University of Cape Town

Communication and Influence in the Digital Age

Master the art of capturing attention in a world filled with constant media, and nurture your interpersonal abilities by mastering the art of concise and impactful communication.

Start date

03 March 2025

Price

$902 USD

Installment Plan

Request a call

Course duration

6 weeks

Excluding orientation

Language

English

Access resources from start date

Effort

8–10 hours per week

Self-paced learning online

ABOUT THIS COURSE

Course overview

Communication in times of crisis

“In an ongoing crisis, clear communication is more important and more difficult than when things seem normal. Employees and customers are hungry for information, so we’re tempted to pull together presentations and communicate with urgency instead of with careful planning.”
– Nancy Duarte

Harvard Business Review (May, 2020).

Storytelling

“The ability to create a well-thought-out narrative provides communicators a powerful method of persuasion, motivating audiences to act.”
– Roshni Wijayasinha, Foxquilt

Forbes (Jun, 2020).

Duration: 6 weeks (excluding orientation)

In an ever-evolving global and local landscape, where individuals must navigate constant change and an abundance of information, the importance of effective communication cannot be overstated. The swift and public nature of digital communication means that a single misstep can result in a loss of credibility, impacting both individuals and companies.

The University of Cape Town (UCT) offers the Communication and Influence in the Digital Age online short course, which delves into traditional communication skills adapted for today's interconnected and technology-driven world. Led by UCT's esteemed faculty and subject matter experts, you will acquire the skills needed to communicate effectively with your teams, stakeholders and digital audience, ultimately enhancing trust, clarity, and goodwill.

Throughout the course, you will gain insights into navigating the current communication landscape by honing your critical thinking, persuasion, storytelling, cultural awareness, interpersonal communication, presentation, and crisis management abilities – all of which are essential for achieving influence and successful communication.

Is this course for you?

This course caters to professionals across various industries seeking to enhance their communication prowess in face-to-face interactions and the digital realm to meet the demands of an increasingly intricate, digitised environment. In professions where effective communication is indispensable for engaging with diverse stakeholders, this course is valuable for cultivating an interpersonal skill set tailored to the contemporary communication landscape. If you aspire to exert influence, inspire others, bolster self-awareness, and excel in interpersonal communication, this course offers a pragmatic roadmap to foster trust, clarity, and goodwill within your professional sphere.

Designed for early and mid-career professionals – who regularly interact with a broad spectrum of individuals – and emerging leaders looking to communicate effectively with their teams, you will be prompted to assess your interpersonal communication competencies and recognise the significance of investing in communication, whether you are a seasoned professional or aspiring to a leadership role. Irrespective of your specific context, building influence is paramount in achieving your personal and professional aspirations. This course will empower you to cultivate your personal brand and refine your presentation skills, equipping you with the tools to nurture influence and communicate persuasively.

Course overview

Duration: 6 weeks (excluding orientation)

What will set you apart

On completion of this course, you’ll walk away with:

A personalised communication guidebook to help you communicate clearly and influence at all levels, in person and digitally.

Insights into essential aspects of communication, from critical thinking and persuasion to personal branding, cross-cultural communication, ethical leadership, and crisis management.

Frameworks to mitigate the various risks that miscommunication can create.

Unlimited access to edX’s Career Engagement Network, offering you exclusive resources and events to support your professional journey and drive your career forward.

Course curriculum

Embark on a transformative journey of persuasive and impactful communication strategies as you delve into the weekly modules of this online short course.

Orientation module

Welcome to your Online Campus

Module 1

The current communications landscape

Module 2

Critical thinking: Avoiding miscommunication

Module 3

Persuasive communication

Module 4

Communicating with influence: Strategies and techniques

Module 5

Communication as an investment in leadership and ethics

Module 6

Crisis communication and reputation management

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What past students
think

Duschanka Hitzeroth

Corporate Communications and Marketing Manager, Canon South Africa

This course provided informative and engaging content that really shifted the approach to communication and the value it holds for an organisation, especially in the digital age. It was exciting being able to put names to experiences and discuss a variety of concepts with a diverse group of peers, which allowed further exploration of these theories in a practical setting. [I] absolutely enjoyed our Head Tutor, Ms Masemola-Jones, who was encouraging and posed thought-provoking questions that enhanced the understanding of the course material, ensuring we’re practically able to implement these learnings.

