COURSE INFORMATION Course Title: COMMUNICATION SKILLS

Code	Course Type	Regular Semester	Theory	Practice	Lab	Credits	ECTS
BUS 114	D	10	3	0	0	3	6

Academic staff member responsible for the design of the course syllabus (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature)	Assoc.Prof.Dr. Edmond Manahasa emanahasa@epoka.edu.al
Main Course Lecturer (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	M.Sc. Ervisa Ndoka endoka@epoka.edu.al , Ervisa Ndoka
Second Course Lecturer(s) (name, surname, academic title/scientific degree, email address and signature) and Office Hours:	NA
Language:	English
Compulsory/Elective:	Elective
Study program: (the study for which this course is offered)	Integrated second cycle study program in Architecture (5 years)
Classroom and Meeting Time:	On Thursday : D101 12:45-15:30
Teaching Assistant(s) and Office Hours:	NA
Code of Ethics:	Code of Ethics of EPOKA University Regulation of EPOKA University "On Student Discipline"
Attendance Requirement:	60 %
Course Description:	-
Course Objectives:	This course offers an opportunity to learn and apply, in daily life, practical principles of interpersonal communication, communication in groups and organizations. Emphasis is placed on psychological, social, cultural, and linguistic factors, which affect person-to-person interaction. This course is designed to help students improve their communication in both personal and professional contexts. Attention is given to human perceptions, interpersonal dynamics, patterns of inference, listening, and verbal and visual symbols. Also the course is focused on business communication, political and diplomatic communication.

BASIC CONCEPTS OF THE COURSE

1	Succeeding in Business Communication
2	Analyzing Your Audience
3	Building Goodwill
4	Values and ethics
5	Business Communication Environment
6	Communicating across Cultures
7	Appropriate Technology
8	Building Résumés

COURSE OUTLINE

Week	Topics
1	Introduction. Effective Communication. . “Benefits of Good Communication Skills” first. Reinforces good communication as a quality that makes organizations desirable places to work. Includes information on how good communication skills benefit individuals. Provides new examples of billion-dollar costs for poor communication. Electronic communication.
2	Interpersonal Communication. Verbal Communication-Adapting Your Message to Your Audience. Opens with the outreach to male audiences for formerly female-oriented products. Increases information on electronic channels and their different advantages. Summarizes Pew research on channel shifts and age and gender preferences for channels. Provides examples on topics such as creative uses of channels and the efficacy of audience benefits. Discusses customers not willing to pay for benefits they need.
3	Communication in Groups & Organisations -Building Goodwill. Includes new sections on “Positive Psychology,” what it is, how it uses you- attitude and goodwill, why business should care about it, and how companies can use it; “Trust,” how it relates to the skills described in this chapter and why it is important for job success; and “Using Technology to Build Goodwill,” how companies are successfully using electronic channels. ■ Opens with department store Macy’s efforts to offer merchandise appealing to specific minorities. ■ Shows Microsoft using you- attitude in its relations with Chinese officials. Emphasizes the importance of you-attitude as a job skill that computers will not replace. Updates information on the makeup of the U.S. population showing the growing diversity of the workplace and the need to communicate with appropriate, unbiased language.
4	Written Communication. Writing and Reading-Working and Writing in Teams. Provides a new section on technology for teams. ■ Opens with the importance of teamwork for animators. ■ Includes new information on leadership, brainstorming techniques, and conflict resolution, as well as the importance of team skills for hiring and job success. Also adds new material on technology for teams, including sections on technologies for meetings, scheduling and assignments, and collaboration
5	Vertical and Horizontal Communication-Sharing Informative and Positive Messages with Appropriate Technology. Includes new sections on tablet technology and on the use of story in informative messages. ■ Opens with an article on how the Cleveland Clinic is providing better information to patients. xiv ■ Includes new information on using communication technology, text messages, tweets, and other social media; also, content on e-mail etiquette and following up on e-mails. ■ Updates examples—from sources as varied as text messages, tweets, the National Hurricane Center, banks, credit card contracts, Zappos, and Standard and Poor.
6	Public Speaking & Ethics in Communication
7	Non-verbal Communication (body language, gestures, appearance etc,)-Developing Job Application Materials: Job Letters. ■ Includes a new section on social networking and personal websites. ■ Opens with two very different application letters, both widely circulated, for Wall Street jobs. ■ Includes new information on e-mail application letters and managing social media while job hunting. ■ Updates examples. ■ Presents sidebars on career changes, phantom job ads, unconventional tactics, bad cover letter content, and good cover letter content.
8	Midterm Exam
9	Excellence in Oral Presentation for Technical Speakers-Interviewing, Writing Follow-Up Questions, and Succeeding in the Job. ■ Offers new sections on meal etiquette and long-term career strategy. ■ Opens with a Twitter interview for Pizza Hut. ■ Includes new information on campus interviews. ■ Provides new tips on phone, video, and multiple interviews.
10	Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Business Communication-Creating Visuals and Data Displays. ■ Includes new sections on infographics and software programs for creating visuals and data displays. ■ Opens with a discussion of Australian cigarette packaging. ■ Offers new information on dynamic displays, cross-cultural color asso- ciations, accommodations for persons with color blindness, ethical concerns with photos. ■ Provides new examples and figures. ■ Presents sidebars on ads for two audiences in one, color and NHL penalties, a doctored photo of the Boston Marathon bombing, and smartphones and photographs.
11	Intercultural and International Business Communication-Creating Visuals and Data Displays. ■ Includes new sections on infographics and software programs for creating visuals and data displays. ■ Opens with a discussion of Australian cigarette packaging. ■ Offers new information on dynamic displays, cross-cultural color asso- ciations, accommodations for persons with color blindness, ethical concerns with photos. ■ Provides new examples and figures. ■ Presents sidebars on ads for two audiences in one, color and NHL penalties, a doctored photo of the Boston Marathon bombing, and smartphones and photographs.
12	Public Speaking, Business and Politics-Writing Reports. Includes new sections on data selection and appendixes. ■ Opens with Boeing’s Environmental Report. ■ Provides new information on technology aids, especially for using time efficiently and auto-generating a table of contents. ■ Presents sidebars on spreadsheet errors; hard-to- quantify sports participation data; the Feltron, an annual report on a life; cost-of-living comparison patterns; charity data; and a report on U.S. health.
13	Show time - Project presentations
14	Guest speaker - Review

