Jul 30, 2025  
2024-2025 Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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OSIM 1103 - Business Communications


Description
A presentation of the principles of effective oral and written communications. Provides a discussion of verbal and nonverbal communication, resume and interview preparation, business letter writing, dictation skills, business reports, presentations, and case studies. Outside lab time will be required.

Pre-Requisite
Completion of CISQ 1103  with grade greater than or equal to C.

3 Credit Hour(s)

Contact Hours
45 lecture hours

3 Faculty Load Hour(s)

Semesters Offered
Fall, Spring, Summer

ACTS Equivalent
BUSI2013 (ACTS Business) - Business Communications

Grade Mode
A-F

Learning Outcomes
Students completing this course will:

  • Explain the essential components of the communication process.
  • Distinguish appropriate from inappropriate aspects of written business messages.
  • Explain the qualities and contents of a successful resume and letters of employment
  • Demonstrate skills for an effective job interview.
  • Distinguish appropriate from inappropriate aspects of written business messages.
  • Compose three main types of effective business letters (direct, indirect, and persuasive)
  • Prepare an informal business report.
  • Deliver a brief oral presentation.
  • Use the Internet to research relevant topics.
  • Compose bias-free documents.
  • Recognize the importance of cultural diversity in the workplace.
  • Recognize the importance of international business etiquette.
  • Solve cases using real life business situations.
  • Identify barriers to effective multicultural communication and demonstrate ways to overcome these barriers.
  • Effectively demonstrate a knowledge of modern technology as it relates to communication


General Education Outcomes Supported
  • Students can write clear, coherent, well-organized documents, substantially free of errors.
  • Students develop effective oral communication skills.


Standard Practices
Topics

  • Listening skills
  • Nonverbal communication
  • Oral presentations
  • Improving basic grammar skills
  • Composing business letters and reports
  • Job search skills (resumes, application letters, interviewing, etc.)

Learning activities

  • Textbook assignments to gain a better understanding of business communications.
  • Create and present an oral presentation.
  • Team building activities covering listening skills and/or nonverbal communication.
  • This course requires additional work that may need to be completed out of class or in a virtual or on-campus lab.

Assessments
The final is a comprehensive Capstone project. The Capstone will cover a select number of the core learning outcomes (i.e. job search skills), in as much that the instructor will provide a job search laboratory for the students to participate.

Grading guidelines
A traditional grading scale will be used, and students will be evaluated based on their combined performance on:

  • homework assignments (textbook)
  • exams and/or chapter reviews
  • presentations
  • capstone project (final)



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