Master of Business Communication
Course Descriptions
Core Courses for MBC degree plan 2010
ACCT 601 Financial Accounting
Credits: 3
Degree students only.
Financial accounting is an integral part of the planning, reporting and control functions of every business. It is a means to achieving insights about the firm's financial condition, operating results, cash flows and ownership and capital structure. This course covers the fundamental terminology and calculations of financial accounting and reporting, as well as the comprehension and interpretation of financial statements. Ethical aspects of accounting are included.
BCOM 610 Communication Research
Credits: 3
Degree students only.
Considers various methodologies useful in applied research for both profit and non-profit organizations, including interpretation and evaluation techniques. Emphasizes techniques of research design and reporting.
BCOM 805 Communication Leadership Priorities
Credits: 3
Degree students only.
Prerequisite: Completion of all MBC core courses and four electives.
This course uses cases and other "real-world" examples to deeply explore the challenges faced by 21st century communications professionals as business leaders, linking best practices to business strategy. Discussions will weave together the divergent elements of MBC courses to consider how the multi-faceted case issues can be considered and addressed within the context of broader theoretical frameworks. This will include introduction and application of analytical "lenses" from business, communications and sociology for investigation of material. In addition, students will be required to produce a paper based on their own primary research, following a strict timeline of deliverables within the course structure.
BETH 525 Communication Ethics
Credits: 3
Examines ethical issues of particular concern to professional communicators. Sharpens skills in ethical analysis and decision making. Examines the roles played by professional organizations and their ethical codes. Gives particular emphasis to ethical issues in public relations, internal communication and advertising.
BLAW 710 Communication Law
Credits: 3
Surveys legal issues of concern to business communicators. Includes study of patents, trademarks, trade secrets and confidential information; the rights of privacy; and publicity, copyrights and the regulation of misleading advertising through private action in the courts and industry self-regulation.
DSCI 601 Data Analysis for Decision Making
Credits: 3
Degree students only.
Demonstrates the value and limitations of data and how they are analyzed to create information in support of a decision. This course includes design of the data collection process, analysis of data, tools for presenting data summaries, recognition of what data can and cannot reveal and interpretation of results as an aid to making a decision.
GBEC 515 Principles of Economic Analysis
Credits: 3
Degree students only.
Presents techniques for analyzing the U.S. economy and applies those techniques to consumer behavior and business decisions. Develops your critical thinking skills through analysis of the national economy, employment, inflation, economic growth and the role of government. Current national and global issues are explored.
MGMT 600 Management of Organizational Behavior
Credits: 3
All organizations are impacted by how people behave in those organizations. A key role of a manager is to guide that behavior to successfully accomplish organizational goals. The course is about this aspect of business. The class objectives are for you to gain an understanding of the various theoretical views of behavior in organizations and be able to use these theories to systematically analyze organizational situations and generate appropriate action plans. The course is designed to facilitate the incorporation of your experience and personal values about behavior in organizations in the development of these plans.
MKTG 600 Marketing Management
Credits: 3
Offers a managerial approach to the study of strategic market decision making. It will examine the basic principles of marketing and their use in developing an optimum marketing mix. It will cover such topics as market planning; segmentation and target marketing; channels of distribution; consumer behavior; competitive analysis; pricing, demand analysis and forecasting; promotion; sales management; and product decisions. The course is designed to build a conceptual foundation for understanding and analyzing marketing situations. You will learn a managerial approach to applying marketing principles to practical marketing situations.
MBC Elective Courses
BCOM 531 Business Writing
Credits: 3
Reviews business reports, letters, memos and other forms of business writing. This course stresses the writing process, audience analysis and the organization of content. Case studies highlight needs of decision makers in business. Develops skills in style and rhetoric that lead to clear, concise, forceful prose.
BCOM 543 Team Skills and Group Process
Credits: 3
Focuses on theory and principle of communication in groups. The course includes an examination of communication process, content and relationships in task groups. Helps participants understand and develop essential skills for group efficiency and problem solving. Stresses participation in group exercises, interaction in class and observation and analysis of groups outside class.
BCOM 551 Presentational Speaking
Credits: 3
Focuses on the preparation, presentation and evaluation of original presentations by each student. It includes how to research a topic, analyze an audience, organize and develop content, sharpen focus, improve style and listen actively.
BCOM 553 Interpersonal Communication
Credits: 3
Explores the nature of interpersonal communication in the workplace, including the study of self-concept, verbal and nonverbal behaviors, dyadic rules, relationship patterns, conflict assessment and management techniques. Course activities develop interpersonal skills.
BCOM 555 Communication Skills for Managers
Credits: 3
Focuses on positive, productive human interaction in the workplace while emphasizing communication problem solving and skill development for managers. Includes work with presentations, meeting management and interviewing. The student learns by performance and self-analysis, aided by peer, instructor and videotaped feedback.
BCOM 581 Internal Communication
Credits: 3
Explores the principles of communication as applied to employee audiences. This course stresses research, planning, implementation, measurement and improvement of internal communication programs from a management perspective. Establishes a practical understanding of objective-based internal communications.
BCOM 620 The Creative Process
Credits: 3
Explores the literature of creativity, the study of creative persons and their contributions to society, and the process by which creative ideas are produced and communicated. Active participation in strategies for actualizing the creative potential of individuals and groups is an essential part of the course.
BCOM 622 Communication Technology
Credits: 3
Explores the technology of communication including voice, data and video transmission. Major topics include business-world applications of telephone and computer systems, multimedia, the Web, video production and transmission systems. Presentations, tours, guest speakers and projects focus on the application of technology to communication opportunities.
BCOM 635 Persuasion
Credits: 3
Demonstrates how effective persuasion is the basis of most business communication. Focuses on techniques and strategies that influence choice. Analyzes the use of sources, argumentation and audience understanding in the persuasion process.
