Theories of Communication

Catalog description

Credits 3. 3 Lecture Hours. COURSE OVERVIEW. Explores major theoretical approaches to human communication, focusing on how communication theory explains language and symbol use, rhetoric, interpersonal interaction, small group and organizational dynamics, persuasion and/or media/technological influence. Examines humanistic, social scientific and/or critical theoretical traditions in communication studies. Explores ways theories of communication help to explain what communication is, how it functions and why it matters in different settings. RELEVANCE AND APPLICATION. Supports academic preparation for advanced study in communication and related fields. Provides a foundation for understanding how theories inform research, professional communication strategies, media practices and organizational decision-making. Develops transferable skills in analytical reasoning, interpretation of communication processes and application of abstract concepts to real-world situations. DEEPENING UNDERSTANDINGS. Highlights how theoretical perspectives may differ from everyday assumptions about communication. Demonstrates how concepts such as persuasion, meaning-making and media influence can be examined through different theoretical frameworks, offering distinct insights and applications. TOPICS AND THEMES. May include study of interpersonal communication theories; analysis of language and symbol use; examination of group and organizational interaction; consideration of persuasion and influence; exploration of media and technology’s role in communication; comparison of interpretive and scientific approaches to theory. Course content may reference diverse cultural, social and/or institutional contexts to illustrate how communication theories operate in practice. Prerequisite: Junior or senior classification, or approval of instructor.