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Your Instructor Information
BUS 136: Human Relations in Business
Spring 2015 Section 3077
MIRACOSTA COLLEGE, Oceanside Campus, CA, Room OC4802
WELCOME to MiraCosta’s offering of BUS 136, Human Relations in Business
on the Oceanside campus. Our work in this course will expand your
understanding of the importance of interpersonal skills in the business
world and provide you with helpful insights and practical tools you can
implement immediately in your personal and professional life. You will
receive a good overview of the evolution of management and
motivational theory, learn to compare and contrast and respond to
various communication styles, increase your leadership skills, and build
a life plan to improve all your interactions with all the people in your life.
You will engage in detailed self-assessments relative to your current
interpersonal skills, values and stress levels. Major topics covered are
ethics, values, effective communication, professional presence, conflict
resolution skills, personal and employee motivation, attitude, selfesteem, negotiation, time management, and stress resilience.
Great news for an important Business course – BUS 136, Human
Relations in Business, has now been approved for the CSU
general education pattern, Plan B, thus an additional section was
added to the schedule of classes last semester and 38 students
completed both classes. How can BUS 136 work for you?
CSU GE- Plan B, Area E, or elective credit for transfer to all
CSU campuses
MiraCosta General Education, Plan A, Area E-2, Selfdevelopment and Area F, Cultural Diversity – Note: This one
course will fulfill two GE area requirements
Associate Degree/Certificate of Achievement major
requirement:
Accounting
Entrepreneurship
Management
Retail Management
Elective credit:
Certificate of Achievement in Marketing
Any associate degree
Course Description:
“Topics include motivation, values; attitudes; group behavior;
teamwork; communication; productivity; total quality; job redesign and
enrichment; leadership; developing, appraising, and rewarding
employees; and managing conflict and change.”
Although the course is an on-campus offering, a substantial portion will
involve using the Internet, email, Blackboard and MS Word, which are
available in the library on Oceanside campus.
Hi! I’m Rita Soza and this is my
cartoon image. I’ll be your instructor
for Introduction to Business. I’m a
former human resources vice
president for a Fortune 100 multinational corporation with an MBA from
University of California, Irvine. I
earned a Senior Human Resources
Professional certificate from the
Society of HR Management, Arlington,
VA in 2001; I have taught Human
Resources Management certificate
courses at MiraCosta, UCSD and
CSU San Marcos.
I’ve been teaching full time at Mira
Costa since 2006 and I love the
school and my students! You might
find it interesting that after completing
72 units at East Los Angeles
Community College, I worked for
major corporations in Advertising and
Public Relations and Human
Resources before returning to college
to complete my bachelors and
masters degrees over 20 years later.
It’s never too late to get back to
school !
I sometimes serve as the MCC
Business Club Faculty Advisor and I
have served MCC employees as
Academic Grievance Coordinator. As
a member of Western Association of
Women Historians, I have just
published the biography of my
favorite community college professor,
Dr. Helen Miller Bailey, a Latin
American scholar, painter, and social
activist.
My scheduled Office Hours (Room
T-412): are Tuesdays from 11 to
Noon, and Wednesdays from 2 to 3
p.m.
Always try my cell phone first
-760-908-4717. You may email me
rsoza@miracosta.edu or call me.
My college phone and voice mail is
(760) 757-2121, Ext. 6949. If you
leave a message speak slowly,
clearly, state the course, and always
leave a number. where you can be
reached.
Course Details
BUS 136: Human Relations in Business
Section 3077
Tuesday and Thursday
First Day Tuesday, January 20, 2015
Room OC4802
9:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.
WEBSITES
MiraCosta Business Programs: http://www.miracosta.edu/business
MiraCosta College Home Page: http://www.miracosta.edu/
MiraCosta College Blackboard course management: http://blackboard.miracosta.edu
Instructor Home Page: http://www.miracosta.edu/rsoza/home/
Course Objectives & Student Learning Outcomes
Lectures, writing assignments, self assessments, reading assignments, observation assignments, and service and
cooperative learning activities are intended to appeal to a variety of learning styles to keep students active and
interested. By the end of the semester you should be able to:
Identify, compare and contrast communication styles to improve personal effectiveness.
Interpret common theories of human behavior and choose techniques for personal integration.
Evaluate self-esteem through self-assessment and/or observation and discuss improvement strategies.
New Concept in Course Materials
th
You will need
to obtain
a textbook
right 10,
away
Effective
Human
Relations,
11for
or our
12 fast-paced
Editions course:
Author: ReeceYou may purchase class materials from any source, including the Pearson
Published by Cengage
Any one of the 3 editions will be fine and can be purchased on-line for as little as $.01. Book will NOT be
available at campus bookstore.
