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Enterprise Hall 4400 University Drive, MS 1B1
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Phone: (703) 993-1880
Fax: (703) 993-1867
Developing Your Professional Skills – Advanced Elements – BUS 303
(Representative Syllabus)
Instructor:
GMU Email:
Course Website: http://canvas.gmu.edu
Class Meeting Times & Location:
Recitation Meeting Times:
Office Hours:
Office Location:
Course Description
In this course, you will continue to develop your professional skill set. Topics covered include understanding the modern work environment, business ethics and professional responsibilities, and professional judgment. You will also continue to hone your professional writing and presentation skills, prepare for the job search process, and develop professional development plans. This is a required course in the undergraduate Business program
Course Outcomes
(highlights emphasize Mason Impact)
- Students will increase self-awareness by evaluating their interpersonal skills and the ability to influence and have an impact on the decision-making processes.
- Students will evaluate various business trends, issues, perspectives, and industries to inform their own professional perspectives.
- Students will research, analyze, and create information to assist with their career readiness.
- Students will analyze and improve their ability to effectively organize and communicate ideas through oral and written expression.
Undergraduate Business Program Learning Goals
Goal 1: Our students will demonstrate an understanding of the social, global, ethical, and legal contexts of business and will be able to reflect on the role of the individual in business.
Goal 2: Our students will demonstrate an understanding of and the ability to apply knowledge of professional skills necessary for success in business including effective business writing.
Goal 3: Our students will demonstrate technical and analytic skills appropriate for success in business.
Goal 4: Our students will demonstrate an understanding of and the ability to apply knowledge of core business disciplines including accounting, finance, information systems, management, marketing, and operations management.
Goal 5: Our students will demonstrate knowledge and skills appropriate for specialization in their concentrations.
Goal 6: Our students will demonstrate an understanding of how research in the business disciplines contributes to knowledge and how such research is conducted.
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 303: Developing Your Professional Skills – Advanced Elements has an interpersonal focus and encourages students to explore how they can impact others through use of professional skills such as persuasive oral and written communication, emotional intelligence, and teamwork. One of the major assignments has students using the business press to be aware of local and global trends and events, in order to inform their thinking and actions. In another team assignment, BUS 303 students work in teams to research a specific aspect of professional development, tailor that content to a target audience within a relevant company by way of a written persuasive training proposal, and deliver an oral training presentation with an interactive activity that educates and impacts peers.
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 at http://canvas.gmu.edu. 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: Business Press and Web Publication/Visualization | 15% |
| Assignment 2: Employment Package (Résumé, Cover Letter, & Job Posting with Analysis) | 15% |
| Assignment 3: Informational Interview Memo | 15% |
| Assignment 4: Professional Training Presentation/Webinar | 15% |
| Assignment 5: Reflection and Projection | 10% |
| Weekly Course Activities: Readings, Discussion Boards, journals, class participation, etc. | 20% |
| Professional Conversations/Networking | 10% |
| Total | 100% |
Note that final grades will NOT be rounded up—please don’t ask.
Safety, Emergency, and Risk Management
Updated information about all risk management issues can be found at the Risk, Safety, & Resilience webpage.
All students taking courses with a face-to-face component are required to follow the university’s public health and safety precautions and procedures outlined on the university Risk, Safety, & Resilience website.
Costello College of Business Standards of Behavior
The mission of the Costello College of Business at George Mason University is to create and deliver high-quality educational programs and research. Students, faculty, staff, and alumni who participate in these educational programs contribute to the well being of society. High-quality educational programs require an environment of trust and mutual respect, free expression and inquiry, and a commitment to truth, excellence, and lifelong learning.
Integrity is an essential ingredient of a successful learning community. Ethical standards of behavior help promote a safe and productive community environment, and ensure every member the opportunity to pursue excellence. The Costello College of Business can and should be a living model of these behavioral standards. To this end, community members have a personal responsibility to integrate these standards into every aspect of their experience at the Costello College of Business. Through our personal commitment to these Community Standards of Behavior, we can create an environment in which all can achieve their full potential.
