Course Description

Course is focused on evidence-based business and professional communication skills, with emphasis on specific needs within agricultural and scientific sectors. Designed to build students’ communication competence in ways that reflect job market, cultural, technological, and social demands, and unique communication requirements of agricultural and scientific enterprises.

---

Athena Title

Bus Comm Ag Sci Prof

---

Pre or Corequisite

AGCM 2200 or permission of department

---

Semester Course Offered

Offered spring

---

Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

---

Student Learning Outcomes

• Explain the importance of effective written and oral communication in the workplace, particularly within the context of agricultural and scientific organizations.
• Apply interpersonal and public communication skills effectively and appropriately in diverse professional environments.
• Write professional business e-mails, letters, reports, and memos.
• Develop employment interview strategies as both an interviewer and interviewee.
• Select and competently use communication media that are appropriate to a given professional communication task.
• Understand the importance of stakeholder analysis for all business communication tasks.
• Lead and participate in meetings efficiently and effectively.
• Participate on a team competently.
• Engage in competent virtual communication.
• Create, deliver, and evaluate a range of business presentations and briefings for stakeholders, including clients, subordinates, managerial and executive leadership, boards of directors, and external stakeholders.
• Use strategies for presenting scientific information and data to lay audiences.
• Apply communication theory and research in the design of business and professional communication plans.

---

Topical Outline

• The importance of strategic, competent communication in agricultural and scientific business environments
• Effective verbal and nonverbal communication in the workplace: Building relationships, managing/mentoring and being managed/mentored, clarifying ideas and directions, using communication to enhance professionalism
• Listening and critical thinking skills for strategic workplace communication
• Audience and stakeholder analysis: Preparing to interact with diverse groups
• Interviewing communication strategies for job-seekers: Networking, preparing application materials, virtual interviewing, in-person interviewing, asking good questions, follow-up communication, negotiating compensation, dealing with rejection
• Interviewing communication strategies for interviewers and decision-makers: Planning the interview structure, asking high quality questions, and evaluating others' ability to meet organizational needs
• Planning, developing, organizing, delivering, and evaluating business presentations (e.g., business plans and proposals, sales presentations, instructional and training formats, introducing organizational change, motivational workplace messages)
• Informative, scientific, persuasive, and special occasion (e.g., presenting an award, honoring an individual, toasts) workplace messages; how to participate effectively in both individual and panel/group formats
• Engaging audiences with sensory aids and narratives
• Selecting and using communication media effectively at work; choosing the right medium for the task; knowing when face-to-face is best; improving virtual communication outcomes
• Writing for business and professional audiences: Types of documents, writing for digital vs. print environments, a five-step strategy for creating an effective business document
• Participating on and leading in-person and virtual teams
• Planning, participating in, and facilitating effective meetings (online and in person)
• Time management, work-life balance, navigating workplace politics, business etiquette for routine and sensitive situations, understanding and assimilating into workplace culture

---

Syllabus

Select Faculty / Instructor to download syllabus:   Borron, Abigail   Waldeck, Jennifer

---