Kommunikatsioonijuhtimise programmi õpiväljundid: vilistlaste kogemus ja arvamused

The learning outcomes of Communication Management: alumni’s experience and opinions The Institute of Journalism and Communication of the University of Tartu is developing the Master’s program in Communication Management consistently. For this purpose a series of three Bachelor’s thesis was created, in order to receive input information. The aim of given thesis is to analyse how are professional skills, which are the basis of learning outcomes of Communication Management curriculum, interpreted by alumni. 15 in-depth interviews with the alumni of Communication Management were carried out for the series. The survey plan included different subjects: work-related identification, reflection of different skills and knowledge, work-related challenges and role conflicts, professional identification, relations with media, estimations to the Master’s program. This thesis focuses on reflecting the competence. Given study found answers to following research questions: • How are different learning outcomes interpreted by alumni? • How variable is the interpretation of different learning outcomes? • Which connections are created between different skills? • To what extent are the learning outcomes put into practice? • Which is the alumni’s estimation to their own skills? • Which is the alumni’s estimation to the sources of acquiring the skills? • Which are the estimations and recommendations to the Communication Management program? Results of this thesis prove that it is possible to interpret professional skills in many different ways, although homogeneous approaches appeared as well. Alumni create connections between learning outcomes, which should be considered while improving the curriculum. Predominantly work-related experience is considered as the source of acquiring the skills. Theoretical skills are mostly acquired through graduate studies. Since the skills in the form of learning outcomes are practiced in everyday work-related situations, it can be concluded that the competence derived from Communication Management is practically applicable. Although practical courses are praised, it is recommended to improve the Master’s program even more by involving different employers and institutions. Given study can be further developed in order to make Communication Management program even more efficient by studying both the objectives of the Institute of Journalism and Communication as well as other communication-related curricula.http://tartu.ester.ee/record=b2510624~S1*es