Students, program participants, faculty, staff, and alumni accept these principles when they join the Costello College of Business community. In doing so, they agree to abide by the following standards of behavior:
- Respect for the rights, differences, and dignity of others
- Honesty and integrity in dealing with all members of the community
- Accountability for personal behavior
If these Standards of Behavior are violated, then students may be required to complete additional learning activities assigned by the instructor.
Commitment to Inclusive Excellence and Cohesive Culture
As a member of the George Mason University community, the Costello College of Business plays an integral role in building an educational environment that is committed to inclusive excellence and cohesive culture. This approach to higher education provides our community members with resources to cultivate a more equitable, inclusive, and just environment for all of our students, staff, faculty, alumni, and friends, regardless of background.
Name and Pronoun Use
If you wish, please share your name and gender pronouns with me and how best to address you in class and via email. I use for myself and you may address me as “”, “Dr./Prof. ” or “Mr./Ms./Mx. ” in email and verbally.
Academic Standards
Academic Standards exist to promote authentic scholarship, support the institution’s goal of maintaining high standards of academic excellence, and encourage continued ethical behavior of faculty and students to cultivate an educational community which values integrity and produces graduates who carry this commitment forward into professional practice.
As members of the George Mason University community, we are committed to fostering an environment of trust, respect, and scholarly excellence. Our academic standards are the foundation of this commitment, guiding our behavior and interactions within this academic community. The practices for implementing these standards adapt to modern practices, disciplinary contexts, and technological advancements. Our standards are embodied in our courses, policies, and scholarship, and are upheld in the following principles:
- Honesty: Providing accurate information in all academic endeavors, including communications, assignments, and examinations.
- Acknowledgement: Giving proper credit for all contributions to one’s work. This involves the use of accurate citations and references for any ideas, words, or materials created by others in the style appropriate to the discipline. It also includes acknowledging shared authorship in group projects, co-authored pieces, and project reports.
- Uniqueness of Work: Ensuring that all submitted work is the result of one’s own effort and is original, including free from self-plagiarism. This principle extends to written assignments, code, presentations, exams, and all other forms of academic work.
Violations of these standards—including but not limited to plagiarism, fabrication, and cheating—are taken seriously and will be addressed in accordance with university policies. The process for reporting, investigating, and adjudicating violations is outlined in the university's procedures. Consequences of violations may include academic sanctions, disciplinary actions, and other measures necessary to uphold the integrity of our academic community.
The principles outlined in these academic standards reflect our collective commitment to upholding the highest standards of honesty, acknowledgement, and uniqueness of work. By adhering to these principles, we ensure the continued excellence and integrity of George Mason University's academic community.
Student responsibility: Students are responsible for understanding how these general expectations regarding academic standards apply to each course, assignment, or exam they participate in; students should ask their instructor for clarification on any aspect that is not clear to them.
In your work on all written assignments, keep in mind that you may not present as your own the words, work, or the opinions of someone else without proper acknowledgement. You also may not borrow the sequence of ideas, the arrangement of material, or the pattern of thought of someone else without proper acknowledgement. In this course, you are expected to use APA style citations and reference lists. Plagiarism is a serious offense and will not be tolerated in the Costello College of Business.
Use of AI Tools
Understanding how and when to use generative AI tools (such as ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot) is quickly emerging as an important skill for future professionals. To that end, you may use generative AI tools in this course for your learning, just as you can collaborate with your peers for things such as brainstorming, getting feedback, revising, or editing of your own work. However, you may not submit any work generated by an AI program as your own. All work should be produced by the students themselves, working either individually or in groups as directed by class assignment instructions.
This course aims to develop analytical skills, critical and creative thinking, and original writing. The use of AI should complement, not replace, these learning objectives. Students are fully responsible for all information submitted for assignments. Use of grading software to determine the inclusion of AI generated work may be used by the professor. Violations of academic honesty, acknowledgement, and/or uniqueness of work include when a student has another person/entity do the work of any substantive portion of a graded assignment for them, to include use of generative AI tools. Students with questions or concerns about AI use in this course should consult with the instructor before submitting their work.
