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COMM 329

Communications (COMM) 329
The Practice of Interpersonal Communications (Revision 5)

Revision 5 closed Aug. 23, 2007, replaced by current version.

View previous syllabus

Delivery mode: Individualized study online or
grouped study**

Credits: 3 - Applied Studies.

Prerequisite: None. COMM 243 is recommended for students who have not previously studied interpersonal communication skills.

Centre: School of Business

COMM 329 has a Challenge for Credit option.

**Note: Students registering in grouped study, or grouped study international mode are advised that there may be some differences in the evaluation and course materials information indicated below. To obtain the most up-to-date information, contact the School of Business Call Centre at 1-800-468-6531.

Overview

Communications 329 helps you improve your interpersonal communication skills by making you examine how well you communicate with others. It expands upon concepts and issues presented in Communications 243, and addresses the topics of effective listening, pacing, and attending to a client. It also addresses making value judgements, summarizing, probing, expressing, empathy, handling emotions, perception-checking, and selecting and evaluating a guidance or helping strategy. As well, it underscores ways of communicating that are counter-productive.

Outline

Part One: The Groundwork for Helping

  • Lesson 1: Introduction to Helping
  • Lesson 2: Overview of the Helping Model
  • Lesson 3: The Helping Relationship: Values in Action

Part Two: Basic Communication Skills for Helping

  • Lesson 4: Introduction to Communication
  • Lesson 5: Active Listening
  • Lesson 6: Sharing Empathic Highlights
  • Lesson 7: The Art of Probing and Summarizing

Part Three: Advanced Communication Skills for Helping

  • Lesson 8: Step 1-A: Helping Clients Tell Their Stories
  • Lesson 9: Reluctant and Resistant Clients
  • Lesson 10: Step 1-B: The Nature of Challenging
  • Lesson 11: Step 1-B: Specific Challenging Skills
  • Lesson 12: Step 1-B: The Wisdom of Challenging
  • Lesson 13: Step 1-C: Leverage
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Evaluation

To receive credit for COMM 329, you must complete three written assignments, achieve a minimum grade of “D” (50 percent) on the final examination, and achieve an overall grade of at least “D” (50 percent) on the entire course. The credit weightings for each assignment are as follows:

Assignment 1 Assignment 2 Assignment 3 Final Exam Total
25% 15% 30% 30% 100%

To learn more about assignments and examinations, please refer to Athabasca University's online Calendar.

Course Materials

Textbooks

Egan, G. (2002). The skilled helper: A problem-management and opportunity-development approach to helping. (7th ed.). London: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company.
ISBN 0-534-50902-9

Egan, G. (2002). Exercises in helping skills: A manual to accompany the skilled helper. (7th ed.). London: Brooks/Cole Publishing Company. ISBN 0-534-36732-1

Other materials

Students will access all other course materials online.

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