Do you dream of owning your own business someday, or working for a company in a leadership position? Wherever your path may lead you, having the essential knowledge of business types, requirements to start a business, understanding of finances, business law, marketing, sales, customer service, and more, will ensure you’re on the path to success. Let’s explore your passion for business in this course.

Unit 1: The Basics of Business

The phrase ‘running a business’ makes something incredibly complex sound very simple. A good business needs dozens of elements to work together in order to be successful. Understanding the way a company’s structure is set up can give you a lot of information about the business itself. It’s a key skill for anyone who hopes to work for, or even start, a company in the future. In other words, almost everyone can benefit from learning about this topic.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Create and understand business plans and explain why they are so important

• Explain the different functions required to operate a business

• Recognize the importance of information and communication technology in a business context

• Distinguish different types of businesses and understand what’s needed to start one

Unit 2: The Finances of Business

Financial planning is crucial when it comes to running your own business. If you want your business to make a profit, then being able to grasp ideas like running costs, expenses, and margins is key. It may all sound a little complicated, but it is pretty logical when you get down to it. We’ll start with covering the basics of accounting, as well as how to budget. Once you’ve mastered the basics, you can begin to think strategically and consider how you might benefit from the financial products on offer to a business owner. You might think that finances are a little tedious, but by the end of this unit, hopefully, you’ll see that no business can succeed without a strong understanding of its finances.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe and understand the accounting cycle

• Outline and understand a business risk assessment

• Investigate business costs and how to budget for them

• Evaluate different types of business insurance products and when they should be used

• Differentiate between types of financial institutions and the products they can offer

Unit 3: Marketing and Sales

Can you imagine what would happen if a business couldn’t sell anything? They wouldn’t be around for very long, that’s for sure. What helps a business the most is making sales, and in this unit, we’ll cover not only why they are so important but also how you can use marketing to help increase the number of sales a business makes in the first place.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Assess how marketing fits into the business plan

• Demonstrate your knowledge of market research, including demographics and targeted marketing

• Differentiate different marketing tools and classify the pros and cons of each

• Identify opportunities for innovation in marketing

• Explain the impact of sales as a part of business

Unit 4: Ethics and Business Law

No one wants to end up breaking the law, especially in business. Nevertheless, it can be very easy to do if you aren’t familiar with the laws and regulations that business owners must abide by. Thankfully, there is a lot of useful information available, and this unit will provide some guidance, not only on how to remain compliant with the law but also on how to run a business ethically to ensure you’re taking proper care of your employees. Businesses that function ethically have happier, more productive employees, and in return, you as a business owner may well see larger profits.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Analyze the effects that different aspects of the law can have on a business

• Identify sources of business crimes and strategies that can be used to prevent them

• Describe the legal requirements for running a business, including employment and labor laws

• Discuss why a business should be run ethically and the benefits this has for employers and employees alike

• Investigate how the use of data and technology by a company and its employees can create legal problems for the company

Unit 5: Computer Hardware

For just about any business today, computers are essential. Whether they are used for emails, your company website, digital image editing, or even to store all of your customer information, computers form an integral part of the day-to-day functions of most companies. Therefore, it’s important to understand not only how computers work but also how to get the most out of them and to ensure their longevity through proper maintenance. Computers can also be used across a network to facilitate the fast trading of information and access to very complex applications. Understanding how computers communicate and how a basic network functions will ensure you know how to set up your computer network in the way that suits your company best.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify what hardware you need to begin your business

• Differentiate between several types of computer networks and explain what each is used for

• Compare the key uses of hardware and software

• Plan maintenance and upgrade tasks typically undertaken in a business environment.

• Investigate how to choose the right technology to fit a company’s needs

Unit 6: The Internet and Business

Just imagine what you could do if you had all of the world’s information at your disposal. It seems a bit like a fantasy. Surely you can’t get access to all of the knowledge that we have as a species. Perhaps not, but technology has brought us much, much closer to this through the use of the internet. There is so much information out there for us to discover that it’s become more and more important to understand how it all works. Throughout this unit, you will learn about the fundamentals of the internet and how it operates, how it can be accessed, the applications and tools used to make the most of it, and how to find and filter information effectively. The internet is different from many other types of networks, and being able to create content for it is key for a business in this day and age. Therefore, making the most of the internet is essential for anyone hoping to have their own company one day.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Discuss how the internet functions and compare this with other types of networks used in business

• Utilize internet terminology and the web to take advantage of what websites can do for business

• Create effective internet searches and define internet search modifiers

• Explain the advantages of using web applications in business organizations

• Investigate ways to create the most effective internet searches

Unit 7: Web Design and Business

Online business is a very lucrative way of earning income for a business, but it requires a well-thought-out site with good content and eye-catching presentation to invite customers to visit and keep coming back. Understanding how to properly plan and implement a site, including utilizing features and graphics, is key and can be the difference between a successful site versus one that drives customers away. You should be encouraged to know that there are great resources available, and with careful implementation, even a first-time business owner can create a fantastic website!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain different types of websites and be able to identify which to use for a business

• Plan the creation of a website from its initial concept to the delivery of the final product

• Select appropriate web editors and coding languages to build and enhance a website

• Demonstrate understanding of website design including color theory

• Evaluate the effectiveness of graphics and animations in grabbing the attention of visitors to a website

Unit 8: Operating Systems and File Management

It’s easy to underestimate the crucial role that an operating system plays in our computer. Whether you’re installing software like browsers or word processors, or even your favorite PC game, none of that would be possible without an OS. There are several different operating systems, each of which comes in different versions, but they all fulfill the same function: they provide the foundation on which the software we use daily is built. Without an OS, you wouldn’t be able to open Gmail to read your email or run Word to complete that proposal you’re writing to get your startup company going.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe the history and use of operating systems

• Safely create and move files in an operating system

• Correctly and efficiently name files under best practices used in business

• Safely store files while preventing data loss by creating backups

• Transfer, download, and save data to satisfy business standards

Now that you have the basics of business down from the previous course, it’s time to become better acquainted with the application of information management in business. Learn about professional conduct, teamwork, and managerial skills, while also examining careers in business technology. The basics of word processing, spreadsheets, databases, and presentation software are also explored so that you become better prepared for jobs in this field.

Unit 1: Workplace Communication and Business

Communicating with others is a cornerstone of life. Be it chatting to friends, arguing with parents, or even listening to music, it’s all communication, but there’s more to communication than words. Being conscious of what and how you communicate with others is never more important than it is in the workplace, and this includes how you speak, how you behave, and more.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Distinguish verbal from non-verbal communication, as well as the different ways each form of communication is expressed

• Explain the importance of communication in the office or workplace

• Communicate effectively in a team

• Examine the ways communication can be used to resolve conflict

• Assess the use of project tools to manage projects and facilitate communication

Unit 2: Communicating by Email

Despite the ceaseless rise in popularity of social media networks, email remains a staple of communication. In other words, as far as business is concerned, there is no communication without email, and there won’t be for a long time. Because of this, it’s important to know how to “do it right.” Knowing how to write good emails is a necessity when working for a business. This means that you must be able to communicate clearly and take advantage of the tools available to optimize your use of email at work.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Write and phrase business-appropriate messages to clients and co-workers

• Work with different types of attachments and files

• Manage your incoming mail, including spam and junk

• Configure email settings to make your processing of email more secure and efficient

