Students

MQBS1020 – Business Communication

2026 – Session 1, Online-scheduled-weekday

General Information

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Unit convenor and teaching staff Unit convenor and teaching staff Lecturer
Jonathan Robberts
jonathan.robberts@mq.edu.au
Friday 1pm-2pm online
Credit points Credit points
10
Prerequisites Prerequisites
Corequisites Corequisites
Co-badged status Co-badged status
Unit description Unit description

Successful managers are great communicators. In this unit students will engage with methods of communication from managerial, organisational, and corporate points of view. Students will build their skill set to learn how to provide impactful feedback, to coach, mentor and network. Leaders and managers are required to motivate and inspire a broad range of stakeholders and a key to achieving this is to understand your audience. Whether playing the role of leader, liaison, interpreter, disseminator, advocate, or spokesperson, in this unit, students will be introduced to frameworks, tools and techniques they need to be successful.

Important Academic Dates

Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:

  • ULO1: Explain the types of communication skills required for a range of academic and professional audiences, settings and purposes.
  • ULO2: Apply communication skills across different settings, purposes, and audiences to effectively communicate in diverse professional environments, engage in collaborative projects, network with industry professionals, and adapt to the evolving communication demands of the modern workplace.
  • ULO3: Use appropriate language and structure to solve real-world management communication challenges.

General Assessment Information

Late Assessment Submission Penalty (written assessments):

If you submit your assessment late, 5% of the total possible marks will be deducted for each day (including weekends), up to 7 days. Submissions more than 7 days late will receive a mark of 0.

  • Example 1 (out of 100): If you score 85/100 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 5 marks and receive 80/100.
  • Example 2 (out of 30): If you score 27/30 but submit 20 hours late, you will lose 1.5 marks and receive 25.5/30.

 

Extensions:

  • Automatic short extension: Some assessments are eligible for automatic short extension. You can only apply for an automatic short extension before the due date.
  • Special Consideration: If you need more time due to serious issues and for any assessments that are not eligible for
  • Short Extension, you must apply for Special Consideration. Need help? Review the Special Consideration page for further details.

Assessment Tasks

Name Weighting Hurdle Due Groupwork/Individual Short Extension AI Approach
Professional practice: Organisational comms strategy 30% No 17/05/2026 Group No Open AI
Skills development: Communicating with impact 30% No 22/03/2026 Individual No Observed
Skills development: Sustained engagement 40% No 07/06/2026 Individual Yes Open AI

Professional practice: Organisational comms strategy

Assessment Type 1: Problem-based task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 17/05/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Group
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Open AI

The purpose of this assessment is to develop your ability to evaluate organisational communication strategies and propose improvements based on theoretical and practical insights.
You will work in teams to analyse a company’s communication strategy, identify strengths and weaknesses, and develop alternative recommendations to address any identified gaps or challenges.
 
 
Skills in focus:
 
  • Collaboration skills
  • Critical thinking and problem solving
  • Discipline knowledge
 
Deliverable(s): Written report [1500 words]
 
Group assessment
 
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Apply communication skills across different settings, purposes, and audiences to effectively communicate in diverse professional environments, engage in collaborative projects, network with industry professionals, and adapt to the evolving communication demands of the modern workplace.
  • Use appropriate language and structure to solve real-world management communication challenges.

Skills development: Communicating with impact

Assessment Type 1: Presentation task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 20 hours
Due: 22/03/2026
Weighting: 30%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: No
AI Approach: Observed

The purpose of this assessment is to develop your ability to communicate ideas effectively and concisely while demonstrating your understanding of key concepts from the unit content.
You will create and deliver a 3-minute video presentation on an allocated topic, showcasing their ability to synthesise information, engage an audience, and apply their learnings to a focused subject.
 
 
Skills in focus:
 
  • Communication skills
  • Discipline knowledge
 
Deliverable(s): Video presentation (3 minutes)
 
Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the types of communication skills required for a range of academic and professional audiences, settings and purposes.
  • Use appropriate language and structure to solve real-world management communication challenges.

