1. Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
   • Why we communicate: physical, identity, social needs
   • Linear vs. transactional view of communication
   • Communication principles and misconceptions
   • Nature of interpersonal communication
   • Communication competence
2. Identity: Understanding the Self
   • Self-concept
   • Self-esteem
   • Culture, gender and identity
   • Identity management: public and private self
3. Perception
   • Process of perception
   • Influences on perception: physiological, cultural and social
   • Common tendencies in perception: judging, first impressions
   • Perception checking
   • Empathy and cognitive complexity
4. Emotions
   • Definition of emotions
   • Influences on emotional expression: personality, culture, gender
   • Guidelines for expressing emotions
   • Managing difficult emotions: facilitative vs. debilitative
   • Irrational thinking
5. Verbal Communication/Language
   • Language is symbolic
   • Understanding words, structure, context
   • Impact of language
   • Power and language
   • Gender and language
   • Culture and language
   • Verbal communication styles
6. Nonverbal Communication
   • Characteristics of nonverbal communication
   • Influences on nonverbal communication: gender and culture
   • Types of nonverbal communication: body movement, voice, touch, appearance, etc.
   • Functions of nonverbal communication
   • Competently managining your nonverbal communication
7. Listening
   • Definition of listening
   • Elements of listening
   • Functions of listening
   • Challenges of listening
   • Types of listening responses
8. Relational Dynamics
   • Theories for forming relationships
   • Relational development and maintenance
   • Communicating about relationships
9. Intimacy and Relationships
   • Dimensions of intimacy
   • Intimacy styles
   • Cultural influences on intimacy
   • Intimacy and mediated communication
   • Self-disclosure: degrees, model, benefits, and risk
   • Alternatives to self-disclosure
10. Communication Climates
    • Definition of communication climates
    • Levels of message confirmation
    • How communication climates develop
    • Defensiveness causes and remedies
    • Assertive message format
11. Interpersonal Conflict
    • Definition of conflict
    • Power and conflict
    • Benefits of conflict
    • Conflict styles
    • Conflict and relational systems
    • Variables in conflict styles: gender and culture
    • Constructive conflict skills
12. Interpersonal Relationship Deeper Look
    • Relationships with romantic partners (including defining romantic relationships, romantic attraction, relationship development and deterioriation, maintaining romantic relationships, dark side of romantic relationships, hard work of successful love)
    • Relationships with family members, (including defining family, family relationship challenges , and maintaining family relationships)
    • Relationships with friends (including nature of friendship, types of frienship, friendship challenges and mainitaining friends)
    • Relationships in the workplace (including nature and types of workplace relationships, challenges to workplace relationships, sexual harassment, maintaining workplace relationships, cosntructive criticism)
13. Mediated Interpersonal Communication
    • Definitions and characteristics of mediated communication
    • Verbal and nonverbal communication competencies associated with various social media channels
    • Private versus public mediated communication (including privacy and safety best practices)
    • Communicating with friends/family/peers/co-workers about social media boundaries
    • Conflict management strategies for online trolling, spamming, harassment and cyberbulling including appropriately

I. General Information

1. Course Title:
Interpersonal Communication

2. Course Prefix & Number:
COMM 1420

3. Course Credits and Contact Hours:

Credits: 3

Lecture Hours: 3

4. Course Description:

This course is a study of communication behaviors in dyads (pairs) and their impact on personal relationships. Learners analyze the common variables of interpersonal communication and learn techniques to overcome barriers to effective communication. Students will learn techniques of interpersonal competency improving one-on-one skills for verbal and non-verbal communication, perception, self-disclosure, listening and feedback, sharing emotions, assertiveness, coping with conflict, appropriate mediated interpersonal communication and communicating with family and friends and in the workplace.

5. Placement Tests Required:

Accuplacer (specify test):

Reading College Level CLC or Reading College Level

Score:

6. Prerequisite Courses:

There are no prerequisites for this course.

9. Co-requisite Courses:

There are no corequisites for this course.

II. Transfer and Articulation

1. Course Equivalency - similar course from other regional institutions:

Alexandria Technical College, COMM 1435 Interpersonal Communication, 3 credits
Century College, COMM 1031 Interpersonal Communication, 3 credits
Inver Hills Community College, COMM 1100 Interpersonal Communication, 3 credits

III. Course Purpose

2. MN Transfer Curriculum (General Education) Courses - This course fulfills the following goal area(s) of the MN Transfer Curriculum:
Goal 1 – Written and Oral Communication

IV. Learning Outcomes

1. College-Wide Outcomes

College-Wide Outcomes/Competencies	Students will be able to:
Demonstrate written communication skills	Analyze and evaluate their own communication habits and behaviors in interpersonal situations and describe steps needed for improvement.
Demonstrate interpersonal communication skills	Construct appropriate/effective verbal and nonverbal strategies for various interpersonal contexts.
Apply abstract ideas to concrete situations	Explain the role of emotion and process of emotional management as it pertains to communication competency.
Discuss/compare characteristics of diverse cultures and environments	Discuss the influence cultural variables may have on the communication process.

2. Course Specific Outcomes - Students will be able to achieve the following measurable goals upon completion of the course:

• Define the purposes and processes of communication, communication models and communication theories (MnTC Goal 1);
• Examine the roles of self-concept and self-esteem and identity management in the communication process (MnTC Goal 1);
• Identify elements of the perception process and demonstrate the skill of perception checking (MnTC Goal 1);
• Explain the role of emotion and process of emotional management as it pertains to communication competency (MnTC Goal 1);
• Discuss the influence cultural variables may have on the communication process (MnTC Goal 1);
• Construct appropriate/effective verbal and nonverbal strategies for various interpersonal contexts (MnTC Goal 1);
• Justify the importance of active listening in interpersonal communication contexts (MnTC Goal 1);
• Evaluate conflict management styles and constructive conflict skills for various interpersonal conflict situations (MnTC Goal 1);
• Differentiate competencies needed for effective/appropriate communication through mediated interpersonal channels (MnTC Goal 1); and
• Analyze and evaluate their own communication habits and behaviors in interpersonal situations and describe steps needed for improvement (MnTC Goal 1).

V. Topical Outline

Listed below are major areas of content typically covered in this course.

1. Lecture Sessions