JAN 331: Professional Communication for College Interim 2024
Instructor: Carol B. Wilson Telephone: 864.597.4577 (O); 864.430.0438 (C)
E-Mail: wilsoncb@wofford.edu Office: Main 323
Office Hours: MON—FRI 1-2.30 PM. Since previously scheduled meetings may claim these office hours times, please email Dr. Wilson to set a meeting time best for your schedule.
Credit Hours: 03 Location: Main JJRH 106 Meeting Times: TR 9 AM—11.25 AM
Course Description: A practical, workshop-based course in professional communication—writing and speaking—based upon learning opportunities that support students’ college success.
In this Interim, through readings, scenarios, and workshops, students will develop skills in professional communication: written and spoken, in multiple contexts. To be most effective, professional communication should extend from a person’s authentic identity to meet the audience’s needs and preferences. However, that effectiveness does not always come naturally. Practice helps each of us develop and use our individual, professional speaking and writing voice with confidence, without taking an hour to write a 4-line email or to compose a voicemail.
This workshop-style class includes introductions to audience and purposes for communication to create effective messaging for email, informal talks, presentations, phone and other live conversations, and electronic resources. Students will practice leading information interviews and will also practice creating and answering questions for employment or internship applications. Class time will include speakers, small group collaboration, individual work, and presentations, and students will complete a final reflection summarizing the applications they find in their learning during the Interim.
Beginning with clear explorations of attributes of the speaker, audience, and purposes of professional communication, students will also consider their own personal voices and analyze those of others, in-class and out, to actively develop a professional voice that remains natural but that also clearly communicates within expectations of varying audiences.
- Teacher: Carol Wilson