An additional book from instructor-recommended list must be obtained (library carries all) for student
oral book reports
Seven Scantrons are required for quizzes
Course Content
Emotional Intelligence
Time Management
Self-Efficacy
Valuing Diversity
1. Check our daily schedule on Blackboard under Course Content for the chapters/topic covered for each
class. Study the new concepts in each chapter and check Course Content/Assignments for homework
assignments and special project information.
2. Be prepared for in-class writing assignments during any class session.
3. Study for seven quizzes on major content areas.
4. Read a related book from an approved list and present a book report to class (in an informal setting).
5. No midterm exam will be administered. The final “exam” is a written report which is designed to ensure
your long term integration of the human relations concepts and interpersonal skills learned during the
semester.
Course Grading
Seven Chapter Quizzes
200 points
Homework Assignments
200 points
In-class Writing
Homework
Book Report
50 points
Discrimination Team Report
30 points
Participation
Approximate Total
Quizzes
80 points
16 @ 5 points each
Final Paper
Participation
200 points
40 points
800 points
In-Class Work
Book Report
Discrimination
Report
Final Paper
If you are not confident with spelling or grammar, be sure to use spell-check and/or grammar-check and have
another person proofread your documents before submitting. If you want some great help with your writing skills
please visit the Writing Center in the campus library. In all your interactions and in written assignments be
courteous and professional, stick with the subject, be clear and concise, and carefully review your work before
submitting. Most writing assignments in this class must be typed.
Letter grading will be determined by percentage of total possible points (as shown below) and subject to adjustment
(lowering) at my sole discretion at the end of the semester.
A (Excellent):
90% +
B (Good):
80-89%
C (Average):
68-79%
D (Below Average):
60-67%
F
less than 60%
You will have complete access to your grades by checking the grade book posted on
http://blackboard.miracosta.edu
Quizzes will be graded by the next class meeting and results can be reviewed in class.
Other items will be graded and returned to students in a timely manner. Any claimed errors or discrepancies
in grade posting must be brought to my attention promptly (within a week of grading); posted grades are
final after that.
Incomplete Grade:
If you are considering an “Incomplete” grade must consult with me in person no later than the week prior to finals.
Incompletes will only be considered for unforeseeable, emergencies and justifiable reasons at the end of the term,
and only upon agreement of clear conditions for completing coursework. Incompletes are rarely granted and only if
the emergency or other justifiable reason occurs after the date for dropping the class with a “W”.
Pass/No Pass Grading Option:
You have the option to choose Credit/No Credit grading for this class. If you choose this option, you must submit a
Petition for Credit/No Credit to Admissions & Records by February 20, 2015. This option for grading is
nonreversible once selected. The petition form is available online, or from Admissions & Records. Students
planning to transfer should consult with a counselor before opting for Credit/No Credit to ensure this option is
accepted by their intended transfer institutions. Check the MiraCosta College catalog or schedule for more detailed
information.
Course Rules & Expectations
Class Rules:
You are expected to be prepared, attend regularly, be on time to class, pay attention in class, participate and
demonstrate interest in the subject, engage in academic honesty, respect fellow students and the Instructor. Food
or uncovered beverages are not allowed into the classroom. All beepers, laptops, iPods and cell phones must be
turned off, except in authorized special case situations. Additionally, students are required to dress and act
appropriately for a good learning atmosphere, consistent with preparation for participation in the business
environment
Attend all class meetings. Be prepared and be ready to discuss the concepts covered in the text and supplemental
material and get clarification on subject matter from me. Some form of outcomes assessment will be given during
most class meetings.
Introduce any HOMEWORK submission using business memo format (example below). Handwritten work is not
accepted in this course.
Date:
January 27, 2015
To:
Rita Soza, Instructor
From:
Jack Jones, Student, BUS136, Section 3077
Re:
Chapter 5 Homework Assignment
Attendance:
The Business Department Faculty has developed general expectations for attendance because we know regular
attendance at each class session is important. Please schedule Office Hours time with me if you will unavoidably
miss a class session. Also, be sure not to miss any classes during the first week of the fall session. My intention is
to meet students’ learning objectives and not “police” attendance; therefore, no distinction will be made between
“excused” and “unexcused” absences. Students who miss more four class meetings during the semester will be
dropped from the course.
Promptness is an important element of success in business; therefore, Business Department Faculty expect all
students to arrive prior to class start time and remain in class throughout the entire 80-minute session. If traffic or
other issues cause you to be late please quietly take a seat near the door. Do not interrupt class by entering the
classroom if you are more than 10 minutes late. Only enter the classroom after a student or guest speaker has
completed a presentation.
