No prior experience required.
Communication Skills for Engineers Specialization
Build Your Engineering Communication Toolkit. Build a toolkit of communication skills that gives you the confidence to be an engineering leader.
Offered By
Communication Skills for Engineers SpecializationRice UniversityAbout this Specialization
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Build a toolkit of communication skills that will give you the knowledge and confidence to be an effective engineering leader.
Engineers who want to advance in their profession need to be effective communicators. They need to clearly communicate complex ideas and technical project plans. They also need to be strong persuaders. Engineers who are good communicators get recognized by their supervisors and by their clients.
In this three-course Specialization, you will practice designing and giving strong, persuasive presentations; you will learn how to communicate across cultures, genders, and generations, how to create your personal brand and leadership presence, how to hold effective meetings with global teams; you will learn how to handle difficult conversations, and how to handle crisis communication; you will also learn writing skills immediately applicable in your daily activities. Courses are taught by faculty from the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership (RCEL). RCEL is focused on developing engineering leaders at the Rice University’s George R. Brown School of Engineering. It is home to one of a very few academically approved Certificates in Engineering Leadership.
Applied Learning Project
At the specialization level, each week you will complete a series of self-assessments leading to a development of a Personal Communication Improvements Plan. In the Oral Communication course, you will complete a series of assignments culminating in a real-life presentation on a topic important to your organization or you personally. In the Interpersonal Communication course, you will develop your Personal Brand pitch and a toolbox of technique to communicate with different people in different situations. In the course on writing, you will improve documents you distribute to your co-workers, supervisors, and clients.
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online courses
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible Schedule
Set and maintain flexible deadlines.
Beginner Level
Approx. 4 months to complete
Suggested 5 hours/week
English
Subtitles: English, Arabic, French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online courses
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible Schedule
Set and maintain flexible deadlines.
Beginner Level
No prior experience required.
Approx. 4 months to complete
Suggested 5 hours/week
English
Subtitles: English, Arabic, French, Portuguese (Brazilian), Russian, Spanish
There are 3 Courses in this Specialization
Oral Communication for Engineering Leaders
129 ratings
Taught by Rice University communication faculty from the Rice Center for Engineering Leadership (RCEL). This course covers core topics in oral communication: Communication strategy, content, data visualization, and delivery. You’ll learn key principles in
Interpersonal Communication for Engineering Leaders
85 ratings
This course covers communication skills that engineering leaders use every day to motivate, inspire, and support the people in their organizations.
Writing Skills for Engineering Leaders
285 ratings
Engineering leaders must write extensively for their jobs, and their writing needs to be professional, reader-focused, and error-free. What leaders write in particular can affect productivity and the bottom line, so the written communication that leaders create must be clear and concise. In this course, you’ll learn essential writing skills that you can apply in your daily activities on the job as an engineering leader. You’ll learn key principles in
Offered by
Rice University
Rice University is consistently ranked among the top 20 universities in the U.S. and the top 100 in the world. Rice has highly respected schools of Architecture, Business, Continuing Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Music, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences and is home to the Baker Institute for Public Policy.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the refund policy?
If you subscribed, you get a 7-day free trial during which you can cancel at no penalty. After that, we don’t give refunds, but you can cancel your subscription at any time. See our full refund policy.
Can I just enroll in a single course?
Yes! To get started, click the course card that interests you and enroll. You can enroll and complete the course to earn a shareable certificate, or you can audit it to view the course materials for free. When you subscribe to a course that is part of a Specialization, you’re automatically subscribed to the full Specialization. Visit your learner dashboard to track your progress.
Is financial aid available?
Yes, Coursera provides financial aid to learners who cannot afford the fee. Apply for it by clicking on the Financial Aid link beneath the "Enroll" button on the left. You'll be prompted to complete an application and will be notified if you are approved. You'll need to complete this step for each course in the Specialization, including the Capstone Project. Learn more.
Can I take the course for free?
When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free. If you cannot afford the fee, you can apply for financial aid.
Is this course really 100% online? Do I need to attend any classes in person?
This course is completely online, so there’s no need to show up to a classroom in person. You can access your lectures, readings and assignments anytime and anywhere via the web or your mobile device.
How long does it take to complete the Specialization?
There are 3 courses in this Specialization. Based on a weekly commitment of 3-5 hours, you should be able to and aim to complete one module per week. Oral Communication should take 5 weeks and Interpersonal Communication and Writing should each take 4 weeks.
What background knowledge is necessary?
No specific background is required—this Specialization is ideal for professional engineers who are interested in advancing into leadership and management roles.
Will I earn university credit for completing the Specialization?
You will not earn university credit for completing the Specialization. This Specialization is part of the Certificate in Engineering Management and Leadership from Rice University. Upon completing this Specialization, you will earn a university-recognized professional Certificate.
What will I be able to do upon completing the Specialization?
When students have completed this specialization, they will be able to do the following:
· Apply communication strategy by developing messages and content for different technical and nontechnical audiences and purposes
· Deliver strong persuasive oral presentations with confidence
· Write a variety of business and technical documents with clarity and conciseness
· Target appropriate online media and use them for effective communication
· Understand how to communicate in global, multigenerational, and gender diverse environments
· Effectively communicate in a crisis situation
· Exhibit leadership presence
· Effectively engage in professional interpersonal communication
· Develop and implement a personal communication improvement plan
Do I need to take the courses in a specific order?
We highly recommend that you take the courses in the following order: Oral Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Writing.
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
