SOUTHWESTERN MICHIGAN COLLEGE
SCHOOL OF BUSINESS
Dowagiac, Michigan
COURSE SYLLABUS
Fall Semester 2011
COURSE TITLE: Professionalism Workshop COURSE NO.: BUSI 240
SECTION NO.:2214
SAT, Oct. 29 - 8 am – 5 pm – MCC East Room 629A
FRI, Nov. 4 - 8 a.m. – 1 pm – Wood 457
FRI, Nov. 18 – 8 a.m. – 12 p.m. – Wood 457
INSTRUCTOR: Joanne Deja Strebeck and Jim Benak
269-782-1219/269-782-1221
/
OFFICE HOURS:
Jim Benak: MW 2:30-3:30; TTH 11:00 – 12:30 Dowagiac Wood Room 409
Joanne Strebeck:
TTH 1:00-3:30 Dowagiac Wood Room 410
FINAL EXAMINATION: Refer to published final exam schedule.
PREREQUISITE: Completion of 45 credit hours, including specific BUSI, ACCO, and OADM courses completed with minimum grade of C.
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Workshop designed to provide professional “polish” for the student. Discussions will include, but are not limited to, employability and job retention skills, professionalism, ethical behavior, and personal habits.
TEXTBOOK (REQUIRED): They Don’t Teach Corporate in College: A Twenty-Something’s Guide to the Business World, 2004, by Alexandra Levit, Career Press.
Professionalism – Skills for Workplace Success, 2011, by Lydia E. Anderson and Sandra B. Bolt, Prentice Hall, ISBN 978-0-13-506388-0
TEXTBOOK (OPTIONAL): 101 Best Resumes for Grads, 2003, by Jay A. Block and Michael Betrus, McGraw-Hill, ISBN0-07-139506-7
(REQUIRED) USB storage device
METHOD OF INSTRUCTION: A computer, textbook, worksheets, lecture, discussion, overhead
projector, videos, group work, and written assignments will be used.
EVALUATION METHOD:
Item / Percentage of total grade / PointsAttendance and class participation – Saturday 50 pts; first Friday 25 pts; final Friday 15 pts / 35 / 80
Portfolio (see items below) / Points per item / 55 / 125
1. Company research / 10
2. What is Professionalism paper / 10
3. Resume / 20
4. Cover letter / 15
5. Dress for Success poster / 5
6. Mock interview / 20
7. Diversity paper / 10
8. International business paper / 10
9. Interview questions / 10
10. Overall binder / 15
Quiz (online – final Friday) / 10 / 25
Course evaluation (online – final Friday) / -- / 10
TOTAL / 230
GRADING SCALE: The following grading scale is in effect for this course:
93.4 – 100 % A
90 – 93.3% A-
86.8 – 89.9% B+
83.4 – 86.7% B
80 – 83.3% B-
76.8 – 79.9% C+
73.4 – 76.7% C
70 – 73.3% C-
66.8 – 69.9% D+
63.4 – 66.7% D
60 – 63.3% D-
0 – 59.9% F
ATTENDANCE Based on the format of this class, attendance is required for the entire duration of the
POLICY workshop. Arrive on time. No homework, quizzes or other assignments may be made up. To emphasize the importance of promptness in business, a deadline is set for each assignment.
TESTING POLICY: Students are expected to take all examinations as scheduled. TESTS MAY NOT BE MADE UP. We reserve the option to determine whether a make-up test will be given and the format of the testing method.
OTHER COURSE
EXPECTATIONS: Prior to coming to class, you are expected to read any assigned pages and be prepared to discuss the lesson/features covered. Students will also be required to bring a hard copy and an electronic copy of their current resume and cover letter.
Children not allowed in classrooms
Computer settings are to be left as is. Do not make changes in the default settings.
HONESTY POLICY Cheating or plagiarizing will absolutely not be tolerated at Southwestern Michigan College. Any student found cheating or plagiarizing material in any manner will be assigned a failing semester/session grade in this course. A second such incident while at SMC could result in suspension or expulsion from the institution. A student found in violation of this section of the syllabus will not be allowed to drop this course. Additional detail regarding cheating and/or plagiarism may be found elsewhere in this syllabus. For more detailed information, consult the SMC Student Code of Conduct.
DIVERSITY STATEMENT It is the goal of the School of Business to embrace diversity, to recognize differences in race, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, social class, physical ability or attributes, religious or ethical values system, national origin, and political beliefs. The School of Business will create and sustain an environment that welcomes diverse populations. We will create a learning environment for students that truly enriches and enhances them personally and professionally by incorporating an understanding of and enhancing knowledge of diverse populations as part of our curriculum.
PROFESSIONALISM POLICY
Students will be asked to present themselves in a positive and professional manner inside the classroom. The entire department will be requiring this of students in order to begin to prepare them for the workplace. Students should think of their classes like a job and instructors as their employer.
· TARDY - Students will not be allowed in class after the start of class. It will be up to the instructors to allow them into class at a break.
· ATTIRE – Students should refrain from wearing revealing or tight clothing, hats, or other attire that would not be allowed in a normal professional business setting.
· CELL PHONES & PAGERS – All cell phones should be turned off or put on manner mode before entering the classroom. Absolutely no calls should be taken during class time.
