Speech Communication Department

In fulfilling the educational mission of the major, students in speech communication are offered opportunities to develop competence in the following areas:

Intellectual Objectives

Understand the complexity of communication-To develop a comprehensive understanding of the complexities and contingencies inherent in communication processes.
Acknowledge the primacy of the oral-To articulate the fundamental role of speech in constructing and shaping cultural capacities to think and act.
Focus on the importance of the particular-To identify communication problems arising in particular situations, challenging the temptation to generalize prematurely or too broadly.
Stress the significance of the local-To recognize that we live in and reason from orally derived cultural traditions and that these traditions need not be seen as relativistic or inferior to more universal claims.
Live out the art of being timely-To realize that to make a difference in the world of human affairs, we must develop the art of the performance-the ability to integrate carefully digested experience and knowledge and put it to work effectively.

Performance Objectives

General Communicative Competence
This includes the ability to read, write, speak, and listen. Students learn to use these processes effectively to acquire, develop, and convey ideas and information. More specifically, the ability to:

identify and analyze target audiences and adapt messages appropriately
systematically gather and use information from various sources
organize and present ideas in a cogent and articulate manner
argue a point of view in an articulate and persuasive manner
listen in a comprehensive fashion
distinguish oral from written modes of discourse
use technology to enhance communication in appropriate ways

Situational Communicative Competence

manage interpersonal communication and relationships in personal, professional, and public contexts
function effectively leading small, decision-making groups
function effectively leading larger organizational and community efforts
make judgments in light of historical, social, economic, and political realities of communication situations
anticipate, adapt to, and promote changes in society

Critical and Creative Thinking Skills

function as a critical consumer of information and message-to evaluate and synthesize information
conduct rhetorical analysis of a written or oral text
use a range of tools and techniques for generating innovative ideas
develop an enhanced aesthetic sensibility-an appreciation for the artful expression of ideas

Personal and Professional Identity

develop a richer sense of personal and social identity through reflection upon one's own behavior, ethical standards, and communicative style
develop an appreciation for and promotion of speech communication scholarship
active involvement in continuous learning