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COMS 451

COMS 451: Intercultural & International Communication

Prerequisites: COMS 130, COMS 330, or permission of the instructor

Credit hours (3)

Advanced study of issues, problems, theories and policies of intercultural and international communication in interpersonal, group, organizational and mediated contexts.


Detailed Description of Course

    1) Intercultural Communication: the speech tradition,
        a. between individuals,
        b. between groups,
        c. issues and problems.
    2) Cross-cultural Communication: the comparative tradition,
        a. the etic/emic distinction,
        b. equivalencies across cultures,
        c. issues and problems;
    3) International Communication: the mass media tradition,
        a. communication and national development,
        b. diffusion of innovations,
        c. regional/global information and communication flows,
        d. media imperialism,
        e. formal and informal communication among nations,
        f. comparison of national communication systems,
        g. peace communication and conflict resolution,
        h. New World Information and Communication Order,
        i. issues and problems.
    4) International Contexts where intercultural interfaces occur
        a. interpersonal,
        b. group,
        c. organizational,
        d. corporate,
        e. governmental,
        f. business,
        g. educational,
        h. tourism,
        i. consultants (governmental, professional).


Detailed Description of Conduct of Course

Seminar, lecture-discussion format will characterize the conduct of this course.


Goals and Objectives of the Course

After completing this course, students will be able to:
    1) Distinguish among intercultural, international, and cross-cultural communication.
    2) Develop awareness of contemporary events that illustrate the need for improved intercultural and international
       communication.
    3) Improve knowledge about ideas, issues, and theory concerning intercultural and international communication
       processes, messages, forms and problems.
    4) Identify and investigate from a communication perspective those intercultural interfaces that are embedded within the
       international environment.


Assessment Measures

    1) Tests of course content.
    2) Demonstration of concepts and processes in course exercises.
    3) Class participation which demonstrates the acquisition of concepts and processes of sources of conflict, conflict
       intervention, and conflict resolution.
    4) Essays are used to examine comprehension of ideas, distinctions, issues, and theories as applied in intercultural and
       international communication contexts.


Other Course Information

None

 

Review and Approval

April 19, 2016
May 2011