PELLISSIPPI STATE TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
MASTER SYLLABUS
 INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
SPH 2200
Class Hours:  3.0   Credit Hours:  3.0  
Laboratory Hours:  0.0   Date Revised:  Fall 1998  
       
Catalog Course Description:    
   Process by which thoughts, feelings, and actions affect and are affected by the face-to-face communication situation. Application of  interpersonal skills in group, family, and work situations, including  job interviewing.
Entry Level Standards:    
   A knowledge of basic high school English composition is expected of   students entering SPH 2200. The student should be familiar with the   basic rules of outlining and research. The student should be aware of   his/her personal, social, and political environment. For your best   experience possible in this class, you must be able to brain storm and   remember past interpersonal experiences applicable to class discussion.
Prerequisites/Corequisites:    
   While no college level pre-requisites exist for SPH 2200, a student with deficiencies in English grammar and composition should consider  completing freshman composition (ENG 1010) before taking SPH 2200. All  students should be finished with DSE 0820, if required.
Textbook(s) and Other Reference Materials Basic to the Course:  
  Kathleen Morig with John S. Caputo, Harry C. Hazel and Colleen McMahon.  Interpersonal Communication: Using Reasoning to Make Relationships   Work. Needham Heights, MA: Allyn & Bacon Publishing Company,(Most   Recent Edition). 
Keirsey and Bates, Please Understand Me-Character & Temperament Types,  (Most Recent Edition). Prometheus Nemesis Book Company.
I. Week/Unit/Topic Basis:    
  Week  Topic
  1 Getting acquainted; introductions; defining interpersonal communication. Read Chapter 1
  2 Critical thinking; reflective listening versus reactive listening; debate; disagreement versus reasoned criticism. Read Chapter 2
  3 Perception checking; stereotyping; halo effect; allness; blindering; fact-inference confusion; empathizing. Read Chapter 3
  4 Self-esteem; ways to strengthen self concept; dealing with stress; dealing with phobias; strengthening self concept; self fulfilling prophecy. Read Chapter 4
  5 Small talk, confirmation and small group discussions; Johari's Window; self-disclosure. Read Chapter 5
  6 Language: negotiating reality; symbols; semantics. Read Chapter 6
  7 Nonverbal Behavior: Kinesics, proxemics, Eye Contact and Haptics. Read Chapter 7
  8 Review for midterm through chapter 7.  Mid-term exam
  9 Listening versus hearing; the communication chain. Read Chapter 8
  10 Close relationships; friendships; five stages of relationship breakdown; effective ways to handle conflict. Read Chapter 9
  11 Family communication patterns and roles. Read Chapter 10
  12 Tuckmans forming professional relationships process: forming, storming, norming, and performing; leadership styles; the job interview; how to interview another person. Read Chapter 11
  13 Effects of culture and gender on communication. Read Chapter 12
  14 Technology and communication. Read Chapter 13
  15 Review for final and catch up
  16 Final Exam
II. Course Objectives*:    
  A. Understanding self-concept and its formation.  III
  B. Develop skill in communicating with other people one-on-one. III, IV
  C. Analyze and understand the process of human communication. I, III
  D. Apply knowledge of nonverbal and verbal communication in the interpersonal setting.  III, IV
  E. Listen efficiently and effectively to others.  III
  F. Manage conflict.  III, IV
  G. Develop effective job interviewing as the interviewee. III, IV
  H. Develop skill in advocacy of ideas.  II, III, IV
*Roman numerals after course objectives reference goals of the SPH program.
III. Instructional Processes*:     
Students will:      
  1. Participate in interactive exercises that deal with the technical, conceptual and nonverbal interpersonal skills essential for the job interviewing process. Communication Outcome,  Problem Solving, Cultural Diversity and Social Adaptation, Active Learning, Strategy, Transitional Strategy
  2. Participate in interactive discovery exercises that examine the process by which thoughts, feelings, and actions affect and are affected by the face-to-face communication situation. Communication Outcome,  Problem Solving, Cultural Diversity and Social Adaptation,  Active Learning Strategy, Transitional Strategy
  3. Evaluate the application of interpersonal skills in the  group family and work situation. Communication Outcome, Cultural Diversity andSocial Adaptation, Active Learning Strategy, Transitional Strategy
*Strategies and outcomes listed after instructional processes reference Pellissippi State’s goals for strengthening general education knowledge and skills, connecting coursework to experiences beyond the classroom, and encouraging students to take active and responsible roles in the educational process.
IV. Expectations for Student Performance*:
