Southern Utah University

Course Syllabus

Southern Utah University
Southern Utah University
Fall Semester 2025

Communication in Human Interactions (Face-to-Face)

COMM 2110-03

Course: COMM 2110-03
Credits: 3
Term: Fall Semester 2025
Department: COMM
CRN: 32022

Course Description

The course emphasizes interpersonal communication patterns and situations designed to aid the student in improving social relationships, increasing self-awareness, and using appropriate communication to achieve personal, educational and career goals.

The study of communication in human interactions encompasses not only the analysis of conversations but also the examination of relationships. This course is designed to study human interactions from both descriptive and analytical perspectives. The topics of interpersonal relationships, self-concept, perception, emotions, verbal and nonverbal language, listening, relational dynamics, close relationships, communication climate, and conflict will be discussed. Possible methods of enhancing interpersonal communication situations will be practiced through discussion, activities, writing, and observation.

This course syllabus is a general plan for the course; deviations announced to the class by the instructor may be necessary.

Required Texts

1)  Looking Out, Looking In, 14th Edition
By: Ronald B. Adler, Russell F. Proctor II
ISBN-10-0840028172
ISBN-13-978-0840028174
Although the latest edition is the 16th Edition, there aren't many differences between the 14th, 15th, and 16th editions except for the chapter on social media, which I will cover in a lecture.  You will be given access to a free .pdf version of the 14th edition on the Canvas Modules page. This .pdf is 450 pages in color, so don't plan on printing it out. You can try to find a hard copy of the 14th-16th edition. 

2) The Five Love Languages         
By: Gary Chapman, 2015
ISBN-10-080241270X
ISBN-13-978-0802412706
This is a short paperback book that you will need to purchase.  You should be able to get it from the bookstore or their recommended sites.  Last I checked, it was only $9 on Amazon and most people find it was worth it.  Order this right away so you will have it on time. You may also find a copy at the bookstore.

Learning Outcomes

Essential Learning Outcomes:
1. Communication: Students develop and express ideas and will be able to do so in a variety of ways, namely in writing, by speaking, kinesthetically, and aurally.
a. Assessment: Accomplished by completing assignments and through instructor feedback on students’ class discussion and assignments.
2. Critical Thinking: Students demonstrate disciplined processes of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action.
a. Assessment: Accomplished through conceptualizing and synthesizing information into required assignments and class discussion.
Course Goals and Objectives:
1. The student will understand the need to reflect upon interpersonal communication practices.
2. The student will gain knowledge of concepts, theories, and research findings in interpersonal communication.
3. The student will develop and practice communication skills in a supportive environment.
4. The student will learn the vocabulary of interpersonal communication theory and practice.
5. The student will understand various contexts (friendship, co-worker, family, etc.) in which interpersonal communication occurs.

