Effective Spring 2025

COURSE CATALOG DESCRIPTION

The purpose of this course is to develop the skills necessary to build and maintain positive communication and relationships across cultures. Students will focus on similarities and differences in communication behaviors. Perceptions, language usage, nonverbal style, thinking modes, and values all will be explored to see how they influence face-to-face communication between individuals of different cultures. This course may be offered in a distance education format.

OBJECTIVES   

Upon successful completion of the course the student will be able to:

1. Compare and contrast communication styles within selected world cultures. Analyze communication styles of the dominant American culture and co-cultures.
2. Define intercultural communication and demonstrate a command of the vocabulary used in this field of study.
3. Identify the nature of culture, the major areas of cultural diversity, and the relationship between culture and communication.
4. Develop an awareness for other cultures and the skill to communicate with people from other cultures as demonstrated by the ability to identify ethnocentric statements.
5. Analyze the effects of cultural variance on perceptions, values, beliefs, norms and the selection and interpretation of verbal and nonverbal messages.
6. Demonstrate the ability to deal with key elements of intercultural communication by researching and analyzing other cultures and completing typed reports and oral presentations.
7. Discuss several guidelines for improving intercultural communication.
8. Identify culturally defined rules that govern communication in significant societal contexts, i.e. business education and health care

COURSE CONTENT

1. Introduction to communication
   1. Why study intercultural communication?
   2. Introduction to the process of human communication.
   3. Characteristics of competent communicators.
   4. Define communication, intercultural communication, culture, and ethnocentrism.
2. Culture and communication
   1. Principles, theories and models of intercultural communication
   2. What is the relationship of culture to communication?
   3. Characteristics of culture
   4. Cultural patterns of the dominant U.S. culture and selected other cultures
   5. Culture, perceptions, beliefs and values
3. Culture and Society
   1. World view and culture
   2. Family and culture
   3. History and culture
4. Language, Verbal Communication and Culture
   1. The importance of the relationship between language and culture
   2. How language affects and reflects the dominant U.S. culture and other cultures.
   3. Idioms from the dominant U.S. culture and other cultures
   4. Communication styles within selected cultures
   5. Guidelines for effective use of language in the intercultural context
5. Nonverbal Communication and Culture
   1. The importance of the relationship between nonverbal communication and culture
   2. How nonverbal communication reflects the dominant U.S. culture and other cultures.
   3. Paralanguage and personal space in various cultures
   4. Guidelines for effective use of nonverbal communication in the intercultural setting
6. Cultural Influences on the Communication Context and Improving Intercultural Communication
   1. The business setting
   2. The educational setting
   3. The health care setting
   4. Guidelines for improving intercultural communication

STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES

1. Transactional Model of Communication: Students will be able to select, define and accurately place on a blank model the elements of the Transactional Model of Communication.
2. Key Terms: Define intercultural communication, including the foundational key terms used in this field of study.
3. Compare and Contrast: Compare and contrast perspectives of various cultural groups as defined by religion, ethnicities, race, gender, class or other important social categories.