REQUEST TO COLLEGE CURRICULUM COMMITTEE FOR CURRICULAR IMPROVEMENTS
DEPARTMENT: BIS
PROPOSED EFFECTIVE SEMESTER: Fall 2009
PROPOSED IMPROVEMENTS
Academic Program
Substantive Course Changes
New degree*
New course
New major*
Pre or Co-requisites
New curriculum*
Deletion (required by others)
New concentration*
Course #, different level
New certificate
Credit hours
New minor
Enrollment restriction
Revised major
Course-level restriction
Revised minor
Prefix
Title and description
Admission requirements
(attach current & proposed)
Graduation requirements
General education (select one)
Deletion
Transfer
Not Applicable
Other (explain**)
Other (explain**)
COLLEGE: HCoB
Misc. Course Changes
Title
Description (attach current & proposed)
Deletion (not required by others)
Course #, same level
Variable credit
Credit/no credit
Cross-listing
COGE reapproval
Other (explain**)
** Other:
Title of degree, curriculum, major, minor, concentration, or certificate: Business Minor for Non-Business Majors
Existing course prefix and #: NA Proposed course prefix and #: BUS 3004 Credit hours: 3
Existing course title: NA
Proposed course title: Business Communication Analysis and Application
Existing course prerequisite & co-requisite(s): NA
Proposed course prerequisite(s) None
If there are multiple prerequisites, connect with “and” or “or”. To remove prerequisites, enter “none.”
Proposed course co-requisite(s)
None
If there are multiple corequisites, they are always joined by “and.”
Proposed course prerequisite(s) that can also be taken concurrently: None
Is there a minimum grade for the prerequisites or corequisites?
The default grades are D for undergraduates and C for graduates.
Major/minor or classification restrictions:
BUS 3004 is open to WMU students with a junior standing or above. This course is open to non-business majors only.
For 5000 level prerequisites & corequisites: Do these apply to: (circle one) X undergraduates graduates both
Specifications for University Schedule of Classes:
a. Course title (maximum of 30 spaces): BusComm Analysis & Application
b. Multi-topic course:
No
Yes
c. Repeatable for credit:
No
Yes
d. Mandatory credit/no credit:
No
Yes
e. Type of class and contact hours per week (check type and indicate hours as appropriate)
1.
Lecture
3.
Lecture/lab/discussion
5.
Independent study
2.
Lab or discussion
4.
Seminar or
studio
6.
Supervision or practicum
CIP Code (Registrar’s use only):
Chair/Director
Date
Chair, College Curriculum Committee
Date
Dean
Date:
Curriculum Manager: Return to dean
Date
Graduate Dean:
Date
Forward to:
Date
Chair, COGE/ PEB / FS President
FOR PROPOSALS REQUIRING GSC/USC REVIEW:
Date
*
Approve
Disapprove
Chair, GSC/USC
Date
*
Approve
Disapprove
Provost
Date
Revised May 2007. All previous forms are obsolete and should not be used.
1.
Explain briefly and clearly the proposed improvement.
The proposed class, BUS 3004, Business Communication: Analysis and Application, is an elective within the
proposed Business Minor for Non-Business Students. As is true of the other business minor courses, this course is
designed for non-business students who will take only one course covering communication in business. It calls on the
students’ familiarity with their own majors for workplace situations typical to that field so students may apply
business communication principles and gain practical knowledge in their own areas.
2.
Rationale. Give your reason(s) for the proposed improvement. (If your proposal includes prerequisites, justify those,
too.)
Our rationale has two parts: 1) In its own right, this course is a valuable opportunity for students in most majors to
explore the practice of communication in workplaces. Many students who do not major in business will still be
involved in business situations, as workers, clients, or consumers. 2) That rationale also supports the proposed
undergraduate minor in Business, of which this course is a part. Students may choose this course, or a course in
business law, as part of that minor. There are no prerequisite requirements for BUS 3004..
3.
Effect on other colleges, departments or programs. If consultation with others is required, attach evidence of
consultation and support. If objections have been raised, document the resolution. Demonstrate that the program you
propose is not a duplication of an existing one.
BUS 3004 provides students with an overview of the role, scope and importance of communication in workplaces
specific to their majors and asks them to use knowledge of their field to develop a variety of context-specific
communications. This course is unique in that it is not an introductory course (such as COM 2800, Introduction to
Organizational Communication), a focused study (such as PADM 3000, Non profit Advancement or COM 4840,
Health Communication), nor is it rooted in theory (such as COM 4320, Group Communication Theory). BUS 3004 is
also distinctive from other BCM courses. Therefore, it is not in competition with or a duplication of existing course
offerings at WMU. BUS 3004 complements other courses in the proposed Business Minor for Non-Business Students.
