Interpersonal Communication

Communication in small group situations. Role of communication in various group processes, including norms, roles, leadership and decision-making, with application to modern concepts of organizational communication. Includes participation in simulation exercises and group activities.

An introductory course designed to help students develop interpersonal communication competencies. Students begin by exploring personal identity, including race, culture, gender, and family. Then examine how these individual identities impact personal relationships. Finally, we will identify strategies to reduce miscommunication and conflict in interpersonal relationships. Overall, through readings, lecture/discussion, and assignments we will examine the power of communication and its effects on our lives and relationships.

A survey of the discipline of Communication Studies with emphasis on multiple epistemological, theoretical, and methodological issues relevant to the systematic inquiry of human interaction. The course explores communication theories from the humanistic, social scientific and critical traditions.

This course will focus on the transmission and interpretation of messages between people from different cultures. Particular attention will be paid to beliefs, values, and norms reflected in American culture, specifically the crisscrossing dynamics of race, ethnicity, gender, religion and class. Emphasis on practical application of skills for effective communication between people of different domestic and international cultures.

Processes and theories of gender and communication; emergence of sexual identity and orientation in society; the power of language and stereotypes in private discourse and public dialogue; the impact of historical, social, ethical, cultural, and psychological factors on gendered communication in multiple contexts.

Choose one course from the list of Major Electives below.

Tutor training for the Communication Laboratory. Through lecture and hands-on tutoring, experienced tutors with at least one semester of lab experience will demonstrate lab procedure, tutor stategies, thorough knowledge of basic components of public speaking, and ability to role-model these skills for new tutors.

Introduction to psychology-counseling theory, skills, techniques, and processes in working with individuals and/or groups. Multiculturalism in American society. Emphasis placed on issues and processes of a minority-majority environment. Includes review of demographics, social services, community agencies, and intervention programs. Fundamental counseling techniques, counseling theory and socio-cultural issues related to working in the “service provider” role. Same course as APHC 9710

Introduction to theories and concepts that explain individual behavior in social settings. Topics include research methods, social perception, social cognition, beliefs, prejudice/discrimination, interpersonal relationships, aggression, and group behavior.

This course is designed for students interested in how psychology is applied to personal and social adjustment in everyday life, to improve adjustment and effective living. Factors of adjustment include self-understanding, personality, sexual and gender identity, stress and coping processes, effective communication, interpersonal relationships, life transitions, psychological disorders, and their treatment. Other factors include social influences and pressures, culture, ethnicity, socio-economic factors, career preparation, work, and stages of life. The course looks at the biopsychosocial aspects of personal growth and adjustment, and surveys different psychological perspectives and theoretical foundations, as well as how scientists, clinicians, and practitioners’ study and apply psychology. Using the knowledge and applications of psychology, the desired outcome is for students to understand themselves and others, adjust behaviors, and to actively take charge of their own lives, effectively adjusting to a constantly changing world.

This course introduces students to the sociological analysis of family as an institution, including historical and recent changes, present nature(s), and the socio-cultural and economic forces shaping these changes. Areas of focus in this course include the sociological perspective of the family including mate selection, marital roles, marital adjustment, sexual adjustment, reproduction, child rearing, marital dissolution, and problems associated with the family in modern industrial society.

This course offers students a sociological analysis of the social construction of masculinity and femininity through history and cultures. Examines the debates on sex and gender and questions conventional gender assumptions and expectations. Students will have an opportunity to analyze the impact of economic and political change on gender expectations and practices. In this course students will analyze how institutions shape, enforce, and produce difference and inequality based on gender and sexuality, and they will also focus on how individuals are socialized and how they “do” and practice gender. In this course, students will also examine how the concept of gender changes as it intersects with race/ethnicity, class, and sexuality. Additionally, students are encouraged to incorporate their own sociocultural background and experiences to explain and analyze the influence of gender on their lives.