Course Requirements

  1. Readings and Quizzes (45%)- Most of the work in this class involves reading the chapters and then taking a quiz based on the material covered in the chapters and the accompanying lecture and activity.  The quizzes can only be taken once and are timed, so be sure to prepare by reading the material in advance. The quizzes are obviously open-book.  There's no way for me to monitor what you do in your home. (But who knows what AI tools I'll have in the future to do that). The quizzes are 20 - 40 multiple-choice questions each. (373 pts. total)
  2. Writing Assignments (20%)
    • Identity Paper - The Color Code personality test - This is a 3-part assignment analyzing your identity based on the results of the Color Code personality quiz and one other personality quiz of your choosing.  You are then to compare and contrast the results. You will be graded on your application of course concepts to your analyses. College-level writing is expected. (60 pts.) 
    • Atlas of Emotions - Visit the Atlas of Emotions website at this link and then write a short essay. Describe the fundamental emotional states and the concepts related to "Timeline," "Experience," "Response," and "Strategies.  Write at least one paragraph on each of the concepts. Use the word genius two times in the essay. (25 pts.)
    • Listening Barriers - This is a brief, three-paragraph assignment that analyzes your listening barriers. You will be given a list of barriers and it will be discussed at length in a posted video.  Your essay will be graded on your identification of each barrier and examples that demonstrate your understanding of the course concepts. (15 pts.)
    • What I Know Now Paper - This is your final.  There's no final exam.  This 2-3 page write-up is designed to demonstrate your understanding of course concepts and how they apply to your life.  You will also be expected to make assessments about what you learned over the term.  (80 pts.)
  3. In-Class and Analysis Activities (31%)
    • Nonverbal behavior observational activity - This assignment includes several options where you must go out and do field work to observe and test the dynamics of nonverbal behavior and then write up what you observed.  This could include blocking people's view, shaking hands strangely (too firm/limp/too many times), subtly invading someone's space or smiling too much. (25 pts.)
    • Language - Idioms -  This assignment is set up like an essay quiz where you identify, explain, analyze and idioms and their impact on interpersonal communication. (25 pts.)
    • Personality and Presenting the Self activities - These 3 in-class activities include taking The Color Code personality test (10 pts), Who Am I? (10 pts) and the Johari Window (10 pts)
    • Emotional Quotient vs. Intelligence Quotient - Watch a short video and explain in 2-3 paragraphs what the lesson of the video is. What can you learn and apply from the comparison of your EQ and IQ? (12 pts.)
    • Inside Out - we will be watching this Disney/Pixar movie during class, then have a class discussion and there will be a quiz taken immediately after the movie in the classroom.  If you miss this class, even if you have seen the movie on your own time, you will not be able to make up these points.  (10 pts)
    • Several other class activities will require you to be in class and will involve writing an essay response or taking a quiz to earn credit. Each activity is worth 10 pts and if you miss it, you will not be able to make it up.   Activities:  Social Media Filter Challenge, Slang, Baby!, Listening Chain, What’s Your Style?, Climate Detective and The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.
  4. Group Presentation - The Five Love Languages - (4%)
    • The 5 Love Languages - This is a short, inexpensive book that you will be required to purchase. You will not regret purchasing it. It offers life-changing yet straightforward guidance on achieving successful relationships. There is a quiz in the book that will help you know your own love language. For this section, you will briefly summarize the chapters by creating a slide presentation. You must create 1-3 slides per chapter, incorporating text and engaging graphics. You will need to upload this presentation on Canvas by the due date. (65  pts.)

Extra Credit - Day of Disconnect - For 24 hours you will be expected to live without electronics.  This means no phones, internet, computer, TV, and gaming. After you disconnect for 24 hours you will answer several essay questions about your experience.  (20 pts.) 

