Common Course Outline

Course discipline/number/title COMM 2100: Intercultural Communication

Catalog Description

Credits 3
Hours/Week 3
Prerequisites (Course discipline/number) None
Other requirements College level reading and writing skills: appropriate score on the RCTC placement test or completion of appropriate developmental courses with grades of C or better.
MnTC Goals (if any) Goal 1/Written and Oral Communication, Goal 8/Global Perspectives

Course Description

This course develops the intercultural communication skills necessary for students living and working with individuals of different cultures. Students will gain intercultural self-awareness and improve communication competency. Students will examine social, economic, and political viewpoints from a cross-cultural perspective. Topics may include: defining culture, differences and similarities in using verbal and nonverbal symbols among different cultures, barriers to effective intercultural communication, interactive listening, working in intercultural groups, adapting messages for culturally diverse groups, and strategies for examining equity and inclusion.

Date Last Revised (Month, year)

March, 2022

Outline of Major Content Areas

  1. Human Communication Theory
  2. Cultural Elements in Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
  3. Cultural Values in Relation to Self and Society
  4. Self-Awareness of Selective Perception toward Other Cultures
  5. Intercultural Competence in a Variety of Cultural Contexts
  6. Implicit Bias and Selective Perception
  7. Reducing Barriers to Intercultural Communication

Learning Outcomes (General)

The student will be able to:

  1. Explore how cultural identity shapes, and is shaped by, communication.
  2. Compare/contrast patterns of thought, value, belief, and behavior (verbal and nonverbal) exhibited in different cultures.
  3. Define the role of perception and bias in intercultural communication interactions.
  4. Articulate the skills needed to manage various intercultural communication contexts.
  5. Assess and reflect on one’s own personal intercultural communication competency.
  6. Explain the need for intercultural communication competency and adopting anti-racist strategies in our global and ever-changing world.

Learning Outcomes (MnTC)

Goal 1/Written and Oral Communication

The student will be able to:

  1. Participate effectively in groups with emphasis on listening, critical and reflective thinking, and responding.
  2. Locate, evaluate, and synthesize in a responsible manner material from diverse sources and points of view.
  3. Select appropriate communication choices for specific audiences.
  4. Construct logical and coherent arguments.
Goal 8/Global Perspectives

The student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate knowledge of cultural, social, religious and linguistic differences.
  2. Analyze specific international problems, illustrating the cultural, economic, and political differences that affect their solution.
  3. Understand the role of a world citizen and the responsibility world citizen’s share for their common global future.

Methods for Evaluation of Student Learning

Methods may include but are not limited to:

RCTC Core Outcome(s)

This course contributes to meeting the following RCTC Core Outcome(s):

Communication
Students will communicate appropriately for their respective audiences.

Special Information (if any)

The course may include outside research and will require the use of a computer.