CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
SYLLABUS BUSINESS 1301
BUSINESS PRINCIPLES
Semester Hours Credit: 3
BUSINESS: The Engine That Drives America!
I.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This course provides a survey of economic systems, forms of business ownership, and
considerations for running a business. Students will learn various aspects of business,
management, and leadership functions; organizational considerations; and decisionmaking processes. Financial topics are introduced, including accounting, money and
banking, and securities markets. Also included are discussions of business challenges in
the legal and regulatory environment, business ethics, social responsibility, and
international business. Emphasized is the dynamic role of business in everyday life.
II. LEARNING OUTCOMES
1. Identify major business functions of accounting, finance, information systems,
management, and marketing.
2. Describe the relationship of social responsibility, ethics, and law in business.
3. Explain forms of ownership, including their advantages and disadvantages.
4. Identify and explain the domestic and international considerations for today’s business
environment: social, economic, legal, ethical, technological, competitive, and
international.
5. Identify and explain the role and effect of government on business.
6. Describe the importance and effects of ethical practices in business and be able to
analyze business situations to identify ethical dilemmas and ethical lapses.
7. Describe basic financial statements and show how they reflect the activity and financial
condition of a business.
8. Explain the banking and financial systems, including the securities markets, business
financing, and basic concepts of accounting.
9. Explain integrity, ethics, and social responsibility as they relate to leadership and
management.
10. Explain the nature and functions of management.
11. Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats of information technology for
businesses.
12. Demonstrate an understanding of the environments in which businesses operate today.
III.
INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIAL (www.ctcd.edu/books)
A.
August 2014
TEXTBOOK: BUSINESS ESSENTIALS, Custom Version for Central Texas
College, Ebert & Griffin, 3rd edition, 2015
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IV.
IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING FEEDBACK AND RESPONSIBILITY FOR
LEARNING
A.
FEEDBACK: Feedback is the return of data/information about the result of a
process and is an important part of the learning process. Feedback in the course
will be provided via test scores, graded assignments, and/or instructor evaluation
of the students' progress. You are encouraged to take advantage of the many
avenues for feedback available to you. For example, office hours are established
primarily to provide the student access to the instructor to discuss academic
guidance. I am also generally available before and after class to meet with you.
E-mail is another easily available medium to obtain feedback. Additional
feedback may be provided at the discretion of the instructor or on your request.
B.
RESPONSIBILITY FOR LEARNING:
1. INSTRUCTOR:
As your instructor I will organize and present the course material in a
manner designed to facilitate the learning process. I will evaluate your
progress periodically via writing assignments, and presentation, and exams
and provide feedback on your performance via exam scores, exam
critiques, and critique of your writing assignments, etc. I am also available
before and after each class period and during office hours to discuss your
performance and answer questions.
2. STUDENT:
As the student you are ultimately responsible for what you learn and for
your success in this course.
It is your responsibility to attend class regularly, prepare for class by
reading assigned text material, participate in class discussions, ask
questions when required to improve your understanding, prepare for and
complete exams, and complete all other assignments.
V.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
A.
Attendance: (Refer to CTC Catalog, Page 44 for detailed policy). You are
expected to attend each class period, be on time and stay the full class period or
be counted absent. You are responsible for all course material missed due to
absence.
B.
Reading Assignments: You are expected to have read the assigned readings prior
to class. You should be prepared to discuss reading assignments in class.
C.
Current Event Article Reports (Two reports, each worth 40 points): In addition to
text readings, each student will prepare two Business-Related current event
article reports. Select an article from a current (within the past 30-days)
publication (newspaper, news magazine, etc.). Summarize the article in no
more than three lines by briefly stating the main points (gist) in your own
words.
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NOTE: A FEW COMPLETE SENTENCES EXPRESSING THE GIST OF THE
ARTICLE IS SUFFICIENT, BUT YOUR SUMMARY CANNOT EXCEED THREE
LINES. State your opinion about the article in the space provided. Do not include your opinion
in the summary section. THE SUMMARY, YOUR OPINION, AND THE AUTHORSHIP
CERTIFICATION MUST NOT EXCEED THE SPACE ALLOTTED ON THE
PRESCRIBED ONE-PAGE FORMAT. The REPORTS MUST BE TYPED using the
attached format. A COPY OF THE ARTICLE MUST BE STAPLED TO THE REPORT.
See Appendix A, page 6, for report grading criteria.
VI.
D.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The first article report must be on an article by one of
the five authors listed on page 10 herein. NO EXTRA CREDIT is available for
this first report.
E.
Oral Report (10 Points): Each student will present one of the two written article
reports orally to the class (NO MORE THAN 2 MINUTES). This report must
be completed in order to pass the course.
F.
Deadlines for turning in the two article reports are in the course outline. There is
a five point penalty for each late report, regardless of the reason. This
requirement counts 90 points on the final grade (40 for each written report and 10
for the oral presentation). Report example and format will be distributed during
the first class meeting.
G.
DO NOT place reports in folders, document protectors, etc. Article copy must
be stapled to the report.
H.
The purpose of this requirement is two-fold. First is to give you the opportunity
to practice writing skills, including expressing the gist of an article in a few
sentences. Second is to help keep you and me informed on current events related
to business. Look for articles dealing with government regulations and
social/political issues, all of which affect business in some way. Both written
reports must be completed in order to pass the course.
EXAMINATIONS
NOTE: NCS ANSWER SHEET (THE BLUE FORM COMMONLY
CALLED SCANTRON) REQUIRED FOR EACH EXAM.
A.