• Assess the use of email in conjunction with additional communication tools

Unit 3: Word Documents in Business Communication

When it comes to communication, the written word is one of the strongest assets we have. Business communication and private communication alike strongly depend on us knowing what to write and how to write it. However, nowadays that comes with a caveat. Since people tend to prefer electronic communication to hand-written letters, they require some tech skills along with the ability to write. Word processing software, cloud storage, and shared documents—it’s a package deal now.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Recognize and create a variety of important business documents

• Examine the use of different elements to create effective written documents in Word

• Assess basic design elements used to create visually appealing documents

• Publish and share written content in a business setting

Unit 4: Communicating Using Spreadsheets

Communication comes in many different forms, and not all of them are spoken—you can even use spreadsheets to communicate. In business, exchanging files is, of course, commonplace, and spreadsheets form a big part of that exchange. They are a convenient way to collect, track, and report data, and because of this, they are used to carry out a wide variety of tasks, from creating charts to reporting budgets. Information can be shared in many different ways, and the rows and columns of spreadsheets are a popular choice.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Examine the use of spreadsheets in business

• Identify the ways to input data into a spreadsheet

• Investigate the use of basic formulas and functions to perform calculations

• Compare the use of charts, sparklines, and graphs

• Analyze, manipulate, and share data in a business context

Unit 5: Creating and Using Databases in Business

Data comes in many forms, of course, and one of the easiest ways to store data in bulk is to collect it in a database. In essence, databases are tables in which information is stored in rows and columns that group together similar or identical pieces of information or duplicates to make it easier to view. Databases are just about everywhere: they exist behind the scenes on websites, and they even form part of the software that makes your phone work!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Compare the use of database software like Excel and Access

• Create and set up simple databases

• Manipulate and understand the relationships between tables

• Explain the basics of data mining

Unit 6: Communicating Using Slide Presentations

While you could be forgiven for thinking of communication as primarily being something that occurs between two individuals, this is not always the case. It can also take place between one person and a group, which often occurs when a person delivers a presentation or something like a talk delivered at a conference. Teachers usually teach in groups, too. Regardless of who the participants are, however, there are tools available to make this type of communication easier for everyone to follow, and that is exactly what we will cover in this unit.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Create PowerPoint presentations

• Effectively communicate with a group in a business environment

• Edit, manage, and create slides for presentations

• Efficiently utilize presentations in business situations

Unit 7: Careers, Businesses, and Organizations

Just when you think you know it all, there’s more. In addition to learning how to use business tools, there are a few more things you need to know to succeed in a business environment—that is, skills that are a little harder to pick up because there isn’t exactly a tutorial for them. Sure, you know spreadsheets, but there’s a tutorial for that. You can take a course to learn about spreadsheets and databases. But what do you know about working on a team? How well do manage your time? These skills are some of the “more” you need to know about. They represent different skills than the kind we’ve discussed so far, but that doesn’t mean you can’t acquire them. We’ll teach you some of the most important ones in this unit.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain interpersonal skills and how to use them to your advantage

• Describe the importance of time management, dependability, and a positive attitude

• Inform others about the advantages provided by professional and student organizations

• Identify potential career plans and career options in the field of business technology

Unit 8: The Future of Business Technology

It’s pretty difficult to deny that technology is the future. Innovations and inventions hit the market nearly every day, and while a lot of them have little if any use for you, and many don’t even have a future in the marketplace, the trend to find new solutions to old problems via the use of technology is strong. Simplifying tasks, be they personal or business-related, is something that we as a species will continue to strive towards, so you as a student should do your best to keep up with the trends!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain the impact that technology has on business

• Assess innovative technological ideas as prospective solutions to business problems

• Compare a variety of software tools used to create efficient resolutions in business

• Practice safe, responsible, and appropriate use of social media sites

Discover the fundamental knowledge that will help you pursue a business career, as well as always generate interest and buzz around the products and services offered. Explore different types of businesses and ownership forms, the impact of governments on business, and the marketing of goods and services. Learn about globalization, free trade, and various economic systems, as well as the impact of technology on business, business ethics, and social responsibility.

Unit 1: Fundamentals of Business

Did you know that more than 98 percent of businesses are classified as small businesses with less than 100 employees? Of course, the most successful of these business owners are those who understand the role of business in our society, clearly define the goals of their new enterprise, and create a solid strategy for long-term success. Just as an architect creates a blueprint before construction begins, the thoughtful business owner will create management and operational blueprints that position the new business to thrive in our competitive economy. Whether the business is a sole proprietorship or a large multinational corporation with thousands of employees, success depends on a solid foundation capable of withstanding economic challenges and competition that can shift with agility to get ahead of changing consumer behavior. Soon, you too will be prepared to recognize the importance of knowing what to expect before your grand opening!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify the role of business in society

• Explain the different types of businesses

• Differentiate among types of business ownership

• Compare organizational and structural functions of business

Unit 2: Classifications and Types of Business

Have you ever thought about how a bag of chips gets to your local grocery store? Or where the potato chip factory gets the potatoes or the bag? Or who delivers the chips to the store? It takes a surprising number of businesses to create everyday products and many services to get them to your door. Fortunately, the United States supports an economic climate that is very favorable for businesses and that benefits the economy. Whether providing goods or services, this country depends on entrepreneurs to provide an endless variety of businesses to keep the economy strong.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Classify types of businesses that market goods and services

• Identify types of retailers and suppliers

• Explain the significance of free enterprise

• Describe the role of wholesalers

Unit 3: Economics of Business Part I

How does a business know how much to charge for a product or service? There are a lot of elements that need to be considered when determining pricing. In a tightly controlled economic system, the government sets all prices. In others, retail business owners have to figure it out for themselves. In this case, there is a lot to consider, like how much the manufacturer charged the retail store for the product, the cost of shipping and packaging the product, and the gradual costs associated with keeping the product in their inventory until it is sold to the consumer. Still, factoring in all of the variables does not guarantee success; market and consumer demand are always changing. It is really important to understand how all the various factors impact each other and how to keep the price just right.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe the concept of economies and economic systems

• Differentiate among economic systems

• Explain the principles of supply and demand

• Identify the function of prices in the market

Unit 4: Economics of Business Part II

Titus Maccius Plautus, a Roman philosopher, is generally credited with making the statement “you have to spend money to make money” more than 2,000 years ago. No matter how self-starting and motivated you are, all businesses will have expenses. While the future success of a financial venture is not perfectly predictable, proper planning can help minimize potential losses and errors. You need to understand the different kinds of expenses, not to mention how and why they vary. Part of spending or investing money wisely is also making sure that you have the best people managing those businesses and investments. Savvy business owners will know how to attract top workers with both good wages and solid benefits. Happy, productive employees should be everybody’s goal!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Discuss factors impacting business profit, revenue, and expenses

• Explain elements that impact profit

• Analyze the benefits of specialization of labor

• Demonstrate the benefits of division of labor

Unit 5: The Role of Ethics in Business

Warren Buffett, one of the most successful business leaders and investors in the United States once said, “in looking for people to hire, you look for three qualities: integrity, intelligence, and energy. And if you don’t have the first, the other two will kill you.” In short, he is expressing the widely-held understanding that a positive and ethical environment is essential to any successful business. Ethics in business may include everything from having clearly defined expectations for behavior, to keeping clear lines of communication, and building a sense of doing what is best for your employer and colleagues. This sense of responsibility also extends to the greater community in which the company operates; this is where sustainability comes in. When businesses think about how they can benefit the environment, their employees, and the customers, we all benefit.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Define and distinguish ethical practices in business

