Diploma in Communication & Research Skills

DCR 401: Reading Skills – 1

The Reading Skills module is designed to enhance students’ ability to understand and interpret a wide range of texts through guided reading practice and interactive tasks. Students will be exposed to various text types such as personal and everyday texts, professional and academic texts, as well as media and advertising materials. Strategies include skimming, scanning, reading for detail, making inferences, and identifying the writer’s purpose.

• Identify and apply appropriate reading strategies for different types of texts.
• Skim and scan texts to locate specific information efficiently.
• Make inferences and recognize implied meanings in written material.
• Respond to texts critically through discussion and written tasks.

DCR 402: Writing Skills – 1

This module prepares students for academic writing by developing their creativity, critical thinking, and practical writing skills through structured exercises and collaborative learning. Students will learn the formats and conventions of profiles, emails, journals, and news articles while applying Institute of Writing and Thinking’s foundational techniques—such as freewriting, loop writing, and writing from images—to generate and refine ideas.

• Write personal profiles using appropriate structures.
• Compose clear and structured emails for formal and informal contexts.
• Produce reflective and creative journal entries (Gratitude, Mindfulness, Nature, etc.).
• Research and construct news articles following journalistic conventions.

DCR 403: Listening & Speaking Skills – 1

This module addresses core academic skills including identity, cultural comparisons, nuances of work, and job satisfaction. It focuses on enhancing listening comprehension, effective oral communication, and analytical thinking through authentic content and themes such as careers and unusual destinations.

• Understand main ideas and key details from spoken English sources (lectures, interviews).
• Participate clearly and coherently in discussions and deliver short presentations.
• Analyze and synthesize information from oral and visual sources.

DCR 404: Communicative Grammar – 1

Prepares students for more fluent and effective communication by developing grammar competence through a Focus-on-Form approach. Language structures are integrated into the four language skills practiced in meaningful contexts like surveys, life events, and professional reporting.

Attendance (10%), Assignments + Mini-test (20%), Final Written Exam (70%).

DCR 405: Communicative Skills – 1

Focuses on religious topics and contemporary issues (Human Society, Charity, Morality, Environment) from a Buddhist perspective. Students develop reading, writing, listening, and speaking skills while engaging in pairs and groups to express opinions on current issues.

DCR 406: Presentation & Public Speaking Skills

This module helps students practice oral communication in front of audiences, combining speaking skills with stage performance. It covers well-structured beginnings, topic outlining, digital research (EBSCO databases), vocal techniques, body language, and handling Q&A sessions professionally.

DCR 407: Research Methodology – 1

Introductory module on research and methodology. Students learn how research is defined, how major types of research are distinguished, and how research problems are identified using concrete examples from Buddhist and academic contexts.

• Define basic concepts of research and methodology.
• Distinguish between major types of research.
• Identify research problems and frame introductory research questions.
• Recognize how basic research methods support academic and Buddhist studies.

• Dawson, C. (2002). Practical Research Methods.
• Kumar, R. (2011). Research Methodology: A Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners.
• Pandey, P., & Pandey, M. M. (2015). Research Methodology: Tools and Techniques.

DCR 408: Introduction to Library Education System – 1

Topics based on essential library management skills. Covers library types, management concepts, collection acquisition, preservation, cataloguing rules (AACR 2 and RDA), and DDC 23 summaries (000-800).

DCR 409: Reading Skills – 2

Develops reading fluency and automatic word recognition through informational passages and real-world texts. The course emphasizes building automaticity, expanding academic vocabulary, and improving reading speed without sacrificing comprehension.

Attendance (10%), Assignments + Mini-test (20%), Final Written Exam (70%).

DCR 410: Academic Writing

Refines academic literacy by distinguishing fact from opinion and producing structured work including concise summaries, article reviews, and paragraphs in various styles (descriptive, argument, cause and effect, comparison). Prepares students for advanced research writing.

DCR 411: Listening & Speaking Skills – 2

Focuses on authentic themes (High Tech, Risk and Reward, Taking Action) to prepare students for graduate-level study. Enhances critical comprehension of spoken tasks and the articulation of complex ideas with clarity.

Attendance (10), Quizzes/Tutorials/Presentations (20), Final Test (70).

DCR 412: Communicative Grammar – 2

Focuses on grammatical accuracy within communication. Includes giving advice, dream holiday planning, describing characters, present perfect vs past simple usage, and reported speech.

DCR 413: Communicative Skills – 2

Explores advanced practical issues from Buddhist perspectives, namely Charity, Morality, and the Environment. Focuses on the benefits of the Five Precepts and environmental ecology, building confident communicators and critical thinkers.

Attendance (10%), Quizzes/Assignments (20%), Final Examination (70%).

DCR 414: Vocabulary Development

Assists learners in acquiring and improving their store of vocabulary in context. Covers affixes, roots, context clues, word formations (Noun to Adj to Adv), and academic vocabulary used in presentations and classrooms.

Attendance (10), Assignments (20), Final Written Exam (70).

DCR 415: Research Methodology – 2

Provides quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Covers hypothesis formulation, design, data collection (survey/interviews), ethics, and analysis. Students engage in hands-on activities to construct survey questionnaires and interview questions.

Attendance (10%), Quizzes/Assignments (20%), Writing a mini-research (70%).

DCR 416: Introduction to Library Education System – 2

Advanced study on library systems as the heart of higher education. Covers library-based learning, DDC 23 (500-900), Buddhist Classification, bibliographies, digital library resources, Marc tags, and Koha systems.