MIT Professional Education Announce New Short Programs Course: Professional Communication Bootcamp

New Professional Communications Course for Engineers & Non-Engineers Runs July 20-24, 2015

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – April 17, 2015 – MIT Professional Education adds a new course, Professional Communication Bootcamp, to its Short Programs offering today.

The course runs July 20 -24, 2015 on MIT’s campus in Cambridge, Mass., and focuses on four specific areas: public speaking, critical thinking, visual persuasion, and audience adaptation. The program will address each of these areas in a three-step process: first, participants will identify the specific skills a successful advocate requires. Second, participants will answer the question, “what specific challenges has the digital age brought about?” Third, participants will engage in workshop activities that encourage them to practice the principles they have discussed.

“Effective communication skills are essential no matter what your career is, as study after study has documented,” said Edward Schiappa, Professor and Head of Comparative Media Studies/Writing and MIT’s John E. Burchard Professor of the Humanities. “The ability to generate persuasive messages for audiences both internal and external, expert and non-expert, to reason critically with one’s colleagues, and to adapt one’s messages to use the appropriate communication medium are all skills that we will focus on and put into practice in this program.”

This course is designed not only for engineers, but also for any professional seeking expert insight to improve their communication skills. Participants will hone their ability to present ideas and persuade others within their organization or outside of it, deliver messages across different media channels and to diverse audiences, and enhance their critical thinking abilities to construct and evaluate claims and arguments with positive outcomes.

Enrollment is now open to qualifying U.S. and international professionals through the MIT Professional Education website.

MIT Professional Education Short Programs offers professionals more than 40 industry-focused one to five-day sessions, taking place primarily in the summer. Participants learn from leading MIT faculty and gain crucial knowledge to help fuel their careers or enhance their companies in a collaborative academic setting. Upon completion, participants receive an MIT Professional Education certificate of completion, continuing education units, and access to MIT Professional Education’s expansive professional alumni network. 

About MIT Professional Education
For 65 years, MIT Professional Education has been providing a gateway to renowned MIT research, knowledge, and expertise through advanced education programs designed specifically for working professionals worldwide who are engaged in engineering, science, and technology management. In addition to its Short Programs, MIT Professional Education also offers professionals the capability to take Short Programs courses abroad through International Programs, enroll in regular MIT academic courses through the Advanced Study Program, customize an educational experience for a group of employees at a company site, or join global audiences in taking online courses. Participants are drawn from across the U.S. and around the world, and about 50 percent are international. Upon successful completion of one of these programs, participants receive an MIT Professional Education Certificate of Completion and access to MIT Professional Education’s expansive, private professional alumni network, along with other program specific benefits.