| Course Title: | Senior Project I |
|---|---|
| Course Number: | COMM491 |
| Course Description: | In this course, the first in a two-course sequence, students propose and begin development of an original thesis paper focusing on a critical issue within their area of concentration. Work is individually evaluated in multiple stages of the process. Students apply acquired knowledge and skills, including competencies in problem solving, critical thinking, research, teamwork, and oral and written communication, to a real-world problem at the conceptual and practical levels. |
| Course Prerequisites: | Senior Status / 2-2 |
Syllabus
Course Information
Course Specific Requirements
In order to participate fully and pass this course, you will
- need immediate access to both a web camera and a microphone;
- participate in a collaborative team-based assignment; and
- be expected to dress in interview attire for presentations.
Textbooks and Resources
Required Textbooks
The following books are required for this course:
E-book Details
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Campus Additional Information
Communications Program Outcomes
The degree in Communications from DeVry University has set forth the following program outcomes for students.
- Apply a variety of perspectives in analyzing a problem.
- Deal effectively with diverse, multicultural, and multifunctional audiences.
- Work effectively in team and collaborative environments.
- Apply critical and analytical thinking to solve complex problems.
- Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
- Demonstrate competency in an area of specialization.
Terminal Course Objectives
DeVry University course content is constructed from curriculum guides developed for each course that are in alignment with specific Terminal Course Objectives (TCOs). The TCOs define the learning objectives that the student will be required to comprehend and demonstrate by course completion. The TCOs that will be covered in detail each week can be found in the Objectives section for that particular week. Whenever possible, a reference will be made from a particular assignment or discussion back to the TCO that it emphasizes.
1
Given the need to address contemporary communications challenges, contribute actively to a critical dialogue that analyzes varied communication contexts from informed perspectives and examines potential solutions. |
2
Given the need for demonstrating current skills in an evolving career world, present both a rational argument for a communications education well grounded in a broad context of liberal arts as well as outcome-based evidence of expertise in a communication specialization. |
3
Given a need for professional communication skills, demonstrate mastery of designing and delivering dynamic written, verbal, and visual messages. |
4
Given a variety of scholarly research options, evaluate potential sources for peer-reviewed and other scholarly quality standards, and synthesize findings to create a solution for a client. |
5
Given the need to provide critical feedback to colleagues, collaborate with others using critical dialogue in team meeting environments to reach consensus and co-develop recommendations. |
6
Given the need for continual self-evaluation as a communications professional, develop a plan for improvement using documented, time-bound goals. |
7
Given problematic issues of global communication, apply solutions for a complex audience that represents a variety of educational and research disciplines as well as diverse cultural, educational, and socio-economic backgrounds.
8
Given an opportunity to present to an audience, employ active-engagement strategies and polished public speaking techniques to sustain a premise surrounding a complex situation. |
Lab Schedule
Week 1
None
Citrix
RKON
Skillsoft
Toolwire
WebServer
ACC COMAT
ACC NonCOMAT
CWP
Week 2
None
Citrix
RKON
Skillsoft
Toolwire
WebServer
ACC COMAT
ACC NonCOMAT
CWP
Week 3
None
Citrix
RKON
Skillsoft
Toolwire
WebServer
ACC COMAT
ACC NonCOMAT
CWP
Week 4
None
Citrix
RKON
Skillsoft
Toolwire
WebServer
ACC COMAT
ACC NonCOMAT
CWP
Week 5
None
Citrix
RKON
Skillsoft
Toolwire
WebServer
ACC COMAT
ACC NonCOMAT
CWP
Week 6
None
Citrix
RKON
Skillsoft
Toolwire
WebServer
ACC COMAT
ACC NonCOMAT
CWP
Week 7
None
Citrix
RKON
Skillsoft
Toolwire
WebServer
ACC COMAT
ACC NonCOMAT
CWP
Week 8
None
Citrix
RKON
Skillsoft
Toolwire
WebServer
ACC COMAT
ACC NonCOMAT
CWP
Week 9
None
Citrix
RKON
Skillsoft
Toolwire
WebServer
ACC COMAT
ACC NonCOMAT
CWP
Course Schedule
| Week, TCOs, and Topics | Readings and Class Preparation | Activities and Assignments |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1 TCOs 1 and 2 Career Choices | Business Communication in the Twenty-First Century | Contemporary Communication Challenge Paper Graded discussion topics |
