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Department: Business Communication

  • Business Communication

    Business Communication

    Marshall’s Department of Business Communication (BUCO) has emerged as the largest and one of the most prestigious academic entities of its kind, contributing to education and scholarship for more than 35 years. BUCO courses prepare students for a world driven by communication by applying theory to practical challenges in the professions, including the art of creating strategic messages for a wide range of audiences, leading successful dialog, networking, and connecting with stakeholders across cultures and utilizing multiple media.

DEGREES + COURSES

  • BS Business Administration with Emphasis in Communications (BCOM)

  • The Bachelor of Science in Business Administration with an emphasis in Communication provides specialized skill sets for students that they will apply to succeed in the workplace, regardless of their chosen profession. Students will learn to apply emotionally intelligent and strategic communication, and utilize rapidly evolving communication technologies, to facilitate effective workplace processes among organizational stakeholders. The degree signals to potential employers that the graduate is ready to lead and motivate teams in-person and virtually and facilitate complex communication situations among a wide range of groups and individuals across cultures to support the success of the organization.

    COURSE CATALOGUE BS Business Administration with Emphasis in Communications (BCOM)

INSIGHT + ANALYSIS

ALL BUCO INSIGHT + ANALYSIS

NEWS + EVENTS

  • Jolanta Aritz Elected Regional VP of Western US by ABC

    Jolanta Aritz Elected Regional VP of Western US by ABC

    Jolanta will work to conduct activities and meetings at the local level and provide members an opportunity to form regional networks of researchers, educators, and practitioners with common interests and goals.

ALL BUCO NEWS + EVENTS

FACULTY

FULL-TIME FACULTY

  • Jolanta Aritz

    Jolanta Aritz
    • Professor of Clinical Business Communication

    Jolanta Aritz specializes in intercultural business communication, small-group decision-making, leadership communication and virtual teams. Professor Aritz is co-author of the book Leadership Talk: A Discourse Approach to Leader Emergence and co-editor of the Discourse Perspectives on Organizational Communication book. She serves as Vice-president for the Western region of the Association of Business Communication. Prof. Aritz is a former Fulbright scholar and recipient of multiple awards, including the Distinguished Publication on Business Communication, the USC Fund for Innovative Undergraduate Teaching, and the Mellon mentoring award.

  • Peter Wilson Cardon

    Peter Wilson Cardon
    • Warren Bennis Chair in Teaching Excellence
    • Professor of Clinical Business Communication

    Pete Cardon teaches a variety of business communication courses. He researches team communication, role of technology in leadership communication, and intercultural business communication. Professor Cardon previously served as President of the Association of Business Communication. Pete previously taught at the University of South Carolina for six years and Utah State University for three years. Before working in higher education, he held several marketing and management positions in the tourism and manufacturing industries. He is the author of Business Communication: Developing Leaders for a Networked World and co-author of Business and Professional Communication: Putting People First.

  • Lee Russell Cerling

    Lee Russell Cerling
    • Associate Professor of Clinical Business Communication

    Lee is an expert in rhetoric who has taught both of our main undergraduate courses, BUAD 302 and WRIT 340, and has coordinated our series of communication classes for doctoral students. Lee’s classes are noted for revolving around books and other readings on current issues that change year-to-year, such as the industrial food system, the water crisis in the United States, the financial crisis, and most recently the debt ceiling crisis. Lee has also become one of Marshall’s leaders in ethics instruction. He developed and for several years taught ethics seminars in various accounting courses, and worked on the revision of Marshall’s Ethics and Professional Communication undergraduate elective. Lee has made numerous service contributions over the years, including serving as a faculty advisor in various student case competitions.

  • Maria Colman

    Maria Colman
    • Lecturer of Business Communication
    • Marshall Case Team Advisor
    • Fashion Scholarship Fund (FSF) Faculty Advisor

    Maria Colman is the owner and founder of handmadeMaria®. The original business plan was part of her MBA at the University of Southern California, Marshall School of Business. Maria has over 30 years' experience in retail marketing, accounting management, direct sales, and education. Her upcycled products and art pieces are sold at brick and mortar and online stores.

    Courses taught include; BUAD 302, BUAD 302T, WRIT 340, GSBA 542, and GSBA 523T—core courses for undergraduate and graduate students.

    Her commitment to her students surpasses teaching—she also coaches undergraduate student teams for case competitions as an advisor for the Marshall Case Team and accompanies them to competitions.



STUDENTS

  • The Virtual Business Professional Project

    The Virtual Business Professional Project

    The VBP Project is a global student collaboration project created and managed by business communication faculty at the Marshall School of Business at USC. It’s goal is to help students develop skills necessary to succeed in a fast-paced global business environment that is increasingly relying on social platforms and virtual collaboration for their internal and external communication.

    Every semester, between 500 and 700 students participate in VBP. These students collectively represent over 50 countries around the world and study at 17 universities in 10 different countries.

    MORE The Virtual Business Professional Project

SELECT STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

  • Association of Innovative Marketing Consulting

    Association of Innovative Marketing Consulting

    AIM Consulting’s mission is to provide innovative marketing consulting services to clients across allindustries. Our members gain real-world experience by working on strategic projects to develop data-driven recommendations for premier brands, startups, and nonprofits. By combining comprehensive professionaldevelopment resources and experience with distinctive clients, AIM Consulting empowers members to thrive in the fields of marketing, consulting, and beyond.

    MORE Association of Innovative Marketing Consulting
  • Fashion Industry Association

    Fashion Industry Association

    The Fashion Industry Association (“FIA”) is a student organization at the University of Southern California. As the only fashion-focused organization officially recognizedby the USC Marshall School of Business, FIA is dedicated to connecting its members to information about and professional opportunities within the fashion industry. We regularly invite guest speakers from the fashion industry onto campus, host networking events, organize off-campus social field trips, and produce an annual student-run fashion show. FIA’s goal is to exposemembers to the many facets of the fast-paced, ever-changing fashion industry while fostering alike-minded community.

    MORE Fashion Industry Association
  • Trojan Marketing Group

    Trojan Marketing Group

    Trojan Marketing Group is a full-service, student-run,pro-bono marketing agency at the University of SouthernCalifornia, crafting story-driven marketing campaigns forbusinesses and nonprofits in Los Angeles and beyond.

    MORE Trojan Marketing Group
ALL STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS

CURRENT COURSES

Below is a selection of current courses taught by the department. For a complete listing of current courses please see the USC SCHEDULE OF CLASSES.

  • BUAD-111
    World Bachelor in Business Program Freshman Academy
    Introduction to selected academic subject matter, development of intercultural communication skills, and access to business professionals. Graded CR/NC.
  • BUAD-252
    Choosing and Planning a Future Career in Business
    Explore and plan for future career choices and options in business. Learn theoretical principles, best practices and strategies, and contemporary workplace issues/trends. Graded CR/NC.
  • BUAD-302
    Communication Strategy in Business
    Theory, practices, and techniques of business communication strategy essential to external and organizational communication; group and interpersonal communication; development of skill in oral and written communication.

Stay Connected

  • Contact Us

    213-740-0627 (phone)
    213-740-9428 (fax)
    EMAIL

  • Campus Location

    Department of Business Communication
    Marshall School of Business, ACC 400
    University of Southern California
    3660 Trousdale Parkway
    Los Angeles, CA 90089-0444

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