Business and Professional Communication: an applied course that seeks to improve workplace communication skills. We will cover a lot of ground in the course, including basic communication theory, intercultural communication, interpersonal communication, small group communication, interviewing, and presentations, but we'll try to do so in an practical and integrated way. You will do real work in groups that will be constructed using an interviewing process and which will do practical work. Along the way you'll wind up learning something about the stock market (which will be the focus of your research, group work, and presentations) as well.
Course Catalog Description for SPCH 2623: Analysis and application of speech communication skills to the workplace for the purpose of increasing entry-level and career-related competencies.
Adler, R., Elmhorst , J.M. , and Lucas, K.L. (2012). Communicating at Work: Principles and Practices for Business and the Professions, 11th Edition. McGraw-Hill. (Make sure you get the 11th Edition and not a prior edition).
The Adler, Elmhorst, and Lucas text can be expensive (about $110) in its paper edition (although the price has been coming down). I recommend getting a electronic copy that runs on your computer, tablet, or e-reader. Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Vital Source (vitalsource.com) rent electronic versions of the text for roughly lower prices (at low as $25) and sell it for a little over $100. Used copies (and copies in other formats) may be available at better prices from other sources. The publisher may also provides electronic access through McGraw-Hill Connect (http://connectstudentsuccess.com/). I do not know what their prices are, but at last check they provided a 14 day period where you can access it for "free". Find the cheapest source you can find, but be sure to have it before class next week.
The electronic version works on computers and color tablets. Amazon supplies free Kindle software that you can download to your computer to read the text. So does Barnes and Noble. I read my copy on my iPad using the Kindle tablet application for iPad. Other e-book software should work with electronic editions available from other booksellers, including Barnes and Noble. I find the electronic version more readable than the text version, but your milage may vary and it's your choice. The only option you don't have is to NOT read the assigned chapters in the text.
Additional Materials
Course Rules
Attendance is mandatory. The Brooklyn College Bulletin states that "Students are expected to attend all scheduled sessions of every class for which they register. Students late for class may be excluded from the room. An instructor may consider attendance and class participation in determining course grade." While I am unlikely to lock the door and don't grade attendance directly, I will indirectly take account of missed class time in computing grades. You should not, as a general note, ask me for "permission" to miss class and I don't need an explanation. I will always try to be understanding of documented emergencies, but the basic reality (which has more to do with your ability to learn when you aren't in class than anything else) is that absences make your grade grow smaller.
Communication with the Professor
I encourage students who feel they need to talk to me about any issue to talk to me after class or during office hours. My office schedule and contact information can be found on my Brooklyn College Student web site Brooklyn College Student web site: http://davis.foulger.info/brooklyn
I have found e-mail to be a poor way to interact with students. If you must send me a message, use the message facility on the Moodle rather than e-mail. Don’t send me a message if you are missing class. While I’m sympathetic with the very real problems you may have during the semester, I don’t grade attendance and don’t need to know why you missed class. You are an adult and I trust you had a good reason. I do grade participation and will know if you were in class, but the best way for you to catch up on important work (every day of class is important) is to talk to other students and get a copy of their notes. If they don’t think anything important happened, find another peer in the class and talk to them. Do talk to me (preferred) or send me a message if you have missed a significant number of classes.
Disabilities Accommodation
In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations, students must first be registered with the Center for Student Disability Services. Students who have a documented disability, or suspect they may have a disability, are invited to set an appointment with the Director of the Center for Student Disability Services in 138 Roosevelt Hall. If you have already registered with the Center for Student Disability Services please provide me with the course accommodation form and discuss your specific accommodation with me.
Religious policy statement
Students who are unable, because of religious beliefs, to attend class or participate in any examination, study, or class-related activity on a particular day should contact the instructor ahead of the time to facilitate their absence without prejudice or penalty.