Abstract:

Questions of how to define the success of communication skill development have been concerns in both education and human resources in recent decades, and continue to dominate discussions about professional marketability. As members of Gen Y begin to dominate the workforce, making up a projected 75% of professional workers by 2025 (Hobart and Sendek), what are the skills that they bring to global networks? While today's college graduate is equipped with more knowledge and resources than ever before, they often lack key communication skills to develop into effective leaders. But what are the solutions to this problem? “Building Business Communication Pedagogies: A Communication Across the Curriculum Case Study” engages with these questions by examining the role of Communication Across the Curriculum (CXC) programs in relation to business curriculum design. In examining the role of CXC university programs in the educational experiences of business students, this presentation argues and illustrates that CXC campus programs not only enhance and extend content-based learning, but also contribute to necessary professional development that aids students in navigating the increasingly difficult post-graduation job market. To unpack this argument, this presentation utilizes the Writing Initiative program at the San Diego (United States) campus of DeVry University as a case study. DeVry University is an institution that approaches education through the lens of project-based, career-oriented learning that focuses on business administration, technical management, and technology-based careers. At the San Diego campus, over 80% of students major in fields housed within the College of Business and Management. As a result, the campus Writing Initiative focuses on developing written and oral communication within the disciplines of the College of Business and Management. This study specifically engages with first year entry-level and senior capstone-level general studies and business classes that bracket the educational process of students and serve as benchmarks for intellectual growth and the viability of professional skill sets. In particular, this comparison investigates the parallels between entry-level business and composition courses (ENGL 112/135 and BUSN 115) and capstone level liberal arts and business senior project courses (LAS 432 and BUSN 460). Through campus and interdisciplinary coalition building that focuses on these important educational stages, the program at DeVry has worked to deploy methods of skill development in writing, research, and professional communication to enhance assignments and promote life-long professional learning. As part of this process, this presentation ultimately illustrates the importance of creating a culture of interdisciplinary diversity and collaboration, assignment formation and applications in relation to current trends in business and management, and benchmarks for professional development pre- and post-graduation. These collaborations have not only substantially influenced the culture of academic communication on campus, but have created a measurable shift in student outcomes and professional opportunities for graduates. Finally, this presentation extends this paradigm to suggest that this process can be used as an effective model for professional collaborations and continuing educational plans within corporate structures.

Keywords:

Communication, Pedagogy, Interdisciplinary.