COMM 362 Web
Spring 2016
COMM 362
WKU Web Course
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
Instructor:
Phone:
Office:
E-mail:
Dr. Kumi Ishii
270-745-5203
FAC 186
kumi.ishii@wku.edu
Office Hours: Mon & Wed: 12:30 – 3 PM and
by appointment
Course Description
This course is designed to examine significant roles of communication in a variety of organizational
contexts and consider effective communication for organizational members.
Course Objectives
Upon the successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
 Demonstrate understanding of organizational communication theories and related processes
 Be familiar with foundational research on organizational communication
 Develop critical thinking skills in the process of understanding, analyzing, and evaluating
communication in organizational contexts.
 Apply theories and research findings to actual organizational phenomena and address issues.
 Increase awareness of opportunities as responsible citizens by demonstrating respect for a diverse
workforce in today’s global society.
Required Resources
1. Textbook:
Miller, K. (2015). Organizational communication: Approaches and processes (7th ed.).
Stamford, CT: Cengage Learning.
ISBN: 978-1-285-16420-5
2. Daily access to Blackboard (COMM 362: Organizational Communication).
Course Requirements
The course grade will be determined by the performance on the following assignments:
Exam 1
Exam 2
Exam 3
Activities
Organizational Analysis Project
Part I
Part II (Final Paper)
15%
15%
15%
30%
Total
100%
10%
15%
A=
B=
C=
D=
F=
-1-
90 - 100%
80 – 89%
70 – 79%
60 – 69%
0 - 59%
COMM 362 Web
Spring 2016
Exams - Three exams will be given in this course. The questions will be pulled from the textbook, class
notes, discussions, and other activities. The format will be a combination of multiple choice, True/False,
and/or matching, and may be a couple of questions that seek your short answers.
Activities – These activities are designed to enhance student understanding of course topics. The
detailed instructions are posted on Blackboard.
Organizational Analysis Project – This is a final application project. Students will conduct an extensive
analysis on communication-related issues in an actual organization to which they have access. To assist
the process, the project is divided into two parts. In Part I, students will select theories and concepts from
this course and write a summary. In Part II, the selected theories and concepts will be applied to the
organization. The detailed instructions are posted on Blackboard.
Technical Assistance
If you are experiencing technical difficulties with Blackboard, call WKU’s IT Help Desk (270-7457000) immediately.
Academic Integrity
WKU and the Department of Communication are committed to the highest standards of ethical conduct
and academic excellence. Issues of academic misconduct include: copying the work of other students,
plagiarizing other sources by incorrectly citing sources, listing references that were not actually
read/used, presenting someone’s information as your own without crediting the source, incorrectly citing
primary sources from a secondary source, submitting assignments previously submitted for another
course.
Please note the Department takes academic offenses seriously. Professors may routinely ask students to
submit their written work to a plagiarism detection database. Any student found guilty of academic
dishonesty will receive one of the following consequences at the discretion of the faculty member: written
warning, reduced grade on the assignment, failing grade on the assignment, reduction in course grade,
failing grade in the course, and/or referral to the University Disciplinary Committee.
Students with Disabilities
In compliance with university policy, students with disabilities who require academic and/or auxiliary
accommodations for this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services in Downing
University Center, A-200. The phone number is 270-745-5004.
Academic Assistance
As a WKU student, you have access to free online services via the Student Resource Portal. The
services include Online Writing Center and Online Tutoring. Do not hesitate to contact them via the
Blackboard site.
Other Important Notes
 Students are expected to read this syllabus carefully and follow the rules. In addition, students are
responsible for all information, announcements, and changes addressed on Blackboard.
 The instructor reserves the right to alter the syllabus during the semester, if necessary.
 If you have questions and/or concerns about any assignments, please do not hesitate to contact the
instructor.
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