Wharton Communication Program: Core Speaking Courses, Spring 2015
Students are required to register for one speaking course during their spring semester, first year. The four choices are as follows; each is worth 0.25 cu
• WHCP 612: Advanced Persuasion: Convincing Business Audiences • WHCP 612: Advanced Persuasion: Crisis Communication
• WHCP 612: Advanced Persuasion: Fundamentals for Prospective Entrepreneurs
• WHCP 615: Communication Challenges for Entrepreneurs: “Pitching your Business” (Please see the special requirements below for this course).
Please refer to emails from the Office of Academic Affairs re: registration through Course Match. Our colleagues in this office ask that you place utilities on your preferred choice of our spring course. Please note that due to your utilities and section availability, you could be placed in a different choice.
Students must receive pre-approval in order to assign a preference for WHCP 615: Communication Challenges for Entrepreneurs. Please see the Office of Academic Affairs’ Course Match email for instructions regarding this pre-approval.
All WHCP 612: Advanced Persuasion sections cover these skills:
• Impromptu Speaking: learn to be more effective in responding “on your feet” – particularly when dealing with challenging questions
• Speaking Under Pressure: speaking in “high stakes” presentation environments
• Persuasive Frameworks and Techniques: learn and practice advanced persuasive techniques WHCP 612 offers three choices of context –choices described below. The three different contexts of WHCP 612 will be identified by section number in Course Match.
WHCP 612 Contexts:
WHCP 612: Advanced Persuasion: Convincing Business Audiences
Description: This course offers students the opportunity to improve in four aspects of public speaking that are essential for success in business careers: persuasive techniques, impromptu speaking, slide design and delivery, and speaking under pressure:
The goal of this course is to help students become more persuasive, confident speakers in business contexts. Students will work closely with the instructor and TA to determine which skills are the most relevant for their short and longer-term career goals. The major components of Convincing Business Audiences include:
Class 1: Frameworks for Persuasive Speech Development; Impromptu Speaking Class 2: Applying Advanced Persuasion Techniques
Classes 3/4: Speaking Under Pressure in Simulated TV Studio; Slide Deck Panel Discussion Classes 5/6: Capstone Speeches to skeptical audiences, including Q&A
The table below indicates only major assignments, not the preparation for each class.
Class
Main Topics
Major Assignments
Points
1
Frameworks for Persuasive Speeches
Impromptu Speaking
Framing module and Quiz
“Summary of Speech Topic” form
3 2
2 Applying Persuasion
Frameworks/Techniques 3-minute persuasive speech 15
3 & 4
Speaking Under Pressure/ Slide Deck Panel Discussion
Speaking Under Pressure module: In a simulation of a media interview: 1-min opening statement to the media plus response to questions; half of class attends one week, half the other
Slide Deck Panel Discussion featuring Wharton alumni: Attend outside-of-class discussion and answer prompts in Canvas; half of class attends one week, half the other
15
5
5 & 6
Capstone Speeches Applying Frameworks and Techniques
Impromptu Speaking
5-minute persuasive speech plus 3-min response to questions; students speak in Class 5 or Class 6.
Students ask challenging questions in the week they don’t speak
Speech 25 Asking Questions 5
Class Participation: Provide meaningful feedback to classmates and contribute to class discussions.
Class Participation – includes
meeting with TA 30
WHCP 612: Advanced Persuasion: Crisis Communication
Description: This course focuses on persuasive speaking - particularly impromptu speaking. Students study actual business crises and determine managers’ effectiveness in both anticipating and responding to crises. Students are challenged with the opportunity to develop and deliver crisis messages – weighing the needs of various audiences in settings that include a mock TV studio. The major components of Crisis Communication include:
Class 1: Impromptu Crisis Response Speech; Fundamentals of Crisis Communication Class 2: Communicating Decisions to Stakeholders During a Business Crisis.
Class 3: Q&A Media Training Exercise
Class 4/5: Prepared Crisis Response Speech: Speaking Under Pressure Class 6: Speech for YouTube Video; Social Media
The table below indicates only major assignments, not the preparation for each class.
*5 – 10 points may be allocated to a written crisis response involving the media.
