Business Communication, Comprehensive Major

(Code 870-000)

University Requirements

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR BACCALAUREATE DEGREE
Credit Requirements
Minimum total for graduation 1120
Upper division credits (courses numbered 300 and higher)39
Liberal Education Core36
Academic Concentrations
Grade Point Requirements 2
Total2.00 average
Resident2.00 average
Major2.00 average
Minor2.00 average
Certificate2.00 average
University Residency Requirements
Minimum total30
Senior year23
Major, Standard, upper division in residence12
Major, Comprehensive, upper division in residence21
Certificate25 percent of credits
Procedures Required for Graduation
Obtain admission to the degree program and/or the College offering it.
Apply for graduation on CampS.
1

Certain programs exceed this minimum.

2

See special requirements in each College.

Applicability of Credits Toward Graduation

Junior College or Two-Year College Credits. A maximum of 72 semester credits earned in a junior college or two-year college will be accepted as degree credits at UW-Eau Claire.

Extension Credits. Credits earned in credit outreach courses offered by UW-Eau Claire are treated as resident credits. Credits earned in extension courses offered by other units of the University of Wisconsin System are treated as transfer credits. All other (non-UW) extension and correspondence credits are normally limited to one-fourth of the total required for graduation from any curriculum.

WTCS Credits. A maximum of 72 semester credits earned in college parallel programs at Madison Area Technical College, Milwaukee Area Technical College, Nicolet Area Technical College, or Chippewa Valley Technical College may be accepted as degree credits at UW-Eau Claire. A set number of general education courses will be accepted from other technical schools. Occupational and technical courses may also be considered for transfer if the quality and content of the course work from the technical college is judged to be comparable to course work at UW-Eau Claire. Refer to the Transfer Credit Wizard or contact the UW-Eau Claire Admissions Office for information about the current transfer policy.

USAFI Credit. UW-Eau Claire will accept up to 32 semester credits for work done through the United States Armed Forces Institute, under the provision for non-UW correspondence credit (see Extension Credits above).

Activity Credit (band, chorus, drama, KINS 100-184 courses) Students may count toward graduation no more than one credit of KINS 110-184 courses. Students may count toward graduation no more than four credits earned in any single activity course and no more than 12 credits resulting from any combination of activity courses (excluding KINS 110-184 courses). 

Other Restricted Credits. For other University restrictions, see the following: Cooperative Education; Credit by Examination; Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Registration; Transfer of Credits. College or departmental restrictions may also be placed on Independent Study (399-499 courses), Directed Study (395-495), and other types of credits.

APPLICABILITY OF CREDITS TOWARD GRADUATIONCredit Restrictions
Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Total degree creditmaximum 12
Major, Standardmaximum 1 course
Major, Comprehensivemaximum 2 courses
Minormaximum 1 course
Credit by Examination
Total degree creditmaximum ¼ of total
Major or minormaximum ½ of total
Two-Year College Credits
Total degree creditmaximum 72 credits
Activity credit (band, chorus, drama, KINS 100-184)
Total KINS 100-184maximum 1 credit
Total Band, chorus, dramamaximum 12 credits
Single course band, chorus, dramamaximum 4 credits
Extension credits
UW-Systemno maximum
Other extension/correspondencemaximum ¼ of total
USAFI
USAFImaximum 32 credits

Liberal Education Core

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire measures learning outcomes to ensure that its graduates have achieved a liberal education and prepared themselves to contribute to a complex society. Upon graduation, each undergraduate will have met the five learning goals of our liberal education core and the 12 learning outcomes they comprise. 

LIBERAL EDUCATION CORE REQUIREMENTSa minimum of 36 credits
Knowledge Goal
Knowledge Outcome 1 (K1): Natural SciencesTwo (2) learning experiences
One experience in laboratory science must be selected from either K1 or K2.
Knowledge Outcome 2 (K2): Social SciencesTwo (2) learning experiences
One experience in laboratory science must be selected from either K1 or K2.
Knowledge Outcome 3 (K3): HumanitiesTwo (2) learning experiences
Knowledge Outcome 4 (K4): Fine ArtsOne (1) learning experience
Skills Goal
Skills Outcome 1 (S1): Written and Oral CommunicationTwo (2) learning experiences
Skills Outcome 2 (S2): MathematicsOne (1) learning experience
Skills Outcome 3 (S3): CreativityOne (1) learning experience
Responsibility Goal
Responsibility Outcome 1 (R1): Equity, Diversity, and InclusivityTwo (2) learning experiences
Responsibility Outcome 2 (R2): Global PerspectivesOne (1) learning experience
Responsibility Outcome 3 (R3): Civic and Environmental IssuesOne (1) learning experience
Integration Goal
Integration Outcome 1 (I1): IntegrationTwo (2) learning experiences
Service-Learning Goal
Service-Learning30 hours

College Degree Requirements

Bachelor of Business Administration Degree Requirements

Credits for Graduation

All candidates for the BBA degree need a minimum of 120 credits to graduate, to include a minimum of 48 semester credits in courses other than those offered by the College of Business. The Health Care Administration major is exempt from the 48-credit requirement.