Prerequisite(s):
Textbook(s):	Business and Administrative Communication, 12th edition 2019, Locker, Mackiewicz, Aune, Kienzler, ISBN 978-1-259-58062-8, McGraw-Hill Higher Education.
Additional Literature:
Laboratory Work:	No
Computer Usage:	No
Others:	No

COURSE LEARNING OUTCOMES

1	To increase the student's ability to improve and utilize the skills necessary to be a competent interpersonal communicator.
2	To increase the student's understanding of his or her own communication behavior
3	To increase the student's understanding of others communication behaviors.
4	To improve the student's communication skills in both social and professional contexts
5	To open a door to the communication sciences, show to the students the importance of this process everyday in our life.

COURSE CONTRIBUTION TO... PROGRAM COMPETENCIES (Blank : no contribution, 1: least contribution ... 5: highest contribution)

No	Program Competencies	Cont.
Integrated second cycle study program in Architecture (5 years) Program
1	Speaking and Writing Skills Ability to read, write, listen, and speak effectively
2	Critical Thinking Skills Ability to raise clear and precise questions, use abstract ideas to interpret information, consider diverse points of view, reach well-reasoned conclusions, and test them against relevant criteria and standards
3	Graphics Skills Ability to use appropriate representational media, including freehand drawing and computer technology, to convey essential formal elements at each stage of the programming and design process
4	Research Skills Ability to gather, assess, record, and apply relevant information in architectural course work
5	Formal Ordering Systems Understanding of the fundamentals of visual perception and the principles and systems of order that inform two- and three-dimensional design, architectural composition, and urban design
6	Fundamental Design Skills Ability to use basic architectural principles in the design of buildings, interior spaces, and sites
7	Collaborative Skills Ability to recognize the varied talent found in interdisciplinary design project teams in professional practice and work in collaboration with other students as members of a design team
8	International Traditions Understanding of the International architectural canons and traditions in architecture, landscape and urban design, as well as the climatic, technological, culture-economic, and other cultural factors that have shaped and sustained them
9	National and Regional Traditions Understanding of national traditions and the local regional heritage in architecture, landscape design and urban design, including the vernacular tradition
10	Use of Precedents Ability to incorporate relevant precedents into architecture and urban design projects
11	Conservation and Restoration of Historical Districts Knowledge on historical districts and the gain of conservation consciousness documentation of historical buildings and the understanding the techniques which are needed to prepare restoration projects.
12	Human Behavior Understanding of the theories and methods of inquiry that seek to clarify the relationship between human behavior and the physical environment
13	Human Diversity Understanding of the diverse needs, values, behavioral norms, physical ability, and social and spatial patterns that characterize different cultures and individuals and the implication of this diversity for the societal roles and responsibilities of architects

COURSE EVALUATION METHOD

Method	Quantity	Percentage
Midterm Exam(s)	1	30
Presentation	1	20
Project	1	10
Final Exam	1	30
Attendance		0
Other	1	10
	Total Percent:	100%

ECTS (ALLOCATED BASED ON STUDENT WORKLOAD)

Activities	Quantity	Duration(Hours)	Total Workload(Hours)
Course Duration (Including the exam week: 16x Total course hours)	16	3	48
Hours for off-the-classroom study (Pre-study, practice)	16	2	32
Mid-terms	1	11	11
Assignments	2	8	16
Final examination	1	11	11
Other	1	7	7
Total Work Load:			125
Total Work Load/25(h):			5
ECTS Credit of the Course:			6

CONCLUDING REMARKS BY THE COURSE LECTURER

As we finish this course, I want to express my gratitude to the students who manage to have excellent results and the institution that has made me feel independent like being part of the family. During all our time together, we have explored a lot of knowledge, we participated in stimulating discussions and tackled challenging problems.