Foundations of Human Communication

CAS 101N exposes students to the role that communication plays in our modern world. Among friends, families, corporations, classrooms, and mass media, communication is how humans define their identity, express their needs, and share ideas. When communication is effective, healthy relationships and societies are more likely. When habits of communication are ineffective or problematic, societies tend to be more partisan, and relational conflict is hard to manage. To understand the essential role that communication plays in the twenty-first century, this class introduces students to the academic study of communication processes and practices. 

CAS 101N pursues three distinct goals. First, it provides students who are considering a major or minor in Communication Arts & Sciences with knowledge about the discipline. Second, it provides non-majors with insight into how communication is a ubiquitous part of society. Third, it teaches every student how they can both produce and evaluate communication more effectively. Toward that end, this course will:

1) expose students to the basic concepts and best practices of communication. 

2) prepare students to excel in advanced communication classes. 

3) help non-majors incorporate essential communication theories and principles into their own fields of study and future professions.

The semester is divided into three units: principles of communication, social scientific approaches, and humanistic/critical approaches. The course relies on speakers from across the Communication Arts & Sciences department to share their expertise and particular research to help inform students of the particulars of what it means to study communication.