What is this course?
	BADM 114:  Introduction to Business.  A survey course presenting an overall integrated picture of American business and its operations.  Included are such topics as forms of business ownership, management, internal organization, production, personnel, labor relations, marketing, short-term and long-term finance, insurance, accounting principles, business law, and entrepreneurship.
What are the prerequisites?
	Prerequisites: Accuplacer test; reading score of 58+, English score 70+, OR READ 095 and ENGL 095.  In addition, the online version of this course will require extensive and frequent writing, so a student should have excellent typing skills and be prepared to create work that is well written, spelling and grammar-corrected, and is able to produce written work which argues a position and supports it with evidence.  You should consult with the instructor prior to beginning the course if you have concerns regarding these requirements.
	In addition to the above, you should also be comfortable with general computer usage, including use of the Internet, e-mail, file management, uploading/downloading files, word processing software (especially Microsoft Word), and general functionality of the operating system on your personal computer.
When do the classes begin and end?
	This class runs over a 16-week timeframe, beginning on Monday, August 24^th and ending on Wednesday, December 9th.  The course will be managed using San Juan College’s ANGEL course management system (https://angel.sanjuancollege.edu/default.asp) for the 16 weeks. Access to the classes should be available on the Friday afternoon prior to the first day of class, but it is not assured.  If you cannot immediately begin the course, please contact the instructor or consider waiting to take the course in the next semester.
Who is teaching the course?
	Mr. Murdoch Maloney Assistant Professor of Business,  School of Business San Juan College Degrees Received Bachelor of Arts, Fort Lewis College 1990 Masters of Business Administration, University of New Mexico 1994 I have taught this course since 2005.  I also teach several management courses including: Principles of Management, Human Resource Management, Entrepreneurship, Understanding Financial Statements, Principles of Marketing, Leadership and Group Dynamics. You can send e-mail to maloneym@sanjuancollege.edu, or call (505)566-3308.  E-mail is the best method to contact the instructor.
Will I have to meet face-to-face with my instructor or other students?
	There is no face-to-face component of this course in any way:
	Online:	1.) The class must be completed entirely online.  Students will utilize the textbook, the Internet, and other study materials to learn about and work through the assignments with the exception of the proctored final exam.
		2.) There is no face-to-face course orientation.  Upon logging into the class on ANGEL, students are expected to immediately review all course materials starting with the “Getting Started” folder under the “Lessons” tab, and then begin the assigned work.  The course material and content is separated by “Weekly” folders.  Also, make use of the calendar assignments and due dates.
What materials will I need?
	All students will need the following materials for this class:
	Textbook: Ebert, R. & Griffin, R. (2009).  Business Essentials, 7th Edition.  Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall, Inc.  ISBN-10: 0-13-607076-0; ISBN-13: 978-0-13-607076-4.
	Personal Computer: A personally-owned, readily-accessible computer with Internet access and the Microsoft Windows XP or Windows Vista operating system is virtually mandatory.  You also need to have installed word processing software (preferably some version of Microsoft Office/Word), or a word processing program that can save files in the .doc or .docx format.  Although public access, company-owned, or college-maintained systems can be used for occasional work, due to the workload of this course it is strongly recommended that they not be your sole form of interface with this course.
	*	Be sure to allow for adequate storage space on your personal hard drive to store completed assignments.  It is strongly recommended that you store all files on the hard disk of your computer.  You are also expected to make regular backups of your files for your protection.
Will the course be hard for me?
	In a regular classroom there is often a great deal of discussion which occurs regarding the various topics, as well as the usually questions and answers.  In this online course, however, we have no regular face-to-face time, so much of the discussion is instead conducted via online Discussion Boards. The result of this is that you will be required to regularly write up responses (with supporting evidence) to questions each week, as well as respond to and interact with your fellow students.  Some students enjoy the online interaction and writing, while other students may find it more cumbersome.  Depending upon your preference and your writing skills, then, you may find this class even more challenging than a regular face-to-face course. Finally there are regular bi-weekly quizzes (each covering multiple chapters) and a comprehensive final exam (covering all chapters).  While the weekly quizzes can be taken online, you will be required to find a proctor to administer the final exam.  Details will follow when you get access to ANGEL.
	If you don't learn well on your own, please consider enrolling in a classroom section of the course.  If you are unsure of yourself on the computer, or have nominal typing skills, you may wish to reconsider if this course is best for you right now.   If you are specifically considering enrolling in an online class, look over the “Online Readiness Checklist” under Getting Started with Online Learning on the SJC Online Learning webpage to make certain the online environment is the best choice for you.
How much time will I have to spend per week on the course?
	An average student should expect to dedicate 5 to 10 hours per week for this class (less or more depending upon your experiences in the business world, typing skills, comfort level with computers and word processing software, etc.).  Please do not sign up for the course unless you are prepared to commit this amount of time every week for all 16 weeks!
Can I go at my own pace?
	Yes and no.  You are strongly encouraged to read ahead and some assignments can be completed in advance of the class schedule.  However, weekly discussions and group projects require interactivity with your classmates, and as such it makes it difficult - if not impossible - to work ahead on discussions.  All assignments and quizzes have specific due dates, and they will be strictly enforced. In other words you may not work too slowly.
What do I need to do if I decide to take the course?
	The course space is limited – if you enroll and then don’t participate, or drop the course early on, be aware that you are depriving another student (who may not have other options for completing the course) of this opportunity.
	So, if you decide to take the course, do the following:
	*	Sign up for the course!
	*	Purchase the textbook (and word processing application, if you do not have one already).
	*	Make sure that you have your username and password for ANGEL (the same one used to log onto computers at San Juan College); contact the instructor for your log on information (if necessary).
	*	Log in to ANGEL.
	*	IMMEDIATELY begin by reading and reviewing ALL PARTS of the Syllabus, Course guide, and Course Reading and Assignment schedule page.
	If you have any additional questions, please be certain to e-mail the instructor.  Good luck!