COM 44 — The Art of Effective Interpersonal Communication
Spring
Wednesdays
7:00—8:50 pm
Date(s)
Mar 30—Jun 1
10 weeks
Drop By
Apr 12
2 Units
Fees
$445
Format
On-campus course
Limit 30
Open
Healthy relationships are one of the primary cornerstones
of a happy life, and the foundation of such
relationships emerges from clear, effective, and compassionate
communication. The good news is that competent
communication skills can be learned, and when you
change your communication, you can change your life.
This course will focus on interpersonal communication in several contexts and interchanges, including those with family, friends, and co-workers, and internal dialogues we might have with ourselves. We will address listening skills, basic conversational skills that lead to greater ease in interactions, gender differences in communication, the role that technology plays in our interpersonal lives, and how to use specific messages to express feelings and needs in ways that do not imply judgment, criticism, or blame. We will also explore various approaches to resolving conflict and dealing with power challenges through self-assertion.
You will develop your communication competence by actively engaging in course activities and exercises, by reflecting on your performance, and by receiving feedback from others. You will learn with the aid of various readings (including some from Sherry Turkle), videos and DVDs, role-plays, interviews, individual and group presentations, and group exercises. By the end of the course, you will have a greater repertoire of responses to situations involving conflict, you will understand various approaches to listening, and you will know how to achieve greater happiness and contentment in your current relationships.
This course will focus on interpersonal communication in several contexts and interchanges, including those with family, friends, and co-workers, and internal dialogues we might have with ourselves. We will address listening skills, basic conversational skills that lead to greater ease in interactions, gender differences in communication, the role that technology plays in our interpersonal lives, and how to use specific messages to express feelings and needs in ways that do not imply judgment, criticism, or blame. We will also explore various approaches to resolving conflict and dealing with power challenges through self-assertion.
You will develop your communication competence by actively engaging in course activities and exercises, by reflecting on your performance, and by receiving feedback from others. You will learn with the aid of various readings (including some from Sherry Turkle), videos and DVDs, role-plays, interviews, individual and group presentations, and group exercises. By the end of the course, you will have a greater repertoire of responses to situations involving conflict, you will understand various approaches to listening, and you will know how to achieve greater happiness and contentment in your current relationships.
This course may not be taken for a Letter Grade.
Marianne Neuwirth, Director, Oral Communication Programs, Menlo Business College; Consultant
Marianne Neuwirth consults with various departments at Stanford, training researchers on how to communicate their work in compelling ways. She received a PhD in communication from the University of Utah.Textbooks for this course:
No required textbooks