California State University Fullerton

Department of Speech Communication

SPCH 333, Dr. Page (F'00)

 

                         

                            COMMUNICATION IN BUSINESS AND THE PROFESSIONS

                                                                  SC 15791

                                                               TR  8:30 - 9:45

 

 

INSTRUCTOR:

Norman R. Page, Ph.D.

University of Oregon, 1974

 

OFFICE:

            EC - 512

                        tel. 278-3571

                        email npage@fullerton.edu

 

            Office Hours:

            Tuesday         11:00  -  11:50

            Wednesday    11:00  -  11:50

            Friday            10:00  -  11:00

            Other (by appointment)

 

 

 

TEXT:    

Andrews, P.H., & Baird, J.E., Jr. (2000).  Communication for Business and the Professions. (7th. Ed.) Boston: McGraw-Hill.

 

 

COURSE GOALS:  SPCOM 333 is designed to:

 

·        provide the student with foundations of human communication as it interfaces with organizational behavior

 

·        to develop communication competencies relevant to effective participation in organizations

           

 

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

 

Upon completion of SPCH 333, the student should:

    

• understand the nature of organizations and their components

 

·        be familiar with management styles and their implications for communication

 

·        understand the nature of communication in organizations

 

·        be able to develop and deliver a professional oral presentation

 

·        understand and apply the principles of selection interviewing

 

·        be able to prepare a professional resume

 

·        be able to prepare a professional letter of application

 

 

 

ASSIGNMENTS:

 

The following are brief descriptions of the three course assignments; detailed information will follow:

 

• Assignment #1, Oral Presentation:  An informative or persuasive presentation on a business related topic.  Specify audience. Two types of visual aids are required.  Business attire is required.

 

• Assignment #2, Selection Interview:  Each student will select a position from the employment section of a newspaper (or another approved source) that is relevant to his/her career direction.  He/she will be interviewed by another student.  It will be necessary to generate a resume and letter of application for this assignment.  Business attire is required.

 

• Assignment #3, Field Observation:  Investigate an organization through interviews and on-site observation.  A list of topic questions will be provided.  An account of your findings along with their connections to classroom concepts is demonstrated in a written report.  A brief oral presentation of findings will be shared with the class.

 

 

GRADING

                                                            Wt.

         Midterm Examination                   25%

         Final Examination                         20%

         Assignment #1                             15%

         Assignment #2                             15%

         Assignment #3                             15%

         Attendance/Punctuality                 10%                  

                                                      

 

COURSE POLICIES:

 

• Make-up work:  Any work submitted after its stated deadline will be reduced one letter grade.

 

• Attendance-Punctuality:  As student participation in activities and class discussion is vital to the successful conduct of  SPCH 333.  Your attendance and active participation is expected.  A weighted attendance score is computed into your course grade.

 

• Writing:  Effective writing is important in professional life.  Apart from a brief mention (writing is not taught in this course) a writing guide will be provided.  Students requiring help in writing should contact the University Learning Center (MH33) or The Writing Center (H-258).

 

• Plagiarism:  It is expected that each student perform all work for which he/she claims authorship.  Use of others' work claimed as one's own is considered plagiarism.  Cases of plagiarism will constitute dismissal from the course with a grade of F and possible dismissal from the university. [see "Academic Dishonesty" in the University catalog].          

 

• Classroom Maintenance:  Due to severe budget reductions custodial staff has been reduced.  The President of the University has requested that we refrain from drinking and eating in the classroom.

 

 

 

 

 

                                                            CALENDAR OF EVENTS

 

 

DATE   DAY   WK    TOPIC                                                                READING/ASSIGNMENTS

 

8/22      T            1            Orientation

8/24      R                         The Oral Presentation                                        Distribute Assignment #1

 

8/29      T            2            The Oral Presentation                                        Chs. 4,5,6

9/31      R                                  "            "

 

9/5        T            3           Nature of Organizations                                     Ch. 1,2

9/7        R                         Overview of Org. Comm

 

9/12      T            4            Oral Presentations       (x7)

9/14      R                                  "            "            (x7)

 

9/19      T            5            Oral Presentations       (x6)                              Distribute Assignment #3

9/21      R                                  "            "           (x6)

 

9/26      T            6            Listening, Feedback, Overload                         (See Ch. 7)

9/28      R                         Ethics                                                             Ch. 3

 

10/3      T            7            Resume/Letter                                               (see Ch. 10)

10/5      R                         Interpersonal Communication                          Ch. 7

 

10/10    T            8            Information Management                                Distribute Assignment #2

10/12    R                         review/midterm exam

 

10/17    T            9            Selection Interviewing                                     Ch. 10

10/19    R                         Nonverbal Communication                               Ch. 8

 

10/24    T            10          Written Communication 

10/26    R                         Leadership/Work Session                                 (see Ch. 13)

 

11/31    T            11          Selection Interviews      (x6)

11/2      R                                  "            "             x6)

           

11/7      T            12          Selection Interviews     (x6)

11/9      R                                  "            "            (x6)

 

11/14    T            13          Groups & Teams                                            Chs. 11,12                           

11/16    R                         Parliamentary Procedure                                (see Ch. 13)

 

11/21    T            14          Thanksgiving Recess                                        

11/23    R                         Thanksgiving Recess    

 

11/28    T            15          Conflict                                                         Ch. 14  

12/30    R                         Oral Reports  (x10)                                       Assignment #3 Due

 

12/5      T            16          Oral Reports  (x10)

12/7      R                         Oral Reports  (x7)/review

 

12/14    R                         Final Exam (9:30-11:20)