Course Outline

There are 12 units covered in this course:
  • Course Introduction - Syllabus Review
    • Syllabus Quiz  (30 pts)
  • Fundamentals, Ch. 1 - A First Look at Interpersonal Communication
    • Topics: The four needs met by communication, the social penetration model and the transactional model.
      • Chapter 1 Quiz (40 pts)
  • Identity and Communication - Ch. 2 - Creating and Presenting the Self
    • Topics: Personality, reflected appraisal, and self-concept.
      • Chapter 2 Quiz  (28 pts)
      • Activities - The Color Code Test (10 pts), the Johari Window (10 pts), and “Who Am I” (10 pts) - presenting the self.
      • Writing Assignment - Identity Paper (60 pts)
  • Perception - Ch. 3 - What You See is What You Get
    • Topics: The perception process, stereotypes, what you see is what you get, fallacies and errors in perception
      • Chapter 3 Quiz (32 pts)
      • Activities - The Line (10 pts), True Colors (10 pts)
  • Social Media - Ch. 4 
    • Topics: Asynchronous vs. synchronous, curated identities, highlight reel, forming new relationships through social media,  self-presentation, cyberbullying, misinformation, privacy, netiquette
      • Chapter 4 Quiz (25 pts)
      • Activity and Write-up: Social Media Filter Challenge (25 pts)
  • Emotional Well-Being - Ch. 5 - Emotions, Feeling, Thinking, and Communicating
    • Topics: Emotional intelligence, emotions, moods, and feelings, emotional regulation, reacting versus responding, emotional expression, culture, emotional contagion, and recognizing emotions.
      • Chapter 5 Quiz (25 pts), IQ vs EQ (12 pts)
      • Activities - Atlas of Emotions, “Inside Out” (10 pts)
      • Writing Assignment - Atlas of Emotions Essay (25 pts), 
  • Language - Ch. 6 - Barrier & Bridge
    • Topics: The abstraction ladder, language nuances, connotation vs. denotation, slang, idioms, euphemisms, jargon, gender bias, linguistic determinism, Sapir-Whorf Hypothesis
      • Chapter 6 Quiz (35 pts)
      • Activity - Slang, Baby!  (10 pts)
      • Assignment - Under the Weather but Over the Moon: Idioms (25 pts)
  • Nonverbal Behavior - Ch. 7 - Messages Beyond Words
    • Topics: Emblems, gestures, chronemics, proxemics, appearance, kinesics, oculesics, haptics, proxemics, paralanguage, territoriality and field work
      • Chapter 7 Quiz (38 pts)
      • Activity - Reverse Charades (10 pts)
      • Field Work and Writing Assignment - Nonverbal Observational Activity and Write-up (25 pts)
  • Listening - Ch. 8 - More Than Meets the Ear
    • Topics: The listening process, active listening, barriers to listening, and improving your listening behaviors. 
      • Chapter 8 Quiz (45 pts)
      • Activity -  Listening Chain (10 pts)
      • Writing Assignment - Listening Barriers (15 pts)
  • The 5 Love Languages
    • Topics: Quality time, physical attraction, physical touch, acts of service, giving and receiving gifts
      • Group Presentation - Slideshow on Assigned Chapter from The 5 Love Languages (15 pts)
      • Individual Contribution to Group Presentation (20 pts)
      • Writing Assignment - Chapter Capture (30 pts)
  • Relational Dynamics in Close Relationships - Ch. 9/10
    • Topics: Knapp’s Stages of Relationship Development Model, intimacy/communication patterns, relational stages and styles, communication climate, dialectical tensions, family communication patterns
      • Chapter 9/10 Quiz (25 pts)
      • Activity - What’s Your Style? (10 pts)
  • Improving Communication Climates - Ch. 11 
    • Topics: Confirming vs. disconfirming, defensive vs. supportive behaviors, trust and openness
      • Chapter 11 Quiz (25 pts)
      • Activity - Climate Detective Write-up (10 pts)
  • Managing Conflict - Ch. 12 
    • Topics: Misconceptions about conflict, functional vs. dysfunctional, escalation vs. de-escalation, collaborative problem solving, narcissism
      • Chapter 12 Quiz (25 pts)
      • Activity - The Four Horsemen of The Apocalypse (10 pts)
  • Final - Writing Assignment - “What I Know Now Paper” (80 pts)

Instructor's policies on late assignments and/or makeup work

Quizzes and writing assignments are due on time unless we’ve made arrangements ahead of time or you’ve got a legitimate, documented emergency. If you miss a class and there's an activity in class, you will forfeit those activity points. 
Exceptions are rare and only for things like serious illness, family emergencies, or official university travel. You’ll need to show me documentation, and I’ll decide if it merits granting an extension to the due date.

Attendance Policy

Attendance will be taken each class period. Attending class makes you eligible to earn participation points. Participation includes any in-class activity including contributing to class discussions and asking questions as appropriate. If you do not attend class for that day, you will not be able to participate and will not earn the points. If you have a legitimate and documented illness, family emergency, or school-approved function, please contact the instructor prior to class.

ADA Statement

Students with medical, psychological, learning, or other disabilities desiring academic adjustments, accommodations, or auxiliary aids will need to contact the Disability Resource Center, located in Room 206F of the Sharwan Smith Center or by phone at (435) 865-8042. The Disability Resource Center determines eligibility for and authorizes the provision of services.

If your instructor requires attendance, you may need to seek an ADA accommodation to request an exception to this attendance policy. Please contact the Disability Resource Center to determine what, if any, ADA accommodations are reasonable and appropriate.

Academic Credit

According to the federal definition of a Carnegie credit hour: A credit hour of work is the equivalent of approximately 60 minutes of class time or independent study work. A minimum of 45 hours of work by each student is required for each unit of credit. Credit is earned only when course requirements are met. One (1) credit hour is equivalent to 15 contact hours of lecture, discussion, testing, evaluation, or seminar, as well as 30 hours of student homework. An equivalent amount of work is expected for laboratory work, internships, practica, studio, and other academic work leading to the awarding of credit hours. Credit granted for individual courses, labs, or studio classes ranges from 0.5 to 15 credit hours per semester.

