Courses Taught at Framingham State College

Introduction to Speech Communication - 71.115

An introduction to the theories and practice of human communication in interpersonal, small group, and public communication situations.  Students apply principles of communication to the content and delivery of messages in a variety of situations.

Small Group Communication - 71.205  

An exploration of the theories, concepts and skills that improve speech communication in group contexts.  Leadership and group skills are developed through practical application (group work) aimed at accomplishing shared tasks and facilitating positive interaction.  Students study the principles of group dynamics, decision making, problem solving, interpersonal conflict, consensus, leadership and team building. The course incorporates elements of conflict management and also emphasizes issues relevant to membership diversity. Students will have the opportunity to evaluate group members’ interactions critically and constructively.

 Interpersonal Dialogue - 71.207  

 A course that fosters a broad level of awareness in regard to interpersonal communication.  While it does not    offer a formula for interpersonal success, it invites the student to ask questions about the primary issue of the "other" and how the "other" necessarily affects the "self." In so doing, the course centers on issues such as self-awareness, self-disclosure, nonverbal communication, listening, authenticity, power, and conflict.  Students become aware of the speech communication process that both disintegrate and nurture the dyadic human relationship.

Advanced Public Speaking - 71.213

An application of the principles of speech and language in the delivery of speeches to larger audiences.  The class emphasizes organizational techniques, language adaptation, audience analysis and clarity of expression.  Students learn the distinctions between preparation and practice of the four major categories of public discourse:  informative, deliberative, forensic and epideictic. Oratory skill, confidence, and fluency in speech are primary focal points of this course. 

Persuasion and Social Influence - 71.322  

An advanced study of how people influence each other through speech and symbolic gestures.  Students evaluate the strategies used to change others' beliefs, attitudes, values and actions.  The course prepares students to set persuasive goals for a variety of situations and audiences, generate motivational and logical appeals, and evaluate persuasive messages in the broader culture.  Themes include democratic persuasion, the challenge of diversity and social hierarchy.  Controversial topics are selected to reflect persuasive discourses  in a pluralistic society.  Other issues investigated include how to resist another’s attempts to persuade, the distinctions between choice and coercion, and how verbal aggression may facilitate or disable persuasion.  Fear appeals, propaganda, and compliance-gaining techniques are other areas critically assessed.     

Argumentation and Advocacy - 71. 328

An introduction to the nature of argument and critical thinking, including methods of analysis, research, critical evaluation of reasoning and evidence, refutation, debate and advocacy.  Students learn how to think about their positions critically, plan their communicative strategies effectively and argue their cases forcefully. The course surveys the study of reasoning, evidence, case construction and effective presentation in bringing about belief and conviction.  These concepts are explored in detail, often by applying them to various elements of the public sphere and considering various social and political questions. 

The Rhetorical Tradition 71.370 

An advanced study of the art of speech communication from the oratory of ancient Greece and Rome to the discursive studies of postmodern culture.  Emphasis is placed on the ways in which beliefs about language correspond to a culture's prevailing ideology.  Students begin their study with the teachings of the Greek Sophists in Ancient Athens and the works on rhetoric written by Plato, Aristotle and Isocrates.  After surveying the rhetorical theories of Roman orators such as Cicero and Quintillian, students explore the trends of rhetorical discourse through the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and the enlightenment.  In the latter section of the course, attention is directed to contemporary authors such as I. A. Richards, Chaim Perelman, Wayne Booth, Stephen Toulmin, Kenneth Burke, Michel Foucault and Jacques Derrida.  By the end of the course students have a more sophisticated sense for the significance of rhetoric in addressing the relationship between speech communication and culture.