BU 203 Office Procedures I

Instructor: Anita Smith

Hours: 24

Meeting time: TBA

Credit hours: 2

Course description:

Methodology:

This course is designed for intermediate to advance level students who want to learn and practice the basic skills required to work in an office setting. This includes positions such as: Administrative Assistant, Office Clerk or Office Manager.

The topics and related activities focus on the development of practical and professional skills that are used in the areas of communication, organization and office management.

The course content is delivered through lectures, exercises, group and interactive exercises, and role-play practical situations. The class is parcipatory and students should expect to take part in oral discussions and to attend every class. There will be unit assignments to determine the understanding of prinicples.

Learner outcome:

The student will learn:

• Basic business communication skills: verbal, vocabulary, colloquial expressions, gender-inclusivity
• To apply professional business communication technieques to increase efficiency in an office setting
• Basic telephone techniques and ettiquette to effectively and courteously answer all incoming and inter-office calls, to handle difficult callers, and make outbound calls
• Practical telephone techniques
• How to plan a meeting, from preparation to execution: agenda planning, conducting a meeting, record minutes
• Time management and organizational skills for the workplace; increase personal productivity, manage your physical environment (ergonomics)

Lecture, written handouts and exercises, pair/group work, discussions, written evaluations (quiz), role play practices, small projects

Created:

April 2006

Theme:

Units:

1. Communciation and Lanquage Skills, 19. Telephone Communications, 14. Meetings and Conference Planning, 3. Personal Productivity

Evaluation:                                                                                      Attendance 15%, Participation 15%, Project/Presentation 20%, Quizzes/Assignments 50%

Passing grade: 60%

Prerequisite courses or equivalent knowledge:

High intermediate knowledge of the english language.

Resources used:

Handouts, Robert's Rule of Order, Pitman Office Handbook, 6th edition, Campbell, Smith, Hay-Ellis