Course Lecturer Name(s): Ronald Charles
Course Director Name: Ronald Charles
Course Lecturer(s) Contact Information: rocharles@sgu.edu or 444-4157 ext 3650
Course Director Contact Information: Same as Above
Course Lecturer(s) Office Hours: Mon & Wed 1:30pm – 4:30pm, Tue & Thur 10am – 12:00pm
Course Director Office Hours: Same as Above
Course Lecturer(s) Office Location: G Building (Upstairs)
Course Director Office Location: Same as Above
Course Support: Nikisha Thomas, nsthomas@sgu.edu
Course Management tool: To learn to use Sakai, the Course management tool, access the link https://apps.sgu.edu/members.nsf/mycoursesintro.pdf
Course Description:
The Business Communication course is designed to enable students to become effective communicators in the business world.
Course Objectives:
The course deals with written forms of business communication. It emphasizes those good communication practices (oral included) which will equip students to approach the job market with confidence and once there, to communicate appropriately.
Student Learning Outcomes:
Student should be able to:
- Utilize the three step writing process – planning, writing, and completion of business messages.
- Write a variety of business correspondence – formats including e-mail, memorandum, employment applications, as well as business letters written in a routine, negative, positive and persuasive context..
- Create a formal report/proposal and give an oral presentation of an executive summary
- Demonstrate an understandingnof the major types and typical sequence of job interviews as well as the attributes employers look for during an interview.
- Demonstrate an understanding of Customer Service, professionalism and conflict resolution.
- Demonstrate an understanding of the rules of engagement in Business Communication as defined in the text book and lectures.
Program Outcomes Met By This Course:
PO.1 = Achieve success through effective Business Communication.
PO.2 = Master team skills, interpersonal communication, non-verbal communication, customer service, as well as barriers to communication and intercultural communication
PO.3 = Design and deliver oral and online presentations
PO.4 = Master the job interview process
SAS Grading Scale: Grades will be assigned as follows:
A = 89.5% or better
B+ = 84.5 - 89.4%
B = 79.5 - 84.4%
C+ = 74.5 - 79.4%
C = 69.5 - 74.4%
D = 64.5 - 69.4%
F = 64.4% or less
Course Materials:
Excellence in Business Communication ( Eleventh, Twelfth Edition) John V. Thill & Courtland L. Bovee.
Course Grading Requirement:
- Attendance/Participation………………….10%
- Assignments………………………………10%
- Mid-term (Cover Letter & CV/Resume)….20%
- 5 Quizzes (5% per)………………………..25% Employment Interview……………………5%
- Oral Presentation………………………….5%
- Formal Report……………………………..25%
- Subtotal……………………………………100%
Course Requirements:
- Five (5) scheduled Assignments throughout the semester.
- Five (5) quizzes throughout the semester
- A Mid-term (cover letter and resume) assignment
- Formal report and oral presentation
Course Schedule:
Week 1: Introduction
- Overview of course content & assessment / venues and times / participation grade dependent on attendance
- Writing principles (exercises)
- Assignment
- Read Chapter 1 (Achieving Success through Effective Business Communication)
Week 2: Achieving Success through Effective Business Communication
- Theory of communication – communication model (sender, receiver, medium, channel, feedback, etc. etc.)