Faculty are obligated, without exception, to submit any Academic Standards violations or suspected violations through the process defined by the Academic Standards Office.
Attendance, Participation, and Make-up Work
It is expected that you will attend class at the designated time regardless of format. You participate in class by completing the weekly activities and communicating and interacting professionally with your classmates and instructor. During synchronous online sessions, you are encouraged to use both video and audio in your communication in addition to the chat feature.
If, for some reason, you must miss class, you should contact a peer to assess what was covered. At various points in the course you may need to use electronic devices in class; please limit your use to course-related topics. Other use may result in decreased participation points for the course.
If course attendance becomes impacted by prolonged illness or other circumstances, inform the instructor as soon as possible in order to assess options.
COVID-19 Protocol
A letter Disability Services (DS) is needed to accommodate all COVID-19 related classroom accommodations. The letter should state what accommodation is necessary. (See Additional Resources-Accessibility and Accommodations).
If you cannot attend face-to-face class due to a COVID-related concern, you are still required to make up the work. Be sure to communicate with a course mate and view the course material posted to Canvas after class. (See Attendance, Participation, and Make-up Work)
Technology for the Class
Costello College of Business Undergraduate Students must have access to a computing device that meets minimum standards, including video/audio streaming capability. For more information, see Undergraduate Costello College of Business Policies and Procedures: Laptop Policy. Students are required to use a laptop or desktop for coursework; phones of any sort are not acceptable in place of a laptop. Students should use the word processing software available through Office ProPlus (which is for free for students at https://its.gmu.edu/service/. Chrome or Firefox are the recommended browsers. Students need reliable access to the Internet to use Canvas and be successful in the course.
Timely Submissions
All assignments are due by their due date/time and should be posted to Canvas unless otherwise specified. If you are absent, you are still expected to submit your assignment by its due date/time. Late work will be penalized.
Course Material and Student Privacy
All course materials posted to Canvas or other course site are private; by federal law, any materials that identify specific students (via their name, voice, or image) must not be shared with anyone not enrolled in this class.
- Video-recordings of class meetings that include audio or visual information from other students are private and must not be shared
- Live Video Conference Meetings (e.g. Collaborate or Zoom) that include audio or visual information from other students must be viewed privately and not shared with others in your household
- Some/All of our synchronous meetings in this class will be recorded to provide necessary information for students in this class. Recordings will be stored on Canvas [or other secure site] and will only be accessible to students taking this course during this semester.
Formatting Guidelines
Please follow each assignment’s guidelines for formatting. Use APA style to cite and reference all sources. Specific instructions for in-text citations and referencing are found in the Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association, 7th Edition or at http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/.
FERPA and Use of GM Email Addresses for Course Communication
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) governs the disclosure of education records for eligible students and is an essential aspect of any course. Students must use their GM email account to receive important University information, including communications related to this class. Instructors will not respond to messages sent from or send messages regarding course content to a non-GM email address.
Email communication for this class is professional correspondence. Use this opportunity to practice professional writing, including proper grammar and tone, complete sentences, correct spelling and capitalization, salutation and closing, etc. Generally, emails will be responded to within 24-48 hours except on weekends or during travel. University rules preclude instructors from communicating with students through private email addresses; use your Mason email address for all course communication.
Student responsibility: Students are responsible for checking their GM email regularly for course-related information, and/or ensuring that GM email messages are forwarded to an account they do check.
Peer Reviews, Collaborative Writing, and Group Work
Students will engage in frequent small-group activities during class time. During peer reviews, other students may be asked to read, review, and respond to your work. In addition, you will have the opportunity to evaluate the work of others. This component of the class mirrors professional workplace situations that require giving and receiving feedback, and these evaluations will count toward your individual grade. For students who do not contribute sufficiently to their group assignment, instructors have the discretion to reduce their grades accordingly.
