- Online
- $725
This course can be taken as part of the UBC Micro-certificate in Writing and Communication Skills for the Workplace: Business Communication or as a standalone course.
Take on more complex communication scenarios in this advanced course. Working with your instructor and in peer groups, gain strategies to write purposeful and effective emails, letters, reports, proposals and other complex documents.
Learn how to analyze challenging employer and client communication tasks, and discover different approaches to addressing business, technical and non-technical audiences.
By the end of the course, you’ll be able to:
- analyze writing contexts, target specific audiences and use strategies to produce clear, purposeful business and technical writing
- follow a structured approach to planning, drafting and revising your documents
- project a strong professional image for yourself (and your organization)
- read to analyze, synthesize and apply information
- learn to write for social media, emails, memos, letters, reports and proposals
- convey complex information—both negative and positive—clearly
Please note: You should have experience writing a variety of business communications before taking this course. You may wish to complete Writing Well for Business first, but it’s not a prerequisite.
Course outline
Week 1: Understanding the Communication Process
Week 2: Applying Advanced Writing Techniques
Week 3: Writing Effective Emails, Memos and Letters
Week 4: Analyzing Complex Information; Writing Proposal and Reports
Week 5: Writing Persuasively
Week 6: Editing and Finalizing Your Documents; Providing Feedback
How am I assessed?
This course is marked complete/incomplete, and is based on your attendance and participation. Your instructor provides you personalized feedback on the assignments you hand in.
Expected effort
Expect to spend 2-3 hours per week completing coursework, participating in the online forum, and attending the optional group video chat.
Technology requirements
To take this course, you’ll need access to:
- an email account
- a computer, laptop or tablet under five years old and using Windows or macOS
- the latest version of a web browser (or previous major version release)
- a reliable internet connection.
For virtual office hours, you’ll also need:
- a video camera and microphone.
One day before the start of your course, we’ll email you step-by-step instructions for accessing your course.
Course format
This course is 100% online and instructor supported with weekly instructor office hours. Course work is done independently and at your own pace within deadlines set by your instructor. Log in anytime to your course to access the lessons as they become available.
Weekly office hours
Tuesdays, 6-6:40pm Pacific Time
This course offers optional weekly drop-in virtual office hours. Join your instructor and classmates by video conferencing to discuss course materials and assignments, receive feedback and ask questions.
Online materials will be available for three weeks after the course ends, after which time you will no longer be able to access the course.