Communication (COMM)

Societies flourish when citizens engage in thoughtful public discourse and communication about ideas that shape the human experience. From history, religion, and identity to innovation, creative expression, and beyond, students study rhetorical concepts and exemplars to make informed contributions and enrich their skills in authentic self-presentation.

This course provides the opportunity for students to develop interpersonal communication skills, understand communication strategies and learn about the interpersonal dynamic.

The study of communication theories and methods gives visibility into diverse cultural dynamics and practices. Students employ a range of research methodologies to discover strategies and develop skills for bridging cultural differences and successfully navigating the complexities of personal, social and business interactions.

The view of life as theater is an ancient and enduring metaphor for human reality. In this course, students learn and practice performance-centered approaches to communication, daily life, and culture. Using a performance lens, students form a deeper understanding of storytelling, cultural practices, and intercultural communication.

This course moves beyond the fundamentals of public speaking to focus on refining, rehearsing and polishing presentations for professional audiences. Students deliver lively presentations based on their own creative projects, learning how to use imagery, humor, story, suspense, body and voice to keep audiences engaged. Students are expected to enter the course with a working knowledge of PowerPoint or related visual presentation software.

Communication and presentation skills are increasingly in demand for designers, filmmakers, entrepreneurs, artists, educators, scholars and more. In this course, students transform their own creative projects and research interests into captivating stories designed to engage audiences, including clients, investors, employers and others. Students are expected to enter the course with a working knowledge of PowerPoint or related visual presentation software.