My Course Descriptions
Below are the descriptions for the various courses I teach and the names of the schools at which I teach them:
Axia College of University of Phoenix
COM-120 (Effective Persuasive Writing): COM/120 focuses on developing the writing skills of entry-level college students. This 9-week course emphasizes the use of Standard English grammar and mechanics, correct spelling, and basic documentation skills as well as coherence and correctness in written communication. Students will examine the characteristics of the persuasive essay and utilize the steps in the writing process to create a Persuasive Essay.
COM-125 (Utilizing Information in College Writing): This nine-week course focuses on developing the research, writing, and evaluation skills of entry-level college students. Topical areas include information utilization, critical reading, organization, and documentation as they relate to a major research paper. Students will continue to build their writing skills as they incorporate outside feedback and explore various strategies to improve their arguments. Activities include preparing a research plan, creating an annotated bibliography, and completing a research paper.
COM-140 (Contemporary Business Communication): In this course, students apply the basic writing process—transitioning from fluency to clarity to correctness—as they create a variety of effective business communication for both internal and external audiences. Selected readings provide the foundation for discussions of the purpose, audience, structure, tone, and content of business writing. Grammar exercises focus on sentence structure, punctuation, capitalization, and bias-free language.
COM-150 (Effective Essay Writing): In this course, students develop academic writing skills. Students use the writing process to construct an expository essay with an emphasis on coherence and correctness in written communication. Students also conduct basic research for the expository essay. Selected readings provide the basis for discussion regarding the difference between fact and opinion. Grammar exercises focus on verb tense and form, subject-verb and pronoun-antecedent agreement, and pronoun case. Students also complete exercises covering topic sentences, paragraph development, citations, and formatting guidelines.
COM-215 (Written Communication): This course focuses on effective internal and external business communication using written methods. Students will write a variety of job-related communiqués including letters, resumes, memos, reports, and presentations.
COM-220 (Research Writing): This course focuses on effective internal and external business communication using written methods. Students will write a variety of job-related communiqués including letters, resumes, memos, reports, and presentations.
COLL-148 (Critical Thinking and Problem Solving): This course provides instruction and practice in critical thinking, problem-solving and use of research as a problem-solving tool. Course objectives are addressed through problem-solving methodologies, critical analysis of information, cooperative learning and research strategies. The course also assists students in identifying and articulating skills needed for academic and professional success. Ethical and values considerations are included within the critical thinking and problem-solving framework. (1 class)
COMP-100 (Computer Applications for Business with Lab): This course introduces basic concepts and principles underlying personal productivity tools widely used in business such as word processors (Microsoft Word 2007), spreadsheets (Microsoft Excel 2007), presentations (Microsoft PowerPoint 2007)email and web browsers. Students also learn basic computer terminology and concepts. Hands-on exercises provide students with experience in use of PCs and current personal productivity tools.
COMP-129 (PC Hardware and Software with Lab): This course explores the PC system from software, hardware and operating system points of view. Hardware topics include system boards, processors, memory, power supplies, input/output (I/O) ports, internal adapters, printers and basic networking devices. Software topics include client/server operating systems and installation, as well as licensing software applications.
BUSN-115 (Introduction to Business and Technology): This course introduces business and the environments in which businesses operate. Students examine the roles of major functional areas of business and interrelationships among them. Organizational theories and techniques are examined, and economic, cultural, political and technological factors affecting business organizations are evaluated.
ECON-312 (Principles of Economics): This course introduces basic concepts and issues in microeconomics, macroeconomics and international trade. Microeconomic concepts, such as supply and demand and the theory of the firm, serve as foundations for analyzing macroeconomic issues. Macroeconomic topics include gross domestic product (GDP), and fiscal and monetary policy, as well as international topics such as trade and exchange rates. The course stresses analyzing and applying economic variables of real-world issues. (1 class)
ENGL-032 (Developmental Writing and Reading): Using an integrated approach, this basic skills course helps students develop skills to meet prerequisite writing and reading requirements of college-level work. Coursework focuses on process-based activities designed to develop pre-writing, writing and revising skills, and relates writing to such skills as pre-reading, reading and analysis in order to strengthen critical thinking. As part of the writing process, fundamental aspects of grammar, usage and style are addressed as necessary. The minimum requirement to pass this course is 70 percent, and grades of D are not assigned. Eligibility to enroll in the course is based on placement results.
