Communication Courses for Aspiring Public Speakers at the University of Colorado in Boulder

Discover how to become a better, more confident public speaker. Get to know all about the human communication theory. Find out how communication is important in society and why. This program is broad in all of the subjects that it covers in communication.

What is Communication

Communication is a process that allows beings - in particular humans - to exchange information by several methods. Communication requires that some kinds of symbols from a kind of language are exchanged. There are auditory means, such as speaking or singing, and nonverbal, physical means, such as body language, sign language, paralanguage, touch or eye contact. Communication happens at many levels (even for one single action), in many different ways, and for all beings, and some machines. Many or all, fields of study dedicate some attention to communication, so when speaking about communication it is very important to be sure about what aspect of communication one is speaking about. Some definitions are broad, recognizing that animals can communicate with each other as well as human beings, and some are more narrow, only including human beings within the parameters of human symbolic interaction.

Coolest courses on Communication as far as I'm concerned

COMM 1210: Perspectives on Human Communication (3 Credits) - This class surveys communication in a variety of contexts and applications. Studies will study such topics as basic concepts and general models of communication, ethics, language and nonverbal communication, personal relationships, group decision making, organizational communication, and impact of technological developments on communication. This class is required for PRCM and COMM majors.

COMM 1300: Public Speaking (3 Credits) - The class covers theory and skills of speaking in various public settings. Students will examine fundamental principles from rhetorical and communication theory and applies them to oral presentations. Public Speaking is required for PRCM and COMM majors.

COMM 2360: Campaigns and Revolutions (3 Credits) - Students are introduced to concepts in rhetoric and argumentation that are used to explain significant social and political changes in our society. The goal is to show students how social actors use rhetoric to promote some social goals and hinder others.

COMM 2400: Communication and Society (3 Credits) - You will examine how aspects of talk; such as, turn-taking, speech acts, narratives, dialect, and stance indicators. Students will be examining links with identities; such as, ethnic and racial, age, gender, work-related, and personal. The course considers how communication is central to constructing who people are and examines social controversies related to talk and identities. Communication and Society is approved for arts and sciences core curriculum: contemporary societies.

COMM 3210: Human Communication Theory (3 Credits) - This course acquaints students with general, thematic, and contextual theories of human communication. This course also focuses on the criteria for evaluating theories.

COMM 3320: Persuasion in Society (3 Credits) - You'll be exploring how persuasion influences decision making, focusing on different definitions and models of persuasion, and ethical perspectives on persuasion. Students will also be exploring qualitative and quantitative research on persuasion, and the tools of motivation. Discover how to create effective and ethical persuasive messages.

COMM 3510: Family Communication (3 Credits) - Students will explore communication in families from various theoretical perspectives, such as social constructionism, systems theory, and dialectical theory. Communication patterns and processes created and sustained by family members are examined, including rules, roles, stories, rituals, myths, metaphors, themes, and cycles.

COMM 3760: Rhetorical Criticism (3 Credits) - This class applies key concepts from rhetorical theory to the analysis of specific speeches, written texts, and social situations within the humanistic tradition. Students read a variety of types of criticism and are encouraged to develop their own strategies for critical analysis.

COMM 5610: Organizational Culture and Symbolism (3 Credits) - Students will be focusing on relationship between ideological elements; such as, norms, values, and beliefs. The course also focuses on symbolic practices of organizational culture; such as, metaphor, ritual, and storytelling. Topics from viewpoints of academic theory and managerial practice are analyzed in Organization. You will also be reviewing interpretive methods of researching workplace culture and symbolism.

COMM 6340: Rhetoric and Civic Community (3 Credits) - Performances of public life as rhetorical inducements of civitas are considered in this course. Such topics in Rhetoric as negotiation of self-regulation among interdependent partners, rhetorical exclusions and or counterpublics are explored. Dialectical tensions of public or private as these contribute to and have civic consequences for publicness, community, and social will are also studied in Rhetoric.

COMM 6450: Group Interaction Facilitation and Pedagogy (3 Credits) - Theory, research, and practice associated with facilitating group interaction processes (e.g., group creation, conflict communication management, conversation and discussion, task accomplishment, and team communication) are explored in Group. Other topics studied in this class include facilitation associated with teaching an introductory group interaction course.

