Learn fundamental communication principles, common communication practices, and communication theories that will help you better understand the communication transactions that you experience in your daily life.
In the 1960s, H. Marshall McLuhan, media theorist, critic, and visionary, asserted that societies are changed by the advances of technology, especially communication technologies. He is well known for his prophecy that communication technology would one day make us one great 'global village'. In the end, the processes and theories regarding communication in our daily lives to exchange information, create meaning, and share understanding remain critical components of human relationships. Whether we are chatting with a stranger while waiting for a bus, solving a problem with a group of coworkers, or sharing our dreams and goals with our best friend, the principles and practices of human communication are at the foundation of each of these human transactions.
This course will introduce you to communication principles, common communication practices, and a selection of theories to better understand the communication transactions that you experience in your daily life. The principles and practices that you study in this course will provide the foundation for further study in communications. This course begins with an overview of communication as a process, along with basic principles and theories. Subsequent units in the course examine specific applications of human communication in your personal and professional life. These include interpersonal communication, small group communication, decision-making, and organizational communication. By the end of this course, you will be able to identify the process of human communication in a number of settings that affect your daily activities. Additionally, you will be able to use the principles and theories to improve communication transactions in your life and understand how communication adds to the success of professional and personal relationships.
- Unit 1: Foundations of Human Communication
- Unit 2: Interpersonal Communication
- Unit 3: Group Communication
- Unit 4: Organizational Communication
- Unit 5: Mass Communication
- Define the major components of the human communication process;
- Recognize the impact of diversity and culture on interpersonal communication and group communication;
- Identify competencies in interpersonal, small group, and organizational settings;
- List the components of conflict, and identify strategies for conflict management;
- Explain impression management both in formal and informal settings;
- Identify relationship development personally and professionally;
- Explain the role of critical and active listening in various communication climates;
- List the ethical responsibilities of communicators in a diverse society; and
- Identify and apply communication theories.
This exam requires the use of a proctoring service for identity verification purposes. The cost for proctoring for this optional exam is \$5 per session.