Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs)

Frequently asked questions:

What are student learning outcomes (SLOs)?

Student learning outcomes (SLOs) are general statements that specify what students will know, be able to do, or value upon completing a particular course or program of study.

How are student learning outcomes used?

  • For students, SLOs indicate what they can expect to learn in a given course. Additionally, SLOs can be used as a guideline for understanding where various learning opportunities are available within the speech department.
  • For instructors, SLOs provide an understanding of how to better facilitate the student learning process. They also serve as amechanismto assess and improvestudent learning.

Communication Studies Program SLOs

Upon completion of a degree in Communication Studies, students will be able to:

  1. Apply communication concepts and theories to monitor and improve communication competence in diverse interpersonal, intercultural, small group, and organizational contexts.
  2. Practice ethical communication to embrace a diverse range of individuals, communities, and viewpoints.
  3. Competently construct and present formal and informal oral presentations in a variety of settings to different audiences.
  4. Employ critical thinking, problem-solving, and other communication skills as active participants in a democracy.

Communication Studies Course SLOs (updated Fall 2023)

Communication Studies 60: Basics of Speech Communication

  1. Students demonstrate an understanding of conversation skills.
  2. Students identify the elements of the communication model.
  3. Students research, prepare, and deliver a speech.
  4. Students participate effectively in small group interactions.

Communication Studies 100: Introduction to Communication Studies

  1. Students identify the elements of the communication model as they apply to a variety of communication contexts.
  2. Students demonstrate a basic understanding of human communication theories and events related to culture, self-concept, perception, listening, verbal communication, and nonverbal communication.
  3. Students prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation.
  4. Students participate in small group activities to demonstrate an understanding of leadership communication, problem solving, role orientation, and conflict management strategies.
  5. Students demonstrate an understanding of ethical communication behaviors and perspectives including the role communication plays in creating a culture of inclusion.

Communication Studies 103: Argumentation, Persuasion, and Critical Thinking

  1. Students critically evaluate the basic elements of an argument: claim, reasoning, and evidence.
  2. Students research credible evidence to support a claim.
  3. Students use sound-valid reasoning to support a claim and distinguish flawed reasoning and evidence in an argument.
  4. Students use critical thinking skills to write and speak persuasively.
  5. Students deliver, analyze, and critique ideas in academic debate.
  6. Students use ethical, culturally-sensitive arguments in oral and written communication.

Communication Studies 110: Intercultural Communication

  1. Students demonstrate understanding of the relationship between culture, communication, and relational contexts and apply effective communication skills to a variety of intercultural interactions.
  2. Students develop a deeper understanding of one's own culture as well as learning about the cultures of others.
  3. Students identify different verbal and non-verbal communication patterns across cultures and groups.
  4. Students identify and explain cultural values, beliefs, and rules, their historical origins, and their role in the intercultural communication process.
  5. Students demonstrate understanding of overt and covert cultural behaviors that manifest in the forms of communication barriers such as prejudice, discrimination, and ethnocentrism.
  6. Students apply a critical intercultural communication lens to analyze the culture, history, and diversity of ethnic, subcultural, and co-cultural groups within domestic and global contexts.

Communication Studies 115: Gender, Communication, and the Digital Revolution

  1. Students explain how digital and media culture have impacted conceptualizations of gender.
  2. Students identify the promises and pitfalls of digital technologies in terms of real, transformative outcomes for gender identity and communication.
  3. Students analyze and evaluate how gender roles are created, redefined, and perpetuated by various mediated and face-to-face contexts.
  4. Students demonstrate communication competence as it pertains to applying the information learned to improve communication within and between gender groups.
  5. Students interrogate the intersection between power, gender and digital technology.
  6. Students explain artificial intelligence’s impact on gender, identity, and communication.

Communication Studies 120: Interpersonal Communication

  1. Students identify the elements of the communication model as they apply to interpersonal communication contexts.
  2. Students analyze their own relationships using theories of interpersonal communication.
  3. Students demonstrate proficiency in the use of skills necessary for competent and ethical interpersonal communication.
  4. Students understand the role of verbal communication, nonverbal communication, and listening in the communication process.
  5. Students explain the role communication plays in the creation, development, and change of personal identities and perceptions, including variables such as culture, gender, ethnicity, and race.

Communication Studies 125: Organizational Communication

  1. Students identify the elements of the communication model as they apply to organizational communication contexts.
  2. Students prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation.
  3. Students demonstrate the ability to apply organizational concepts and skills to both case studies and real world circumstances.
  4. Students persuasively and confidently present themselves during a job interview.
  5. Students use communication skills to effectively organize, chair and/or participate in a group meeting.

