SPCOM Course Descriptions

Speech Communication (2009-2010)

Focuses on the one-to-one, face-to-face communication in both the personal and professional realms. Such topics as verbal and non-verbal interactions, listening, and the better management of interpersonal communication will be studied.

Designed for majors in Drama and in Speech Communication, this workshop introduces the student to the tools of performance. Students will gain confidence through individual and group exercises in physical and emotional awareness, improvisational skills, scene study, character creation and voice.

This workshop course in performance studies explores performance as a way of knowing. It investigates performance as artistic practice and as a means of understanding historical, social and cultural practices, including drama/theatre texts, poetry, narratives and texts of everyday life.

Theory and practice of public speaking. A workshop course involving design and delivery of various kinds of speeches, and the development of organizational, vocal, listening and critical skills. Students will be videotaped.

Theory and practice of interviewing. A workshop course which teaches theory, design, and presentation of interviews. Videotaping student exercises will enhance interview design and delivery, as well as listening and critical skills.

This course introduces the basic theories and practices for communicating among people of different racial, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. This class provides an opportunity for discussion of variations within and among cultures and encourages students to examine their cultural heritage.

A workshop course in leadership combining theoretical and experiential perspectives. Students will develop and apply knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to be effective and perceptive communicators in a leadership position.

This course examines communication strategies undertaken to create a public image in such areas as advertising, marketing, image consulting and corporate communications.

In this course students will learn advanced digital design theory. They will participate in workshops with professional designers, develop specialized digital materials and contribute signature work to their Digital Portfolio.

The analysis, writing, and editing of speeches. Analysis will focus on the reading and viewing of several famous 20th-century speeches using theories of communication. Writing and editing will focus on implementing oral/aural communication strategies.

A workshop course which works from theory to develop the skills to work in groups effectively. The principles of group dynamics, leadership, and conflict resolution will be studied and implemented in small group meetings and presentations.

This course examines organizational theory, the communication process and the interplay between the two. Students will develop the skills to identify, analyze, and solve a variety of organizational communication problems through case study group work, and other workshop-style methods.

A workshop course in voice for the speaker, designed to increase vocal power, range, flexibility and variety in presenting the spoken word. May be subject to priority enrolment.

In this course, students will be introduced to design and production of digital business presentations. They will develop specialized digital materials and contribute work to their Digital Portfolio.

Students will work in small groups under the supervision of a faculty researcher on an ongoing, large-scale, digital design project.

In this course students examine multiple relationships between communication and gender. The class emphasizes how communication creates gender and power roles and how communicative patterns reflect, sustain and alter social conceptions of gender.

This course is designed to study the intersection of communication and culture. In this course, culture is defined broadly to include a variety of contexts, such as race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, age and class. Students gain theoretical and practical understanding of the opportunities and obstacles that exist as individuals and communities communicate within and across cultures.

In this course students will learn advanced digital design theory as it applies to speech communication. They will develop specialized digital materials and contribute work to their Digital Portfolio.

In this workshop course students will develop the knowledge and skills necessary to communicate effectively across differences. Addressing issues of diversity and commonality in the spiritual life and cross-cultural patterns in spiritual experiences, students will apply communication and contemplative practices to explore the intersection of spiritual development, interpersonal dialogue and trans-traditional community-building.

An advanced workshop course in voice for the actor and speaker designed to continue the exploration of voice technique in DRAMA/SPCOM 326.

This case study course examines the communication strategies involved in a public response to crisis, using such fields as sports, the entertainment world, politics and business.

This course focuses on how conflict is communicated and resolved in one-on-one, group and organizational contexts. Theoretical perspectives, simulations, role plays and self-assessment exercises will enhance students' abilities to be successful communicators in conflict situations.

This workshop course will examine the communication skills necessary for the organizational consultant. Participation in videotaped simulations will allow students to explore consulting styles and training interventions by developing the communications expertise and knowledge specific to the consulting professional.

A study of the social, historical, and rhetorical dimensions of collective action. Topics may include health and welfare movements, civil rights and anti-war protests, and environmentalism.

This course explores how to create, perform and analyze performance texts, here defined as including drama/theatre texts, poetry, narratives, and the texts of everyday life. Through readings and creative investigation, students will explore the links between the participant, the researcher, the site and the impulse of inquiry.

Seminars in special areas of speech communication.

Seminars in special areas of speech communication.

This course is designed to give the student an opportunity to complete a comprehensive presentation in her/his major area of concentration.

This course is designed to give the student an opportunity to complete a comprehensive presentation in her/his major area of concentration. Second part of DRAMA/SPCOM 499.