| Week 2 TCOs 1, 3, and 4 Research Methods | Ideas: Planning the Writing Process Annotated Bibliographies | Preliminary Research Topic Paper (Course Project) Meeting the Librarian Task Graded discussion topics |
| Week 3 TCOs 4 and 5 Digital Communications | One-to-One to Many-to-Many: Traditional and New Media | Collaborative Classmate Feedback Presentation Graded discussion topics |
| Week 4 TCOs 1, 2, and 5 Global Collaboration | Area Technology: A Study in Organizational Change (II) | Outline and Plan of Action (Course Project) Graded discussion topics |
| Week 5 TCOs 1, 3, and 4 Intellectual Property | Intellectual Property: What Is It, and How Is It Protected? Annotated bibliographies | Annotated References List Graded discussion topics |
| Week 6 TCOs 1, 4, and 7 Emerging Media | Social Networks: You've Lost Control Blogs, Wikis, and Social Networks | Data Collection and Analysis (Course Project) Graded discussion topics |
| Week 7 TCOs 3, 6, 7, and 8 Public Speaking | Persuasive and Special Presentations | Course Project Proposal Paper Graded discussion topics |
| Week 8 All TCOs | Course Project Proposal Presentation | |
Blended E-Learning
This course is an 8-week, intensive course that includes both classroom-based and e-learning activities. Your participation in both areas is essential to your success in this course. You should expect to spend time each week participating in the prescribed activities both before and after our class meeting.
Participation before, during, and after class meetings is critical to your success in this intensive environment.
To get the most out of our weekly class meetings, it is essential that you come to class prepared. The weekly readings listed in the Course Schedule will prepare you for class. Our class meetings, in turn, will prepare you for upcoming exams and assignments.
Through the DeVry e-learning platform, you will be able to
- review the Syllabus and weekly assignment information;
- submit completed work for grading;
- take quizzes and exams;
- obtain copies of class handouts and notes;
- e-mail the instructor and other students; and
- participate in online discussion of class material.
iConnect Live
This course contains iConnect Live sessions that provide students with the opportunity to attend live presentations, which cover course materials, projects, and assignments. Please see the iConnect Live items for the days and times of the live sessions and for the link to enter each session. You will also receive e-mail reminders each week.
If you are unable to attend the live session, you can watch the recorded session by clicking on the Recordings link that will appear in the iConnect Live item after the lecture has concluded. Please contact your instructor with any questions.
Please note that because of unavoidable technological issues and presenter availability, the live lectures may be substituted with prerecorded lectures.
Due Dates for Assignments & Exams
Unless otherwise specified, the following applies.
- Access to most weeks begins on Sunday at 12:01 a.m. mountain time (MT).
- All assignments are to be submitted on or before Sunday at the end of the specified week that they are due, by 11:59 p.m. (MT).
- All quizzes and exams are to be completed on or before Sunday at the end of the specified week that they open, by 11:59 p.m. (MT).
Week 8 opens at 12:01 a.m. (MT) on the ending Sunday of Week 7. Any assignments or exams must be completed by 11:59 p.m. (MT) Saturday of the eighth week.
Due Dates for Assignments & Exams
All assignments, quizzes, and exams are to be completed per the schedule indicated by your instructor.
Assignment Values and Letter Grades
The maximum score in this class is 1,000 points. The categories, which contribute to your final grade, are weighted as follows.
| Assignment | Points | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Discussions (30 points, Weeks 1–7) | 210 | 21% |
| Lesson Presentation (As assigned by Instructor; Weeks 1-7) | 50 | 5% |
Contemporary Communication Challenge Paper | 45 | 4.5% |
| Library Meeting Notes and Preliminary Research Topic Paper (Week 2) | 45 | 4.5% |
| Collaborative Feedback Assignment (Week 3) | 100 | 10% |
| Course Project Outline and Plan of Action (Week 4) | 50 | 5% |
| Annotated References List (Week 5) | 50 | 5% |
| Data Collection and Analysis Paper (Week 6) | 50 | 5% |
| Course Project Proposal Paper (Week 7) | 250 | 25% |
| Course Project Proposal Presentation (Week 8) | 150 | 15% |
| Total Points | 1,000 | 100% |
Focused Grading Standards for Communications Senior Projects
Letter grades in this course may have a different calibration than in previous courses, and students are expected to be responsive to this kind of expectation. In general terms, the following applies.
