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CCOG for COMM 130 Spring 2024

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Course Number:
COMM 130
Course Title:
Business & Professional Communication
Credit Hours:
4
Lecture Hours:
40
Lecture/Lab Hours:
0
Lab Hours:
0

Course Description

Focuses on communication as it relates to business and professional settings. Explores the climates, settings, philosophies, and practices of organizational communication, including effective business presentations. Prerequisites: WR 115, RD 115 and MTH 20 or equivalent placement test scores. Audit available.

Addendum to Course Description

Business and Professional Speech Communication, is a course which provides students the opportunity to develop skills and understandings useful in the career environment.  A variety of communication situations may be analyzed, including: problem solving; discussion groups; organizational networks; interviewing; and, conference planning and speaking.  This course emphasizes the theory and practice of communication as it relates particularly to business and professional settings.  Readings and discussions focus upon the philosophies and practice of organizational communication.  Basic concepts of effective speech communication are presented, which students can apply in their career environments.

Intended Outcomes for the course

Upon successful completion:

  1. Use an understanding of communication principles to effectively speak, listen, and interact, both verbally and non-verbally, within business and professional environments. 
  2. Discern and apply communication in the modern organization, especially as it relates to persuasive strategies and the dissemination of information. 

Outcome Assessment Strategies

The forms of assessment will be determined by the individual instructor.

Assessment strategies may include:

  • Qualitative examinations
  • Quantitative examinations
  • Essays
  • Journals
  • Research papers
  • In-class participation
  • Portfolios
  • Projects
  • Oral presentations
  • Group work
     

Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)

Themes, Concepts, and Issues:

  • Communication in organizations
  • Power                                        
  • Rhetorical strategies
  • Listening
  • Language                         
  • Nonverbal Communication
  • Diversity                       
  • Audience Analysis                                      
  • Creating Business presentations

Competencies and Skills: 

Students will:

  • Be able to recognize and analyze organizational channels and networks, in terms of formal and informal effects of these networks on message accuracy.
  • Be able to explain principles for effective language use and principles for nonverbal code interpretation.
  • Be able to recognize the factors involved in audience adaptation.
  • Be able to demonstrate competence in public speaking situations including the use of visual and verbal supports.
  • Be able to research a variety of business-related topics.

A textbook is required. Approved texts are listed below. Alternative texts need Department/SAC Chair approval.

  • Impact:  A Guide to Business Communication, Fisher and Northey
  • Communicating at Work, Adler and Elmhorst
  • Excellence in Business Communication, Thill  
  • Business and Professional Communication in a Digital Age, Waldeck/Kearney/Plax
  • 3e REVEL for Business and Professional Communication, Beebe