Course Descriptions/Official Course Syllabi

BCOM 2050 - Business Communications

Credit Hours: 4.00

1. Demonstrate presentation skills.
2. Prepare effective business messages for culturally diverse audiences.
3. Conduct research.
4. Create an employment package and demonstrate knowledge of interview techniques.

Objectives: The primary objective of the course is to develop the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and nonverbally in the business world by written, oral, and visual methods. Specifically, the student will be able to:

1. Listen “actively” to speakers using verbal and nonverbal feedback.
2. Make brief individual and team oral presentations.
3. Compose considerate, clear, correct, and concise business letters and documents properly organized according to anticipated reader reaction to the message.
4. Read, interpret, and prepare graphic communications such as pie, bar, and line graphs.
5. Individually research, compile, and prepare a graphically illustrated formal business report based on primary and secondary data including all formal parts and all documentation, thus demonstrating individual ability to consider various alternatives, make a decision, plan, organize, establish short- and long-range goals, follow through with a plan, evaluate, revise, and meet a long-range project deadline.
6. Speak for a minimum of five minutes and a maximum of ten minutes about highlights of the individual business research project using an audio or visual aid appropriately and effectively.
7. Prepare a clear and concise resume, an effective letter of application, a list of appropriate references, and other related employment letters; demonstrate understanding of interviewing techniques.
8. Communicate awareness of differing practices and values in international and intercultural business communication.
9. Demonstrate comprehension of business communication principles by 70 percent achievement on written examinations.

1. Foundations of Business Communication
2. Business Correspondence
3. Oral Business Communications
4. Business Graphics
5. Business Research and Reports
6. Business Employment
7. International/Intercultural Communication
8. Diversity in the Workplace
9. Communicating in Teams, Listening, Nonverbal Communication, and Business Etiquette Skills

BCOM 2060 - Advanced Business Communications

Credit Hours: 4.00

Objectives:

1. Format a variety of business documents: a. Create assigned documents (proposals, RFPs, RFQs, SOPs and manuals) meeting instructor specifications.
2. Given guidelines for effective listening and speaking techniques:
   1. Articulate and define, in writing, the value of assertive listening.
3. Given information and materials discussing teamwork in the workplace:
   1. Benchmark a company’s processes.
   2. Compare this benchmark to actual performance.
   3. Develop improvement plans.
4. Improve customer service:
   1. Design effective instruments to determine levels of customer service.
   2. Demonstrate ways to deal effectively with dissatisfied customers.
      1. Effective listening techniques.
      2. Response techniques (social media).
5. Given tools that support effective communications in the workplace:
   1. Explain the purpose and demonstrate the use of:
      1. Pareto charts.
      2. Cause-and-effect diagrams.
      3. Check sheets.
      4. Histograms.
      5. Scatter diagrams.
      6. Run charts.
      7. Control charts.
      8. Technical description, instructions and process.
6. Given information about effective external and internal business communications:
   1. Describe a professional business climate conducive to effectively dealing with customers and employees.
7. Given information about effective listening in the workplace:
   1. Know that listening is a key ingredient for success.
   2. Identify and describe fallacies about listening.
   3. Analyze parts of the listening process.
   4. Analyze the five types of listening in order to become a more effective listener.
   5. Comprehend and learn how to eliminate nine bad listening habits.
   6. Describe the importance of listening and the art of leadership.
   7. Analyze the importance of effective communication and leadership with reference to business communications and the workplace.
8. Given guidelines in choosing and appropriate topic:
   1. Analyze, choose, decide, organize, and plan effective business presentations.
   2. Use clarification, proof, humorous, and visual support when making business presentations.
   3. Use a variety of strategies when making business presentations.
   4. Effectively handle questions from the audience.
9. Given a team project:
   1. Describe and use a model for effective teamwork.
   2. Establish direction and goals for the team.
   3. Establish clear roles and ground rules for teams.
   4. Establish accountability.
   5. Develop team-leadership skills.
   6. Develop communication skills that encourage effective team performance.
   7. Develop conflict-management skills.
   8. Establish a decision-making process and empower team members.
   9. Establish positive team behaviors.
   10. Recognize and reward team performance.
   11. Make teamwork part of the culture.
10. Given a meeting purpose:
    1. Demonstrate an understanding of the importance of effective meeting management.
    2. Conduct information meetings.
    3. Prepare for interactive meetings.
    4. Identify meeting roles.
    5. Deal with meeting disruptions.
    6. Conduct problem-solving meetings.
    7. Conduct decision-making meetings.
11. Enhance network understanding:
    1. Define, expand, and enhance their personal network and digital communication.
    2. Discover personal communication tendencies for networking.
    3. Understand communication relationships for networking.
    4. Listen for networking and communication.
    5. Identify nonverbal communication for networking.
    6. Understand gender communication for networking.
    7. Understand other cultures and their own culture for networking success.
    8. Write and speak for an international network.

1. Communication in the Workplace
   1. Audiences
   2. Listening
   3. Speaking
   4. Documents
   5. Teamwork
   6. Meetings
   7. Networking
2. Writing and Electronic Technologies
   1. Creating Documents
   2. Communicating and Collaborating
   3. Ethics
   4. Source Material
3. Using Visuals
   1. Types of Graphics
   2. Guidelines for Using Visuals
4. Writing Requests for Proposals
   1. Types of Proposals
   2. Information Proposals Provide
5. Presentations
   1. Types of Presentations
   2. Preparing for a Presentation
   3. Delivering a Presentation

BCOM 2070 - Technical Business Communications & Project Management Principles

Credit Hours: 3.00

Objectives:

1. Summarize the importance of good project management.
2. Share examples of good and bad project management.
3. Use knowledge and skills developed in this class in the future to their specific needs.
4. Apply project management concepts by working on a group project as a project manager and as an active team member.

Outcome 2: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to select and apply the appropriate vocabulary and communication techniques of a project management professional.

Objectives:

1. Characterize what project management means and how it improves the success of projects.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of project management terms and techniques, such as:
   • The triple constraint of project management
   • The project management knowledge areas and process groups
   • The project life cycle
   • Motivation theory and team building

Outcome 3: Upon completion of this course, students will be able to select and apply the appropriate information technology tools to effectively manage projects.

Objectives:

1. Demonstrate knowledge of project management tools and techniques, such as:
   • Project selection methods
   • Network diagrams, critical path analysis, and critical chain scheduling
   • Cost estimates
2. Use knowledge and skills developed in this class in the future to their specific needs.

1. Introduction to Project Management
   1. What is a Project?
   2. What is Project Management?
   3. The Role of the Project Manager.
2. The Project Management and Information Technology Context
   1. A Systems View of Project Management
   2. Project Phases and Life Cycle
3. Project Integration Management
   1. Strategic Planning and Project Selection
   2. Project Plans and Execution
   3. Change Control
   4. Closing Projects
4. Project Scope Management
   1. Scope Definition
   2. Scope Control
5. Project Time Management
   1. The Importance of Project Schedules
   2. Schedule Development and Control
6. Project Cost Management
   1. Importance of Cost Management
   2. Principles of Cost Management
7. Project Quality Management
   1. Quality Assurance and Control
   2. Tools and Techniques
8. Project Human Resource Management
   1. Acquiring and Developing the Project Team
   2. Managing the Project Team
9. Project Communications Management
   1. Communications Planning
   2. Information Distribution
   3. Performance Reporting
   4. Improving Project Communications
10. Project Risk Management
    1. Risk Identification and Analysis
    2. Monitoring and Control
11. Project Procurement Management
    1. Purchases and Acquisitions
    2. Planning Contracting
    3. Administering the Contract