Religious Absences
Students who will miss class for religious reasons should inform the instructor of their anticipated absences during the first two weeks of the semester. Please review the University’s policy for class absences due to religious observances here: AP.1 Registration and Attendance < George Mason University (gmu.edu)
Inclement Weather and Campus Emergencies
If the campus closes or class is canceled due to weather or other concern, students should check Canvas for updates on how to continue learning and information about any changes to events or assignments.
Information regarding weather-related changes in the University’s schedule (e.g., closing or late opening) will be provided on the GMU website and via Mason Alert. Students can sign up for the Mason Alert system to provide emergency information of various sorts at https://ready.gmu.edu/masonalert/. An emergency poster in each classroom explains what to do in the event of a crisis.
Disability Services
Disability Services at George Mason University is committed to providing equitable access to learning opportunities for all students by upholding the laws that ensure equal treatment of people with disabilities. If you are seeking accommodations for this class, please first visit https://ds.gmu.edu/ for detailed information about the Disability Services registration process. Then please discuss your approved accommodations with me. Accommodation requests should be completed during the first two weeks of the semester. Note that accommodations are not retroactive. More information about DS is available at https://ds.gmu.edu/
Disability Services is located in Student Union Building I (SUB I), Suite 2500. Email: ods@gmu.edu. Phone: (703) 993-2474.
Students are responsible for registering with Disability Services and communicating about their approved accommodations with their instructor in advance of any relevant class meeting, assignment, or exam.
Title IX Resources and Required Reporting
As a part of George Mason University’s commitment to providing a safe and non-discriminatory learning, living, and working environment for all members of the University community, the University does not discriminate on the basis of sex or gender in any of its education or employment programs and activities. Accordingly, all non-confidential employees, including your faculty member, have a legal requirement to report to the Title IX Coordinator, all relevant details obtained directly or indirectly about any incident of Prohibited Conduct (such as sexual harassment, sexual assault, gender-based stalking, dating/domestic violence). Upon notifying the Title IX Coordinator of possible Prohibited Conduct, the Title IX Coordinator will assess the report and determine if outreach is required. If outreach is required, the individual the report is about (the “Complainant”) will receive a communication, likely in the form of an email, offering that person the option to meet with a representative of the Title IX office.
For more information about non-confidential employees, resources, and Prohibited Conduct, please see University Policy 1202: Sexual and Gender-Based Misconduct and Other Forms of Interpersonal Violence. Questions regarding Title IX can be directed to the Title IX Coordinator via email to TitleIX@gmu.edu, by phone at (703) 993-8730, or in person on the Fairfax campus in Aquia, 373.
Additional Resources
Library Resources
Should you need assistance with library resources, please contact Business and Economics Liaison Librarian Kayla Gourlay: kmorrow7@gmu.edu. Also, there is a library InfoGuide for this course: http://infoguides.gmu.edu/busfoundations.
Career Services in the Costello College of Business
Career Services is located in Suite 042 in Enterprise Hall, currently offers virtual appointments. You can also call 703-993-2140 or email mycareer@gmu.edu to set up an appointment. Review the career events calendar at https://business.gmu.edu/current-students/office-career-services/career-services-events
University Career Services
For University career events, see https://careers.gmu.edu/events/.
Counseling Services
George Mason University’s Counseling and Psychological Services can provide assistance if you find yourself overwhelmed by life, want training in academic or life skills, or just need to talk to a professional counselor. For more information, please visit https://caps.gmu.edu/ or call (703) 993-2380.
Student Emergency Assistance Funding
Emergency funding is available to students who experience unexpected financial situations and meet certain eligibility criteria. Visit the University Life website for more details and application information: https://ssac.gmu.edu/staymasonstudentsupportfund/
The Writing Center
The Writing Center provides peer-to-peer writing support. Writers at all levels benefit from sharing their work with a helpful and knowledgeable peer tutor or consultant. To schedule an appointment, please visit http://writingcenter.gmu.edu/ or call (703) 993-1200. Schedule appointments in advance; the center gets booked up very quickly each semester.
