Core Courses
General Education courses required by the University are COMM 145 or COMM 161. Information regarding each follows:

COMM 145: Fundamentals of Public Speaking

Introduction to Public Speaking makes a substantial contribution to the university’s general education goals of teaching critical thinking and speaking skills. This course primarily emphasizes proficiency in speaking and writing. Students outline, write, and deliver both informative and persuasive speeches incorporating relevant sources. The course focuses on the importance of delivering messages that are both appropriate and effective for the audience. Students employ rhetorical strategies appropriate to purpose, audience, and context. Additionally, students critically evaluate sources, and design logical persuasive arguments within an ethical framework.

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Chapter Breakdown

Types of speeches included in course:

  • Process speech
  • Informative speech
  • Call to action speech
  • Motivated sequence speech

 

COMM 161: Business and Professional Speaking

Business and Professional Speaking makes a substantial contribution to the university’s general education goals of teaching critical thinking and speaking skills. This course primarily emphasizes proficiency in developing and delivering business presentations in addition to exploring foundations of communication in the workplace. Students develop informative and persuasive messages and learn how to plan and run business meetings, conduct informational interviews, and follow the steps of small group decision-making. They employ rhetorical strategies appropriate to purpose, audience, and context, and organize messages incorporating relevant sources. In this sense, students are taught critical thinking skills collecting and evaluating information for ethical message production.

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Chapter Breakdown

Types of business presentations included in course:

  • Informative organizational patterns
  • Persuasive organizational patterns
  • Team business presentation - either informative or persuasive