Communication and Rhetorical Studies

An introduction to the various types of speech. Required except for those students whose background and competence in speech qualifies them for departmental approval for substituting an advanced course.

This course allows students to understand both the humanistic and social scientific theories in Communication. Areas of inquiry include the ethical implications of individual theories, the development of knowledge and appreciation of theory building in the Communication discipline, the ability to discern roles that communication theories play in our daily lives, and the examination and testing of communication theories using different methodological approaches. This course is a foundational requirement for all students majoring or minoring in Communication and Rhetorical Studies.

This course is designed to enhance one's understanding of the skills, principles and contexts of communication in business and organizational settings. Oral presentations and written assignments are utilized to evaluate competencies in verbal and nonverbal communication efforts. A framework of strategic communication is introduced for the planning and implementation of various interpersonal and presentational principles and skills along with an examination of important theories of organizational communication.

An introduction to both the mechanics of academic debate and principles of argumentation that can be applied to other methods of decision-making in which people weigh reasons pro and con. Students apply these insights to the analysis of arguments in the public sphere and participation in oral debate.

This course is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the advertising industry's “identity,'' an identity which has mirrored - as well as participated in the creation of - a uniquely American identity. Significant historical, cultural, gender, aesthetic, ethical, legal, and rhetorical perspectives are examined. Public relations will be examined in theory and practice as it intersects with advertising theories and practices in their roles within a mass media framework.

A survey of major trends in the development of rhetorical theory from Homer to the present. Special attention is given to comparing and contrasting different theories of rhetoric, the implications of these theories primarily for oral communication and its consequences, and the ways these theories are adapted to a variety of philosophical, social and political contexts. This course is a foundational requirement for all students majoring or minoring in Communication and Rhetorical Studies.

A quasi-chronological examination of the variety of methods used by rhetorical critics in analyzing the suasory dimensions of public civic texts. The issues and circumstances that have generated these methods will be considered as well. Students develop a familiarity with the tools, purposes and problems faced by rhetorical critics and an ability to produce rudimentary rhetorical criticism.

This course explores the synergy between communication and culture. Specifically, students investigate various value orientations and verbal and nonverbal behaviors that occur in several cultural contexts, such as within the religious, business and health contexts. A variety of intercultural communication issues are explored including cultural identity, disability, sexual orientation, ethnocentrism and stereotypes. Emphasis within all assignments is placed on the importance of developing intercultural communication competence in all contexts.

This course is broadly designed to explore communication processes and problems that occur within the organizational context. To accomplish this, students will be exposed to the managerial and communicative theories pertaining to organizations and relevant research covering a host of topics. Specifically, this course will examine organizational culture (and how to adapt one's communication successfully one's culture), communication in the superior-subordinate relationship, impact of organizational structure on communication, and techniques for assessing and improving organization and individual communication effectiveness.

This course introduces students to the conceptual and methodological paradigms utilized in pursuing communication research. Operating primarily from a social science perspective, students will learn how to generate important research questions and hypotheses pertaining to human communication, how to design and carry out research projects, and how to do competent research within the communication discipline. Students are introduced to a variety of research paradigms as well as quantitative and qualitative approaches to communication research and the appropriate methodological approaches within each purview.

This course examines the verbal and nonverbal communication tenets of the freedom of speech clause of the first amendment of the Constitution. The history of the first amendment will be traced, including careful analysis of Supreme Court decisions. Topics covered include political heresy, defamation, obscenity, commercial speech, and technology.

This course examines the ethical issues surrounding the role of verbal and nonverbal communication in distinguishing human participation in society. Students are asked to think critically about the range of issues germane to communication from a variety of normative perspectives.

A history and critical appraisal of the rhetors, movements and rhetoric from the First Great Awakening to the present. Analysis and discussion of specific rhetorical episodes are designed to nurture the student's understanding of the exigencies and constraints that confront public advocates as well as to illustrate the relationship between rhetorical practice and American public culture.

Training employees in today's increasingly diverse world requires a great deal of knowledge. This course will discuss intercultural competence in global organizations. Then, building upon that foundation, the course will discuss how to train and develop employees, giving perspective to working in different world cultures. Major topics include the ADDIE training model, training methods, and intercultural communication in the workplace.

This course examines women's “voices” through a myriad of modalities and genres in order to understand the themes of women's discourse for the achievement of empowerment and enfranchisement in a society whose “order” has been at odds with such goals. Areas of inquiry include the relationship between public and private communication as understood through the prism of gender, polemical issues such as reproduction and pornography, and the meaning of the literary and visual arts in pursuit of a feminist rhetoric.

This course explores how communicating in small groups and teams is a significant part of the human experience. In this course, students will examine how the behavior of groups, leaders, and followers is inherently communicative. Specifically, students will study small group communication theory, research, and practice from several different perspectives, focusing on how individual and group behavior “emerges” from group communication and interaction. In addition, students enrolled in this course will participate in small groups on a semester-long service-learning project connected to local community non-profit or charitable organizations.

People who face illness or who try to maintain or achieve good health experience a number of challenges, such as decisions about treatments, coping with large volumes of medical information, and responding to changes in their identities as a consequence of illness. Managing those challenges can be helped or hindered by communication with others (e.g. family, friends, and healthcare providers). Both theoretical and practical in nature, this course will help students understand the impact of communication in a health context. Among the topics that will be addressed are: health and identity, patient-practitioner communication, cultural perceptions of health, healthcare policies, health communication campaigns, and health images in the media.

This course will serve as the capstone course for all Senior-level students majoring in Communication and Rhetorical Studies. In addition, a strong emphasis will be placed on undergraduate research. Specifically, students will be asked to research relevant communication topics from either the social scientific or humanistic perspectives during the semester and formally present their scholarly findings. As part of the capstone experience in this course, students will also be asked to synthesize their previous coursework and critically reflect on their experiences in the Communication and Rhetorical Studies program.

Advanced study in some aspect of the communications field.

An internship in some aspect of the communication field.

The overall focus of this course is to help students explore the various leadership and instructional communication skills and knowledge that are foundational for effective learning to occur across any and all educational settings. Specifically, students will learn about the founding perspectives of leadership and instructional communication scholarship, examine the different contexts of leadership and instructional communication research (e.g., leadership styles, teacher effectiveness, instructional strategies, teacher immediacy and credibility behaviors, etc.), and then apply the lessons learned in this course to the nursing educational setting. After completion of this course, students going into nursing leadership or educator roles will leave with a broad, interdisciplinary set of leadership and communication skills and knowledge that will help them be more clear, interesting, and engaging instructors. This, in turn, will ultimately help produce an even better “next generation” of nurses in the future.