Course Details

Presentation Skills

Academic Year 2026/27

NZB013 course is part of 4 study plans

​ NPC-SIV Summer Semester 1st year

​ NPC-SIM Summer Semester 1st year

​ NPC-SIK Summer Semester 1st year

​ NPC-GK Summer Semester 2nd year

The course focuses on developing presentation and professional communication skills required for both academic study and the professional practice of engineering graduates. Students will acquire the principles of planning, structuring and delivering professional presentations, learn to use verbal, non-verbal and visual communication effectively, and design high-quality presentation materials. The course includes the preparation and delivery of professional presentations, interacting with the audience, managing discussions, and providing constructive feedback. Emphasis is placed on practical training, self-reflection, and the ability to communicate technical information clearly to different target audiences in academic and professional situations. Teaching is based on practical exercises, discussions, and simulated presentation situations.

Credits

2 credits

Language of instruction

Czech

Semester

summer

Course Guarantor

Mgr. Lucie Strnadová

Institute

Institute of Social Sciences

Forms and criteria of assessment

course-unit credit

Entry Knowledge

The course does not require any specific prior knowledge. Students are expected to have basic communication skills and a willingness to participate actively in practical exercises.

Aims

The aim of the course is to develop students' ability to prepare and deliver professional presentations in both academic and professional contexts. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to create a logically structured presentation, adapt its content to a target audience, and use verbal, non-verbal and visual communication effectively and appropriately. They will be able to present professional topics clearly, respond to audience questions, provide and receive constructive feedback, and reflect critically on their own presentation performance. Students will also be able to tailor their presentations to a range of academic and professional communication situations.

Basic Literature

Studijní materiály zpracované garantem předmětu jsou dostupné v kurzu NZB013 v systému Moodle. (cs)
HUGHES, John and Andrew MALLETT. Successful Presentations. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2012.  (en)
REYNOLDS, Garr. Presentation Zen: Simple Ideas on Presentation Design and Delivery. 3rd ed. Berkeley, CA: New Riders, 2020. (en)

Prerequisites

The course does not require any specific prior knowledge. Students are expected to have basic communication skills and a willingness to participate actively in practical exercises.

Offered to foreign students

Not to offer

Course on BUT site

https://www.vut.cz/en/students/courses/detail/303427

Lecture

13 weeks, 1 hours/week, elective

Syllabus

  1. Introduction to presentation skills. Professional communication in civil engineering. Presentation situations in academic and professional contexts. Audience and communication objectives. Audience analysis. Adapting presentation content, style and length.
  2. Structure of a professional presentation. Key message. Content organisation. Argumentation. Selection of key information. Verbal and non-verbal communication. Voice delivery. Body language. Managing presentation anxiety.
  3. Visual support in presentations. Presentation design and visual layout. Use of images, graphs, diagrams and technical drawings. Presentation of technical information. Interpretation of visual materials. Clear communication of specialist information.
  4. Types of professional presentations. Academic, project, defence and decision-making presentations. Briefing. Elevator pitch. Team presentations. Team communication. Role allocation. Coordination of presenters.
  5. Audience interaction. Professional discussion. Argumentation. Responding to questions. Presentation assessment. Assessment criteria. Constructive feedback. Self-reflection.
  6. Presentation technologies. Presentation software. Online and hybrid presentations. Remote communication. Artificial intelligence in presentation preparation.
  7. Responsible use of sources and AI in presentation preparation. Referencing. Copyright. Academic integrity. Summary of principles of effective professional presentations.

Exercise

13 weeks, 1 hours/week, compulsory

Syllabus

  1. Introductory presentation. Analysis of presentation situations. Assessment criteria. Audience analysis. Adapting specialist information to different target audiences. Choice of communication strategy.
  2. Developing a presentation outline. Formulating the key message. Creating a logical presentation structure. Practical presentation delivery. Voice techniques. Speaking in front of an audience. Managing nervousness. Presenting with a microphone.
  3. Creating visual support for presentations. Design and evaluation of presentation materials. Presenting technical information using visual materials. Interpretation of graphs, diagrams and technical drawings.
  4. Preparation of professional presentations. Simulation of professional presentation situations. Elevator pitch. Practical audience interaction. Leading a professional discussion. Responding to questions.
  5. Practical use of presentation technologies. Creating and editing presentation materials using AI tools. Preparation and delivery of a team presentation. Role allocation. Collaboration between presenters.
  6. Student presentations. Presentation assessment. Constructive feedback.
  7. Student presentations. Final assessment and course summary.