BCOM 640 Technical Writing
Credits: 3
This course introduces technical writing as both a skill and career path. It also focuses on the needs of technical readers and the skills of organizing and presenting complex material. Students practice writing through workshops with feedback from peers and instructor. Emphasis is on clear, concise style, including techniques for testing and evaluating documents.
BCOM 641 Organizational Communication
Credits: 3
Analyzes communicative dimensions of organizations, including formal and informal communication systems, the development and effect of culture, the process of change and the methods for diagnosing problems and assessing communication effectiveness.
BCOM 661 Public Relations Practice
Credits: 3
Considers public relations principles and practice in the business world. Describes how employee, investor, community, government and organizational public relations practices differ from each other, yet are used together to communicate a consistent organizational message. Case histories focus on public relations programs and how research, planning, communication and measurement are applied.
BCOM 662 Public Affairs for the Corporate Executive
Credits: 3
Presents a broad view of corporate relations with politicians, government regulators, advocacy groups and the media. Explores issues such as building grass-roots support for public policy issues, management of public affairs crises and use of public policy to enhance corporate image. Case study analysis and presentation by guest lecturers enhance classroom experience
BCOM 663 Public Relations Writing
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: BCOM 661 or equivalent work experience.
Develops the information-gathering, writing and editing skills necessary for the successful public relations practitioner. The student will gain experience in developing and writing a wide variety of communication pieces directed at targeted external audiences.
BCOM 665 Media Relations
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: BCOM 661 or equivalent work experience.
Focuses on how to identify and analyze news as well as how to work effectively with the media. Designed to enhance your confidence in working with the media by offering an understanding of the publicist's role and the media's perspective. Course components include field trips and guest speakers, along with planning, writing, pitching and implementing media relations efforts.
BCOM 725 Corporate Communication Management
Credits: 3
Recommended: BCOM 661 or equivalent experience before enrolling in this course.
Focuses on the overall communication function in a large organization. The course is presented from the perspective of a director of communication and emphasizes the integration of corporate communication objectives, plans and activities.
BCOM 726 Management Priorities and the Communicator
Credits: 3
Examines the role of communication from the top management perspective. Explores the CEO's primary concerns, responsibilities, information needs, language and decision-making processes. By developing an integrated view of organizations, and emphasizing organizational strategy and goals, this course will help the communicator understand and respond to top management's concerns with effective communication strategies.
MKTG 630 Promotional Marketing
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: MKTG 780 or MKTG 600 or equivalent work experience.
Considers the essentials of effective sales promotion planning as a primary component in the marketing mix. Presents appropriate application of promotion strategies for the consumer, sales force and retail-trade categories. Case studies are used to assess program feasibility and cost effectiveness, and explore trends in promotional marketing. Emphasizes understanding of consumer purchase behavior and formulation of promotion strategies that change behavior.
MKTG 671 Advertising Planning
Credits: 3
Emphasizes the development of an advertising plan as part of the overall marketing effort, including strategy plus creative and media planning. You will apply principles to actual practice in class projects. Guest speakers supplement text content with actual cases.
MKTG 673 Creative Strategy in Advertising
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: MKTG 780 or MKTG 671 or equivalent work experience.
Combines the skills of planning and creating advertising messages; identifies what an advertisement says to an audience and why it says it; and develops skills in brainstorming, evaluating and directing creative work. Designed for people who manage or work with agency, in-house and freelance creative teams.
MKTG 677 Direct Marketing
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: MKTG 780 or MKTG 671 or MKTG 600 OR equivalent work experience.
Built around database strategies, this overview of direct marketing provides hands-on knowledge of the planning, creative and basic mathematical techniques vital to success in this rapidly-expanding marketing area.
MKTG 710 Consumer Behavior
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: MKTG 600
Examines both consumer and business-to-business buying behavior. The course emphasizes the managerial implications and marketing opportunities which result from a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the decision making process. In effect, the course is an overview of applied psychology, where you are given the opportunity to develop a working understanding of both the antecedents and resulting behavioral consequences of marketing exchange.
MKTG 725 Brand Management
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: MKTG 600
Expands upon basic marketing theory, focusing on strategic planning and decision making as it applies to the product or brand manager. It affords you a practical, structured approach to developing product or brand management skills and emphasizes learning through hands-on application of the concepts covered in the course. Develop your skills in the formulation, execution and evaluation of
the effectiveness of product or brand strategies and tactics. The course utilizes extensive case studies, applied exercises and, in some sections, a product
management computer simulation to develop and increase your understanding of the role of the product or brand manager.
MKTG 760 Customer Relationship Marketing
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: MKTG 600
Marketing practitioners agree that the most successful companies in the future will be those that develop the most effective targeting strategies. This will require
sophisticated databases focused on individual customer needs. This course provides conceptual, analytical and applied knowledge skills you need to shift from traditional product- and brand-driven mass marketing practices to more
individualized, customer-driven marketing. Points of emphasis, delivered through a combination of contemporary readings, lectures and application assignments, include: a planning process designed for developing customer information systems; database development and implementation to serve new product development and supply chain and promotion-based needs.
MKTG 780 Marketing Communications
Credits: 3
Prerequisite: MKTG 600 or equivalent work experience.
Provides a broad overview of the role of marketing communications processes. Explores the wide range of communications activities used in selling or promoting products and services, including advertising, public relations, sales promotion, direct marketing and the strategies which drive them. A combination of readings, cases and application exercises will be used to develop a strategic perspective and an understanding of the need for an integrated communications plan.
BCOM 714 Topics in Communication
Credits: 3
Courses offered under this designation will address current issues in business communication and will vary from semester to semester. They may be offered for one semester or as ongoing classes.