Student Professional Development Program

All students pursuing a major in the College of Business must complete the Student Professional Development Workshops. All students pursuing a minor in the Department of Management and Marketing must complete the Student Professional Development Workshops. The program is designed to equip students with the skills needed to present themselves professionally during their job search and upon entering their chosen careers. Students are strongly encouraged to complete the workshops prior to the end of their third semester on campus. The workshops are prerequisites for a number of 300-level courses in the College of Business Core and need to be completed prior to registration for those courses.

The program consists of four workshops: The Business Professional, Professional Image, Professional Etiquette, Professional Networking Event. For more information, visit the College of Business website.

Grade Point Requirements

Candidates for the BBA degree must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in their major and in courses taken in residence. (See the special requirements for the Comprehensive Major in Health Care Administration.) If a minor is required, or is to be listed as an official minor, the candidate must earn a minimum GPA of 2.00 in the minor.

  • No course may be taken on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis as part of a major, minor, or certificate described by one of the departments in the College of Business.
  • Business courses may be taken on a Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory basis only concurrent with or following completion of the student’s major or business minor.

Major Requirements

(Code 870-000)

Proficiency Requirements

Proficiency requirements include basic prerequisite courses and/or entry-level competencies for the major.  These are not counted as credits in the major.

ECON 103Principles of Microeconomics3
ECON 104Principles of Macroeconomics3
MATH 109Algebra for Calculus 14
MATH 246Elementary Statistics4
1

 MATH 109 or UWX MA116 or beyond, or competency to enter MATH 111

The BUSCORE

The BUSCORE is the common body of courses taken by all BBA students with the exception of the Health Care Administration major. It consists of the following courses:

BUSCORE Courses
ACCT 201Introduction to Accounting3
BCOM 206Business Writing 12
BCOM 207Business Presentations 12
BSAD 180Foundations for Success in Business3
BSAD 300Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Workplace1
BSAD 305Legal and Regulatory Environment3
FIN 320Principles of Finance3
IS 240Information Systems in Business3
MKTG 330Principles of Marketing3
MGMT 340Organizational Behavior3
MGMT 449Strategic Management in a Global Business Environment 23
OSCM 341Operations Management3
Total Credits32
1

Students must earn a grade of C or above in BCOM 206 and BCOM 207.

2

MGMT 449 is a capstone course that requires prior completion of all other BUSCORE courses.  This prerequisite is strictly enforced.

Business Communication Major

Sixty-66 semester credits, including the 32-credit BUSCORE and 34 additional credits as follows:

COB Required Course3
ACCT 214Managerial Accounting3
BCOM Required Courses16
BCOM 205Business English and Document Editing2
BCOM 208Technology for Business Communication2
BCOM 306Advanced Business Writing2
BCOM 307Advanced Business Presentations2
BCOM 309Communicating in Workplace Relationships2
BCOM 310Theoretical Approaches to Business Communication2
BCOM 401Data Visualization for Business Communication2
BCOM 405Advanced Business Communications2
CoB Elective Courses6
Introduction to Health Care Administration
Project Management
Managing Global Organizations
Risk Management and Insurance
Human Resource Management
Compensation Theory and Administration
Advanced Organizational Behavior
Industrial Relations
Advanced Human Resource Management
Integrated Marketing Communications
Marketing Research
Professional Selling
Marketing & Sales Analytics
Lean Manufacturing Systems and Concepts
Independent Study - Juniors
Internship in Business Communication
Selected Topics in Business Communication
Directed Studies
Independent Study - Seniors
Additional Elective Courses9
Foundations: Two-Dimensional Design
Typography
Design Across the Disciplines
Graphic Design: Concepts and Experimentation 1
User Experience and Web Design 2
Listening
Audio and Video Production Process
Introduction to Organizational Communication
Introduction to Integrated Strategic Communication
Visual Communication
Small Group Communication
Human Resource Development
Strategic Event Planning
Leadership Communication
Fundamentals of Web Page Design
Introduction to Web Programming
Web Database Design and Implementation
Web Design and Development
Histories and Theories of Rhetoric
Editing and Publications Management
Technical Writing
Visual Rhetorics of Science, Technology, and Culture
Rhetorics of Social Justice
Writing Center Theory & Practice
Grant Proposal Writing
1

ART 374 receives no elective credit if taken after CJ 280; CJ 280 receives no elective credits if taken after ART 374. In other words, students can count one class or the other as elective credits but not both.