Other courses available

COMM 1600: Public Speaking (3 Credits)
COMM 2000: Topics in Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 2500: Interpersonal Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 2600: Organizational Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 3000: Issues in Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 3300: Rhetorical Foundations of Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 3310: Principles and Practices of Argumentation (3 Credits)
COMM 3340: Political Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 3410: Intercultural Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 3610: Commincation, Technology, and Society (3 Credits)
COMM 3740: Qualitative Communication Research Methods (3 Credits)
COMM 3750: Empirical Research Methods in Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 4000: Advanced Topics in Communication (1 to 3 Credits)
COMM 4100: Seminar in Honors Thesis Writing and Research (3 Credits)
COMM 4220: Senior Seminar: Functions of Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 4300: Senior Seminar: Rhetoric (3 Credits)
COMM 4400: Senior Seminar: Communication Codes (3 Credits)
COMM 4510: Senior Seminar: Interpersonal Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 4600: Senior Seminar: Organizational Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 4840: Undergraduate Independent Study (1 to 6 Credits)
COMM 4930: Internship (1 to 6 Credits)
COMM 4950: Senior Thesis: Honors (1 to 6 Credits)
COMM 5210: Readings in Communication Theory (3 Credits)
COMM 5220: Seminar: Functions of Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 5230: Applied Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 5300: Seminar: Rhetoric (3 Credits)
COMM 5310: Contemporary Rhetorical Criticism (3 Credits)
COMM 5320: Readings in Rhetoric (3 Credits)
COMM 5420: Readings in Group Interaction (3 Credits)
COMM 5510: Seminar: Interpersonal Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 5520: Readings in Interpersonal Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 5600: Seminar: Organizational Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 5620: Readings in Organizational Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 5720: Readings in Communication and Technology (3 Credits)
COMM 6010: Communication Research and Theory (3 Credits)
COMM 6020: Quantitative Research Methods (3 Credits)
COMM 6030: Qualitative Research Methods (3 Credits)
COMM 6200: Seminar: Selected Topics (1 to 3 Credits)
COMM 6310: Rhetorical Criticism (3 Credits)
COMM 6320: Rhetorical Theory (3 Credits)
COMM 6330: Seminar in Rhetoric of Science and Technology (3 Credits)
COMM 6350: Seminar in Argumentation (3 Credits)
COMM 6360: Social and Cultural Theory (3 Credits)
COMM 6410: Discourse Analysis (3 Credits)
COMM 6420: Interaction Analysis (3 Credits)
COMM 6430: Communication in Family Groups (3 Credits)
COMM 6440: Grounded Practical Theory (3 Credits)
COMM 6470: Meetings, Their Practices and Problems (3 Credits)
COMM 6730: Collaboration and Decision Making in Organizations (3 Credits)
COMM 6740: Power and Control in Organizational Communication (3 Credits)
COMM 6750: Communication and Organizational Change (3 Credits)
COMM 6840: Master's Independent Study (1 to 3 Credits)
COMM 6940: Master's Degree Candidate (1 to 3 Credits)
COMM 6950: Master's Thesis (1 to 6 Credits)
COMM 8840: Doctoral Independent Study (1 to 6 Credits)
COMM 8990: Doctoral Dissertation (1 to 10 Credits)

About Colorado University of Boulder

Little known facts: The school was established back in 1876. Their motto is "Let Your Light Shine". There have been approximately 24,000 undergraduates and 4,000 post-graduates. They were the first to create a new form of matter, called the "Bose-Einstein condensate" which is a few hundred billionths of a degree above absolute zero. They were the first to observe a "fermionic condensate" formed from pairs of atoms in a gas. They discovered a protein in the blood that can prevent the AIDS virus from reproducing and spreading to healthy cells. The university has also accomplished many more things; such as, the creation of a classifying and numbering system for human chromosomes, and the production of computerized 3D images of the entire body in anatomical sections.

University or college location: Boulder, Colorado

Directions to the college or university

From DIA: You will fly in or out of DIA or should I say, Denver International Airport. Driving time between DIA and Boulder is approximately 60 to 90 minutes. From DIA, follow Peña Boulevard (10 miles) south to I-70, and exit onto I-70 west. Follow I-70 west to I-270 west. I-270 merges into U.S. 36 west and takes you west into Boulder (about 23 miles). Exit at Baseline Road; turn left on Broadway and turn right or north. The campus is to the right. For alternate routes, see the map from DIA to Boulder.

From the Denver Area and South: To get to Boulder from the Denver area, go west on U.S. 36 (from I-25 or I-270) and exit at Baseline Road. Turn left (west) on Baseline Road, then right or north on Broadway to campus.

From the North: From the north, take U.S. 287 south to Highway 119. Highway 119 becomes Highway 157 (Foothills Parkway) just north of Boulder. Turn right or west from Foothills Parkway onto Baseline Road. Drive west on Baseline to Broadway, then turn right (north) on Broadway to campus.

From the West: Take I-70 east to U.S. 6. Go east on U.S. 6 to CO. 58. Turn right (east) on CO.58 to CO. 93. Make a left (north) onto CO. 93 towards Boulder. CO. 93 will turn into Broadway once in Boulder. Continue on Broadway west until you see the campus on your right. It will be shortly after you pass Baseline Rd.