• Recognize and respond to ethical dilemmas

• Compare and contrast moral and legal issues in the workplace

• Analyze the benefits of sustainable practices

Unit 6: Global Impact on Business

International trade has a deep history dating back to the Silk Road in 130 BC. Today, trade with foreign nations is often a source of concern in the United States. Following the end of World War II, the United States took the lead in developing international trading policies and today has trading agreements with nearly one-third of all nations on the planet. Though much of the discussion in Washington, D.C., focuses on fears that a deficit—importing more goods and services than we export—costs American jobs and threatens our economy, that is not a completely accurate assessment. As sixth-century English poet John Donne wrote, “No man is an island.” The importance of global trade and our relations with other nations today only underscores this belief.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Debate and evaluate the importance of international trade to the US economy

• Critique the role of business in a global society

• Compare domestic and world trade

• Analyze the impact of imports and exports on the US economy

• Critique the benefits and drawbacks of protectionism including tariffs

Unit 7: The Role of Government

Can businesses in a free market do whatever they want? Not quite. There are many ways businesses are limited by local, state, and federal regulations, even in nations that are very supportive of business. There is a constant debate about the need for any regulation in a free market economy among legislators, government regulators, business owners, and consumers. Many responsible for building and protecting a strong economy will argue that some level of regulation is necessary to protect that free market economy driven by supply and demand. Other equally knowledgeable people will argue that left to function as a true free market, consumer decisions will drive a steady and sturdy economy. Whether business owners support or decry regulation, running a responsible business is not just about following the laws. It also requires recognizing and preparing for risks, which are part of running any business.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Determine the relationship between government and business

• Differentiate among the roles of government in business

• Articulate the role of organized labor

• Analyze different types of risk

Unit 8: Data and its Growing Importance on Business

Technology and business go hand in hand. Both are evolving to better serve consumers, but this also adds additional responsibilities for businesses, which are now responsible for keeping their client’s information safe online. Technology and the internet also change the ways that businesses and consumers interact; companies can learn a lot about their customers by examining consumer behavior online. Similarly, there is a lot that data can tell businesses about their internal workings and how to streamline processes. It all depends on using technology well.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Evaluate and critique information literacy skills implemented to improve productivity in the workplace

• Identify the ways technology impacts business

• Discuss the significance of data mining for businesses

• Articulate appropriate security and privacy practices in business

Take your knowledge of business basics, finance, and marketing to the next level. Learn how to create a marketing strategy that promotes and attracts customers to sell a product or service. Explore important basics of business finance, including accounting, budgeting, and investing. Learn what careers are available in business and the important employability skills you’ll need to ace the interview and land the job!

Unit 1: Marketing

All businesses need to consider the customer experience, and marketing puts this thought into action. It is all about drawing customers in and keeping them loyal to the business. Since products exist to fill needs, marketing helps business owners figure out which customers are best served by their products. Then it lets the public know what it has to offer. But marketing is also anticipating needs and understanding how customers make decisions. Good marketing can boost business, so even small businesses can benefit from a little marketing savvy.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Illustrate the function of marketing

• Discuss the importance of marketing in the global economy

• Demonstrate the relationships between marketing and other elements of business

• Explain the meaning and significance of the marketing concept

Unit 2: Market Segmentation

Reaching the right consumers is an important part of marketing, but how does a business know who they are? That’s where market research comes in. There are many ways to divide the population into those who are likely to buy a business’s product and those who are not. Or maybe it is a product that almost everyone needs, so mass marketing is the way to go. Regardless, once a business understands exactly which customers it is trying to attract, it can target the right people and spend its marketing dollars wisely.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Recognize elements of marketing

• Identify and analyze target markets

• Differentiate between targeted and mass marketing

• Compare methods of defining target markets

Unit 3: The Marketing Mix

Marketing does not do businesses much good until it reaches the public, and that is where strategy comes in. Once a target market is identified, the next step is to bring these customers to the business’s door or website. This takes thoroughly understanding the product, considering the right promotion, knowing how to get the product to the customer, and finding the price that maximizes profit. These steps are the 4Ps of marketing and what it takes to get the message out to the public – ready to dive in?

What will you learn in this unit?

• Create an effective marketing mix

• Identify effective marketing strategies

• Discuss the 4Ps of marketing and their components

• Differentiate between marketing goods and services

Unit 4: Principles of Money

When it comes to finances, businesses need to know the basics. After all, everything from the types of payments a company accepts to how transactions are structured will impact the bottom line. But there are also many external factors, such as interest rates and lending laws, that shape how businesses can obtain and extend credit. Not only do they need to comply, but understanding different ways to access credit can help a business choose the method that best meets its needs.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify types of currency

• Evaluate forms of financial exchange

• Discuss the importance of credit

• Identify appropriate circumstances for using credit

• Recognize the legal obligations associated with financial exchange

Unit 5: Basic Financial Management

Businesses are not the only ones who need to manage their money! Individuals also need some financial savvy to make sure that their money is properly managed. Even something as basic as a paycheck contains valuable information to help you understand where your dollars are going and how much you are paying in taxes. But don’t worry, together we can break this down, learn how to create a budget, and keep your finances on track!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain income

• Interpret a pay stub

• Prepare a basic tax return

• Compare different banking services

• Develop a personal budget

Unit 6: Business Finance

Keeping track of finances is one of the most important tasks of all business owners. Not only do businesses need to stay profitable, but they also need to be able to anticipate their financial futures. That is where accounting comes in. Being able to read a few basic reports reveals a lot about where a business is financially. Many businesses will also have investments, and these can be a great way to bring in additional revenue and secure a solid financial future.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain the role of finance in business

• Articulate the concept of accounting

• Analyze balance sheets and income statements

• Differentiate among types of investments

• Determine how to find the right financial advisor

Unit 7: Basics of Finance

Getting a job is an important step in building a career, but what does it take to land one? Being professional begins well before your first day of work. There are opportunities throughout the application process to demonstrate the skills that employers are looking for and ways to build them before you hit the job market. Communicating effectively and working well with others are among the top skills that employers want to see, and now is a great time to practice them!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Recognize and demonstrate professional behavior

• Articulate and follow company policies

• Collaborate effectively to accomplish a task

• Demonstrate time management skills

Unit 8: Business Careers

Thinking about your career can be daunting. Fortunately, business, finance, and marketing present a lot of options. No matter what your skills and interests are, there is probably a career to match! And, since one of the keys to a successful career is having a plan, now is a good place to start thinking and considering your many options. Of course, there are many resources to help you explore careers, and once you know what your goals are, the path becomes much clearer.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explore the skills and experiences that benefit entrepreneurship

• Evaluate different jobs in business, finance, and marketing

• Assess personal job skills

• Develop a career plan

• Set SMART goals

Businesses worldwide and across every industry are always on the lookout for highly skilled administrative professionals to help their businesses be successful and thrive. Explore what it means to have effective verbal and written communication, speaking, and listening skills to work with diverse people and teams. Then dive into learning how to leverage various technology and software businesses use to stay connected and productive.