- Read Chapter 2-3 (Mastering Team Skills and Interpersonal Communication / Communicating in a World of Diversity)
Week 3: Verbal / Non-verbal Communication / Barriers to Communication and Intercultural Communication / Customer Service
- Team-based Learning
- Customer Service (supplemental reading)- hand out
- Read Chapters 4-5 (Planning Business Messages / Writing Business Messages)
Week 4: Applying the Three-Step Writing Process / Customer Service / Conflict Resolution
- Read Chapter 6 (Completing Business Messages)
- Presentation
- Customer Service Exercise
- Conflict Resolution (supplemental reading) – hand out
- Quiz 1, chapters 1-6
Week 5: Writing Business Letters, Memos, Faxes & Emails/ Preparing Planning and Writing Business Messages
- Practice Exercises
- Quiz 2, Customer Service & Conflict Resolution
- Read Chapter 7 (Crafting Messages for Electronic Media)
Week 6: Writing Cover Letters and Resumes / Interviewing
- Presentation
- Practice Exercises
- Lecture on supplemental reading – hand out
- Read Chapters 15-16 (Building Careers and Writing Resumes / Applying and Interviewing for Employment)
Week 7: Writing Cover Letters and Resumes/ Interviewing
- Presentation
- Writing Employment Messages and Interviewing for Jobs
- Quiz 3, chapters 15-16
Week 8: Midterms
- Cover Letter/Resume Assignment due
- Read Chapters 8-9 (Writing Routine and Positive Messages / Writing Negative Messages)
Week 9: Writing Routine, Positive, Negative and Persuasive Messages
- Presentation
- Read Chapter 10 (Writing Persuasive Messages)
Week 10: Planning and Writing Business Reports and Proposals
- Presentation (supplemental reading) – hand out
- Quiz 4, chapters 6-10
- Read chapters 11-12 (Planning Reports and Proposals / Writing Reports and Proposals)
Week 11: Completing Business Reports and Proposals
- Presentation
- Distribution of Letter of Authorization – Re: Assignment
- Read Chapter 13 (Completing Reports and Proposals)
Week 12: Designing and Delivering Oral and Online Presentations
- Guest Lecturer for Business Report Assignment
- Read Chapters 14 (Designing and Delivering Oral and Online Presentations)
Week 13: Employment Interviews
- Re-read Chapter 16 (handouts provided)
- Tips / strategies for effective interviews (do’s and don’ts)
- Quiz 5, Chapters 11-14
Week 14: Oral Presentation
- Oral presentation ( Executive Summary) of Formal Report Assignment
Week 15: Employment Interviews
- Actual – One and One interview sessions with students
- Formal Report is due at the end of this week
Week 16: Exam period
School of Arts and Sciences Master Syllabi — Info for All Sections
Academic Integrity
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“Plagiarism is regarded as a cardinal offense in academia because it constitutes theft of the work of someone else, which is then purported as the original work of the plagiarist. Plagiarism draws into disrepute the credibility of the Institution, its faculty, and students; therefore, it is not tolerated” (p. 48).
Plagiarism also includes the unintentional copying or false accreditation of work, so double check your assignments BEFORE you hand them in.
Be sure to do good, honest work, credit your sources and reference accordingly and adhere to the University’s Honor Code. Plagiarism and cheating will be dealt with very seriously following the university’s policies on Plagiarism as outlined in the Student Manual.
Your work may be subject to submission to plagiarism detection software, submission to this system means that your work automatically becomes part of that database and can be compared with the work of your classmates.
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“Students are expected to attend all classes and or clinical rotations for which they have registered. Although attendance may not be recorded at every academic activity, attendance may be taken randomly. Students’ absence may adversely affect their academic status as specified in the grading policy. If absence from individual classes, examinations, and activities, or from the University itself is anticipated, or occurs spontaneously due to illness or other extenuating circumstances, proper notification procedures must be followed. A particular course may define additional policies regarding specific attendance or participation” (p. 9).
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“All matriculated students are expected to attend all assigned academic activities for each course currently registered. Medical excuses will be based on self-reporting by students. Students who feel they are too sick to take an examination or other required activity on a specific day must submit the online SAS medical excuse, which is available on Carenage. Students are only allowed two such excuses a year. Upon consultation with the Director of University Health Service, the third excuse will result in a mandatory medical leave of absence. The policies regarding make-up examinations are at the option of the Course Director” (p.46).
For additional specific examination policies and procedures, refer to the St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020), pages 31 through 37.
The St. George’s University Student Manual (2019/2020) states as follows:
“A student with a disability or disabling condition that affects one or more major life activities, who would like to request an accommodation, must submit a completed application form and supporting documentation to the Student Accessibility and Accommodation Services (SAAS) located in the Dean of Students Office. It is highly recommended that students applying for accommodations do so at least one month before classes begin to allow for a more efficient and timely consideration of the request. If a fully completed application is not submitted in a timely fashion, an eligibility determination may not be made, and accommodations, where applicable, may not be granted prior to the commencement of classes and/or examinations” (p. 8).
It is the responsibility of the student to read and understand the policies, laws, rules and procedures that while they could affect your grade for a course, have not been specifically outlined in the course syllabus. These are contained in the St. George’s University Student Manual.