About the course: Students learn basic negotiation skills, including how to plan; how to use tactics to influence their opponent, such as reciprocation and framing; and how to resist strategies that might be used against them. They do self-assessments to better understand their strengths and weaknesses as negotiators and then practice in a classroom setting. After practice sessions, class members reflect on successes and mistakes and analyze others’ negotiations.

Illustration by Getty Images | Fantastic Studio/Gary Waters/Science Photo Library

Instructor: Tracey Rockett, professor of management practice

Class times: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 11 a.m. to 12:20 p.m.

Class size: 20 junior and senior business majors

Texts: The Mind and Heart of the Negotiator by Leigh Thompson (Pearson, 2014)

Classwork: A preparation document is due before each practice negotiation.

After practice sessions, students submit a reflection document in which they analyze what did and did not work, their feelings about the negotiation, and how to adjust going forward.

Three graded negotiations between students

Pop quizzes throughout the semester

In a case-analysis paper, students analyze a real-world negotiation and apply their knowledge of the course concepts.

The final exam is a practice negotiation. Students are graded on both their planning document and achievement of intended outcomes for the negotiation. The goal is to maximize the results for both parties.