2

ART 375 receives no elective credit if taken after CS 321; CS 321 receives no elective credit if taken after ART 375. In other words, students can count one class or the other as elective credits but not both.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students in this program are assessed on their ability to meet the following COB learning competencies:

  • Written and Oral Communication: Students will be effective communicators.
  • Teamwork: Students will be effective team members.
  • Problem Solving: Students will be effective problem solvers.
  • BBA Common Body of Knowledge: Students will demonstrate discipline-specific knowledge (represented by the BUSCORE).

Additionally, students completing this program will be expected to meet the following learning outcomes:

  • Business Core: Students apply knowledge of core business concepts through their written, oral, visual, and technology-mediated communication.
  • Written Communication: Students will construct business documents (e.g., emails, memos, letters, reports, proposals, manuals, instructions) appropriate to audiences, multi-modal contexts, and purposes using standard business document formats and business rhetoric.
  • Oral Communication: Students will demonstrate effective oral communication in business contexts (e.g., individual presentations, meetings, seminars, round table discussions, interviews, interpersonal settings) appropriate for business audiences and stakeholders using multiple modalities and business rhetoric.
  • Visual Communication: Students will evaluate, create, and curate visuals (e.g., charts, graphs, dashboards, infographics) to effectively and efficiently communicate business data in multiple modalities.
  • English grammar, mechanics, and punctuation: (a) Students will demonstrate proficiency in the rhetorical application of business-English grammar, usage, mechanics, and punctuation. (b) Students will create and apply style guides to business documents.
  • Technologies and Software: Students will critically engage with technologies and software such as productivity software, social media platforms, and virtual communication platforms to communicate effectively in business contexts.

Sample Degree Plan

Sample Degree Plan: B.B.A., Business Communication (Comprehensive Major)

The following is a sample degree plan based on the current catalog. Please note that sample degree plans can vary each year, due to curriculum revisions. This sample degree plan is based on the 120-credit graduation requirement and assumes no transferred credits, no requirements waived by placement tests, no courses taken in the summer or winter, no repeated courses, and no remedial courses that may be required. This sample degree plan is intended for first-year students entering UW-Eau Claire in the fall semester. Your own degree plan may differ depending on the course of study selected (second major, minor, etc.). UW-Eau Claire cannot guarantee all courses will be offered as shown, but will provide a range of courses that may enable prepared students to fulfill their requirements in a timely period. This sample degree plan is just a guide. Please consult your advisor, your degree audit, and the catalog to create your own degree plan. Note: In order to earn the required minimum of 120 credits for the degree in four years, you should plan to take 15 credits each semester or 30 credits each year.

To earn a degree, students must fulfill all University Graduation Requirements, including the Liberal Education (LE) Core.  LE Core course work in the following sample degree plan uses abbreviations such as LE-K1, LE-S2, LE-R3, and LE-I1 to represent the learning outcomes students will meet via completion of their liberal education course work. 

Please click here for a description of the Liberal Education Core outcomes and requirements.  Note that the LE Core may be completed through both course and non-course experiences.