Unit 1: Starting Out

The possibilities for your future have no limits, only those you set for yourself. Businesses across the globe need well-prepared individuals who are equipped with the knowledge, skills, and experience to help businesses be successful and thrive. That’s why millions of people today are choosing to work as administrative professionals, and you can too. Why not choose a career that’s rich in history and allows you the opportunity to give your time and attention to work that is important and makes a difference?

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain the role of the administrative professional.

• Identify common roles for administrative professionals.

• Compare different industry and business structures.

• Describe ways to present yourself professionally in the workplace.

Unit 2: Developing Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are the skills you use every day to interact and connect with others. Give your interpersonal skills a boost by raising your awareness of ethics, diverse cultures, office politics, and working with your manager. Administrative professionals who are more keenly aware of who they are communicating with will have greater success for effective communication in the workplace and everyday life. Let’s get started!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe ethical terms related to business.

• Recognize individual differences in the workplace.

• Define office politics.

• Identify ways to build an effective partnership with your manager.

Unit 3: Speaking and Listening

The ability to communicate effectively plays an important role in our daily lives. What you say and how you say it makes an impression on people. You cannot simply press an undo or delete button when you say something, whether intentionally or unintentionally inappropriate. With more businesses expanding across the globe, your success in the workplace will depend on your ability to listen to and understand others.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe the importance of effective communication in the workplace.

• Define and describe active listening skills.

• Discuss the importance of body language when communicating.

• Identify ways to speak with confidence.

Unit 4: Working the Frontline

Working the frontline as an administrative professional will be one of the most impactful positions you will hold within a business or company. This highly desired career choice for millions across the globe offers the opportunity throughout the workday to interact with others, perform a variety of administrative tasks, and be a brand ambassador for the company and the executives and managers you support. If you enjoy delivering exceptional customer service with a smile, consider a position on the frontline. Companies need you to make a positive lasting impression on their visitors and customers.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Discover ways to handle and greet visitors and customers

• Explain strategies for effective telephone communication

• Describe appointment management

• Identify ways to handle inbound and outbound mail

Unit 5: Writing in Business

Writing skills are one of the many must-have skills of an administrative professional. How would you rate your writing skills? In any given workday, administrative professionals create, edit, and format several important types of written correspondence, such as letters, emails, reports, memos, and many others. So, let’s take a peek into what’s needed for writing in business.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe the different ways to research and gather information

• Discover the importance of using good Business English

• Prepare effective written business correspondence

• Identify additional details for finalizing written correspondence

Unit 6: Technology Basics

As the technology landscape continues to evolve and change, businesses and organizations can expect to incorporate new technologies regularly. While there is no crystal ball to look into the future of work, administrative professionals can expect that many of their daily activities will remain connected to a variety of technologies. It’s an exciting time to be an administrative professional because you’ll have a chance to incorporate and test the latest technology for your workplace. Let’s get a glimpse of how administrative professionals interact with technology in their day-to-day work.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explore how administrative professionals use technology

• Identify the basic functions and uses of computers and digital devices

• Differentiate between pieces of office equipment

• Explain the different tools available for remote work

Unit 7: Software Applications

Are you looking for a way to increase your productivity and marketability as an administrative professional? Become proficient in utilizing a variety of software applications to get the work done. Administrative professionals who are technology savvy will be more valuable to employers and better positioned to ask for higher salaries—and who doesn’t want to get paid more? Discover how administrative professionals use email, word processing, PDF readers, and spreadsheet software to move daily business forward.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify best practices for managing email

• Understand how word processing software is used in the workplace

• Discover how administrative professionals use PDF readers

• Describe how spreadsheet software is used in the workplace

Unit 8: Getting the Job

The possibilities and opportunities for employment available to you today are exciting and endless. What are you aiming for? Make the job search process work for you! This unit will share insights to help you search online for a job, prepare a cover letter, write a résumé, and prepare for a job interview. So, be informed, invest your time, and be patient. Your future is bright, so you might want to grab those shades.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify sources to gather job information

• Prepare a cover letter

• Create and revise a résumé

• Develop job interview skills

You have learned some of the skills that an administrative professional must possess, but now it’s time to take those skills to the next level! You will explore the responsibilities of an administrative professional to understand what a typical workday looks like and even what goes into searching for an administrative professional role: searching, applying, and (the most exciting part!) securing. Do you love the idea of being the glue in a successful business, helping everything run smoothly and properly? Then let’s continue your journey into the career of an administrative professional.

Unit 1: It’s All About You: Managing Yourself and Your Workplace

Now is a good time to gain a full understanding of the importance of prioritizing and getting organized so you can be ready to succeed in and outside of the workplace. This unit is designed to help administrative professionals work out the complexities of understanding your job and learn how to make the most use of your time by determining and prioritizing tasks and implementing strategies to ensure you take care of your greatest asset—you. We’ll also dive into self-awareness so you can discover and learn techniques to help you be your best self.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Familiarize yourself with job expectations

• Understand workplace dynamics

• Develop ways to manage and balance job responsibilities

• Learn strategies for better time management

• Acquire a knowledge of stress management

• Identify ways to recognize work-life balance

Unit 2: In Your Cubicle: The Office Space

Your workspace tells a story. Whether your employer assigns you an office or a cubicle—or you work remotely from home—your workspace communicates a message about you and affects how you work and feel. This unit will explore what you should consider when setting up your office space. So, get ready to take a journey of learning what you need to set yourself up for success and to ensure you are productive, organized, and comfortable throughout your workday.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Learn the principles of ergonomics

• Explore office design layouts and adjustments

• Manage and organize supplies and equipment

• Maintain office equipment

• Understand remote office benefits and constraints

Unit 3: Where Did My File Go? Managing Information

Managing information is a primary and important responsibility for administrative professionals. Every administrative professional should ensure that every piece of paper is safely stored, and that doesn’t mean sitting in a large pile on your desk. It’s also important that every electronic file be accessible quickly and easily. So, get ready to learn the importance of security, procedures, storage, filing systems, and databases as it relates to effective records management principles.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify security issues and solutions to protect information

• Understand company procedures and their importance

• Learn multiple ways to store files

• Describe different filing systems to manage information

• Define a database and its use

Unit 4: Keeping Up with the Money

To understand money, it’s important to understand math. This unit will introduce you to some of the most widely used financial and accounting basics used in business to manage money. Why is this important to your role as an administrative professional? Many administrative professionals have responsibilities for executing or managing money transactions. Therefore, you must learn to be smart with money.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Utilize basic math computations

• Assess basic financial and banking procedures

• Demonstrate an understanding of payroll processing

• Describe the importance of budgeting, purchasing, and auditing principles

• Explain accounting terminology

Unit 5: Arranging Travel, Meetings, and Conferences

Companies will oftentimes send their executives and managers to meetings and conferences all across the world. Planning the travel and meeting logistics, however, is not always a walk in the park. It can be complicated and time-consuming. This unit is designed to introduce you to the important role administrative professionals play in planning, coordinating, and booking arrangements to ensure travel, meetings, and conferences are handled with care.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Research and select appropriate travel accommodations

