Research placement

bcomu2117  2024-2025  Bruxelles Saint-Louis

Research placement
13.00 credits
15.0 h
Q1 and Q2

  This learning unit is not open to incoming exchange students!

Teacher(s)
Language
French
Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :

Competency 1 - Develop communication strategies which integrate the various aspects of digital culture.
Learning outcome:

  1. Critically analyse the communication of an organisation, taking into account its sector of activity and its social, cultural, technological, economic, political and legal context.
  2. Define the objectives and establish a communication strategy in line with the organisation's strategy by including the qualities of interaction, participation and collaboration of the digital culture in an optimal manner.
  3. Design, implement, and distribute innovative, sustainable and inclusive communication projects within the organisation's digital ecosystem.
  4. Ensure that the legal, ethical and deontological nature of the organisation's communication practices is respected; consider its human, economic and technical resources and constraints while establishing any communication strategy.
  5. Mobilise the most appropriate communication project evaluation processes; interpret evaluation data – including user feedback – with good judgment; take appropriate corrective action and pass it on.
  6. Design and implement strategic monitoring systems; mobilise the monitoring results to manage change and guide innovation in the organisation's communication tools, practices and strategies.
Competency 2 - Know and orchestrate the technical, creative and marketing aspects of digital projects in organisational communication.
Learning outcome:

  1. Know the main principles of the architecture, operation and security of computer networks and social network technologies of an organisation, as well as the main computer technologies.
  2. Know the tools, methods and aesthetic principles of the scripting, writing, editing and gamification of digital content.
  3. Know the characteristics, opportunities and constraints of the different digital channels; integrate them in a logical way in a communication plan.
  4. Know the techniques and methods for optimising the referencing, reputation and running of online communities.
  5. Master the main techniques and methods of data collection, storage, processing and visualisation.
  6. Combine 'online' and 'offline' communication modes in any communication strategy in an optimal manner.
Competency 3 - Develop a digital culture for the organisation which mobilises management, teams and partners in communication strategies and projects.
Learning outcome:

  1. Advise the organisation's decision-making bodies on the challenges and issues at the crossroads of communication and digital innovations (communication objectives and strategies, communication as a managerial lever, the organisation's digital transformation, etc.)
  2. Justify, defend and promote communication projects, particularly with decision-making bodies, from their creation to final reporting (including user feedback).
  3. Organise cooperation, collaboration and participation regarding communication projects, within the framework of a hybrid and evolving work organisation; encourage the sharing of information, experiences and innovations regarding communication projects.
  4. Implement a project and team management method based on digital collaboration techniques, rapid adaptation to endogenous and exogenous changes, and awareness of sustainability and inclusiveness issues.
  5. Initiate and support the creation of partnerships by integrating diverse cultural rationales, including at an international level.
  6. Identify new professional needs in communication created by the evolution of society and digital technologies; initiate new practices or new professions to meet these new needs.
Competency 4 - Mobilise and produce knowledge in communication strategy and digital culture in a substantiated and methodical manner, as part of a critical reflection or research project.
Learning outcome:

  1. Possess thorough knowledge of the main theoretical and methodological approaches to research on communication and digital culture.
  2. Based on multidisciplinary knowledge, develop a critical and substantiated reflection on digital technologies and their human and societal issues.
  3. Conduct an original research project, using a variety of well-chosen theoretical, methodological and technological resources.
  4. Report on research and its results in a clear, coherent and structured manner, both in writing and orally, in accordance with the requirements of academic communication.
  5. Based on research findings, make recommendations for the organisation's communication strategy and/or design new communication tools or practices.
  6. Update one’s knowledge and practices by implementing methods and techniques to monitor communication and digital trends and innovations.
 
