BUSX301_Course_Syllabus_Fall2010 - Towson University BUSX...

Towson University
BUSX 301 Business Cornerstone
COURSE SYLLABUS
Fall 2010
Instructor: Christopher Thacker, M.A., M.S.
1. My Contact Information
Phone: [phone]
Note: except during office hours, email probably reaches me sooner than a call to
my office. If you want to talk outside of office hours, email me a phone number
and a time to call you that same day or the next day.
Email: [email protected] (I check this email twice per day)
Hours Reserved for Meeting with Students
Monday and Wednesday 12:00 p.m-3:30 p.m. Office: Stevens 301M
You can also request a special meeting time by emailing me. I cannot promise to be able to
accommodate you, but if you have a good reason, I will try. You can email me to check about
this or call my office during office hours.
2. General Description of the Course
Course Number: BUSX 301
Course Title: Business Cornerstone
Foundation course for developing knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSAs); problem-solving,
self- assessment, team work, computer technology and communication for future courses and
careers. Recommended to be taken after successful completion of the Advanced Composition
GenEd requirement (I.D). Required of all Accounting, E-Business and Business students.
Prerequisites: completion of College of Business lower-level prerequisites with a grade
equivalent of 2.00 or higher. Not open to Pre-Accounting (PACT), Pre-Electronic Business
(PEBU) or Pre-Business (PBUA) students. Special permit required.
3. General Purpose and Specific Topics
The course’s primary purpose is to provide students with fundamental knowledge, expert
guidance, and peer interaction aimed at helping them learn to produce well-organized,
stylistically appropriate, grammatically correct documents/presentations of the sort that
business professionals depend on to communicate effectively within and between
organizations and with public audiences.
The principal topics covered:
• Nature and importance of effective communication
• Public speaking
• Visual rhetoric
• Problem solving and analysis
• Information gathering and message planning
• An effective writing process: Drafting, revising, and editing

• Elements of organization, style, persuasion, and document design
• Effective use of visual aids to display information graphically
4. Learning Outcomes
After successfully completing the course, students will be able to—
• Explain and apply an audience-focused process for planning and designing
messages for specific purposes common in business and industry settings.
• Employ an effective writing process involving analysis of the rhetorical
situation, discovery and development of ideas, efficient information gathering,
suitable organization, drafting, revision, and careful editing.
• Work effectively with peers to plan and carry out the development of formal
and informal reports presenting the results of research and analysis.