• Plan and organize travel arrangements

• Coordinate and schedule office meetings

• Schedule and manage conference logistics

• Prepare for your meeting, conference, and webinar attendance

Unit 6: Creating Presentations

As an administrative professional, you will have opportunities to work with executives, managers, and other employees to design and create engaging presentations using a variety of software applications. These presentations will carry important messages to be communicated to several audiences within different business settings. Seek to do great work by helping to make these presentations memorable! To begin this endeavor you will gather information, prepare handouts, and master the technology to ensure the presentation is well organized and professionally put together.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Compare the different types of presentations and software applications

• Evaluate organization and responsibilities when creating a presentation

• Design, edit, and proofread a presentation

• Prepare handouts and visuals to complement a presentation

• Identify and explore desktop publishing software applications used to create newsletters, announcements, and brochures

Unit 7: Business Policies and People Management

Work can be energizing and exciting. Yet, to be successful, you also want to observe and adopt an organization’s cultural norms, policies, and procedures. This unit will help you to understand the employer and employee responsibilities for creating and sustaining a positive, healthy, and safe work environment. You will also be introduced to the role that Human Resources plays in supporting you in your career as an administrative professional.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify the components of workplace culture

• Assess the norms in a healthy work environment

• Implement workplace safety and security protocols

• Reorganize and balance ineffective work schedules and workloads

• Evaluate Human Resources’ role in the workplace

Unit 8: Be A Rockstar Administrative Professional

This unit is designed to help prepare you to chart your career path and self-development so you can be a rockstar administrative professional. Begin with a strategy in mind and then start to research the attributes, knowledge, skills, education, certifications, and experience employers expect administrative professionals to acquire. Throughout your working career, administrative professionals can serve in key leadership positions. Therefore, it’s critical to be prepared with strong critical thinking and decision-making skills to ensure you can navigate your career with confidence.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Apply critical thinking skills in the workplace

• Troubleshoot decision-making strategies to find the best solution

• Use different career advancement techniques

• Develop ethical and leadership behaviors

• Resign from a job

No matter what career you’re planning to pursue, excellent professional communication will be key to your success. Upgrade your abilities in speaking, listening, writing, using and reading body language, and communicating in teams and groups. Discover how to plan, create, and deliver business presentations and communicate through graphics. In no time, you’ll communicate with confidence, stand out from your peers, and impress your employer.

Unit 1: Communicating Professionally in Today’s Workplace

Just as we need water and air to support all life on Earth, communication—in various forms—is essential to support the activities of every business or not-for-profit organization. Workplace communication is what enables work to get done. In today’s work environment, where many teams are now functioning virtually, communication often happens via various channels, sometimes at the same time. To succeed in the world of work, you’ll need to master not just speaking and writing but also the use of an ever-increasing number of digital tools. As communication becomes more and more complex, it’s also becoming increasingly important to consider the ethical implications of the way you share ideas and information with others.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain communication as a process

• Recognize barriers to effective communication

• Describe ethical considerations in workplace communication

• Identify ways to develop your business communication skills

Unit 2: Use Your Ears and Eyes to Tune In

When we think of communication, we tend to focus on the sending side: what we want to say and how we’ll convey our meaning to our listeners or readers. We often overlook the role of our audience in interpreting and therefore shaping that meaning.

But the audience’s part in the communication process is just as important as the sender’s. The key to successful business communication is to tune in to your audience as closely as you can so you can adapt your message to their interests and level of understanding. In live conversation, active listening enables you to screen out distractions so you can hear what your audience is truly saying, through both their words and the way they use their voice. In addition, paying close attention to body language gives you additional insight into what your audience is thinking and feeling, even if they’re not putting all their thoughts and feelings into words.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Define active listening

• Overcome barriers to active listening

• Interpret the body language of other people

• Use positive body language to build confidence and trust

Unit 3: Speaking Like a Professional

Imagine you’ve just been hired as the summer intern for a local start-up. It’s your first day on the job, and as you walk into the office, with its neon-green walls and exposed ductwork, you wonder: How will I greet my boss? That’s an important question to ponder because conversation in the workplace follows certain norms (standards) that don’t necessarily apply outside a professional context. Every workplace is different, but every workplace is also a professional space, where certain standards of behavior are expected. Part of mastering the art of business communication is learning to adapt to those standards. They affect all spoken communication, from informal conversations with colleagues to team meetings and formal presentations.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Adapt your speech to your audience

• Describe the dynamics of a productive business conversation

• Use specific techniques to enhance your speaking

• Participate in typical business conversations

• Follow professional telephone etiquette

Unit 4: Communicating in Groups and Teams

The world of work depends on teamwork. Even when people perform activities that seem to be solitary, such as writing or data entry, those activities form part of a team agenda. That means one of your most important skills in the workplace will be your ability to collaborate, and a core part of collaboration is communication. Great team players understand team dynamics—the way team members serve different roles and interact with one another. They also experiment with emerging collaboration technologies, embrace diverse perspectives, and practice problem-solving and innovative thinking.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify roles and interaction patterns in healthy teams

• Describe different communication channels for team collaboration

• Recognize the advantages and challenges of working with diverse teams

• Practice problem-solving and innovative thinking as part of a team

Unit 5: Digital Exchanges

Much of the “conversation” that occurs in the run of a business day happens through written communication rather than the spoken word. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic that started in the spring of 2020, phone calls and hallway conversations were moving into email and instant messaging. Now that so much of business is conducted in a virtual space, these text-based communication tools are becoming even more important. Fortunately, many of the great speaking skills you’ve started to develop transfer easily into the digital realm. The key is to recognize how different media and technology tools affect messages so you can make smart, ethical communication choices.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Compare and contrast different media used in digital exchanges

• Identify appropriate media to use in different situations

• Discuss the use of social media for business messaging and brand awareness

• Describe best practices for communicating via social media

• Recognize ethical considerations of digital communication

Unit 6: Planning Business Presentations

Spoken communication makes business happen through many informal kinds of conversation—face-to-face discussions, meetings in person or over the web, phone calls, emails, and other kinds of digital exchanges. Many business situations also involve some type of oral presentation, which is an opportunity for an individual or team to convey ideas and information in a formal, structured way. In most contexts, a business audience now expects that a presentation will include some kind of a slideshow. This complex form of verbal and visual communication tends to require a lot of preparation, often including various forms of research.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify the audience, purpose, topic, and form for your presentation

• Describe best practices for creating and delivering different kinds of online presentations

• Conduct and document research for an oral presentation

• Develop a three-part structure for a presentation

Unit 7: Creating Awesome Slide Decks

Fifty years ago, any young person entering the workforce was expected to know how to write a formal business letter and format it according to the conventions of the day. Now, business letters have become rare documents (unless your job involves a lot of work relating to contracts or other legal matters), and employers have a whole new set of expectations concerning communication. They’ll assume you know how to use a suite of electronic communication tools, including slide presentation software. To craft compelling slide decks, you must learn to think like a graphic designer so that you present your ideas and information through visuals as well as words.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Create an outline for a slide deck using storyboarding

• Explain what data visualization is and its role in business communication

• Apply basic principles of visual design to slides

• Enhance slide presentations by incorporating advanced features, such as multimedia elements

Unit 8: Delivering a Presentation

Delivering a business presentation requires you to draw on a range of communication skills. Like an actor on the stage or a politician at the podium, you’re delivering prepared content with artistic effect. But there’s much more to giving a presentation than speaking. In the business context, “presenting” also includes interacting with the audience. Depending on the situation, that might mean engaging with the audience throughout the presentation or asking questions at the end. Either way, becoming an effective business presenter involves practicing various interpersonal skills, such as active listening, nonverbal communication, and conversation.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Complete the mental and technical preparation necessary to deliver a presentation

• Engage a live audience by appealing to their emotions and using an interesting presentation style

• Deliver compelling online presentations

• Present yourself effectively to an interview audience

You’ve learned your audience, found your voice, and can read the body’s unspoken words. Now, it’s time to limber up those fingers and learn the P’s and Q’s of communicating in a business setting. In this course, you’re going to take the basic writing skills you’ve developed and revise them so you can take new approaches to planning, building, and distributing documents for a business audience. You’ll continue to explore the essentials of writing while drafting new understandings of business documents, and then you’ll learn to apply your business communication skills to job applications, interviews, and presentations. No matter your career of choice, learning to effectively communicate will help your professionalism grow by leaps and bounds. Let’s get writing!

