Faculty of Information Technology and Communication Studies

Department of Communication Studies

COURSE OUTLINE

A. COURSE DETAILS:

Course Code BGEC 101 Level 100 Credit Hours 3

Course Title Communication Skills

Academic Year 2024-2025 Semester First

Programme Degree
Prerequisite (If Any) None
Course URL: http//:

B1. COURSE LEAD LECTURER’S DETAILS:

Name: Course Lead Dr. Mohammed SADAT

Email sadat.mohammed@upsamail.edu.gh

Office location Rev. J.J. Martey Building, Ground Floor - Right Wing, Room 4

Contact 024 446 6149

HoD’s E-mail adwoa.amankwah@upsamail.edu.gh

B2. CO-LECTURERS’ DETAILS

Name Email Contact

Mr. Elias WILLIAMS elias.williams@upsamail.edu.gh 024 472 8102

Mr. Nelson S. KWASHIE nelson.kwashie@upsamail.edu.gh 024 245 5563

Mr. Nii A. AMARTEI nii.aamartei@upsamail.edu.gh 024 481 1642

Dr. Patience CALYS-TAGOE p.calys-tagoe@upsamail.edu.gh 054 832 5236

Mrs. Charity A. BOATENG charity.boateng@upsamail.edu.gh 020 761 1807

Dr. K. O.A. OSEI-TUTU koaosei-tutu@ug.edu.gh 055 966 2616

Mr. Alfred Kwame TENI tenialfredkwami@gmail.com 024 222 9052

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 Mr. Wisdom Kofi VIFAH wisdomvifah@gmail.com 024 144 4133

Mr. Archibald N.S. ADAMS niisarbah@gmail.com 020 833 6002

Ms. Ellen Ama DAAKU daakuellenama@gmail.com 054 101 3222

Mr. Abraham Tawiah TEI abrahamteitawiah@gmail.com 024 326 1607

C. COURSE DESCRIPTION

The course is aimed at enhancing students’ effective communication skills in writing and speech
production. Students will be taken through the elements of communication and various processes
involved in interpersonal communication. The course provides students with a broad
understanding of the various characteristics of lexicons used in human communication. Topics
such as basic rules of language used in communication, language and meaning, ethics in
communication, varieties of English language, correct forms of punctuations and common sentence
errors are discussed.

D. COURSE OBJECTIVES

At the end of this course, students would be able to:

1. Identify features of effective communication,

2. Explain elements and processes of communication,
3. Avoid common sentence errors,
4. Use the correct forms of punctuations in sentences,
5. Identify the features and use of the major and minor lexicons in English,
6. Avoid common ambiguity: Lexical and Structure
7. Use the correct forms of punctuations in sentences,
8. Identify the ambiguity in communication,
9. Identify various varieties of English language.

E. COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of this course, students would be able to:

a. Explain the meaning of communication,

b. Demonstrate knowledge of elements and processes of communication,
c. Demonstrate knowledge of basic language rules in communication
d. Use the correct forms of active and passive sentences in communication
e. Avoid common sentence errors,
f. Explain how to overcome the barriers to effective communication,
g. Demonstrate appreciable knowledge in English grammar usage.

F. TOPICS AND SUB-TOPICS

The following topics or lessons will be delivered to students:

N.B.: Refer to Section G below.
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G. WEEKLY TOPICS/LESSONS, CLASS ACTIVITIES AND REQUIRED MATERIALS

ACTIVITIES & MODE

WEEK TOPIC/LESSON MATERIAL
(Virtual/In-Person)
WEEK 1 INTRODUCTION TO In-person
COMMUNICATION SKILLS
3rd -8th Feb • Course introduction
• What is communication
• Characteristic of Taylor (2000).
communication
• Importance of
communication

WEEK 2 PURPOSE AND PROCESS

OF COMMUNICATION In-person
10th-15th Feb • Purpose of
communication
• Models of -Taylor (2000).
communication -Severin & Tankard
• Barriers to (2001).
communication
• Overcoming barriers
• 7C’s in Communication.