This course is not expected to replace required communication classes within majors but, as an elective, to augment
students’ understanding of workplace-related communications.
4.
Effect on your department’s programs. Show how the proposed change fits with other departmental offerings.
Business Communication Analysis and Application fits well with current Business Communication Program course
offerings as it pulls together key elements of communication principles and practices covered in-depth in courses
offered in the Business Communication minor. Additionally, this course will enhance our program’s visibility within
the University.
5.
Effects on enrolled students: Are program conflicts avoided? Will your proposal make it easier or harder for students
to meet graduation requirements? Can students complete the program in a reasonable time? Show that you have
considered scheduling needs and demands on students’ time. If a required course will be offered during summer only,
provide a rationale.
Offering the course once or twice a year will ensure availability and have no negative impact on students’ graduation
schedules.
6.
Student or external market demand. What is your anticipated student audience? What evidence of student or market
demand or need exists? What is the estimated enrollment? What other factors make your proposal beneficial to
students?
Non-business students are expected to find the proposed Business Minor for Non-Business Students attractive; the
demand for minor courses is expected to be substantial. Students will choose this class or a course in business law to
complete the business minor; therefore, demand is expected to be quite high. Completion of BUS 3700 will not satisfy
the requirements for BUS 3004.
7.
Effects on resources. Explain how your proposal would affect department and University resources, including faculty,
equipment, space, technology, and library holdings. Tell how you will staff additions to the program. If more advising
will be needed, how will you provide for it? How often will course(s) be offered? What will be the initial one-time costs
and the ongoing base-funding costs for the proposed program? (Attach additional pages, as necessary.)
Resources are tight everywhere on the WMU campus. Acknowledging this, the BCM faculty designed this course to
emphasize analysis and class discussion so that class sizes could be larger than those for writing courses. Second,
sadly, on September 12, 2008, the Business Communication faculty voted to suspend the enrollment of students in the
Business Communication minor. Faculty who taught these courses may now meet other needs. Third, talk abounds
that contingent faculty would be assigned this course, so the effect on base funding is minimal. Our initial intent is to
offer one section each in Fall and Spring semesters and assess and adjust after that.
8.
General education criteria. For a general education course, indicate how this course will meet the criteria for the area
or proficiency. (See the General Education Policy for descriptions of each area and proficiency and the criteria. Attach
additional pages as necessary. Attach a syllabus if (a) proposing a new course, (b) requesting certification for
baccalaureate-level writing, or (c) requesting reapproval of an existing course.)
This course is not a general education course.
9. List the learning outcomes for the proposed course or the revised or proposed major, minor, or concentration. These
are the outcomes that the department will use for future assessments of the course or program.
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to
 Recognize and understand the essential and complex role of communication in workplaces.
 Develop and apply shared criteria and terminology to identify, analyze, and address workplace messages and
scenarios.
 Demonstrate the ability to understand and evaluate business communication considerations with regard to
ethics; situation; audience; self; approach; content development and order; and delivery type (oral, visual,
written) and media (print, electronic, video, etc.).
 Use business communication strategies to develop and transmit appropriate and effective messages.
10. Describe how this curriculum change is a response to assessment outcomes that are part of a departmental
or college assessment plan or informal assessment activities.
For this course, assessment of students’ ability to demonstrate mastery of course objectives will consist of
a random, anonymous, blind evaluation of a single case study. Student responses will be evaluated by at
least two faculty members charged with overseeing business communication assessment. These faculty
members will not necessarily be those teaching this course.
11. (Undergraduate proposals only) Describe, in detail, how this curriculum change affects transfer articulation for
Michigan community colleges. For course changes, include detail on necessary changes to transfer articulation from
Michigan community college courses. For new majors or minors, describe transfer guidelines to be developed with
Michigan community colleges. For revisions to majors or minors, describe necessary revisions to Michigan
community college guidelines. Department chairs should seek assistance from college advising directors or from the
admissions office in completing this section.
The proposed course content is drawn from upper-level division courses that have no equivalents among community
college courses, and community college courses cannot transfer in at the 3000 level.
Catalog Course Description
BUS 3004: Business Communication Analysis and Application (3 credit hours)
Using cases and applications, students in this course receive an overview of the role, scope and importance of
communication in organizations (profit and/or not-for-profit). Students develop an understanding of organizational
communication by analyzing business scenarios and by creating messages with a variety of media.
Junior level class standing needed to enroll in course. Enrollment in business minor is not necessary.
This course is not equivalent to BCM 1420 or BUS 3700 and does not fulfill the University's Proficiency 1 or
Baccelaureate writing requirements.
The Business Communication Program in the Haworth College of Business offers and staffs this course.