Unit 1: Writing in the Business World

Through your school assignments, you’ve already developed a solid base in written communication. Just think of all the different kinds of writing you’ve done. You’ve probably had experience creating such documents as research reports, book reports, lab reports, poster presentations, and essays. Through your extracurricular activities, you may also have created marketing communication products such as flyers, brochures, posters, and social media posts. Now you’ll take your skills to the next level by mastering the art of writing in a business context, where you must orient everything you produce to your audience and your goals. Writing in the business world also requires you to use various communication channels, adapt to emerging technologies, and write as part of a team.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify different kinds of business audiences

• Choose the best writing form to suit the communication task

• Recognize different communication channels

• Convey a professional image through your writing style and habits

• Adopt collaborative writing practices that make you a team player

Unit 2: Research Strategies

You might think that the need for research dwindles once you graduate and leave the school library behind. However, research fuels many business activities. Various kinds of research enable businesses to build knowledge in specific areas and make informed decisions. Consequently, research forms the foundation of various kinds of business writing, such as reports, blogs, and business plans. Sharpening your ability to locate relevant information, share it with others, and document it will allow you to contribute to some of the most significant kinds of business communication.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe the different kinds of research and sources used in business

• Conduct targeted internet searches for high-quality information

• Express information from research sources in your own words

• Create research sources using a specific citation style, such as that prescribed by the Modern Language Association

Unit 3: Building Blocks of Effective Documents

Because business readers are so pressed for time, workplace documents must present information and ideas as concisely and clearly as possible. Clarity comes not just from the quality of ideas and the way they’re expressed but also from the way the writer arranges their thoughts. An effective business document follows a logical structure—it lays out content in a way that’s easy for readers to navigate and enables them to understand how sections, paragraphs, and sentences relate to each other. When a business document makes recommendations, it does so by presenting a compelling argument backed up by credible evidence.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Distinguish how the structure of business writing compares with the structure of academic writing

• Create a clear key message and document structure

• Use different organizational patterns to suit different purposes and audiences

• Craft a strong logical argument

Unit 4: Mastering the Writing Process

One of the first writing lessons you’ll learn on the job is that writing is an iterative process. It usually involves repeating several steps, sometimes more than once. In the workplace, documents often go through multiple drafts before they’re ready to be distributed to their intended audience. One of the keys to your success, then, will be mastering the different phases of the writing process, some of which happen before you even pick up a pen or sit down at a keyboard. You’ll also need to manage your time to accommodate all the stages of writing, from generating ideas through to final polishing.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Implement prewriting activities to generate ideas and plan your approach to a writing task

• Illustrate satisficing and freewriting to rapidly produce first drafts

• Incorporate visual design into your writing process

• Revise your writing

Unit 5: Crafting Different Business Genres

In school, writing takes a limited number of predictable forms. In an English class, you can expect to write essays and book reports, and in a science class, you’ll likely write lab reports. In the business world, however, the kinds of writing you’ll be called upon to create will include types of documents and messages you may never even have heard of before. To make things even more complicated, the kinds and forms of writing can vary from organization to organization. To succeed as a business writer, you must learn to recognize and reproduce the various forms of writing you encounter, using advanced features of word processing software.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Recognize common forms of workplace writing

• Use and adapt writing templates

• Format documents using word processing software

• Share documents to facilitate tracking and reviewing

Unit 6: Avoiding Grammar Glitches

Many people think of grammar as a collection of “rules,” the dos and don’ts we must obey to write correctly. However, an accurate definition is much broader than that. Grammar consists of the customs and principles that shape language use. These aren’t rules so much as conventions—habits of socially acceptable writing that can vary from one generation to another and one culture to another. Mastering these conventions requires learning the functions of different kinds of words and the ways they work together to express ideas.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe the range of writing conventions you’ll be expected to follow in the workplace

• Identify the functions of different kinds of words (parts of speech)

• Recognize common grammatical issues that can interfere with clarity

• Edit your writing to avoid grammatical issues

Unit 7: Proper Punctuation and Mechanics

When you talk, you help others understand what you’re saying by inserting pauses and changing the pitch of your voice. When you write, punctuation plays a similar guiding function. Using punctuation marks correctly is part of complying with the mechanics of writing—conventions beyond grammar that ensure your meaning gets understood. Other examples of writing mechanics include spelling, capitalization, quotation marks, apostrophes, and the use of numerals. Understanding and applying the conventions of writing mechanics is essential to clear and polished business communication.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Create four different sentence structures: simple, compound, complex, and compound-complex

• Apply the punctuation conventions of Standard American English

• Use capitalization properly

• Follow conventions of spelling, such as apostrophes, quotation marks, and numbers

Unit 8: Selling Yourself Through Resumes and Cover Letters

Looking for work is a sales job. It requires you to research job opportunities and pitch yourself to potential employers through two specific forms of business writing: resumes and cover letters. In addition, you may also want to compile a portfolio demonstrating your skills, strengths, and experience. This could be as simple as a binder of documents, or it could be an electronic portfolio created as a website or on an online platform. When you take the time to craft job search materials that genuinely reflect who you are and speak to employer needs, your applications attract attention, even when the job market is crowded.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Conduct a job search using various approaches

• Create a professional resume showcasing your skills and experience

• Write a persuasive cover letter tailored to the employer

• Prepare a professional electronic portfolio

Are you an artistic person drawn to the idea of creating graphic elements? Then a career in digital design may be for you! In this course, you will learn the basic principles of design, the tools needed to succeed in the industry, and how to design objects for specific purposes and audiences. You’ll also learn how to market yourself and open your own design business all while building a portfolio. Let’s align your skills and dreams today for a career in digital design!

Unit 1: What Is Graphic Design?

