CMST 280 - Intercultural Communication

5 Credits
This course is designed to assist students in developing their knowledge and skills with people from a variety of cultural backgrounds. Students are introduced to the fundamental principles and practices of intercultural communication. This includes issues such as culture, co-culture, perception, values, beliefs, worldview, verbal communication, nonverbal communication, culture shock and cultural adaptation. Students will explore and analyze their own cultural heritages in relation to the culture/co-cultures of others in the United States and globally. Students will assess and develop their skills during class sessions and experiential activities outside of class. Student reflections, analysis and articulation of insights are critical components of this course.

Course Outcomes

Define culture, communication, intercultural communication, ethnocentrism, culture shock and multiculturalism.
Identify and describe the various aspects of culture which affect a person’s worldview.
Describe the characteristics of intercultural competency/flexibility and apply it to various intercultural situations.
Understand the diversity of worldviews, values, behavior, traditions, and experiences of co-cultures within the United States and the interactions of those co-cultures with one another.
Discuss how culture influences nonverbal communication and how nonverbal communication shapes cultural identities.
Analyze the process of stereotype formation and the manifestations of prejudice, discrimination, and “-isms,” such as sexism and racism.