Only work submitted on time and per instructions will be accepted in this course, although on rare
occasion work may be accepted in advance when expressly arranged in advance with instructor.
You are responsible to complete all necessary paperwork if you decide to Drop the course. Since active steps must be taken to
ensure all students are “attending” and active, students will be dropped from the class
WITHOUT ADDITIONAL NOTICE for ANY of the following (unless discussed with me and approved in advance):
Missing ANY class during the first week
Missing four classes during the semester
Failure to participate in two consecutive class room discussions
Failure to complete two chapter quizzes
Participation Standard:
Prepare for class and actively participate in classroom discussions and class activities. Bring your text and be ready
to read from it and/or respond to impromptu questions. Be courteous and responsive to all presenters (students,
instructor, and guests).
Quantity and quality of responses will be evaluated. Quality means that the response is well thought out, responsive
to the question and/or furthers the discussion. Brief statements without rationale, evidence, or relevance to the
day’s lesson are not scored and are not encouraged.
Keep classroom discussions at least tangentially related to the course. I will participate as a facilitator for various
classroom discussions, however, students helping students is highly valued. You will need to ask or answer
questions and feel free to offer your experience with business issues raised. You should take any legal, technical,
and other opinions and advice from discussions with “a grain of salt” as this forum is for education purposes only.
College Policies & Services
MiraCosta College has a great support system available to help you succeed. Whether you need,
scholarship money, text book loan program assistance, free tutoring, librarian research assistance, or
some special accommodations to make your college experience more effective and enjoyable, please
consider the following resources:
College Support Services:
The Tutoring and Academic Support Center (TASC) and the Writing Center (WC) assist students by
providing individual and group tutoring, WC drop-ins, learning communities, self-help materials, and student
success workshops. Services are free and available to all students during day and evening hours at all
MiraCosta College campuses. Take advantage of these academic support services. For more specific
information, please call (760) 795-6682.
Library Resources:
The MiraCosta College faculty librarians assist students with their research questions, whether academic or
personal. Students may obtain assistance from librarians either one-on-one at the reference desk, through
class orientations, group workshops, individual appointments, or online. I strongly encourage you to take
advantage of library resources. More information regarding the library may be found at their webpage:
www.miracosta.edu/library .
Special Learning Styles and Needs:
While I try to present the course with multiple learning styles in mind, you may have some special needs
and or disabilities, whether physical, learning, or psychological, for which accommodations could be made
in this class. You are encouraged to contact Disabled Students Programs & Services as soon as possible
to ensure that such accommodations are implemented in a timely manner. Their phone number is 7956658 and they are located in Building 3000-Student Services, Room 3009, adjacent to Parking lot 3C. I
want to be informed early in the semester so that any special learning needs can be appropriately met.
Important Dates and Drop Information:
January 30, 2015: Last day to ADD classes.
January 30, 2015: Last day to DROP classes with no grade and no “W” and refund.
February 20, 2015: Last day to file Petition for Degree/Certificate and to file for Credit/No Credit; consider this option
only if you do not need a letter grade.
April 23, 2015: Last day to Drop class with “W” grade; Drops after that receive a letter grade (generally an “F”); If you
discover this course is not for you, make sure to officially drop by this date.
March 16 through 21: Spring Break
Section 3077 Final Paper due in class on Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at 9 a.m.
Plagiarism and Ethics Policy:
Each student enrolled in Business 136 must agree to the following statements of student behavior:
I agree that I, and only I, will be the one completing and submitting class materials (homework, quizzes,
exams, written projects, etc.) in my name.
I agree that I will not directly copy or plagiarize material from books, publications, the Internet, other
students’ work, or any other source. I am familiar with, and I agree not to violate, copyright laws. If small
amounts of material from other sources are used as part of any class assignment, I agree to clearly indicate
such and properly cite the source.
I agree that any projects submitted for this class have been prepared for this class only and have not been,
and never will be, submitted for any other class at MiraCosta or any other school.
I agree that, unless approved by the instructor, I will not share answers to homework assignments, quizzes,
exams, or any other course material with fellow classmates.
I acknowledge that failure to comply with any of the above statements may result in failure of an
assignment, removal from the course, failure in the course, and discipline action deemed appropriate by the
instructor as her sole discretion and/or policies and procedures set forth by the Board of Trustees of the
MiraCosta Community College District, fully described in the College Catalog.
Weekly Schedule
Electronic version of Daily Schedule posted on Blackboard under Course Content
IMPORTANT NOTICE: This syllabus is subject to change at any time at the discretion of the
instructor; notice will be given to the students through an announcement in class, by
email, or with an announcement on the class Blackboard site.