Delaware County Community College

Course Descriptions

COMM 100 - Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
COMM 102 - Communication Across Cultures
COMM 104 - Introduction to Mass Communication
COMM 105 - Small-Group Communication
COMM 111 - Public Speaking
COMM 115 - Introduction to Public Relations
COMM 200 - Argumentation and Debate

COMM 100 - Introduction to Interpersonal Communication

Students are introduced to the basic theories of interpersonal communication and their practical applications. Students also develop insights into managing conflict while learning how to build maintain, and even end relationships in a productive manner. Given the social nature of communication, this course emphasizes experiential learning. Students should expect to be regularly engaged in classroom discussions, activities, and exercises. Academic writing serves to integrate learning in the classroom and off-campus. Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Recognize the function of human wants, needs, beliefs, and attitudes as they influence human communicative behavior.
• Understand the importance of effective communication in intrapersonal, interpersonal, and small group settings.
• Interact with two persons in and across a variety of face-to-face and mediated interactive contexts.
• Apply foundational interpersonal skills such as active listening, self-disclosure, and trust building into their daily lives.
• Understand the role of culture in human communicative behavior.
• Identify and manage the multiple visual, verbal and nonverbal messages that constitute communication.
• Identify and manage the interpersonal conflicts in professional, social, and personal relationships.

Prerequisite: Satisfactory scores on placement tests in English and reading, or successful completion of Developmental English (ENG 050) and Developmental Reading and Study Skills (REA 050).

3 hours each week 3 credits

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COMM 102 - Communication Across Cultures

This course focuses on interpersonal communication among and between people of different cultures. It is designed to introduce students to the basic concepts, theories, and research pertaining to intercultural communication. Students can also expect to engage in in-class exercises, activities, and discussions regarding everyday encounters with people from different socio-economic (class) backgrounds, racial, ethnicities, sexual orientations, gender, ages, physical abilities and religious belief systems.

Upon successful completion of this course students should be able to:

• Explain the interconnectedness of communication and culture
• Describe various theoretical approaches to studying intercultural communication
• Recognize the influence of culture on identity formation and identity management
• Analyze the way that history (including political, intellectual, social, family, national, and cultural-group) informs an intercultural communication encounter
• Discuss the role of language as the central element in intercultural communication
• Identify and describe the nonverbal aspects of intercultural communication
• Describe the characteristics of intercultural conflict

Prerequisite: Satisfactory scores on placement tests in English and reading, or successful completion of Developmental English (ENG 050) and Developmental Reading and Study Skills (REA 050).

3 hours each week 3 credits

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COMM 104 - Introduction to Mass Communication

This course introduces students to both the print and electronic media systems. Students will review the history of the mass media and explore career options in this field. They will also study the techniques of media analysis and consider the effects of the various media on society.

Upon successful completion of this course students should be able to:

• Explain how the mass media have developed
• Analyze the impact of print and electronic media upon society
• Explain media forms.
• Understand the conceptual differences between the media and their practical applications.
• Assess the various career opportunities available in the mass communications field.

PREREQUISITES: Eligibility for English Composition I (ENG100)

3 hours lecture each week 3 credits

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COMM 105 - Small-Group Communication

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COMM 111 - Public Speaking

This course enables students to speak before and in large and small groups. The course seeks to introduce students to the problems involved in providing information and persuading others. Organizational and research skills are stressed. Students can expect to present a minimum of five speeches.

Upon successful completion of this course students should be able to:

• Define the concepts of "listener/audience needs."
• Speak extemporaneously (with no or a minimum of notes) using effective voice, language and bodily action.
• Locate appropriate materials (library, research, newspaper, journal, periodical, nonprint media, interviews) for the public-speaking occasion.
• Organize ideas, opinions, facts, data requests into a message that will promote the desired response from the listeners.
• Present a variety of public messages: information, persuasion, entertainment/after dinner/ solicitation/inquiry/stimulation and analysis.
• Evaluate as a listener speech messages; beingable to distinguish between an effective and noneffective message.

Prerequisite: Satisfactory scores on placement tests in English and reading, or successful completion of Developmental English (ENG 050) and Developmental Reading and Study Skills (REA 050).

3 hours each week 3 credits

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COMM 115 - Introduction to Public Relations

This course treats public relations as communication-the process of organizations relating to their various "publics." Students explore the theory principles and techniques of contemporary public relations as practiced in business, government, nonprofit and civic groups, cultural organizations, education and the community. Students prepare press releases, public service announcements, speeches, slide programs or other appropriate communication vehicles. For students in all curricula and programs.

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Describe public relations as a communication function of organizations.
• List 10 basic principles of effective public relations.
• Identify and describe career opportunities/possibilities within the student's field of study, interests or aptitude area in public relations.
• Cite examples from the American past of public relations campaigns or principles that changed a "public's" view of an organization, a movement, an institution or a tradition.
• Anticipate and analyze critical and negative views of public relations.
• Identify the use of communicative art forms such as music, poetry, art, dance, film or story telling, in any public relations campaign mounted by a significant American organization.
• Use, where appropriate, contemporary technology such as desktop publishing or computer software or slide and sound show or photography or student-produced video in designing a public relations campaign on a contemporary American problem, organization or movement.

Prerequisite: Satisfactory scores on placement tests in English and reading, or successful completion of Developmental English (ENG 050) and Developmental Reading and Study Skills (REA 050).

3 hours lecture each week 3 credits

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COMM 200 - Argumentation and Debate

To survive compete, thrive and find success in an often-turbulent modern world requires a sound working knowledge of the rules of persuasion and the ability to use the tools of verbal reasoning, logic and evidence to support one's position.

Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate that he/she can effect change through the use of persuasive skill.
• Debate both the affirmative and the negative positions of a current controversial proposition.
• Prepare a "brief" showing the supportable positions on any contemporary social, political or economic question.
• Use the principles of library research and nonprint media to support their persuasive position.

Prerequisite: Speech Communication (COMM 100) or permission of instructor.

3 hours each week 3 credits

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Programs: Associate Degree

Communication Arts: Applied Communication Option