Human
Communication
Course Description
Course Description
This course provides an introduction to the field of relational, group, and organizational communication. Students will examine the fundamental role that communication plays in a relational, group, and organizational setting. Multiple perspectives, theories, and concepts will be introduced in order to explain how individuals use communication to relate, inform, persuade, control, negotiate, create meaning, etc.
Course Design
This course is based on a lecture format. There are no discussion sections and therefore it is important that you use class time (or office hours) to ask questions.
Course Objectives
The principal objective of this course is to provide students with an understanding of how communication principles, processes, and dynamics influence relational, group and organizational life. Specifically, this objective can be defined as follows:
Gain an understanding of how communication creates and reinforces social identities.
Gain an understanding of the role that communication plays in the development, maintenance, and deterioration of close relationships.
Gain insight into the functions that communication serves in close relationships such as its role in creating meaning, informing and persuading, competing and collaborating, etc.
Gain an understanding of small group dynamics.
Gain insight into the role that communication serves in creating group norms and regulating group outcomes.
Gain an understanding of the role of communication in the formation of group identity and intergroup conflict.
Gain an understanding of how communication influences organizational practices.
Gain an understanding of communication creates organizational culture and how individual assimilate to new organizations.
Gain an appreciation of the ethical dimensions that underlie the communicative choices that individuals make in their relational, group, and organizational life.