Effective: 2022-05-01

Course Description

The course outline below was developed as part of a statewide standardization process.

General Course Purpose

CST 110 provides the student with a theoretical and practical survey of the field of human communication, including the opportunity to practice competencies with feedback to enhance communication confidence.

Course Objectives

• Critical Thinking
• Analyze principles of communication
• Articulate the benefits and challenges of communication in present-day society or in their own lives
• Civic Engagement
• Critically analyze how communication skills can be used to manage conflicts and improve relational outcomes
• Analyze the relationship between communication and diversity
• Professional Readiness
• Orally communicate ideas to a listener with verbal and nonverbal fluency
• Apply specific communication concepts or theories to their personal and professional lives
• Written Communication
• Analyze the various components of a public presentation and develop a written outline and/or manuscript
• Fundamentals of Communication:
• Explain the role of ethics in various communication situations
• Identify, describe and compare characteristics of language and explain denotative and connotative meaning
• Identify types of listening and non-listening behaviors and demonstrate appropriate responses in listening situations
• Compare/contrast various communication models
• Define and describe types of nonverbal communication and apply this knowledge to real-life situations
• Illustrate an understanding of the perception process, and make connections between self-concept and interactions with others
• Analyze, select and explain various aspects of communication situations in relation to appropriate goals, objectives and techniques
• Interpersonal Communication:
• Demonstrate an understanding of assertive communication
• Identify, define and apply theories of relationship development to real-life situations
• Identify, define, and apply strategies for maintaining relationships to real-life situations
• Identify, describe and select appropriate strategies for dealing with defensiveness and managing conflict
• Small Group Communication
• Explain how groups make decisions, and specify the different decision methods of decision-making within groups
• Identify and describe problem-solving steps, evaluate a problem-solving process within a group, and predict a group's problem-solving success
• Identify and describe leadership behaviors and responsibilities in groups
• Identify and describe group member behaviors and responsibilities
• Define and describe various tasks and maintenance "roles" (communication behaviors) in groups and explain these behaviors as perceived within a group
• Define group norms and explain how groups develop and manage norms
• Public Speaking:
• Analyze audience information and adapt speech content and speech delivery to incorporate what was learned through the analysis
• Define and describe various speech delivery styles
• Select and apply appropriate verbal and nonverbal messages to the speech situation and audience
• Determine and develop objectives and goals for presentations given specific audiences and situations
• Prepare robust outlines and deliver logically organized speeches
• Conduct research and evaluate the accuracy, quality, credibility, and appropriateness of supporting materials to provide evidence for and/or enhance speech content
• Media Literacy/Mass Media:
• Define media literacy and describe how it can improve one's skills set as a consumer and citizen in an information-based democratic society
• Examine and discuss how the media shapes one's individual perspectives and influences society as a whole
• Apply critical thinking skills to examine and analyze messages for accuracy and credibility

Major Topics to be Included

• Fundamentals of Communication
• Interpersonal Communication
• Small Group Communication
• Public Speaking
• Media Literacy/Mass Media