Business Communications
BUSI-300

Essential to all business professionals is a sound understanding of the theories and practice of organizational communication. This dynamic course presents the fundamentals of written, verbal, nonverbal, and technological communication. 

Communication is one of the most important aspects of an individual’s professional and personal life. All organizations understand the value of communication and seek employees that have strong communication skills. The purpose of this course is to equip students with the basic foundations of communication in a business setting.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

1. Explain communication foundations and analysis.
2. Display proficiency in the use of key terminology frequently encountered in the most common areas of business communication.
3. Integrate a Christian worldview for effective communication.
4. Analyze differences in various communication channels such as electronic, verbal, and written.
5. Understand how to create business reports and presentations. 
6. Create a PowerPoint presentation for a professional business setting.

General Education Foundational Skill Learning Outcomes: Communication & Information Literacy

1. CIL 1: Discover and evaluate information to accomplish a specific purpose.
2. CIL 2: Communicate information effectively in the English language, orally and/or through writing, for a variety of purposes, using technology when appropriate.
3. CIL 3: Analyze and assess various forms of information and expression to determine their meaning, employing technology when relevant.
4. CIL 4: Demonstrate a basic understanding of the role of research and scholarship in order to apply it in various contexts.

Click on the following link to view the required resource(s) for the term in which you are registered: Liberty University Online Bookstore

 Additional Materials for Learning

1. Computer with basic audio/video output equipment
2. Internet access (broadband recommended)
3. Canvas recommended browsers
4. Microsoft Office
5. APA formatting information: http://ezproxy.liberty.edu/login?url=http://APAStyleCENTRAL.apa.org

After reading the Course Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Each discussion will consist of two parts, the discussion thread and the discussion reply. 

The student will complete two Discussions in this course. For each discussion thread, select one of the prompts/questions and post a thread between 250-350 words, citing at least two approved/credible sources by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of the assigned Module: Week. 

Two replies are required in this course. For each reply, choose one classmate’s thread who answered a different prompt/question than you and apply the 2-by-2 format in your constructive reply of 200-300 words by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on Monday of the assigned Module: Week.

This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CIL 1, CIL 2, CIL 3, and CIL 4.

Aplia assignments cover the Learn material for the assigned Module: Week. For each assignment, the student is given up to three attempts per section, and the highest score counts toward the grade once the “I’m Done, Grade Assignment Now” button has been clicked. Each Aplia contains a variety of question styles such as multiple-choice, true/false, checkboxes, radio buttons, and selection lists. All Aplias are open-book/open-notes. These assignments will be completed through the Cengage platform.

This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CIL 1 and CIL 3.

Using Microsoft PowerPoint (PPT), the student will develop a PPT presentation on some aspect of professional communication. The PPT must contain a title slide, at least 15 content slides, all with speaker notes, and a reference slide(s). Four relevant and professional-looking images or graphics must be included, and at least five credible, approved sources must be cited throughout the PPT. The PPT must be submitted as a PPT file, NOT a PDF file.

This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CIL 1, CIL 2, CIL 3, and CIL 4.

Each quiz covers the Learn material for the assigned Module: Week. For each quiz, the student is given one (1) attempt; once the quiz is opened, it must be completed. Each quiz contains 50 multiple-choice and true/false questions, is open-book/open-notes, and has a time limit of 75 minutes. The quizzes will be completed through the Cengage platform.

This assignment aligns with the following FSLOs: CIL 1 and CIL 3.

Quizzes

Quizzes are timed; the student is required to complete quizzes within the assigned time. 

Instructor Feedback and Response Time

Course Assignments, including discussions, exams, and other graded assignments, should be submitted on time.

If the student is unable to complete an assignment on time, then he or she must contact the instructor immediately by email.

Assignments that are submitted after the due date without prior approval from the instructor will receive the following deductions:

1. Late assignments submitted within one week after the due date will receive up to a 10% deduction.
2. Assignments submitted more than one week and less than 2 weeks late will receive up to a 20% deduction.
3. Assignments submitted two weeks late or after the final date of the course will not be accepted outside of special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, significant personal health issues), which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.
4. Group projects, including group discussion threads and/or replies, and assignments will not be accepted after the due date outside of special circumstances (e.g. death in the family, significant personal health issues), which will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis by the instructor.

Students with a disability and those with medical conditions associated with pregnancy may contact Liberty University’s Online Office of Disability Accommodation Support (ODAS) at [email protected] for accommodations.  Such accommodations require appropriate documentation of your condition.   For more information about ODAS and the accommodations process, including how to request an accommodation, please visit https://www.liberty.edu/online/online-disability-accommodation-support/. Requests for accommodations not related to disabilities or pregnancy must be directed to the Registrar’s Office, which generally handles medical needs support.

If you have a complaint related to disability discrimination or an accommodation that was not provided, you may contact ODAS or the Office of Equity and Compliance by phone at (434) 592-4999 or by email at [email protected].  Click to see a full copy of Liberty’s Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct Policy or the Student Disability Grievance Policy and Procedures.

In an effort to comply with U.S. Department of Education policies, attendance is measured by physical class attendance or any submission of a required assignment within the enrollment dates of the course (such as examinations, written papers or projects, any discussion posts, etc.) or initiating any communication with one’s professor regarding an academic subject. More information regarding the attendance policy can be found in the Academic Course Catalogs. Regular attendance in online courses is expected throughout the length of the term. Students who do not attend within the first week of a sub-term by submitting a required academic assignment (such as the Course Requirements Checklist, an examination, written paper or project, discussion post, or other academic activity) will be dropped from the course. Students who wish to re-engage in the course are encouraged to contact Academic Advising to discuss their enrollment options. Students who begin an online course, but at some point in the semester cease attending, and do not provide official notification to withdraw, will be assigned a grade of “FN” (Failure for Non-Attendance). Students wishing to withdraw from courses after the official start date should familiarize themselves with the withdrawal policy.

For courses with a Pass/NP final grade, please refer to the Course Grading section of this syllabus for the assignment requirements and/or point value required to earn a Passing final grade.

The full policy statement and procedures are published in the Policy Directory.

Liberty University comprises a network of students, Alumni, faculty, staff and supporters that together form a Christian community based upon the truth of the Bible. This truth defines our foundational principles, from our Doctrinal Statement to the Code of Honor. These principles irrevocably align Liberty University’s operational procedures with the long tradition of university culture, which remains distinctively Christian, designed to preserve and advance truth. Our desire is to create a safe, comfortable environment within our community of learning, and we extend our academic and spiritual resources to all of our students with the goal of fostering academic maturity, spiritual growth and character development.

Communities are predicated on shared values and goals. The Code of Honor, an expression of the values from which our Doctrinal Statement was born, defines the fundamental principles by which our community exists. At the core of this code lie two essential concepts: a belief in the significance of all individuals, and a reliance on the existence of objective truth.

While we acknowledge that some may disagree with various elements of the Code of Honor, we maintain the expectation that our students will commit to respect and uphold the Code while enrolled at Liberty University.

Adherence to the principles and concepts established within facilitates the success of our students and strengthens the Liberty community.

The Code of Honor can be viewed in its entirety at http://www.liberty.edu/index.cfm?PID=19155.