Module 10-1

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Graduate Course Syllabus

OL 635: Consulting

Course Prerequisites

None

Course Description

Students examine consulting, from defining what a consultant is to analyzing the problems and expenses involved

in starting a consulting business. Topics include promotion, establishment of a client list, computers that support

consulting, and contracts.

Course Outcomes

This course covers the following competencies, which represent the knowledge and skills relevant to your field:

• Define and completely understand the role of a consultant

• Understand the various forms of consulting

• Appreciate the value-added through the use of consultants

• Maximize a managers’ impact on a large organization through the proper use of consulting activities and

consultants

• Understand the five phases of any consulting project

• Explore the resources available to assist consultants starting their own practice

• Learn a variety of critical tools and techniques to start and grow a small consulting business

Required Materials

Using your learning resources is critical to your success in this course. Please purchase directly through the SNHU

Online Bookstore rather than any other vendor. Purchasing directly from the bookstore ensures that you will

obtain the correct materials and that the IT Service Desk, your advisor, and the instructor can provide you with

support if you have problems.

Flawless Consulting: A Guide to Getting Your Expertise Used

Peter Block

John Wiley & Sons P&T

Fourth edition

2023

ISBN: 978-1-394-17730-1

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Harvard Business Publishing

The following material is available in the Harvard Business Publishing area of your course:

• “Is Consulting the Right Career for You?”

• “Promoting a Culture of Equity in the #MeToo Era: Moving Beyond Responding to Gender-Related Work-

place Issues to Tackling Root Causes”

• “Carbon180 in 2021: New Challenges for a New Era”

• “A Short Guide to Pricing Your Services as a Consultant or Coach”

• “Braintrust: The Blockchain-Powered Talent Network”

• “Performance Improvement Consulting and Hi-R-Me: Making Sales Calls”

• “Defining Capitalism's Character: Tom Peters versus McKinsey”

Technical Requirements

Make sure you’ve met the technical requirements to complete this course.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

As indicated in our core values, SNHU is committed to “embrace diversity where we encourage and respect diverse

identities, ideas, and perspectives by honoring difference, amplifying belonging, engaging civilly, and breaking

down barriers to bring our mission to life.”

This may or will be reflected in SNHU’s curriculum as we embrace and practice diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)

to provide the most transformative experience for our students, faculty, and staff. Because topics pertaining to DEI

can be sensitive, please remember that embodying and practicing diversity, equity, and inclusion is one of our core

values that you will encounter throughout the academic experience. In higher education, we are expected to think

and engage critically. Use a growth mindset to embrace the diverse readings, course assignments, and experiences

of your peers and faculty.

For more information about DEI at SNHU, please visit our website at the Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

Instructor Availability and Response Time

Your class interaction with the instructor and your classmates will take place on a regular, ongoing basis. Your

instructor will be actively engaged within the course throughout the week. You will normally communicate with

your instructor in the weekly discussions or the General Questions discussion topic so that your questions and the

instructor’s answers benefit the entire class. You should feel free, however, to communicate with your instructor

via SNHU email at any time, particularly when you want to discuss something of a personal or sensitive nature.

Your instructor will generally provide a response within 24 hours. Instructors will post grades and feedback (as

applicable) within seven days of an assignment’s due date, or within seven days of a late submission.

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Grade Distribution

Assignment Category Number of

Graded Items

Point Value

per Item Total Points

Discussions 9 20 180

Consultant’s Journal 5 25 125

Situational Analysis Journal 1 50 50

Case Studies 1 50 50

Consulting Project

Milestone One 1 40 40

Milestone Two 1 40 40

Milestone Three 1 40 40

Final Submission 1 200 200

Final Project 1 275 275

Total Course Points: 1,000

This course may also contain non-graded activities. The purpose of these non-graded activities is to assist you in

mastering the learning outcomes in the graded activity items listed above.

University Grading System: Graduate

Grade Numerical Equivalent Points

A 93–100 4.00

A˗ 90–92 3.67

B+ 87–89 3.33

B 83–86 3.00

B˗ 80–82 2.67

C+ 77–79 2.33

C 73–76 2.00

F 0–72 0.00

I Incomplete

IF Incomplete/Failure *

W Withdrawn

* Please refer to the policy page for information on the incomplete grade process.

Grading Guides

Specific activity directions, grading guides, posting requirements, and additional deadlines can be found in the

Assignment Information section of the course.

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Weekly Assignment Schedule

All readings can be found within each module of the course, and assignment instructions can be found in the

Assignment Information section of the course. Assignments and discussion posts during the first week of each term

are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Assignments and discussion posts for the remainder of the term are due by

11:59 p.m. of the student’s local time zone.

Module Topics and Assignments

One Consulting—An Overview

Flawless Consulting, Chapters 1 and 2

1-1 Discussion: Consultant – What and Why?