· VOCABULARY – Students should refrain from swearing or using unprofessional language in the classroom. Also, a professional vocabulary should be adopted and used in class as they progress in their college careers.
· WEAPONS – No weapons should be brought to class.
· OVERALL PROFESSIONALISM – Students should begin to adapt an overall professional demeanor and attitude.
NOTICE: Representative student work will be used as a part of SMC’s on-going curriculum assessment program.
ACCEPTABLE USE OF PERSONAL COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
All phones, iPods, Black Berries, palm pilots, pagers, laptops and other technological devices including devices capable of taking photographs must be turned off or placed on vibrate mode and may not be brought our during class.. If you are expecting or receiving an urgent call, you are required to leave the classroom before answering. Violation of this policy will result in your removal from the classroom for the class period. Multiple violations of this policy will be referred to the appropriate dean for disciplinary action. Further details or ramifications of violations maybe found elsewhere in this syllabus. The instructor has the right to modify this policy to meet the needs of your course.
NOTICE: Information in this syllabus was, to the best knowledge of the instructor, considered correct and complete when distributed for use at the beginning of the semester. The instructor, however, reserves the right, acting within the policies and procedures of Southwestern Michigan College, to make changes in course content or instructional techniques.
COURSE OUTLINE
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1. Assess job preparation skills for career success.2. Assess job retention skills
3. Assess personal habits and practices
4. Develop professional attitude and practices
5. Develop and practice essential business etiquette skills
6. Formulate plan for lifelong learning
COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
IN-CLASS ASSIGNMENTS: Assigned activities are to be completed as instructed and will be due as assigned by the instructor(s).
TEAMWORK/PARTICIPATION: Students will be grouped for purposes of completing specifically assigned teamwork projects. The projects will be due as assigned by the instructor. Class participation is expected during each class by taking part in discussions and other assigned in-class work.
PORTFOLIO: Requirements for completing the portfolio will be given during the workshop. This is a progressive project and is handed in at the end of the workshop.
Schedule
**PRIOR TO ATTENDING FIRST CLASS PLEASE READ REQUIRED TEXT:
THEY DON’T TEACH CORPORATE IN COLLEGE and REVIEW PROFESSIONALISM – SKILLS FOR WORKPLACE SUCCESS!**
Professionalism Workshop – Day I Agenda 10/29/11
8:00-9:45 – Intros/Welcome
· Instructor Intros
· Student Intros
· Ice Breaker – “I have never…”
· Review Syllabus
· Answer Question: Why this class? What do you hope to learn from this class?
· How will you be graded?
a. Three Ring Binder (Portfolio); tabbed and logically organized
b. Notes and handouts from Class (in Portfolio - optional)
c. Attendance
d. Mock Interview (interviewer’s evaluation) **PORTFOLIO ITEM**
e. Participation (in class and in teams)
· Group Activity: What is Professionalism? **PORTFOLIO ITEM**
9:45-10:00 - Break
10:00-12:00 - Self Analysis
· Discuss finding the RIGHT job
· Self Analysis – what is the right job for you?
· Corporate Persona – Looking the Part / Dressing for the Interview
a. Dress appropriately for the desired position (management, construction trades, automotive, etc.)
b. Dress for Success video
c. Self Maintenance
- Hygiene
- Body language/voice is your image
- Exercise
- Doctors/Dentists
- Bathing
- Group work
d. Dress for Success **PORTFOLIO ITEM**
12:00-1:30 Dining Etiquette/Lunch
1:30-4:00 - Job Search
a. Resume **PORTFOLIO ITEM**
b. Class Review of Resumes
c. Cover Letter/Letter of Application **PORTFOLIO ITEM**
d. Class Review of Cover letters
e. Where to Look for Jobs
a. Online (Monster.Com, etc.)
b. Research Company **PORTFOLIO ITEM**
c. Classified
d. Networking
e. Headhunters
Turn in items 11/4/11:
Research Job and Company
Updated resume and cover letter
Professionalism Workshop – Day II Agenda 11/4/11
8:00-8:30 - Morning Ice Breaker
8:30-9:30 - Interviewing Skills – response to six interview questions **PORTFOLIO ITEM** (referenced on p. 4 of this syllabus)
9:30-9:45 – Salary Negotiation
9:45-10:00 - Time Management
10:00-10:15 - Break
10:15 – 10:30 - Stress Management
10:15-10:30 – Diversity **PORTFOLIO ITEM**
10:45-11:00 - Lifelong Learning/Professional Affiliations
11:00 – 11:30 – Discussion - International Business Etiquette **PORTFOLIO ITEM**
11:30-11:45 - Telephone and Email Etiquette
11:45- 1:00– Telephone Interview role-play
Professionalism Workshop – Day III Agenda 11/18/11
Scheduled Mock Interviews (COME DRESSED FOR AN INTERVIEW!) **PORTFOLIO ITEM**
8:00-8:30 – 24/7 Professional
Class Evaluations (online)
Quiz (online)
Turn in Portfolio by Thursday, December 1
to Mrs. Strebeck (Rm. 410) or Mr. Benak (Rm. 409) OR Wood Front Desk
BUSI 240 page XXX
Fall 2011