This course has an assignment that is due by 11:55 pm Central Standard Time on Wednesday night of the first week of class.  Failure to complete this assignment will result in your removal from the course for non-participation. 

Textbooks

Richard West and Lynn H. Turner, Understanding Interpersonal Communication: Making Choices in Changing Times, Second Edition, Enhanced (2009), Boston, Mass: Cengage Learning. ISBN 13: 978-0495908753

Course Description

Students study the different methods of analyzing the self and one-on-one relationships within the context of interpersonal communication. Topics include the communication process, perception, self-concept, cultural effects, gender effects, emotions, language, listening techniques, verbal and nonverbal communication, intimacy, power, interpersonal conflict, and relational communication. Discussion and written assignments help students understand and assess their interpersonal communication skills. 3 hours.

Course Objectives

Every day we engage in interpersonal relationships, and we constantly construct these interpersonal relationships through our communication. In this class we will examine many facets of interpersonal communication and how they work together to initiate, maintain, and terminate relationships.

1. Understand the basic issues/concepts that exist in the study of interpersonal communication.

2. Recognize the relationship between theory and research to our personal lives.

3. Develop an improved understanding of how we currently communicate with others.

4. Understand how we can improve our communication in existing and future interpersonal relationships.

5. Critique studies in the area of interpersonal communication for their reliability and validity.