Skills development: Sustained engagement

Assessment Type 1: Reflection task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 07/06/2026
Weighting: 40%
Groupwork/Individual: Individual
Short extension 3: Yes
AI Approach: Open AI

The purpose of this assessment is to encourage you to critically reflect on your engagement and contributions throughout the unit and during tutorials, as well as to develop a structured plan for your future learning and development.
You will analyse your contributions, evaluate your impact on group discussions and activities, and articulate your plans for continued growth, supported by evidence and artefacts from your learning journey.
 
 
Skills in focus:
 
  • Communication skills
  • Work readiness
  • Discipline knowledge 
 
Deliverable(s): Reflective report [max 1500 words], excluding appendices with supporting evidence.
 
Individual assessment
On successful completion you will be able to:
  • Explain the types of communication skills required for a range of academic and professional audiences, settings and purposes.
  • Use appropriate language and structure to solve real-world management communication challenges.

1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:

  • the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
  • Academic Success for academic skills support.

2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation.

3 An automatic short extension is available for some assessments. Apply through the Service Connect Portal.

Delivery and Resources

Prescribed Textbook:

  • Dwyer, J. (2021). Communication for business and the professions : strategies and skills (7th edition.). Pearson Australia.
  • The textbook is available in eBook or Print format. Some physical copies may be available in the library. Details on how to access it will be available on the library website. You can also purchase the textbook through Pearson via the link provided on iLearn. 

 

Lectures and Tutorials

  • Lectures (1.5 hours each week) will run from Week 1 to Week 13.
  • Tutorials (1.5 hours per tutorial) start from Week 2 and run until Week 13. Students must only attend their officially registered/enrolled tutorial classes. Some tutorials run simultaneously, so please make sure to refer to the timetable and classes via the MQ Session 1 2026 Timetable to attend the correct tutorial. Class schedule/location may change in case of public holidays*. Please make sure to check Unit Announcements for any updates and changes. 

 

Consultation Hours

  • Weekly consultation hours will run from Week 1 to Week 13 via Zoom on Friday between 1pm-2pm (link provided on iLearn). Students are encouraged to attend consultation hours to raise questions with the Unit Convenor regarding the overall structure, contents and expectations for the unit. 
  • Tutors are students' first point of contact for any other questions. Tutors are the academic members responsible for delivering tutorials, marking all assessments and providing feedback to students. You can contact them:
    1. Before or after tutorials (in-person for face-to-face tutorials and MQ Zoom for online tutorials)
    2. Via email (see iLearn for relevant tutor contact information).

 

Unit Schedule

Lecture Topic Outline​

  • Week 1      Introduction to Business Communication​ 
  • Week 2      Writing Effectively for Business Communication 
  • Week 3     ​ Verbal and Non-Verbal Communication: Delivering Presentations and Public Speaking​ 
  • Week 4     ​ Emotional Intelligence in Business Communication​
  • Week 5     ​ Interpersonal Communication​
  • Week 6     ​ Communication in the Organisation​
  • Recess     (No classes)
  • Week 7     ​ Persuasion and Negotiation​
  • Week 8     ​ Managing Conflict and Crisis in Communication​
  • Week 9     ​ Communication with Stakeholders ​
  • Week 10  ​  Culture and Communication
  • Week 11    Technology, Social Media and Business Communication​
  • Week 12   ​ Business Communication and Ethics​
  • Week 13   ​ Revision: Did we succeed?​ ​

Policies and Procedures

Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:

Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.

To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.

Student Code of Conduct

Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct

Results

Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit connect.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au

Academic Integrity

At Macquarie, we believe academic integrity – honesty, respect, trust, responsibility, fairness and courage – is at the core of learning, teaching and research. We recognise that meeting the expectations required to complete your assessments can be challenging. So, we offer you a range of resources and services to help you reach your potential, including free online writing and maths support, academic skills development and wellbeing consultations.

Student Support

Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/

Academic Success

Academic Success provides resources to develop your English language proficiency, academic writing, and communication skills.

The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources. 

Student Services and Support

Macquarie University offers a range of Student Support Services including:

Student Enquiries

Got a question? Ask us via the Service Connect Portal, or contact Service Connect.

IT Help

For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/. 

When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.

Unit information based on version 2026.02 of the Handbook