SPE - Speech

An independent study that provides first-year students with an opportunity to pursue a topic or project under the guidance of a communication and speech studies faculty member. By permission of instructor and department director.

Develops and improves skills in speech composition and delivery by exposure to various speech types and situations, and concentrates on poise in group speaking situations.

Offers practice in briefings, interviews, problem-solving conferences and communication management. Covers techniques for speaking situations commonly encountered in business and the professions, and also includes formal and informal professional writing assignments.

Offers practice in briefings, interviews, problem-solving conferences and communication management. Covers techniques for speaking situations commonly encountered in business and the professions, and also includes formal and informal professional writing assignments.

Offers practice in briefings, interviews, problem-solving conferences and communication management. Covers techniques for speaking situations commonly encountered in business and the professions, and also includes formal and informal professional writing assignments.

This course is designed to explore the impact of public speaking in the changing course of history in the areas of human rights and social justice.  The focus of the course will be evaluation of exemplary speeches, how they were reported and received.  Students will analyze speeches by human rights activists and political leaders through in-class writing assignments, discussions, analysis and research.

Health communication is a field of study that encompasses theories, research, and applications of the symbolic processes by which people, both individually and collectively, understand and share ideas about health. This class is designed to be an overview of significant concepts and issues that have emerged in health communication scholarship. 

An independent study that provides second-year students with an opportunity to pursue a topic or project under the guidance of a communication and speech studies faculty member. By permission of instructor and department director.

This course includes practical application of ideas toward writing and performance of personal stories.

This course will help students become more effective and confident communicators within a group structure. It emphasizes the development of skills that will enable students to contribute to a collective message. Theories of group decision-making and leadership will be explored to analyze group interaction. Preparation for organizational communication contexts will be highlighted through critical thinking and problem-solving projects.  

This course focuses on communication in relationships. The emphasis of the course is on the application of interpersonal communication theory, research, and practical skills to everyday life. We pay particular attention to the impact interpersonal communication has on individual identity, and personal, social, and professional relationships. In addition, this course examines trends that affect interpersonal communication in the 21st century: social diversity, the increasing number of long-distance relationships, and the influence of technology on interpersonal interaction.

This advanced public speaking skills course examines the constitutional, statutory and cases affecting communication professions and individuals.  Through research and performance students will analyze the historical context of free speech in the United States and international speech issues.  A broad range of issues will be considered, including blasphemy, commercial speech, free press, hate speech and privacy, other contexts such as the personal dissemination of speech (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, etc.).  Activities include professional presentations, class discussion and academic writing.  Critical thinking and deductive reasoning will be highly utilized in this course.

Special Topics in Speech will offer instruction and experiences in specialized speech-related courses such as forensics, more advanced speech courses, and analysis of public political rhetoric speech.

An independent study that provides third-year students with an opportunity to pursue a topic or project under the guidance of a communication and speech studies faculty member. By permission of instructor and department director.

This course is designed for students interested in the management of speech communication in the context of technology. Students will study the theory and practice of formulating "public" messages for the technology channel of the communication model, and specific attention will be paid to the analysis of the receivers. The formation and critical thought behind the message, the difference between classical message, popular trends, credibility, ethos, pathos, and logos in the traditional speech-making event, and the general outcome of all communication model elements as well as the integration of technology into the public speech event will be studied. 

This course will train students to critically evaluate argument by studying types of argumentation, debate, proof, refutation; and learn the essential skills to prepare, organize and assess persuasive statements. In addition to theory and practical strategy, students will engage in various forms of conflict resolution, as well as mock debates, negotiations, and mediation practices. Students will also gain advanced public speaking skills and learn to critically evaluate arguments in real time.

An independent study that provides fourth-year students with an opportunity to pursue a topic or project under the guidance of a communication and speech studies faculty member. By permission of instructor and department director.