests, Assignments, Presentations, Participation, etc.
Progressive Assessment: (combined must equal 40%)
Final Exam 60%.
Pass mark 50%