WEEK 3 CHANNEL AND

CLASSIFICATION OF In-person
17th-22nd Feb COMMUNICATION
• expression (oral and
written communication)
- Taylor (2005, pp. 27-
• Organizational 44)
Structure (Formal vs
- Hartley &
informal
Bruckmann (2007, pp.
communication
67-117)
• directions (downward,
upward, horizontal)
Verbal communication

Non-verbal communication
WEEK 4 ETHICS IN In-person
COMMUNICATION
24th Feb-1st Communication ethics
Mar • Definition
• Principles of ethical
communication Barasa & Mudogo
(2019, pp. 62-68)
• Ethical ways of
communication

• Ethical ways in using

communication materials

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 WEEK 5 BASIC LANGUAGE RULES Quirk & Greenbaum
IN COMMUNICATION In-person (2000, pp. 15-17)
3rd-8th Mar Concord: Definition and Types
Tense : Types and Functions

WEEK 6 TYPES AND FUNCTIONS Stockwell & Minkova

SENTENCE IN In-person (2001, pp. 56-72)
10th -15th Mar COMMUNICATION
Definition; Structure; Functions

WEEK 7 Virtual LMS

Interim Assessment
17th-22nd Mar.
COMMON ERRORS IN
COMMUNICATION
WEEK 8 Confusing Words, Fragments,
Run-Ons, Comma Splices,
In-person Bailey (2011, pp. 132-
Parallelism
24th -29th Mar Modifiers (Misplaced, Squinting, 136)
Dangling)

WEEK 9 VARIETIES OF
ENGLISH IN Wiredu (1999, pp. 6-28)
31st Mar-5th COMMUNICATION In-person
Apr American, British and
Ghanaian English
WEEK 10 ACTIVE AND PASSIVE
FORMATION IN In-person
7th -12th Apr COMMUNICATION Quirk & Greenbaum
Processes, uses and constraints (2000, pp. 114-142)

WEEK 11 AMBIGUITY IN
COMMUNICATION In-person Wiredu (1998, pp. 43-
14th -19th Apr Lexical and Structure 69)
ambiguity
WEEK 12 RECEPTIVE AND In-person Wiredu (1999, pp.
PRODUCTIVE SKILLS
143-154)
21st -26th Apr Listening and speaking skills
NB: REVISION WEEK

WEEK 13 In-person
28th Apr-11th EXAMS START
May

H. INTERIM ASSESSMENTS (ASSIGNMENTS) SCHEDULES

Interim assessments approach or tools include online Objectives Test (MCQs, short answers,
calculations, matching, etc.…), essays, problem-based case studies, group discussions, class tests,
take-home assignments, e-portfolios, mini-project presentations, etc.…

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 IA ACTIVITY DESCRIPTION ASSESSMENT SCORES (%)
NO. APPROACH/TOOLS
1. Class attendance 5%
2. Class participation 5%
3. Group presentation 10%
4. Sit-in IA ONLINE - LMS 20%
5.
Total Score 40%

I. END OF SEMESTER EXAMINATION

• End of semester examination score is 60%

J. READING LISTS/REFERENCES BASIC TEXTS

Bailey, S. (2015). The essentials of academic writing for international students. Routledge
Bailey, S. (2011). Academic Writing for International Students of Business. Routledge
Crystal, D. (1991). Rediscover Grammar with David Crystal. Longman
Quirk, R. and Greenbaum, S. (2000). University Grammar of English. Longman
Severin, W.J. & Tankard, J.W. (2001). Communication theories: Origins, methods, and uses in the
mass media. (5th ed.). Longman
Stockwell, R., and Minkova, D. (2001). English Words: History and Structure. CUP
Taylor, S. (2005). Communication for Business: Practical approach. Pearson Longman
Taylor, S. (2000). Essential communication skills: The ultimate guide to successful business
communication. Pearson Educational
Wiredu, J. F. (1999). Organized English Structure. Academic Publications (Gh) Ltd.
Wiredu, J. F. (1998). Organized English Grammar. Academic Publications (Gh) Ltd.

K. SUPPLEMENTARY TEXTS

Barasa, D., Mudogo, B. (2019). Communication Skills: A Handbook for Students. Utafiti Foundation
Jones-Mensah, I. (2019). The English Nouns in Paradigm
Hartley, P.& Bruckmann, C. (2007). Business Communication. Routledge, Taylor and Francis
Quagie, J. K. (2012). English: A Tool for Communication for Universities and Tertiary Institutions.
Hybrid Publishers.

L. REACH THE FOLLOWING OFFICERS IF YOU HAVE ANY FEEDBACK OR

COMPLAINT

POSITIONS EMAIL

Lead Lecturer sadat.mohammed@upsamail.edu.gh

Head of Department adwoa.amankwah@upsamail.edu.gh

Dean of the Faculty godfred.akrofi@upsamail.edu.gh

Director - Quality Assurance director.qualityassurance@upsamail.edu.gh