Academic Freedom

SUU is operated for the common good of the greater community it serves. The common good depends upon the free search for truth and its free exposition. Academic Freedom is the right of faculty to study, discuss, investigate, teach, and publish. Academic Freedom is essential to these purposes and applies to both teaching and research.

Academic Freedom in the realm of teaching is fundamental for the protection of the rights of the faculty member and of you, the student, with respect to the free pursuit of learning and discovery. Faculty members possess the right to full freedom in the classroom in discussing their subjects. They may present any controversial material relevant to their courses and their intended learning outcomes, but they shall take care not to introduce into their teaching controversial materials which have no relation to the subject being taught or the intended learning outcomes for the course.

As such, students enrolled in any course at SUU may encounter topics, perspectives, and ideas that are unfamiliar or controversial, with the educational intent of providing a meaningful learning environment that fosters your growth and development. These parameters related to Academic Freedom are included in SUU Policy 6.6.

Academic Misconduct

Scholastic honesty is expected of all students. Dishonesty will not be tolerated and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent (see SUU Policy 6.33). You are expected to have read and understood the current SUU student conduct code (SUU Policy 11.2) regarding student responsibilities and rights, the intellectual property policy (SUU Policy 5.52), information about procedures, and what constitutes acceptable behavior.

Please Note: The use of websites or services that sell essays is a violation of these policies; likewise, the use of websites or services that provide answers to assignments, quizzes, or tests is also a violation of these policies. Regarding the use of Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI), you should check with your individual course instructor.

Emergency Management Statement

In case of an emergency, the University's Emergency Notification System (ENS) will be activated. Students are encouraged to maintain updated contact information using the link on the homepage of the mySUU portal. In addition, students are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the Emergency Response Protocols posted in each classroom. Detailed information about the University's emergency management plan can be found at https://www.suu.edu/emergency.

HEOA Compliance Statement

For a full set of Higher Education Opportunity Act (HEOA) compliance statements, please visit https://www.suu.edu/heoa. The sharing of copyrighted material through peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing, except as provided under U.S. copyright law, is prohibited by law; additional information can be found at https://my.suu.edu/help/article/1096/heoa-compliance-plan.

You are also expected to comply with policies regarding intellectual property (SUU Policy 5.52) and copyright (SUU Policy 5.54).

Mandatory Reporting

University policy (SUU Policy 5.60) requires instructors to report disclosures received from students that indicate they have been subjected to sexual misconduct/harassment. The University defines sexual harassment consistent with Federal Regulations (34 C.F.R. Part 106, Subpart D) to include quid pro quo, hostile environment harassment, sexual assault, dating violence, domestic violence, and stalking. When students communicate this information to an instructor in-person, by email, or within writing assignments, the instructor will report that to the Title IX Coordinator to ensure students receive support from the Title IX Office. A reporting form is available at https://cm.maxient.com/reportingform.php?SouthernUtahUniv

Non-Discrimination Statement

SUU is committed to fostering an inclusive community of lifelong learners and believes our university's encompassing of different views, beliefs, and identities makes us stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the global society.

SUU does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, citizenship, sex (including sex discrimination and sexual harassment), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, ancestry, disability status, pregnancy, pregnancy-related conditions, genetic information, military status, veteran status, or other bases protected by applicable law in employment, treatment, admission, access to educational programs and activities, or other University benefits or services.

SUU strives to cultivate a campus environment that encourages freedom of expression from diverse viewpoints. We encourage all to dialogue within a spirit of respect, civility, and decency.

For additional information on non-discrimination, please see SUU Policy 5.27 and/or visit https://www.suu.edu/nondiscrimination.

Pregnancy

Students who are or become pregnant during this course may receive reasonable modifications to facilitate continued access and participation in the course. Pregnancy and related conditions are broadly defined to include pregnancy, childbirth, termination of pregnancy, lactation, related medical conditions, and recovery. To obtain reasonable modifications, please make a request to title9@suu.edu. To learn more visit: https://www.suu.edu/titleix/pregnancy.html.

Disclaimer Statement

Information contained in this syllabus, other than the grading, late assignments, makeup work, and attendance policies, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.