Humans have always communicated with visuals. Today, our world is filled with visual communications crafted by graphic designers who plan, arrange, and create the visual elements in pages and screens. The purpose of the graphic designer is to design objects that are easy to use, appealing, and effective for their specific purpose and audience. Graphic design is constantly changing to keep up with new technologies and communication methods, so career opportunities in this field will continue to increase. Even if you don’t want to become a full-time designer, it’s important to understand basic design principles because our daily lives are saturated with communications that have designs on us.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Define graphic design and describe how it has developed as a field

• Outline how technology shapes the field of graphic design

• Explain why graphic design is inseparable from its cultural environment

Unit 2: Careers in Graphic Design

Because graphic design is all around us, there is also a significant job market for talented graphic artists. One of the most exciting aspects of a career in graphic design is the number of different paths or specialties, you can choose from. No matter which path you take, your work will entail finding ways to apply design principles to an object, whether that object exists in the physical world or is a digital object made of 0s and 1s. If you’re interested in a career that includes graphic design, you can start now by learning about the different jobs you might be interested in and participating in student organizations that will put you a step ahead of the competition.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Categorize several types of graphic design careers

• Identify the skills, education, and experience necessary for graphic design careers

• Explain how student professional organizations can help you prepare for design careers

Unit 3: Skills for Success

Graphic designers are experts at using several graphics-based software platforms. But they also need a solid understanding of foundational computer terms, file management skills, and extensive knowledge about how digital images are described and measured. Knowing the best practices for written communication, especially when it comes to working with clients, is also essential.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Define foundational computer-related terms

• Describe methods for the effective naming and organization of files

• Articulate foundational concepts for creating, storing, and distributing digital images and text files

• Explain best practices for professional written communication skills

Unit 4: Finding the Right Tools

The work of graphic designers and artists changed drastically in the early 1990s when digital software for creating and manipulating images and photos became available. In today’s market, graphic design is always a computer-based skill: you can’t get work without expertise in the industry-standard software platforms. No matter what type of design you’re creating, there is a specialized software platform (probably several) to make the job easier. Although some of the industry-standard platforms are too complex and pricey for a beginner, there are several open-source and free options you can use to learn the basics.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe the difference between raster- and vector-based software and how raster-based software is used in graphic design

• Explain how vector-based software platforms are used in graphic design and digital publishing

• Identify industry-standard UX/UI design software and its functionality for creating interface designs

Unit 5: Graphic Design Basics

The twenty-first century is an image-saturated time to be alive. Visual communication is everywhere around us: in the posts we scroll through on social media, in the websites we visit each day, in the billboard advertisements we glance at as we drive down the highway, in magazines as we flip through the pages, and in the video games we play. Graphic designers are involved in the creation of all these communication types. In this unit, you’ll learn about the basic building blocks in an image and the principles designers use to create effective visual communication. Understanding these foundational concepts is an important first step toward creating great designs of your own.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Define the elements of design (line, space, shape, texture, form, value, and color)

• Identify and apply the principles of design (emphasis, movement, balance, variety, rule of thirds)

• Articulate the elements of an effective design portfolio and apply the principles of design to create one

Unit 6: Print Design

Although some designers are generalists, able to create both print and online designs, most graphic designers specialize in either online design that will be viewed on screens, or print design that will be physically printed on paper, plastic, textiles, or some other printable material. Print and online designers use the same basic elements and principles of design to create appealing layouts. However, because their designs must go through the extra phase of being printed, and because their designs are sometimes hundreds of pages long, print designers must learn an additional set of skills.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe the work of print designers and apply the principles of effective design to various print layouts

• Identify the elements of document design and describe how to use them effectively

• Explain the various printing processes used for commercial print jobs

Unit 7: The Art of Typography

Typography is using the style, arrangement, and appearance of letters to effectively communicate a message. If you learn to use typography well, it will structure your designs and help to create a brand or mood. Because typography has a long history and its terminology comes from that history, it’s important to understand the evolution of typeface from letters chiseled in stone to words read on a smartphone screen. Once you’ve learned the basic typeface styles and their characteristics, you can use the principles of design to create effective, readable, and pleasing designs.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Demonstrate knowledge of typographic terminology and the anatomy of letters

• Describe the history, classification, characteristics, and psychology of the serif and sans serif typeface families

• Apply design principles to typography

Unit 8: Understanding Color

Humans’ primary sense, the one we use the most to take in and interpret our world, is sight. We can distinguish about 10 million colors, and colors are often associated with moods, feelings, and emotions. For a graphic designer, this means color is one of the most powerful methods for creating visual distinctions and interest in a design. Color theory is a considerably involved subject, but having a good understanding of some basic principles can help you design with impact and elegance.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Define the characteristics of color and how we perceive it

• Explain color theory and apply color harmonies to create effective designs

• Identify the most often used color formats, explain how they differ, and choose the appropriate format for your design context

Are you ready to dig deeper and discover more about the world of digital design? In this course, you will continue building the foundational skills necessary to become a successful graphic designer. You will learn and apply effective communication and people skills, explore and implement the design process, create images, properly use equipment, and evaluate and market your own designs. By the end of the course, you’ll better be able to decide if a career in digital design is for you… and if the answer is yes, you’ll be well on your way to designing a bright future!

Unit 1: Effective Communication Skills

For a graphic designer, as in all professional careers, an ability to communicate with others is a crucial skill. Graphic designers begin each project by listening to and conversing with colleagues, supervisors, and clients to determine the specifications for the designs they’ll be creating. During production, they regularly communicate with clients and coworkers to make sure the project is on track and delivering according to plan. In order to communicate effectively, graphic designers should practice active listening, have a learning mindset during conversations, and know how to ask the right kinds of questions. In addition, it’s important to understand cultural differences in communication practices and to use critical thinking to work with the team to solve any problems and challenges that surface.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Define and practice the stages of active listening

• Describe the mindset necessary to be an effective oral communicator

• Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to business communications

Unit 2: The Design Process

Effective graphic design projects aren’t created in a day—they require planning and a process. The bigger the project, the more important the process becomes, often with project managers who make sure everyone on the team knows their responsibilities, deadlines, and budgets. Even if you’re working on a small project and you’re the only team member, it’s still advisable to organize your design development process to include pre-production, production, and post-production activities.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe how project management skills are employed in the planning stage of a design project

• Apply appropriate production practices based on the output of a design project

• Demonstrate evaluation skills during the post-production phase of a design project

Unit 3: Using Images

Sometimes every element in a design is something original that you created, but other times you will need to incorporate digital images, photographs, animation, or video that was created by someone else. When using “found” images and other digital elements, it’s important to understand the ethics of intellectual property so you don’t misuse someone’s work unethically or illegally. It’s also important to understand file types and formats so that you can be sure to import the best one for the design you’re creating. Once you’ve found an image or an element to add to your design, you can use graphics software to revise it and then export it for distribution.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Demonstrate an understanding of the basic image file formats and how to use them in graphic design

• Explain the ethical and legal issues related to the use of intellectual property

• Describe how to import, revise, and incorporate digital images into a graphic design and then export them in an appropriate format for distribution

Unit 4: Creating Images

Along with using found images, graphic designers also create and revise their own digital images, combine images, and become expert at using graphics software to revise and manipulate several types of image formats. They use the principles of composition to create effective images with a clear purpose that guide viewers’ eyes and tell a story, and then further enhance the images using raster or vector graphics software. Software has also made it possible for designers to easily animate designs that will be distributed online.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Design and conduct a photoshoot to create raster images and edit them using graphics software

• Use vector-based software to design, create, and revise simple illustrations

• Explain the basic uses of animation in graphic design and create simple animation files

Unit 5: Effective People Skills

To manage a successful graphic design business, you’ll have to become an expert at working with design and also an expert at working with people. Depending on whether you’re running your own business, working within a design firm, or working in the marketing or design department of an organization, you’ll need to know something about how to maintain effective public relations, how to handle client relationships in a crisis situation, how to foster teamwork, how to handle conflict on a team, and how to enhance your leadership skills. You can’t do the graphic design business alone—it’s a group effort. In this unit, we’ll consider the many relationships you’ll foster and benefit from as a designer.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Understand the importance of public relations in the graphic design business, including effective crisis management