Course Convenors

The design of this online short course is guided by UCT faculty, as well as industry experts, who will share their experience and in-depth knowledge with you throughout the course.

Dr Signe Rousseau

Lecturer in Critical Literacy and Professional Communication, UCT

Gao Nodoba

Lecturer in Corporate Communication, Intercultural Communication, Diversity and Reputation Management, UCT

About the certificate

Discover the significance of communication for influence development as you earn an official certificate of completion from the University of Cape Town.

Assessment is continuous and based on a series of practical assignments completed online. In order to be issued with a digital certificate, you’ll need to meet the requirements outlined in the course handbook. The handbook will be made available to you as soon as you begin the course.

Your digital certificate will be issued in your legal name and sent to you upon successful completion of the course, as per the stipulated requirements. Please note, due to additional administrative requirements, at times UCT course certificate delivery may be delayed by several weeks/months.

UCT Communication and Influence in the Digital Age online short course certificate

YOUR INFORMATION

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FAQ

Want to know more?

GetSmarter operates as edX's partner for premium online short course products from the world's leading universities and institutions. With edX, we leverage our people, technology, and resources to power your education and your potential.

We deliver market-led courses that equip working professionals with the expertise required to upskill, reskill or kickstart a completely new career. Through a data-driven approach, we analyze future skills requirements and ensure all courses address this need. We ensure that leading universities and institutions are your expert guides and our people, technology, and resources are your engine – together we power more than just education, we power your potential.

Read more about GetSmarter here and edX here.

Find out more about GetSmarter’s approach to digital learning, course design, and online delivery here.

You can pay your course fees before the course starts, or you may opt for a split payment plan on courses that are nine weeks and shorter. For courses 10 weeks and longer, there is a three-part payment plan available. To find out more about payment options please visit our Payment and Financing page, or contact an Enrollment Adviser, to find out which option you qualify for.

GetSmarter's learning model is designed to help you, as a working professional, improve your skills without compromising on work and family responsibilities. The course work is broken up into weekly, manageable bite-sized modules, with incremental deadlines, designed to help you pace yourself over the duration of the course and allow you the legroom to work when it suits you best.

At the beginning of each module you'll be presented with the course content and assignments necessary for completion. You also have access to your Success Adviser who will help you manage your time, and support you with any administrative or technical queries you might have.

By improving your skills and industry knowledge, you'll have an influence on the success of your organization. Why wouldn't you ask your boss to help you fund your studies if it's going to have an impact on the way you do business?

Of our past students, 37 percent have received financial assistance from their employers. You can ask for help, too. Here is a guide to show you how to request financial assistance from your employer.

If you are a Learning & Development (L&D) manager, or involved in training and upskilling for an organization, you can request information regarding our corporate offering on our GetSmarter for business page.

As part of our commitment to your professional development, GetSmarter offers you a two-week period to change your course start date or request your money back if you’re not fully satisfied.

To qualify for a deferral of your course start date, or to cancel your enrollment and receive a refund of your course fee, your request would need to reach our Success Advisers before the release of Module 2. For more information, please read our Terms and Conditions.

The Online Campus will be your virtual classroom for the duration of your course. Through its easy-to-use interface you'll have access to a diverse variety of course content formats including: interactive videos, module notes, practice quizzes, presentations, assignment briefs, and additional web resources.

On the Online Campus, you'll also be able to ask questions and interact with your fellow students and teaching team through the discussion forums. If you are looking for your Online Campus login, please visit your Account page here.

We've recently partnered with financial services firm, FeverTree, to offer you another convenient way to finance your short course education. Find out how you can apply for a short-term loan below.

How do I apply?

You have the option of applying for a full course-cost loan agreement with FeverTree (South African citizens and short courses only)
FeverTree works with GetSmarter to ensure your studies are financed right away, giving you the chance to join the soonest presentation
You can find out if you pre-qualify in seconds. Send an SMS with your “Name*Surname*ID Number*Gross Salary” to 30082
FeverTree’s application process is simple and quick – expect a 15-minute turnaround to find out if you’ve been successful with your loan application
Even if you aren’t successful in your FeverTree application, you’ll still be eligible for the payment plan options with GetSmarter

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