BUS-101-OL


	Syllabus for BUS-101-OL

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course outlines a concise overview of the world of business. Emphasis is placed on the following topics; economics and economic systems, ownership, risk, production, finance and the financial system, marketing, human resources, how to form a union and the effect of government in business. The primary objective is to introduce students to the world of business and formulate an opportunity to define and apply the language of business to various endeavors in which businesses operate.

COURSE OBJECTIVES

On successfully completing this course, you should be able to:

Explore how to cultivate a business in diverse, global environments.

Assess ethical behavior and social responsibility in business endeavors.

Explain the various types of business ownership.

Identify the pros and cons of owning a small business.

Interpret the levels of management

Evaluate the importance of empowering employees to satisfy customers.

Distinguish the functions of human resource management.

Justify the importance of motivating employees and building self managed teams.

Diagnose employee management issues and relationships.

Determine the four essential elements of marketing.

Develop customer oriented marketing plans.

Outline how to manage financial resources

Evaluating securities markets.

Interpret money, financial institutions and the Federal Reserve System.

COURSE MATERIALS

You will need the following materials to do the work of the course. The required book is available from the College's textbook supplier, MBS Direct.

Nickels, William G. McHugh,James M. Susan M. McHugh. Understanding Business, 8th edition (McGraw-Hill Irwin, Burr Hills, Ill, 2008)

COURSE STRUCTURE

Introduction to Business is a three-credit online course. It consists of six written assignments, six graded online class discussions, a proctored midterm and a final paper.

Modules include text readings and written assignments. You are required to participate in graded online discussions and an ungraded "Introductions" forum, which occurs during the first week of the semester. The course also requires you to complete a proctored midterm and a final paper.

For the course's assignment modules (study assignments, online discussions, and written assignments), go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site. Information on the mid-term is found in the Tests & Quizzes area of the site. See also the Course Calendar for an overview of the assignments and for all due dates.

ONLINE PARTICIPATION

Introduction to Business has six (6) graded online discussions, each focusing on a different subject. There is also an ungraded but required discussion in Module 1 titled "Introductions." All class discussions take place on the class Discussion Board.

Communication among fellow students and with the mentor is a critical component of online learning. Participation in online discussions involves two distinct activities: an initial response to a posted question (discussion thread) and subsequent comments on classmates' responses. Meaningful participation is relevant to the content, adds value, and advances the discussion. Comments such as "I agree" and "ditto" are not considered value-adding participation. Therefore, when you agree or disagree with a classmate, the reading, or your mentor, state and support your agreement or disagreement. You will be evaluated on the quality and quantity of your participation. Responses and comments should be properly proofread and edited, professional, and respectful.

For additional information on online discussions, see Online Discussions in the Online Student Handbook.

WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS

Introduction to Business has six (6) graded written assignments, each focusing on a number of different topics. Answer all the essay questions. Be sure to proofread your work carefully for correct spelling, grammar, and clarity of expression.

The questions in the assignments require critical thinking. Take the time to determine what you need to include to present a thoughtful, complete response.

Formulate answers in your own words; do not merely copy answers from your reading materials. However, support the points you make with information from your course materials and from outside sources. Cite and document all sources of information with an appropriate reference.

When you are ready to submit your choice, click the View/Complete Assignment link at the bottom of this page, and then use the Browse button to locate and submit your assignment file. Consult the course Calendar for the assignment's due date.

Prepare your written assignments using whatever word processing program you have on your computer. Include your name at the top of the paper, as well as the course name and code and the semester and year in which you are enrolled.

Before submitting your first assignment, check with your mentor to determine whether your word processing software is compatible with your mentor's software. If so, you can submit your work as you prepared it. If not, save your assignment as a rich-text (.rtf) file, using the Save As command of your software program. Rich text retains basic formatting and can be read by any other word processing program.

When satisfied that your assignment represents your best work, submit it to your mentor by means of the

>>View/Complete Assignment

link provided at the bottom of the respective assignment page. Use the Browse button within this link to locate and attach your assignment file. Click submit button to turn in the assignment.

EXAMINATION

You are required to take a proctored midterm examination. Consult the course Calendar for the scheduling of this exam.

The exam covers all reading and assignments from modules 1-3 of the course. It is two hours long and consists of 50 multiple choice questions.

You may take the examination only during the designated exam week, at an approved location, and with an approved proctor. In this regard, you need to schedule your exam and submit your "Proctor Request Form" with the necessary documentation no later than the end of the first week of the semester (see Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site).

If you are on a course extension and have not yet taken the midterm exam, you must let your examination proctor know when you plan to take the exam and contact the Office of Test Administration (609-984-1181) two weeks in advance to request that your exam be sent to the proctor.

For more information on scheduling a proctored examination, see the section Examinations and Proctors in the Online Student Handbook.

FINAL PAPER

You are required to submit a final paper at the end of the course. This paper will be worth 20% of your final grade. Consult 'Final Paper Outline' in Module 4, and 'Final Paper' in Module 6 in the Assignment Modules area of the course for details regarding this paper.

GRADING AND EVALUATION

Your grade in the course will be determined as follows:

Written Assignments	30 percent
Discussions	20 percent
Midterm Examination	30 percent
Final Paper	20 percent

To receive credit for the course, you must earn a letter grade of D or higher on the weighted average of all assigned course work (e.g., exams, assignments, discussion postings, etc.). You will receive a score of 0 for any work not submitted.

Letter grades for online participation, written assignments, and examinations are based on the following numerical grades:

A	=	93–100	C+	=	78–79
A–	=	90–92	C	=	73–77
B+	=	88–89	C–	=	70–72
B	=	83–87	D	=	60–69
B–	=	80–82	F	=	Below 60

STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESS

First Steps to Success
To succeed in this course, take the following first steps:

Read carefully the entire Syllabus, making sure that all aspects of the course are clear to you and that you have all the materials required for the course.

Take the time to read the entire Online Student Handbook. The Handbook answers many questions about how to proceed through the course, how to schedule exams and arrange for proctors, and how to get the most from your educational experience at Thomas Edison State College.

Arrange to take your midterm examination by following the instructions in the Online Student Handbook. Then complete the "Proctor Request Form" and submit it to the Office of Test Administration (OTA). You must make arrangements to take your examination and send in your "Proctor Request Form" to OTA before the end of the first week of the current semester. (See Administrative Forms in the General Information area of the course Web site.)

Familiarize yourself with the Blackboard environment—how to navigate it and what the various course areas contain. If you know what to expect as you navigate the course, you can better pace yourself and complete the work on time.

If you are not familiar with Web-based learning, or specifically with the Blackboard platform, be sure to review the processes for posting responses online and submitting assignments before class begins.

Study Tips
Consider the following study tips for success:

To stay on track throughout the course, begin each week by consulting the course Calendar. The calendar provides an overview of the course and indicates due dates for submitting assignments, posting discussions, and scheduling and taking examinations. For details on each assignment module and a complete listing of learning activities, go to the Assignment Modules area of the course Web site.

Check the Announcements page and class Discussion Board regularly for new course information.

Syllabus Index

This document contains the following main sections:

Course Description

Course Objectives

Course Materials

Course Structure

Online Participation
Written Assignments

Examination

Final Paper

Grading and Evaluation

Strategies for Success