• Explain the necessity of team-building and conflict-management skills in the graphic design workplace

• Describe and practice mentoring and leadership skills

Unit 6: Using Equipment Effectively

As a graphic designer, the most important piece of equipment in your toolbox is you. That’s why it’s important to learn how to practice self-care, especially when it comes to how you work within your office or home workspace. You also need to take care of the computer and electronic equipment that allow you to do the work of graphic design. Sometimes you’ll be using highly specialized equipment like high-end, graphics-enabled computer setups or expensive cameras, lenses, filters, and lighting systems, and sometimes you’ll just be using your phone. You can learn the right mindset now about how to value and care for the tools of your trade.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Understand key ergonomic principles for working on a computer, including how to achieve neutral posture

• Properly care for and use computer and electronic equipment

• Troubleshoot and maintain your computer and electronic equipment

Unit 7: Creating a Safe Environment

It’s a wild world out there—you need a safe place in which to work. If you’re working for a company, they’re required by governmental laws and regulations to provide a safe workplace. If you’re working from home, it’s up to you to maintain safety standards and preparation. A safe environment is the result of preparation and planning for both physical and virtual safety. In the physical world, maintain safe work practices and always be prepared in case of emergencies. In the online world, cyber security can have a significant impact on both you and the company you work for.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Demonstrate an understanding of cyber safety and ethical online practices

• Describe and apply appropriate workplace safety practices

• Identify procedures to be followed in emergency situations

Unit 8: Marketing and Presenting Your Graphic Design Work

Whether you want to work on the team of a large design firm or you’d rather strike out on your own and work as a freelance designer, it’s important to apply the basic principles of marketing to your design career. There are three important ways to market and display your work to current and prospective clients: by maintaining a web presence design portfolio, marketing to make connections with users via social media, and giving live presentations with visual accompaniment. These marketing projects are just as important as the work you create as a designer because it doesn’t matter how great your work is or how advanced your skills are if no one knows about them. The good news is that you can start practicing how to market your work now.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Analyze how to best use social media for marketing your personal brand

• Create a design portfolio

• Deliver effective presentations of your work

Watching a keyboard wizard work their magic over the keys is mesmerizing, and now, you can learn the magic of their movements! In this course, you’ll build a solid foundation of typing skills, develop good habits and techniques, and build confidence as you become a typing wiz. You’ll also learn proper finger placement, and correct posture to improve speed and accuracy and explore future careers where typists thrive. Get ready to become a typing magician today.

Unit 1: Why Type?

There is no crystal ball to predict the future. Yet, the advances in technology continue to indicate the importance of being computer and technology-savvy. To efficiently and accurately interact with technology, it’s critical to develop typing skills. This unit will show you why strong typing skills are necessary for your day-to-day living, and how this skill can increase your productivity and save you time. And who doesn’t want to save time? We’ll also explore the different jobs that require the daily use of typing so you can consider these options as you map out your future career. Let’s dive in!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe how communication has changed in recent years

• Discuss personal reasons for type

• Explain the basic requirements of different typing jobs

• Identify a variety of non-typing jobs

• Use student leadership opportunities to help plan your career

Unit 2: Keyboards Through the Years

The keyboard is an extraordinary invention that has been used for typing for hundreds of years. This unit will take you on a journey of discovery as you learn how keyboards have changed and evolved. Your journey will begin by learning about early typewriters, the keyboard layout, the progress toward the electric typewriter, and the keyboards used today. Finally, you will discover the importance of caring for typewriters and keyboards. Here we go!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Explain the history of early typewriters

• Distinguish between the different keyboard layouts used for typing

• Discuss the evolution of electric typewriters

• Identify modern-day keyboards used today for typing

• Demonstrate caring for keyboard equipment

Unit 3: Typing Techniques

Wouldn’t you love to be able to fly over the keys of your keyboard, typing like a pro? Developing good typing habits and techniques is the key to doing just that! Building a good foundation of typing skills will assist you in becoming a quick and accurate typist so you can work with ease and confidence. This unit will introduce you to the proper sitting posture and finger placement to help you maximize your performance as a typist, save time, and prevent injury. You will also learn the alphabetic, numeric, and symbol keys commonly found on a computer keyboard. Get ready to build those skills!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Demonstrate the proper typing posture

• Locate the home row on the keyboard

• Explain the uses of the different numeric keys on the keyboard

• Discuss the functions of the symbol keys

Unit 4: The Document Production Process

Being able to communicate effectively in writing is a crucial life skill. A big part of making your writing clear and effective is planning! This unit will guide you through the document production process, which involves outlining, drafting, editing, and proofreading text within a document. Learning to plan what you want to say and how you say it can make all the difference in helping your writing achieve its goal and avoiding misunderstandings. Are you ready for this writing adventure? Let’s get typing!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Use a variety of written resources in your writing process

• Identify a clear purpose, type of document, and audience for your writing

• Create an outline and a rough draft

• Edit and proofread your work

Unit 5: Personal Communications

Learning to communicate with others in a meaningful way will benefit you for the rest of your life. And writing is an important part of communication! Your writing makes a lasting impression and you want that impression to be positive. This unit will introduce you to some of the different types of personal communication you can use daily to create new relationships and strengthen existing ones. Let’s explore how you can be better equipped to prepare personal letters, compose an email, and produce written messages for online publication so you can stay in touch with others.

What will you learn in this unit?

• Prepare and format personal letters

• Compose an email

• Produce written messages for online publication

• Discuss the evolution of written communication through time

Unit 6: Business Communications

There are many forms of written communication used in today’s workplace. What you communicate and how you communicate it is extremely important. Words can determine success or failure. Through words, businesses and organizations can earn or lose trust, gain or miss out on revenue, and add or drop clients/customers. In this unit, we’ll cover some of the basic forms of business communication, such as business letters, memos, press releases, and business reports, and how to make them the best that they can be!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Compose and format business letters

• Create memos for business correspondence

• Write press releases to share information with the media

• Produce and format a business report

Unit 7: Speed, Accuracy, and Improvement

Typing is a skill that will benefit you now and in the future. To become a consistently accurate and quick typist, it takes practice. The time and effort you put forth to practice your typing skills will automate your thinking and move your fingers quickly into the correct position. Imagine the time you can save by producing accurate and quality work! Are you ready to explore some techniques and resources you can begin using today to increase your typing speed and accuracy? Let’s get started!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Identify the importance of accuracy when typing

• Discuss the value of increasing typing speed

• Apply different techniques to improve typing skills

• Use online resources to practice typing

Unit 8: Using Your Skills in the Workplace

As you look for a job, employers will expect you to have a variety of skills, some technical (like typing) and some more nuanced (like communication skills). The work you are doing now to develop and improve the many skills you will need will serve you for a lifetime. The key to a satisfying career is finding something that you enjoy doing and developing the skills necessary to excel at it. Besides the skills we’ve already covered in this course, in this unit you will gain insights into understanding legal issues within the workplace, how to demonstrate professionalism in the workplace, and how to collaborate with others—all very helpful when it comes time to launch your career!

What will you learn in this unit?

• Describe legal issues that employees face in the workplace

• Demonstrate professionalism at work

• Communicate effectively with others on work assignments

• Plan for a typing career