Professional Conversations/Connections
Students who attend class on campus are encouraged to attend the Fall 2025 Career Fair and complete an assignment per their professor’s instructions. If this is not possible, contact your professor to discuss alternatives
Students taking BUS 303 asynchronously will also be given the option to attend the career fair or contact their professor to discuss an alternative.
Professional Engagement Fall 2025
Costello College of Business Office of Career Services will host a variety of events during the semester. Your instructor will provide details on the requirements for this assignment.
George Mason University Academic Standards Sanctions Fall 2024
Level Definitions
Level 1 Violations
- Level 1 violations are defined as incidents that are not considered egregious. These violations tend to be lower level. A referral will be sanctioned according to the Level 1 Sanction matrix if all the following conditions are met:
- The violation is not considered egregious.
- The individual has no previous record with the university of violating academic standards or a former academic integrity violation.
- The student is either a
- An undergraduate with fewer than 90 credits or less than one year of coursework at Mason OR
- A non-Doctoral (e.g. JD, PhD, EdD, etc.) graduate student in their first semester of study
Level 2 Violations
- Level 2 violations are defined as being of a more serious nature and merit a more severe institutional response. A referral will be sanctioned according to the Level 2 sanctions if at least one of the following conditions is met:
- The violation is egregious, as determined by the Academic Standards Office. Examples of egregious violations include:
- A substantial portion of the assignment was copied, plagiarized, and/or cheated on
- Fabricated evidence (e.g., submitted edited screenshots as evidence for a grade adjustment, fake doctor’s notes, internship updates, impersonation, fabricated citations)
- Fabricated project data
- Financial compensation in exchange for academic work eg., contract cheating)
- Failure to include a co-author on a manuscript submitted for presentation or publication
- Multiple separate violations related to the same event eg., fabricated data with plagiarism, usage of Artificial Intelligence in addition to plagiarism)
- The violation had an impact on individuals that were not involved in committing the offense, such as a collaborative project
- Violations involving elements of professional credentialing
- The violation is egregious, as determined by the Academic Standards Office. Examples of egregious violations include:
- The individual has a previous record of violating academic standards or academic integrity.
- The student has sufficient experience within the academic environment that a violation would be considered more serious.
- Undergraduates that have been at Mason for at least a year and have more than 90 credits of completed coursework
- Graduate students beyond their 1st semester of Graduate study
- Any violation committed by a Doctoral (e.g., PhD, JD, EdD) student
Academic and Educational Sanctions
Violations of Academic Standards are sanctioned according to a common matrix. Sanctions include both educational and administrative components. Student violations of Academic Standards are sanctioned according to following matrix:
| Finding | Sanction |
| Level 1 |
|
| Level 2 |
|
* Education Interventions may include online learning modules, visits to the writing center, or other programs to assist the student in understanding and remediating the violation.
Suspension, Dismissal, and Termination
In some cases, violations of Academic Standards rise to the level that merits a pause or removal from studies. Suspension, Dismissal, and Academic Termination decisions are based on the program level of the student, the number of previous offenses, and the severity of the offense. The decision to refer a violation for potential suspension or dismissal consideration is made in accordance with the sanctioning matrix. Where there is discretion to recommend a student for suspension or dismissal, Academic Standards Staff will decide. For undergraduates, the timing and process of suspensions follow the Academic Suspension process as listed in AP5.2.6. Graduate Students can be suspended or terminated from their program. If a student is found in violation, the outcomes are adjudicated through the matrix below:
| Student Program Level | 1st Referral to ASO | 2nd Referral to ASO | 3rd Referral to ASO | 4th Referral to ASO |
| Undergraduate | Potential Recommendation for Academic Suspension OR Permanent Dismissal | Automatic Recommendation Academic Suspension OR Potential Recommended for Permanent Dismissal | Automatic Academic Suspension OR Automatic Recommendation for Permanent Dismissal | Automatic Recommendation for Permanent Dismissal |
| Graduate | Automatic Recommendation for Academic Suspension AND Potential Recommended for Program Termination | Automatic Academic Suspension AND Automatic Recommended for Programs Termination | Automatic Program Termination |