Upon successful completion of this course, the student should be able to:
1. Explain the process of interpersonal communication. D
2. Explain the nature of human perception. D
3. Identify the components of the self-concept. A, D
4. Define connotation and denotation in verbal communication. B, D
5. Use appropriate language skills in an interpersonal setting. B, C, E
6. Apply appropriate language skills in a small group setting. B, C, E
7. Apply/analyze the various types of nonverbal communication. B, D, E
8. Analyze the nonverbal habits of another speaker. D, E
9. Observe and explain the use of space in his or her own communication. B, D, E
10. Begin and engage in a conversation. B, C, E
11. Describe the process of choosing an appropriate level of self- disclosure. B, D, E
12. Analyze his/her interpersonal relationships utilizing Johari's window. A, B, D
13. Describe the components of the active listening model. D, F
14. Separate fact from inference. B, F
15. Evaluate the validity of inferences. B, C, D, F
16. Contrast and compare several methods of improving memory. B, C, F
17. Formulate open-ended questions in the interpersonal setting. B, C, E
18. Formulate clear paraphrases to the satisfaction of a partner. B, C, E
19. Recognize and describe various problem responses in interpersonal communication. B, E
20. Analyze his/her own arguments in a persuasive appeal. B, E
21. Describe various means of increasing his/her credibility with other people. B, C, D
22. Demonstrate/infer the differences among assertiveness, passiveness, and aggressiveness. B, C, D, G
23. Analyze and compare methods of increasing assertiveness. B, D, E, G
24. Analyze the pattern of a real-life or role-played conflict. B, D, G
25. Describe the characteristics of an effective work group. B, D
26. List and define various task, maintenance, and negative roles in group settings. B, D
27. Apply a model for problem solving in groups to an exercise. B, D, E, F, G
28. Analyze his/her abilities and qualifications for communicating and disclosing self in a job interview. D, E, H
29. Participate in a mock interview. B, C, E, H
*Letters after performance expectations reference the course objectives listed above.
V. Evaluation:
A. Grade Breakdown:
 Emphasis is placed on the learning of skills. Therefore evaluation favors the application of knowledge rather than just repeating information.  The breakdown of the grade is as follows:
  1. Observation and Journal 30%
  2. Exercises 20%
  3. Participation 10%
  4. Tests 25%
  5. Quizzes 15%
B. Grading Scale:
 Letter grade/Number grade equivalent                             Grading standard
on Speaking Assignments                                                  for final grade
A  = 100                                                                                    94 - 100 = A
A- = 95
B+ = 93                                                                                     90 - 93  = B+
B  = 89                                                                                       84 - 89  = B
B- = 85
C+ = 83                                                                                     80 - 83  = C+
C  = 79                                                                                      74 - 79  = C
C- = 75
D+ = 73
D  = 70                                                                                      70 - 73  = D
D- = 70
F  = 55                                                                                       BELOW 70 = F

NOTE: AN AUTOMATIC F ON A LATE ASSIGNMENT = 55

C. Other Evaluation Methods:
 NOTE: All assignments must be delivered/turned in for a student to receive a passing grade in SPH 2200. A student may not receive an incomplete unless he/she is one assignment or less away from finishing the course.
VI. Policies:
A. Attendance Policy:
 The equivalent of two weeks worth of unexcused   absences are permitted without a grade penalty. One more absence will   reduce the final grade by one letter. More than three weeks worth of   absences for any reason will result in a "F" grade. A tardy counts as ½   of an absence; leaving early counts as an absence.
B. Academic Dishonesty:
 "Plagiarism, cheating, and other forms of   academic dishonesty are prohibited. Students guilty of academic   misconduct, either directly or indirectly through participation or   assistance, are immediately responsible to the instructor of the class.   In addition to other possible disciplinary sanctions which may be   imposed through the regular Pellissippi State procedures as a result of   academic misconduct, the instructor has the authority to assign an F or   a zero for the exercise or examination, or to assign an F in the   course." Plagiarism is either the copying or the paraphrasing of someone  else's work while claiming it as one's own original work. Plagiarism can  be a particular problem in a writing class; if you are found to be   plagiarizing, you could be expelled from the school.