Focuses on the practice of communication for students' success
in their academic and professional careers. Specific
communication skills will be practiced within the following
contexts: public speaking/presentations, managing conflict, and
business writing.
Athena Title
Comm for Business Effective
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in BUSN 4900E, BUSN 4900W
Non-Traditional Format
Students will attend class to practice oral presentation skills;
to analyze interpersonal/team conflict scenarios in order to
develop and deliver optimal response strategies; and to
strengthen business writing skills for clarity, tone, impact,
and brevity. Approximately 30% lecture/discussion and 70% in-
class presentations, writing and interpersonal role-plays.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
This course is designed to help each student – regardless of skill level or prior knowledge – acquire and improve communication skills over his/her academic and work careers.
The goal of this course is to assist each student in the development of his/her communication skills, including opportunities that call for public speaking, resolving interpersonal conflict, and crafting effective written communiques.
Topical Outline
Topics for Oral Presentations
-Audience analysis
-Message content and design
-Preparing for resistance
-Storytelling with data; importance of logic and emotional balance for call to action
-Choosing media
-Thinking like a designer
-Practice
Topics for Conflict Management
-Conflict as bacteria: We need it; how to tell the productive from the unproductive
-Various conflict “styles” as tendencies or habits
-How to discern a potentially “crucial” or critical conflict that needs attention, intervention – and who owns it
-Mastering the power of dialogue
Topics for Business Writing
-Why are you writing? (Importance of/when to use various communication channels)
-Using the MACJ model for reports – madman, architect, carpenter, judge
-5 C’s: clarity, conciseness, continuity, completeness, clean (error-free) – these work together as career accelerators or limiters
-How to organize material
-Tone/voice – your writing is part of your identity