Class Main Topics Major Assignments Points
1 Overview, Framework for
Crisis Response
2-minute Impromptu Speech on
Crisis Response 10
2
Communication decisions under pressure, addressing stakeholders during a business crisis.
2- 3 minute speech on Hydraulic
Fracturing case study 15
3 Media training exercise with
professional journalists, Q&A
1-minute speech and Q&A to
simulate a media interview 10
4 & 5
Crisis Speech based on assigned case; responding effectively to questions
5-minute persuasive speech plus 3-min response to questions. Students speak in Class 4 or Class 5.
20
6
YouTube video speech responding to a social media campaign
2-minute on-camera speech with
text/bullets, Q&A 15
Class Participation: Provide meaningful feedback to classmates and contribute to class discussions.
Class Participation – includes
meeting with TA 30
WHCP 612: Advanced Persuasion: Fundamentals for Prospective Entrepreneurs
Description: This course is designed for students interested in pursuing an entrepreneurial venture in the future. It focuses on the communication process and best practices for entrepreneurs who must generate interest in their business idea and attract investors. Building on the skills developed in WHCP 611, students will practice developing clear, concise and compelling pitches for various startup audiences. This class is specifically designed for students who do not currently have a business idea of their own. You must select one of the provided business ideas/plans, which will serve as the foundation for all speech assignments. If you are currently pursuing your own start-up idea and want to talk about your own business plan, please enroll in WHCP 615, below. The major components of Fundamentals for
Prospective Entrepreneurs include:
Class 1: Understanding the Communication Process and Best Practices for Entrepreneurs Class 2: Communicating Your Idea
Class 3: Persuading Partners/Team Members Classes 4/5: Presenting to Investors
Class 6: Communication Practices for Crowdfunding
The table below indicates only major assignments, not the preparation for each class.
Class Main Topics
Major Assignments
Points1 Fundamentals for successful
pitching; impromptu speaking
1-minute speech on topic assigned in class
2
Communicating your idea 1-minute elevator pitch 10
3 Persuading partners/team
members 2-3 minute partner pitch 15
4 & 5 Pitching to investors with slide
deck; responding to questions
5-minute Investor Pitch with slides and 2-minutes of Q&A, Students speak in Class 4 or Class 5.
30
6 Developing a crowdfunding
video
2-minute pitch video 15
Class Participation: Provide meaningful feedback to classmates and contribute to class discussions.
Class Participation – includes
meeting with TA 30
WHCP 615: Communication Challenges for Entrepreneurs: “Pitching Your Business” As noted above, the Course Match email will explain the pre-approval process for this course.
Description: This course is designed for students who are currently active in starting a business while at Wharton. The goal of this course is to build on the presentation skills developed in WHCP 611 by focusing on the unique challenges entrepreneurs face when communicating their business plan to investors. The course will help students understand the process, characteristics, and best practices for communicating as entrepreneurs. Students will also receive coaching from a successful entrepreneur, and will have the opportunity to pitch their business idea to investors. The major components of Communication Challenges for Entrepreneurs include:
Class 1: Framework/Best Practice for Successful Pitching; Impromptu Speaking Class 2: Presenting Your Business Opportunity
Class 3: Presenting Financials
Class 4: Structuring Your Presentation Deck Classes 5/6: Delivering Your Final Pitch
Students are required to have these components of an executive summary for the first day of class: company description, product/service description, business model, market/industry analysis,
marketing/sales plan, competitor analysis and risk factors. Later in the course they’ll be asked for their management team and financials - including use of funds and funds required.
The table below indicates only major assignments, not the preparation for each class.
Class Main Topics
Major Assignments
Points1 Framework/Best Practice for
Successful Pitching
Business summary; Impromptu
speech on topic assigned in class 5
2
Presenting the Opportunity 3-minute pitch with slides 15
3 Presenting Financials/
Structuring your presentation 2-minute pitch on financials slides 10
4
Structuring your visual communications/ deck workshop
Investor Pitch slide deck 15
5 & 6 Investor Pitch with slide deck;
responding to questions
5-minute Investor Pitch with slides and Q&A. Students speak in Class 5 or Class 6.
25
Class Participation: Provide meaningful feedback to classmates and contribute to class discussions.
Class Participation – includes
meeting with TA 30
