CORE-02 · Foundations

Professional Communication in Knowledge Work

Required for all majors →

Teaches the communication skills that differentiate effective knowledge workers. Covers written communication (emails, status updates, documentation), verbal communication (meetings, presentations, disagreements), and cross-functional translation — all practiced with AI-augmented drafting and editing. Students learn to communicate clearly in any professional setting from day one.

30 Hours
9 Learning objectives
Analyze Bloom's ceiling (?)
5 Competencies

Learning Objectives

Objectives

Depth
  • Compose structured help requests that include context, specific question, attempted solutions, and respect for the recipient's time Apply
  • Write status updates using the DONE/DOING/BLOCKED formula, calibrated for different audiences (manager, team, executive) Apply
  • Draft professional emails with clear calls-to-action, appropriate tone, and no AI-generated filler, then edit AI-assisted drafts to match Apply
  • Translate domain-specific language between functions (technical↔executive, clinical↔IT, design↔development) in written and verbal contexts Apply
  • Prepare and deliver meeting follow-up documentation that captures decisions, action items, ownership, and deadlines Apply
  • Navigate professional disagreements by presenting alternatives with explicit tradeoffs and collaborative framing Apply
  • Present work to groups using answer-first structure: conclusion, then evidence, then methodology Apply
  • Extract actionable direction from vague or ambiguous feedback by asking targeted clarifying questions Analyze
  • Communicate uncertainty and confidence levels appropriately when presenting data, recommendations, or timelines Apply

Levels: Remember · Understand · Apply · Analyze · Evaluate · Create — highest demands most original thinking.

What You'll Master

Written Professional Communication

Emails, status updates, documentation, async messages, proposal language.

Verbal Communication

Meetings, presentations, feedback sessions, standup updates.

Cross-Functional Translation

Converting between domain languages without losing meaning or urgency.

Conflict & Negotiation

Disagreements, scope discussions, pushback, timeline negotiation.

AI-Augmented Drafting

Using AI to draft communication, then editing for accuracy, tone, and audience.

What You'll Build

Communication Portfolio — Student produces 8-10 real-world communication artifacts: 2 status updates (different audiences), 2 professional emails (different scenarios), 1 meeting summary, 1 presentation outline with speaker notes, 1 disagreement navigation scenario, 1 cross-functional translation exercise. Each includes the AI-generated draft, their edits, and a brief annotation explaining what they changed and why.

Industry Tools, Not Toy Projects

Claude

AI assistant used for drafting professional communications, then edited for accuracy, tone, and audience fit.

Google Docs / Notion

Collaboration platforms for real-time and async document creation, commenting, and version management.

Slack

Team communication platform for practicing async communication, threading, and channel management.

Loom

Async video communication tool for recording updates, walkthroughs, and presentations.

Google Slides

Presentation tool for practicing answer-first structure and visual communication.

Prerequisites & What's Next

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