Content
The research internship (unpaid) is carried out in a research center or team, in a university or in any other institution whose missions include scientific research on themes related to communication strategy and/or digital culture. The internship therefore allows the student to approach, while exercising it, the profession of researcher. For a student interested in doing a PhD, the internship can also constitute a means of approaching the role of doctoral student. The research internship is therefore recommended for students who plan to undertake a PhD in “information and communication”.
The research internship is an integral part of the student’s training. As such, it allows them to acquire new skills and put into practice those acquired during other activities of the master programme. While a research internship focuses on the competencies 1 and (especially) 4, it may also offer a place for experimentation and implementation of competencies 2 and 3 – for example, when the student contributes to the reflection on, and/or the implementation of a communication strategy (internal and/or external) of a research center, or a strategy for the societal valorization of a research project.
The student completes the internship in an organization of their choice (university, think tank, etc.). This internship is an opportunity for the student to compare their theoretical knowledge with professional practice and to question themselves about the skills acquired and their present and/or future professional identity.
During the internship, the student actively collaborates in activities related to the master programme. He or she participates in the life of the research center, while playing a driving role in (at least) one particular activity or project. This role must be specified in the internship agreement. During the internship, the student may also be required to advise an organization on the challenges and issues at the crossroads of communication and digital innovations, and to initiate new practices.
The internship requires a reflective, critical and constructive work. During the internship, the student will gradually collect information and data useful for the assignments that constitute the evaluation.
The minimum duration of the internship is 8 weeks full-time (+/- 280 hours). The internship must take place during the period of the teaching activities (from +/- mid-September to +/-mid-May). In order to be evaluated in session 1, the internship cannot start beyond week 09 of semester 2 and cannot exceed two months. In order to be evaluated in session 2, the internship must end no later than in week 22 of semester 2.
The internship is governed by an agreement. The internship only begins once the internship agreement has been signed and validated by the teacher supervising the internship. In the event of a health crisis, the applicable rules will be those of the sector and/or the host institution. Teaching activities and other educational meetings will be organized according to official recommendations and may take place online.
Teaching methods
The learning and evaluation process is iterative. It alternates between field work (concrete application in a research organization), individual monitoring (meetings and interviews) and seminar sessions (class group). Critical thinking is encouraged at every step.
Specific supports available online:
  • internship agreement to be completed;
  • guidelines on the expected assignments;
  • evaluation form intended for the internship supervisor in the host institution.
Evaluation methods
The grading is based on:
  • a mid-course evaluation (20%);
  • a reflective and critical presentation work on an inspiring research approach, method or technique in communication strategy and/or digital culture (oral presentation and written report: 30%);
  • the final assessment (written report by the student and assessment report by the supervisor; 50%).
Detailed guidelines on the assignments and the evaluation criteria will be provided in due time.
The written reports to be evaluated are confidential. Only the professor and, in the event of an appeal, the authorities that should deal with it, will have access to it.
Any assignment should be a personal production. Students are expected to strictly follow the rules and good practices of citation, referencing and non-plagiarism.
The use of generative AI is accepted as long as it is occasional and limited. The use of AI must be explicitly indicated and referenced. Any part of the work relying, in any way, on generative AI must be clearly identified (for example, by a footnote), specifying which generative AI tool was used and for what purpose.
“Reusing” a personal or group assignment carried out within the framework of any other teaching unit requires a great deal of caution. Exceptionally, such an approach may be considered, provided that the student requests explicit permission from the professor or the assistant; justifies this “reuse” in the assignment, which, as a whole, must obviously constitute an original contribution to the first work; and scrupulously applies the rules of citation and referencing to any use of this assignment. Failure to comply with these rules may be considered self-plagiarism and as such constitutes an irregularity.
Any failure to apply the above-mentioned rules may lead to an academic and/or disciplinary sanction for plagiarism and/or irregularity, in accordance with the general regulations for studies and examinations.
Attendance at the internship must comply with what is stated in the agreement. A high percentage of absences from the internship (be it justified or not), or failures to submit expected assignments or attend the seminar sessions, may result in a final grade of 0/20.
Other information
The teaching activities take place in French. However, as English is being widely used in scientific research, the student interested in a research internship must check the adequacy between their level of English and the organization and/or the research project targeted by the internship.
Faculty or entity


Programmes / formations proposant cette unité d'enseignement (UE)

Title of the programme
Sigle
Credits
Prerequisites
Learning outcomes
Master [120] in Communication Strategy and Digital Culture (shift schedule)