A study of the process of communication in the development and maintenance of interpersonal relationships, in friendships, intimate, family, and cross-cultural contexts. Students explore issues of self-identity, perception, conflict, and personal communication styles and patterns. An introduction to communication between corporations, smaller business, non-profit organizations and government and human service agencies and their internal and external publics, with particular attention to the uses of media. The course simulates public relations and management situations using case studies. An investigation of current theory and research into the communication processes in small, task-oriented groups.
Students participate in groups and evaluate groups in terms of small group communication concepts.