Syllabus Quiz: At the beginning of the third class period there will be a 10
question quiz on the content of this course syllabus. It will count 10 points on the
final grade.
B.
Major Exams: There will be four exams, each worth 100 points. Makeup exams
will be given only in cases of excused absences, AND MAY BE COMPUTER
GENERATED. Students not completing an exam at the scheduled date/time
with the class are subject to a penalty of up to 10 points on their exam score.
C.
Spot Quizzes: The instructor may administer pop or spot quizzes from time to
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time throughout the semester. There will be no make-ups available for spot
quizzes
VII.
GRADE COMPUTATIONS
Course grades will be determined by total points earned as follows:
A*450-500
B* 400-449
C* 350-399
D* 300-349
F 0-299
♦ARTICLE AND ORAL REPORT REQUIREMENTS AND ALL EXAMS
MUST BE COMPLETED TO RECEIVE A PASSING COURSE GRADE.
FOR EXAMPLE, IF POINT TOTAL ON THE FOUR EXAMS,
SYLLABUS QUIZ, AND TWO WRITTEN ARTICLE REPORTS IS 350,
BUT YOU DID NOT GIVE THE ORAL REPORT, THE COURSE
GRADE WOULD BE "F".
VIII.
OFFICE HOURS
If at any time during the semester, you need assistance or counseling in some
matter related to the course, please contact the instructor during the work day at
526-1146 or in Room 202, Building 152.
IX.
NOTES AND ADDITIONAL INSTRUCTIONS FROM INSTRUCTOR
A.
Disability Support Services provide services to students who have
appropriate documentation of a disability. Students requiring
accommodations for class are responsible for contacting the Office of
Disability Support Services (DSS) located on the central campus. This
service is available to all students, regardless of location. Explore the
website at www.ctcd.edu/disability-support for further information.
Reasonable accommodations will be given in accordance with the
federal and state laws through the DSS office.
B.
Voluntary Withdrawal: If you decide to withdraw from a course after the
first scheduled meeting you must file an Application for
Withdrawal/Refund at the Records Office.
Your transcript will show a "W" grade which does not affect your GPA.
If you merely fail to show up for the unit exams or the final exam you
will receive an "FN". Check the current College Schedule Bulletin for
the latest withdrawal date each semester.
A student may not withdraw from a class for which the instructor has
previously issued the student a grade of "F" or "FN" for nonattendance.
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C.
D.
,
Administrative Withdrawal: The instructor may initiate an
Administrative Withdrawal and assign a grade of "FN" ("F" for
nonattendance) after five absences in a 16 week semester or four
absences in a 10 week semester.
An Incomplete Grade: The College catalog states, "An incomplete grade
(IP) may be given in those cases where the student has completed the
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majority of the course work but, because of personal illness, death in the
immediate family, or military orders, the student is unable to complete the
requirements for a course..." Prior approval from the instructor and a NotLater-Than date for completion of the remaining course requirements are
required before the grade of "IP" is recorded.
A student who merely fails to show for the final examination may be given
a zero for the final and an "F" for the course.
Before awarding the grade of "IP", the instructor and the student will agree
on a deadline for completing the remaining course requirements. It is the
responsibility of the student to arrange with the instructor for the
assignment of work necessary to complete the course and change the "IP"
grade within the time specified. A student electing to repeat the course
must register, pay full tuition and fees and repeat the entire course.
E.
PLEASE NOTE THE PENALTY FOR CHEATING IS
ADMINISTRATIVE WITHDRAWAL WITH AN "F" FOR
"SCHOLASTIC DISHONESTY."
F.
COMMUNICATION DEVICES SUCH AS CELLULAR PHONES,
BEEPERS, PAGERS, ETC ARE NOT PERMITTED TO BE
ACTIVATED IN THE CLASSROOM.
G.
EAR PHONES ARE NOT PERMITTED IN CLASS
H.
CHILDREN ARE NOT PERMITTED IN THE CLASSROOM.
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APPENDIX A ARTICLE REPORT GRADING CRITERIA
WRITTEN REPORT (2)
Requirements
1. Copy of the article included with report. NOTE: If no copy
included, maximum possible report score is 28 Points, since
items 3 and 5 cannot be scored without a copy of the article. For
report 1, is the article by one of the 5 extra credit authors?
(Required to receive these 5 points)
2. You must submit the report on time to receive these 5 points-NO
EXCEPTIONS
3. The article must be business-related, current (within 30 days of
report date), and of sufficient length to support a college-level report.
4. The report must be in the correct format with all items
completed and all information typed. It must not exceed one
typewritten page, including the certification and signature.
THE SUMMARY MUST BE NO MORE THAN THREE
LINES. THERE IS A ONE POINT PENALTY FOR EACH
LINE MORE THAN THREE IN YOUR SUMMARY.
5. The report must be predominantly in your own words, as
opposed to quotes, and all quotes must be indicated by quotation
marks.(NOTE: A significant number of un-credited quotes will
result in "0" total points for the report)
6. The writing must be correct with regard to grammar, spelling,
punctuation, and sentence structure.
TOTAL
ARTICLE REPORT 2 ONLY
Was this article by one of the authors listed in the syllabus?
Required on first article report, but no points are awarded.
ARTICLE REPORT 2 ONLY
Was this an article by one of the publications listed in the syllabus?
No points are awarded on the first article report.
ORAL REPORT (1)
Point
Value
5
5
10
10
5
5
40
5 Extra Credit
5 Extra Credit
Completed presentation
5
Finished within time limit (Two minutes)
3
Remarks were audible to the entire class
TOTAL
2
10
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