UNIVERSITY OF GUAM

COURSE OUTLINE

 

 

COURSE NUMBER:  CO370                                                                   COLLEGE:  Liberal Arts and Social Sciences

 

COURSE TITLE:  Organizational Communication

 

CREDIT HOURS:  3

 

DATE OF APPROVAL                                                                            SEMESTER OFFERED:  SP/Odd years

 

COURSE COUNTS AS                                              general education requirement

                                                                      X           part of Communication major program

                                                                                  elective

 

 

1.             CATALOG DESCRIPTION

 

                This course provides an overview of the various theories and approaches which have been developed to understand human processes in organizations.  It focus on the impact of globalization and emerging communication technology on organizational process, as well as the influence of organizational structure and hierarchy on communication and other organizational outcomes.  Prerequisite:  CO210

 

 

2.             COURSE CONTENT

 

                This course covers

                a.             theories, assumptions, and processes in organizational communication

                b.             roles, relationships, and responsibilities of organizational members

c.             skills and applications to interpersonal, small-group and public communication transactions in the organizational contexts

                d.             the impact of emerging technology on organizational communication

                e.             values, ethics, and dilemmas in contemporary organizations

 

3.             RATIONALE FOR THE COURSE

 

Surveys of managers and other organizational members consistently identify communication as a key factor in successes, and more importantly, in failures to accomplish organizational objectives.            

 

4.             SKILLS AND BACKGROUND REQUIRED OR EXPECTED

 

                                CO210, preferably of junior or senior class standing.

 

5.             TEACHING MEHTODOLOGIES AND ANTICIPATED CLASS SIZE

               

Lecture, discussion, case studies, field research in an organization.  Anticipated class size: 25

 

6.             ADDITIONAL COURSE DESCRIPTORS

 

In this course, students will have the opportunity to conduct field research and observe organizational communication in actual organizations.

 

7.             LEARNING OBJECTIVES FOR STUDENTS

 

                                Students will demonstrate a knowledge of

                                a.             theoretical perspectives for studying organizational communication

                                b.             interpersonal communication in organizations

                                c.             small group communication in organizations

                                d.             organizational conflict and decision-making

                                e.             leadership styles and management communication

                                f.              ethical dilemmas and ethical communication behaviors

                                g.             the impact of emerging technology in organizations

                                h.             basic research methods in organizational communication

 

8.             METHODS OF EVALUATION

 

                                Methods of evaluation may include written exams, case analyses, and a research paper.

 

9.             REQUIRED AND RECOMMENDED TEXTS AND/OR STUDY GUIDES

 

Shockley-Zalabak, Pamela (1999).  Fundamentals of Organizational communication, 4th ed.  White Plains, NY:  Longman.

 

10.           SUBSEQUENT COURSES

 

                                MG 331 Managerial Communication

                                MG 351 Fundamentals of Management

 

 

CLASS/Curriculum Committee

Course Outline Addendum

 

1. Substantiate the compelling need for the course.

 

Within the past twenty years, two factors have brought about dramatic changes in communication - globalization and communication technology.  Nowhere have the changes been felt more dramatically than in the world of work, in organizations which have been redefined by tele-commuting, team-managed management, multi-cultural workforces and electronic transactions. A course in organizational communication looks at the impact of these changes on human interactions.

 

A survey of Communication programs in various universities indicate that they generally cover the different areas of communication [interpersonal, small group, mass, intercultural and organizational]. The inclusion of a course in Organizational Communication will fill a gap in the present program at UOG.

 

2. Document indications that the course will meet its projected size.

 

The course is being taught for the first time this semester [Spring 2000] under CO410 [Selected topics in Communication]. At present, there are 51 Communication majors, who will the option to take CO 370 as one of their electives. For those in the proposed PR track, CO 370 will be a required core course. In addition to Communication majors, we hope to attract majors from other colleges who can take the class as an elective the next time the course is offered.

 

3. State how the new course will be covered by existing faculty.

 

See attached faculty load sheet.