Communication Studies 130: Public Speaking

  1. Students identify the elements of the communication model as they apply to public speaking contexts.
  2. Students prepare and deliver an effective oral presentation.
  3. Students demonstrate ability to manage communication apprehension
  4. Students compose a written speech outline.
  5. Students demonstrate an understanding of evidence and its role in speech writing.
  6. Students understand the ethical responsibilities of a speaker.
  7. Students articulate the connection between communication and culture and respect diverse perspectives and the ways they influence communication.

Communication Studies 132: Small Group Communication

  1. Students identify the elements of the communication model as they apply to small group communication contexts.
  2. Students describe communication factors that shape group member's roles, stages of group development, and functions in the group process.
  3. Students effectively prepare for, conduct, and participate in group meetings, decision making, and problem solving.
  4. Students demonstrate awareness of social and cultural influences in small group dynamics.
  5. Students compare and contrast small-group communication theories related to systems, leadership, conflict management, power, and persuasion.

Communication Studies 140: Oral Interpretation of Literature

  1. Students select and analyze written materials from poetry and prose appropriate for oral presentation.
  2. Students edit written material to accommodate listening time of audience.
  3. Students read literature aloud with clarity, projection and vocal variety appropriate to the text.
  4. Students interpret literature orally and dramatically.
  5. Students identify a text's premises and assumptions in various social, historical, cultural, psychological, or aesthetic contexts.

Communication Studies 145: Storytelling

  1. Students demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of the origins and history of the oral tradition across cultures and genres.
  2. Students demonstrate appropriate storytelling structure and technique including the use of appropriate verbal and non-verbal delivery.
  3. Students identify and differentiate different genres of storytelling as forms of cultural expression.
  4. Students describe the social, cultural, and historical influences of specific cultural stories as a critical tool to communicate change.
  5. Students evaluate multiple forms and genres of stories using theory and techniques to identify and interpret the meanings and values inherent in multiple forms and genres of stories.

Communication Studies 148: Readers' Theatre

  1. Students demonstrate connections between the arts and socio-cultural issues
  2. Students demonstrate connections between the arts, history and politics
  3. Students demonstrate ability to select, analyze and compile literature across genre of poetry, prose, drama including script, plays, and screenplays, into an effective Readers’ Theatre script with a clear socio-cultural and/or political message
  4. Students create Readers’ Theatre scripts and performances that provide cultural critique of past and present social inequities and injustices
  5. Students analyze any or all of the basic elements of a piece of literature for the purpose of interpretation: climax, persona, locus, and intrinsic factors such as unity and harmony, variety and contrast, balance and proportion, and rhythm
  6. Students demonstrate historical and cultural understanding and appreciation of classical and contemporary literary works
  7. Students evaluate peer performances through oral and written assessment
  8. Students identify the scientific aspects of speech, including the function of the organs of breathing, phonation, resonance, and articulation

Communication Studies 200: Contemporary Communication Topics

Note: Communication Studies 200 is a specialized course designed to present and acquaint students with communication theories and principles relevant to improving communication effectiveness. It focuses on those issues that reflect the evolutionary nature of communication in a variety of contemporary communication areas. Please refer to the online schedule of classes for more information about the specific course topic. The course topic is subject to change each semester.

  1. Students demonstrate the ability to apply communication concepts and skills to both case studies and real world circumstances.
  2. Students analyze a communication interaction and determine what modifications, if any, would improve that interaction.
  3. Students apply various approaches to communication problem solving using contemporary, critical communication issues.
  4. Students become aware of unconscious communication assumptions to uncover the invisible influences on their communication effectiveness.

Communication Studies 231: Forensics Activity (Competitive Speech and Debate)

  1. Students research in-depth arguments on a variety of current political, economic, legal and social problems affecting diverse co-cultural groups.
  2. Students analyze and evaluate the content and style of public discourse in a culturally component manner.
  3. Students deliver a wide variety of types of discourse and adapt to a variety of situational considerations.
  4. Students manage communication apprehension to improve speech delivery, effectiveness, and confidence.

Communication Studies 232: Forensics Activity (Competitive Speech and Debate)

  1. Students research in-depth arguments on a variety of current political, economic, legal and social problems affecting diverse co-cultural groups.
  2. Students analyze and evaluate the content and style of public discourse in a culturally component manner.
  3. Students deliver a wide variety of types of discourse and adapt to a variety of situational considerations.
  4. Students integrate feedback from outside critics into public discourse.
  5. Students manage communication apprehension to improve speech delivery, effectiveness, and confidence.

Communication Studies 233: Forensics Activity (Competitive Speech and Debate)

  1. Students research in-depth arguments on a variety of current political, economic, legal and social problems affecting diverse co-cultural groups.
  2. Students analyze and evaluate the content and style of public discourse in a culturally component manner.
  3. Students deliver a wide variety of types of discourse and adapt to a variety of situational considerations.
  4. Students integrate feedback from outside critics into public discourse.
  5. Students provide constructive feedback to beginning forensics students.
  6. Students manage communication apprehension to improve speech delivery, effectiveness, and confidence.