1-2 Consultant’s Journal: Areas of Specialization

1-3 Consulting Project and Final Project Review (Required, Non-graded)

Two Being a Consultant

Flawless Consulting, Chapter 9

2-1 Discussion: The Gestalt Approach

2-2 Consultant’s Journal: Internal and External Consulting

Three Before You Start

Flawless Consulting, Chapter 4

3-1 Discussion: The Request for Proposal

3-2 Consulting Project Milestone One: Problem Identification

Four Appreciative Inquiry and Consulting Proposals

Flawless Consulting, Chapters 5 and 6

4-1 Discussion: The Process of Inquiry

4-2 Consultant’s Journal: Final Project Outline

4-3 Consulting Project Milestone Two: Proposal

Five Changing Behavior

Flawless Consulting, Chapter 13

5-1 Discussion: Reframing Human Resource Development—The Four Lenses

5-2 Consulting Project Milestone Three: Project Plan

Six Intervention and Engagement

Flawless Consulting, Chapters 19 and 20

6-1 Discussion: The Intervention

6-2 Case Study Analysis #1

Seven Feedback

Flawless Consulting, Chapters 17 and 18

7-1 Discussion: Preparing and Receiving Feedback

7-2 Consulting Project: Reflection and Final Submission

Eight Self-Promotion

8-1 Discussion: Case Study Analysis #2

8-2 Situational Analysis Journal: Identifying Skills and Aligning With Network

Nine Getting Started and Networking

9-1 Consultant’s Journal: Marketing and Sales Calls

9-2 Final Project

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Module Topics and Assignments

Ten Ethics and Values

10-1 Discussion: Ethics of Consulting

10-2 Consultant’s Journal: Case Study Analysis #3

Course Participation

Course participation is required within the first week of the term for all online courses. Participation in this context

is defined as completing one graded assignment during the first week of the course. Otherwise, students will be

administratively removed for nonparticipation. Students who do not participate during the first week may forfeit

their rights to be reinstated into the course. Students who stop attending a course after the first week and who do

not officially withdraw will receive a grade calculated based on all submitted and missed graded assignments for

the course. Missed assignments will earn a grade of zero. See the course withdrawal policy and the full attendance

policy for further information.

Late Assignments

Students who need extra time may submit assignments (excluding discussion board postings) up to one week after

the assignment due date. Discussion board submissions will not be accepted for credit after the deadline except in

extenuating circumstances.

• A penalty of 10 percent of the total value of the assignment will be applied to the grade achieved on the

late assignment regardless of the day of the week on which the work is submitted.

• Students who submit assignments more than one week late will receive a grade of zero on the assignment

unless they have made prior arrangements with the instructor.

Students must submit all assignments no later than 11:59 p.m. (in their own time zone) on the last day of the term.

No assignments are accepted after the last day of the term unless an incomplete has been submitted. See the

incomplete grades policy.

There may be times an instructor makes an exception to the late assignment policy. Instructors may accept late

work, including discussion board posts, with or without prior arrangement.

• Exceptions to the late policy on these grounds are left to the instructor’s discretion, including whether the

late penalty is applied or waived. Students should not assume that they will be allowed to submit

assignments after the due dates.

• If an instructor finds that they are unable to determine whether an exception to the late policy would be

appropriate without documentation, the collection and review of student documentation should be

handled through the Dispute Resolution team in order to protect the student’s privacy. In these cases,

students should file a Student Concern Dispute form to have the circumstances reviewed.

If a student is experiencing (or knows they will experience) a circumstance, including pregnancy, that is protected

under the Americans with Disabilities Act or Title IX, they are encouraged to contact the Online Accessibility Center

(OAC) as soon as possible to explore what academic accommodations might be offered. Instructors must honor all

deadlines established through the OAC.

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Student Handbook

Review the student handbook.

ADA/504 Compliance Statement

Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) is dedicated to providing equal access to individuals with disabilities in

accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with Title III of the Americans with Disabilities

Act (ADA) of 1990, as amended by the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA) of 2008.

SNHU prohibits unlawful discrimination on the basis of disability and takes action to prevent such discrimination by

providing reasonable accommodations to eligible individuals with disabilities. The university has adopted the

ADA/504 Grievances Policy (version 1.2 effective October 16, 2017), providing for prompt and equitable resolution

of complaints regarding any action prohibited by Section 504 or the ADA.

For further information on accessibility support and services, visit the Disability and Accessibility Services webpage.

Academic Integrity Policy

Southern New Hampshire University requires all students to adhere to high standards of integrity in their academic

work. Activities such as plagiarism and cheating are not condoned by the university. Review the full academic

integrity policy.

Copyright Policy

Southern New Hampshire University abides by the provisions of United States Copyright Act (Title 17 of the United

States Code). Any person who infringes the copyright law is liable. Review the full copyright policy.

Withdrawal Policy

Review the full withdrawal policy.

Southern New Hampshire University Policies

More information about SNHU policies can be found on the policy page.