ENGL-092 (Intermediate English): This prerequisite skills course helps develop the reading and writing skills of students who have mastered foundational and basic levels of English, but who need to strengthen their facility with reading and composition prior to entering the writing sequence and enrolling in other mainstream DeVry courses. An integrated approach is used to link writing with reading, and to address more basic matters as they arise from assignments. The minimum requirement to pass this course is 70 percent, and grades of D are not assigned. Eligibility to enroll in the course is based on placement results or successful completion of ENGL-032.
ENGL-112 (Composition): This course develops writing skills through analysis of essays, articles and other written works that are used as models for writing practice and development. Writing assignments stress process approaches, development, organization, revision and audience awareness. Students use word processing and web-based tools to develop written work. Eligibility to enroll in the course is based on placement results, or successful completion of ENGL-092.
ENGL-135 (Advanced Composition): This course builds on the conventions and techniques of composition through critical reading requirements and longer, more sophisticated reports, including a documented library research paper. Assignments require revising and editing for an intended audience. Students are also taught search strategies for accessing a variety of print and electronic resources.
ENGL-227 (Professional Writing): This course extends composition principles to writing in a career context. Through a process-oriented approach, students learn to create effective reports and correspondence. Major emphasis is given to the principles of professional writing in common applications. Studies include electronic communication and oral reporting. Students may also learn to create web pages for communication purposes.
MGMT-303 (Principles of Management): This course examines fundamental management theories and traditional managerial responsibilities in formal and informal organizational structures. Planning, organizing, directing, controlling and staffing are explored.
MGMT-404 (Project Management): This course enhances students’ ability to function in a project leadership role. While exploring the project life cycle, they gain experience in budget and timeline management. Project management software is used to design project schedules using methods such as bar charts, program evaluation review technique (PERT) and critical path method (CPM) to produce project plans to apply to the solution of case studies.
Florida Career College (Online)
ENG-202 (English Composition): This course in basic essay writing is designed to teach students paragraph and theme development with emphasis on syntax, organization, logical thinking and originality. Student will apply strategies for writing expository and argument/persuasion essays, learn standard methods of research, and how to document sources.
International American University
BUS-505 (Marketing): This course analyzes marketing principles and policies. It also examines the consideration of marketing functions, price policies and controls, trade channels, merchandising, market research, government regulations, and competitive practices. Emphasis on integration of marketing with other business activities and marketing strategy planning are made.
BUS-525 (Organizational Behavior): This course is a review of available theory and research on the behavior, structure, and process of organizations. It also examines survey of materials which are vital to formal organizational structure, human motivations and constructive application to oneself and others. Emphasis on their use in dealing with others in the employment situation provides the basis for applying the relevant contributions of behavioral science to the management of organizations.
COM-103 (Oral Communication): Introduction to the principles and practices of spoken communication, with special emphasis on the skills needed to communicate effectively in the workplace. Topics include platform techniques, interpersonal communication strategies, cross-cultural approaches and small group methods. (Formerly COM 200)
COM-380 (Democracy in the Information Age): A critical examination of the media and power in modern democracies. Covers theories of democratic participation and media responsibility, as measured against contemporary practices around the world. Explores effects of television news, popular access to video and electronic technologies, and global electronic networks on contemporary political and cultural discourse.
University of California, Santa Barbara (Extension)
BUSAD X409.47 (Buying Behavior): Buying behavior is the study of why consumers purchase goods and services, and the multiple factors that influence their decisions. In today’s volatile marketplace, gaining a better understanding of consumer buying behavior offers distinct advantages when selecting target markets and designing market strategy. With a particular focus on the impact of the Internet on marketing, this class explains what buying behavior is and explores how to successfully reach consumers and inspire them to take action. Integrating in-class activities, hands-on exercises, relevant readings and topical videos this course will explore topics including: The basics of consumer and business buying behavior: who, what and how; Cultural, social, individual, and psychological influences on buying behavior; The delicate art of persuasion and its impact on the purchase decision process; The importance of branding: crafting brand positioning and creating brand equity; Blogs, message boards, podcasts, viral videos, websites and other interactive media.
Revised: November 12, 2008
