NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE
COURSE SYLLABUS
COURSE AND INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Course title: Small Business Management & Entrepreneurship
Course prefix, number, and section number: BUSG 2309 0400
Semester/Year of course: SP 25
Semester start and end dates: January 21, 2025, to May 15, 2025
Modality (Face to face/Synchronous or Asynchronous online/Hybrid): Face to Face
Class meeting location, days, and times: Corinth Campus Room 210, MW 11:00 AM -12:20 PM
Lab meeting location, days, and times:
Semester credit hours: 3
Course description: Starting, operating, and growing a small business. Includes essential management skills, how to prepare a business plan, accounting, financial needs, staffing, marketing strategies, and legal issues.
Course prerequisites: None
Required course materials: Small Business Management: Creating a Sustainable Competitive Advantage, Eighth Edition, Author: Timothy Hatten Publisher: SAGE Publishing eBook ISBN: 978-1-544-36495-7 Print ISBN: 978-1-544-36591-6
Name of instructor: David Virgil
Office location: Cor 201-207
Telephone number:
E-mail address: dvirgil@nctc.edu
Office hours for students: MW 12:30 PM to 1:30PM, Rm 201; MW 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM online.
SYLLABUS CHANGE DISCLAIMER
The faculty member reserves the right to make changes to this published syllabus if it is in the best interest of the educational development of this class. Any such changes will be announced as soon as possible in person and/or writing.
SUMMARY OF COURSE ASSIGNMENTS
List of graded assignments:
16 Chapter Quizzes 20%
6 Case Studies 15%
1 Aspire to he Hired 10%
6 Discussions 10%
2 Midterm & Final Exam 20%
1 Business Plan Project 25%
Total 100%
Final grade scale: A – 90%-100%, B – 80%-89%, C- 70%-79%, D – 60%-69%, F – 0-59%
Late work policy: I will accept late work. Assignments cannot be more than 1 week late and will receive a 10% penalty. Any assignments more than 1 week late will not be accepted without approval. I can make exceptions for illnesses or family emergencies. You will need to contact me to receive an exception.
SEE CANVAS FOR THE COMPLETE COURSE CALENDAR, OUTLINE, DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF GRADED WORK, AND OTHER RELATED MATERIAL.
COURSE POLICIES
Academic Integrity Policy: Scholastic dishonesty shall include, but is not limited to cheating, plagiarism, academic falsification, intellectual property dishonesty, academic dishonesty facilitation and collusion. Faculty members may document and bring charges against a student who is engaged in or is suspected of being engaged in academic dishonesty. See Student Handbook, “Student Rights & Responsibilities: Student Conduct”.
Attendance Policy: Regular attendance is expected of all students in all classes for which they have registered. All absences are considered to be unauthorized unless the student is absent due to illness or emergencies as determined by the instructor. Approved college sponsored activities are the only absences for which a student should not be held liable and only when provided by a college official ahead of the absence. Valid reasons for absence, however, do not relieve the student of the responsibility for doing the required work.
Students will not be allowed to make up an examination missed due to absence unless they have reasons acceptable to the instructor. A student who is compelled to be absent when a test is given should petition the instructor, in advance, if possible, for permission to postpone the exam. A student will be dropped from a class by the Registrar upon recommendation of the instructor who feels the student has been justifiably absent or tardy a sufficient number of times to preclude meeting the course’s objectives. Persistent, unjustified absences from classes or laboratories will be considered sufficient cause for college officials to drop a student from the rolls of the College. From Board Policy FC (LOCAL)
Students must participate in more than 75% of all classroom sessions to successfully complete this course. There are 32 class sessions in this semester. The final grade will be reduced 5% for more than 3 unexcused absences. Therefore, it is important that you notify your instructor when you are absent and provide a valid reason for missing class.
Withdrawal Policy: A student may withdraw from a course on or after the official date of record. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate and complete a Withdrawal Request Form.
Last day to withdraw from the course with a “W” is: April 7, 2025.
Student Learning Outcomes: Identify the management skills for a small business. Outline issues related to choosing a business and obtaining a return on investment. Create a Business Plan.
Core Objectives:
COLLEGE POLICIES
STUDENT HANDBOOK
Students are expected to follow all the rules and regulations found in the Student Handbook.
ADA STATEMENT
NCTC will adhere to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations to afford equal educational opportunity. It is the student’s responsibility to contact the Office for Students with Disabilities to arrange appropriate accommodations. See the OSD Syllabus Addendum.
STUDENT SERVICES
NCTC provides a multitude of services and resources to support students. See the Student Services Syllabus Addendum for a listing of those departments and links to their sites.
AI Statement for Instruction
Absent a clear statement from a course instructor, use of or consultation with generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) or other similar technologies shall be treated analogously to assistance from another person, agency, or entity. In particular, using generative AI tools to substantially complete an assignment or exam is not permitted. Students should acknowledge the use of generative AI (other than incidental use) and default to disclosing such assistance when in doubt.
When students use generative AI to replace the rigorous demands of and personal engagement with their coursework, it runs counter to the educational mission of the college and undermines the heart of education itself. Artificial Intelligence, large language models, and technologies hold promise for deploying knowledge in service to others and accelerating the discovery of new knowledge. However, such technology poses new challenges to pedagogy and to integrity. Within the context of the teaching mission of the college, and consistent with the Student Code of Conduct, the authority to define the appropriate use, study, and deployment of these technologies rests with the faculty.
Individual course instructors, in coordination with their divisions, set policies regulating the use of generative AI tools in their courses, including allowing or disallowing some or all uses of such tools. Course instructors will set such policies in their course syllabi and clearly communicate such policies to students. Students who are unsure of policies regarding generative AI tools are encouraged to ask their instructors for clarification.
Encouraged or Permitted
The use of generative AI in this course is encouraged with certain tasks and with attribution. You can choose to use AI tools to help brainstorm assignments or projects or revise existing work you have written. When you submit your assignment, you must clearly attribute what text was generated by the AI tool.
QUESTIONS, CONCERNS, or COMPLAINTS
The student should contact the instructor to deal with any questions, concerns, or complaints specific to the class. If the student and faculty are not able to resolve the issue, the student may contact the chair or coordinator of the division. If the student remains unsatisfied, the student may proceed to contact the instructional dean.
Name of Chair/Coordinator: Teresa Laman
Office location: Corinth Campus, Suite 170, Office 172
Telephone number: 940-498-6263
E-mail address: tlaman@nctc.edu
Name of Instructional Dean: Debbie Huffman
Office location: Gainesville Campus Rm 2106
Telephone number: 940-668-3357
E-mail address: dhuffman@nctc.edu