BUS 103: Developing Your Professional Skills – Foundational Elements Master Syllabus
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Course Website: Canvas
Course Description
In this course, students will begin to investigate and develop their professional skill set. Topics covered include an introduction to the Costello College of Business and the business world, what it means to be professional, how to consume the business press, and how to research business issues. Students will also begin to develop professional writing and presentation skills, explore career options and the job search process, and develop personal educational and professional development plans.
Mason Impact Distinction
This course is designated as one of the Mason Impact courses, as part of George Mason’s Undergraduate Education Program, preparing “students to tackle significant global questions and challenges by investigating meaningful questions, engaging multiple perspectives, and creating new knowledge within the context of Undergraduate Research and Creative Activity, Civic Engagement, Entrepreneurship, and Global Activities.”
More specifically, BUS 103: Developing Your Professional Skills – Foundational Elements, encourages students to be introspective, discern their professional identity, and explore how to use their knowledge, skills, and values to engage with and impact the broader professional world. For one of the main assignments – Business Functions paper and formal presentation – students work in teams to investigate one of the core business functions (accounting, finance, marketing, management, or IT), explore the opportunities in that function, and teach their peers about that particular function. BUS 103 students also complete a professional development plan, in which they articulate professional goals, identify knowledge and skill gaps, explore how their values affect their pursuits, identify a specific plan for developing their skills/knowledge. The course culminates with students sharing these plans with their peers and discussing how they will implement the plan so they can capitalize on their talents and have an impact in the broader world.
Grading Scale
| Highest | Lowest | Letter |
| 100.00 % | 93.00 % | A |
| 92.99 % | 90.00 % | A- |
| 89.99 % | 87.00 % | B+ |
| 86.99 % | 83.00 % | B |
| 82.99 % | 80.00 % | B- |
| 79.99 % | 77.00 % | C+ |
| 76.99 % | 73.00 % | C |
| 72.99 % | 70.00 % | C- |
| 69.99 % | 60.00 % | D |
| 59.99 % | 0.00 % | F |
Required Online Materials
There is no designated textbook for this course; instead, all readings will be assigned by the instructor and provided through Canvas. Please download required readings and assignments from our course webpage. The course will rely on a combination of readings, online resources, and book chapters.
Approaches to Learning
This course uses a combination of pre-class preparation through reading and online resources and active learning approaches during class time or virtual class meetings. Students are expected to complete all assigned pre-work prior to attending class or virtual class meetings and are expected to attend and fully participate in all class sessions. Professional behavior is expected throughout the course as defined in course discussions.
Assignments
| Assignment 1: Time Management Log and Reflection | 10% |
| Assignment 2: Business Functions: Team paper and presentation | 20% |
| Assignment 3: Résumé Critique and Reflection | 15% |
| Assignment 4: Professional Development Plan | 25% |
| Course Weekly Activities: Readings, Videos, Discussion Board, Journals | 25% |
| Professional Development Activities: Professional and Community Involvement (2 required) | 5% |
| Total | 100% |
Note that final grades will NOT be rounded up—please don’t ask.
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