Business and Professional Speaking (SPCH 1321)

Instructor:

A performance-based course which applies the techniques of oral communication to situations most common to business and professional people. The course covers discussion methods, conference techniques, committee reports, instructions, lectures and public speeches. The course teaches both theory and practice, acquiring skills and knowledge, the study of a text, and making presentations. Credit: 3 semester hours (3 hour lecture).

Speech 1321 is designed to assist the business and professional student to acquire skills necessary to function in speaking situations relative to the business community so that s/he can display practical knowledge and skill in his/her business functions. The course attempts to get the student to think about his communication abilities and inadequacies and then to assist him/her in restructuring his/her habits so that s/he displays effective job performance while improving these communication skills.

Course Student Learning Objectives:

The primary objective of Speech 1321 is the mastery of the process of oral communication. To achieve these ends, the student should be able to:

1. develop practical communication skills usable on his/her job

2. understand basic principles of communication, including verbal and non-verbal activities

3. improve interpersonal relations

4. understand the interviewing process and principles

5. participate in small group encounters as a leader and a member

6. deliver verbal information in an organized, coherent, professional manner

7. deliver five to six oral presentations in class either individually or in group activities

8. research and properly document information

9. use complete sentences conforming to the tenets of Standard English usage both in oral and written

communication, including acceptable spelling and pronunciation of words