- A grade of C corresponds with work that meets all basic requirements. All minimum expectations have been achieved in the product provided. This is a "good" grade.
- A grade of B corresponds with work that exceeds all basic standards and expectations. Work of this caliber is above average and demonstrates mastery of course and program objectives.
- A grade of A corresponds with work that is exemplary in all aspects of expectations. It is of the caliber that demonstrates the select, highest achievement among students at the undergraduate level. This work shows an understanding that such a level of excellence consistently requires intuitive, above-and-beyond, and polished efforts to demonstrate this kind of distinction.
- Grades lower than C correspond with less than minimally expected quality in the deliverables produced.
Expect that that the scores earned in this course are based on the quality of the product produced, not the time or effort expended to produce it. Producing high-quality work in this course will likely require concerted focus and considerable time, and submitting refined work will be necessary to earn high scores. This means that you must manage your time accordingly.
As is the case in the career world, evaluation will reflect both objective (e.g., page length, structure, use of research, etc.) and subjective factors (e.g., engagement, level of content, dynamism of presentation, interpretation of information, etc.). Minimal rubrics and sample assignments may be provided in this course, because those are often unlikely artifacts to be found in the career world. This course attempts to mirror those kinds of tacit, open-ended expectations. Students should use the weekly lessons and assignment feedback to create quality assignments and submit work with confidence in its level of quality. Students should not expect the professor to review work before submission for grading consideration.
All of your course requirements are graded using points. At the end of the course, the points are converted to a letter grade using the scale in the table below.
| Letter Grade | Points | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| A | 900–1,000 | 90% to 100% |
| B | 800–899 | 80% to 89% |
| C | 700–799 | 70% to 79% |
| D | 600–699 | 60% to 69% |
| F | 599 and below | Below 60% |
DeVry Graduate Academic Policy and Relevant Resources
DeVry Undergraduate Academic Policy and Relevant Resources
Frequently Asked Questions
When are grades calculated, and how can I view my grades?
- You must complete any quizzes and post your written assignments (if necessary) to the weekly Dropbox by Sunday 11:59 p.m. (MT) each week, except Week 8 which closes at 11:59 p.m. (MT) Saturday.
- Once your work is reviewed, you should see comments and total points for each assignment in the Gradebook. Instructors should have Discussion work graded by the following Tuesday and all other assignments by the following Friday.
- You may check your progress at any time by going to the Gradebook, selecting the week and then your name.
- Click on the points earned for each assignment in the Gradebook to see any instructor comments.
What should I do if a discrepancy is found with my grade?
- Double-check the error and try to determine what caused it.
- Send your instructor an email explaining your findings.
- Trust that any error in grading will be corrected quickly
What if I cannot get my work submitted on time?
- If you have an emergency that will cause your work to be late, please contact your instructor in advance of the due date so that arrangements can be made. Your instructor may reserve the right to deduct points for work turned in late based on the reason and the timeliness of notice.
- If a technical problem prevents you from meeting the scheduled due date, please contact the Help Desk at 1-800-594-2402 and immediately email your instructor about the situation.
How can I get extra credit?
Extra credit is not an option.
Questions and Concerns
Please feel free to contact me for help with coursework or other areas that may impact your progress. Here are some examples.
- Do you have general questions about attendance, deadlines regarding your courses, student financial aid, or other areas?
- Are you a member of the military service? Do you need to adjust your schedule due to active duty, or do you have questions about your GI Bill® benefits or have other unforeseen military and veteran-related issues that have developed?
- Do you need supplementary student assistance? Please let me know if you are having academic difficulty and would like an ADA accommodation. Although I can talk with you about getting assistance, an excellent point of contact is the Office of Student Disability Services. You can reach the Office by calling 877-496-9050, option 3, or by e-mailing adaofficer@devry.edu or adaofficer@keller.edu.
Regardless of your situation, please feel free to contact me for assistance in whatever area of concern you might have. I will do everything I can to assist you or put you in contact with University colleagues who are trained to assist you in whatever area of concern you might have.
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