I. Course Description: An introduction to fundamental concepts and basic research related to communication behavior in organizational settings.

II. Prerequisite: COM 114 or consent of instructor.

III. Course Goals: Upon completing this course, you should be able to:
1) demonstrate an awareness of the nature and importance of communication in the organizational context;
2) apply relevant organizational communication theories to the behavior of yourself and others;
3) evaluate the usefulness of some of these theories for enhancing communication competence in your own workplace; and
4) demonstrate familiarity with some of the methods scholars use in studying organizational communication.

IV. Course Tools:

• One required textbook, available from Follett’s IPFW Bookstore in the Kettler Hall basement and from various web-based booksellers:

Miller, K.  (2006).  Organizational communication: approaches and processes (4th ed.).  Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.    (ISBN: 0534617883).

• You are required to have an e-mail account and access to the World Wide Web.  Important course information and readings may be distributed via e-mail or the course web site.  Accordingly, it is expected that your e-mail account will not be set to block e-mail from me as spam and that you will check this account regularly.

V. Course Assignments: This course will be graded on a 1000 point scale, as follows:

• Tests (3 at 175 points each = 525 points).  The tests will cover material in lecture, class discussions and the textbook, as well as any brief additional readings that may be assigned.  The tests will be cumulative only to the extent explicitly noted in test review.

• Response papers (3 at 125 points each = 375 points) Each response paper assignment will ask you to respond to specific questions applying the course material to your own experience in a well-written, detailed, typed and stapled three to five page essay.  The response papers will each be assigned approximately three weeks prior to their due date, as indicated on the Course Schedule.  You are responsible for keeping a copy of each response paper.

• Class contributions (100 points) You are expected to attend class.  Beyond mere attendance, though, this is a participatory course.  Your productive contributions to class discussions and activities are important.  In addition, brief homework assignments beyond the readings will be assigned.  This portion of your grade reflects my assessment of your participation in class discussions and activities and brief homework assignments.  Each unexcused absence will reduce your grade for this component by 10 points.  11 or more unexcused absences will result in a grade of F for the course.  All that is required here is that you account for yourself for each class period, as follows: 1) If you know in advance you won’t be able to attend a given class, you should let me know the reason in advance, preferably by e-mail as that provides us with a written record.  2) In emergency situations where you can’t tell me in advance of your absence, it’s your responsibility to account for those absences as soon as possible afterward and in no event more than two weeks afterward. 3) If you arrive to class after I have taken attendance, it’s your responsibility to see me after class to insure that I have recorded your presence.  4) Leaving class early without permission shall constitute an unexcused absence.

VI. Grading Scale: A = 900-1000; B = 800-899; C = 700-799; D = 600-699; F = 0-599.

VII. Late or Missing Assignments and Tests: In the absence of extreme circumstances, written assignments will not be accepted after the class period in which they are due, and examinations not taken on the designated date can not be made up.  Failure to turn in an assignment or take a test will result in a grade of F for the course.

VIII. Academic Integrity: You are expected to be familiar with what constitutes academic misconduct in this course and at IPFW, and with what the penalties are for such conduct, as set forth in  parts II and III of the IPFW Code of Student Rights, Responsibilities and Conduct, which is published on pages 160-171 of the 2007-2008 Student Handbook Planner and available online at <http://www.ipfw.edu/senate/stu_code.htm>.

As Professor Carr used to say on his syllabi, “if caught cheating or plagiarizing, a student will receive no credit for the assignment and/or an ‘F’ for the course. Any instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean and Vice Chancellor and may result in expulsion from the University. Most instances of academic dishonesty result from a combination of the last-minute rush, poor judgment and a lack of familiarity with academic propriety. Consult the instructor well in advance of an assignment due date to clarify your responsibilities.”

IX. Incompletes: A grade of incomplete will only be given in compliance with IPFW’s policy on incomplete grades, as set forth on page 277 of the 2006-2008 IPFW Undergraduate Bulletin, and available online at <http://www.ipfw.edu/senate/acadregs.htm#ARTICLE6_4>, and then only under extraordinary circumstances.  If such circumstances arise, please let me know and we will discuss whether an incomplete is appropriate.

X. Campus Services:

• Services For Students With Disabilities, Walb Student Union 113, 481-6657, <http://www.ipfw.edu/ssd>, provides specialized academic support services and other assistance to persons with qualifying disability conditions.  You become eligible for those services in this class only after you deliver your SSD Accommodation Letter to me.

• The Writing Center, Kettler Hall G19, 481-5740, <http://www.ipfw.edu/casa/WC>, provides one-on-one assistance with writing, both in person and online.  There are also links to valuable writing resources on their web page.  

• Center for Academic Support and Advancement (CASA), Kettler Hall G23, 481-6817, <http://www.ipfw.edu/casa>, provides tutoring by appointment.  You may also find useful the hints on their web page for note taking, text reading, and test taking.

• Information Technology Services, Kettler Hall 206, 481-6030 <http://www.its.ipfw.edu/students>, provides student e-mail accounts and web space and administers the student computing labs.  Valuable computing help is available on their web site and by telephone.

• Child Care Center, 4133 Hobson Road (Cor. Stellhorn),  481-0111,  <http://www.ipfw.edu/childcar/>, provides childcare services for students.

Copyright © 2001-2008 Irwin Mallin
Last Updated: 9 January 2008
URL: http://users.ipfw.edu/mallini/324syl.html