FIRST YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
MATH 109Algebra for Calculus4
SECOND SEMESTER
SOMETIME IN THE FIRST YEAR
BSAD 180Foundations for Success in Business3
ECON 103Principles of Microeconomics3
ECON 104Principles of Macroeconomics3
WRIT 114Intensive Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing5
OR
Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing
OR
Accelerated Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing
OR
Blugold Seminar in Critical Reading and Writing for Transfer Students
SOMETIME IN THE FIRST OR SECOND YEAR
LE Option: Knowledge 1 (K1) Natural Sciences3
LE Option: Knowledge 1 (K1L) Natural Sciences with Lab3
LE Option: Knowledge 3 (K3) Humanities3
LE Option: Knowledge 3 (K3) Humanities3
LE Option: Knowledge 4 (K4) Fine Arts3
LE Option: Responsibility 1 (R1) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity3
LE Option: Responsibility 1 (R1, DDIV) Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity with Design for Diversity3
LE Option: Responsibility 2 (R2) Global Perspectives3
Service-Learning (LE-SL)
SPDP: Student Professional Development Program (SPDP) workshop completion recommended by the end of the 1st year, 2nd semester—but no later than the end of the 3rd semester or 45 credits earned. 1
Study Abroad: Students participating in study abroad may opt-in to complete one of the two Integrative Learning 1 (I1) experiences. Many courses taken at approved study-abroad institutions will satisfy LE or elective requirements. Consult the Transfer Credit Wizard and consult with your academic advisor to plan which LE or elective courses to take while abroad. See third-year note below regarding upper-division business courses.
NSE: Students participating in National Student Exchange (NSE) should work with their academic advisor to select courses at their NSE site that will cover UWEC degree requirements.
SECOND YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
SECOND SEMESTER
SOMETIME IN THE SECOND YEAR
ACCT 201Introduction to Accounting3
BCOM 205Business English and Document Editing2
BCOM 206Business Writing2
BCOM 207Business Presentations2
IS 240Information Systems in Business3
MATH 246Elementary Statistics4
THIRD YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
SECOND SEMESTER
SOMETIME IN THE THIRD YEAR
BSAD 300Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the Workplace1
BSAD 305Legal and Regulatory Environment3
FIN 320Principles of Finance3
MGMT 340Organizational Behavior3
MKTG 330Principles of Marketing3
OSCM 341Operations Management3
Major Additional Elective Courses: See catalog and degree audit for list of approved courses. 9
SOMETIME IN THE THIRD OR FOURTH YEAR
ACCT 214Managerial Accounting3
BCOM 208Technology for Business Communication2
BCOM 306Advanced Business Writing2
BCOM 307Advanced Business Presentations2
BCOM 309Communicating in Workplace Relationships2
BCOM 310Theoretical Approaches to Business Communication2
BCOM 401Data Visualization for Business Communication2
BCOM 405Advanced Business Communications2
LE Integration (I1) 23
LE Option: Responsibility 3 (R3) Civic and Environmental Issues3
LE Option: Skills 3 (S3) Creativity3
Study Abroad: Please note that if studying abroad in the third or fourth year, upper-division business courses must be taken at an AACSB-accredited institution. For a list of AACSB-accredited institutions, please see the Your Major + Study Abroad page: http://www.uwec.edu/cie. 3
FOURTH YEAR
FIRST SEMESTER
SECOND SEMESTER
Major COB Elective Courses: See catalog and degree audit for list of approved courses. 6
MGMT 449Strategic Management in a Global Business Environment3
ELECTIVE CREDITS: Additional credits needed to reach 120 credits
Minimum total for the baccalaureate degree = 120 credits
1

Please see this webpage for more information regarding the SPDP program.

2

Students opting to complete the I1 through study abroad can replace this course with an approved elective course.

3

Please see this webpage for more information regarding Your Major + Study Abroad.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES (HIPs)

The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire encourages all students to participate in High Impact Practices.  The following information identifies any specific recommendations that faculty in this major have concerning which HIPs might be most beneficial to students, and any recommendations about when those HIPs best fit into the degree plan. Students should also consult their faculty advisor for information on HIPs. There are many additional high impact opportunities available. Talk to your academic advisor for more information about incorporating HIPs like Study AbroadIntercultural ImmersionInternship, and/or Student/Faculty Collaborative Research into your time at UW-Eau Claire.

Liberal Education (LE) Core Guidance

Liberal Education Core (LE Core) 

The LE Core comprises 17 learning experiences across 11 learning outcomes. Students must complete a minimum of 36 credits in courses approved for the LE Core. 

  • K1 – Natural Sciences; two experiences (one lab science experience is required in K1 or K2). 

  • K2 – Social Sciences; two experiences (one lab science experience is required in K1 or K2). 

  • K3 – Humanities; two experiences. 

  • K4 – Fine Arts; one experience. 

  • S1 – Written and Oral Communication; two experiences (one experience must satisfy the University writing requirement). 

  • S2 – Mathematics; one experience (must satisfy the University math competency requirement). 

  • S3 – Creativity; one experience (can be fulfilled in a student’s major). 

  • R1 – Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity; two experiences (one experience must meet the UW System Design for Diversity (DD) requirement). 

  • R2 – Global Perspectives; one experience. 

  • R3 – Civic and Environmental Issues; one experience. 

  • I1 – Integration; two experiences (one experience can be fulfilled in a student’s major). 

  • SL—Service Learning; 30 hours 

Additional LE Core Information 

  • Most LE Core learning experiences are course based, and many courses meet more than one learning outcome (e.g., K3 and R2 or K1 and R3). 

  • Some learning experiences can also be met outside of a traditional course (e.g., undergraduate research (S3), study abroad (I1)). 

  • S1 – An English placement score that fulfills the University writing requirement fulfills one S1 experience. 

  • S1 – A foreign Language placement score that qualifies the student to enter the 102 level satisfies one S1 experience. 

  • S1, R2 – A foreign language placement score that qualifies the student to enter the 202 level satisfies one experience in S1 and the R2 experience. 

  • S2 – A math placement score that qualifies the student to enter Math 111, 112, 113 or 114 fulfills the S2 experience. 

  • S3 – Completion of two credits from any approved music ensemble fulfills the S3 experience. 

  • I1 – Any semester long study abroad program can fulfill one I1 experience.