Apply Today! Undergraduate final deadline is August 1
—Metro State will observe Summer Hours May 22–July 25: On Fridays, services will be virtual only, and buildings will be closed Fridays and Saturdays (except the Library will be open Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m-6 p.m.). Check the Student Services page for details.
This undergraduate certificate enables students to demonstrate four core communication competencies essential to personal well-being and professional advancement. Students completing the Applied Communication Skills Certificate will become articulate Verbal Communicators, who speak clearly and persuasively; skilled Nonverbal Communicators, who enhance their verbal messages by embodying these through strategic use of gesture, posture, facial expression and vocalics; adept Visual Communicators, who understand media formats and can make fitting media selections to complement their messages; and accomplished Written Communicators who are able to convey written messages effectively.
Students completing this Undergraduate Certificate will fulfill the following graduation requirements:
The Applied Communication Skills Certificate is an appropriate addition to any major.
Any student admitted to Metro State University may declare an Applied Communication Skills certificate.
Start the journey toward your Applied Communication Skills now. Learn about the steps to enroll or, if you have questions about what Metro State can offer you, request information, visit campus or chat with an admissions counselor.
11 credits
This undergraduate certificate enables students to demonstrate four core communication competencies essential to personal well-being and professional advancement. Students completing the Applied Communication Skills Certificate will become articulate Verbal Communicators, who speak clearly and persuasively; skilled Nonverbal Communicators, who enhance their verbal messages by embodying these through strategic use of gesture, posture, facial expression and vocalics; adept Visual Communicators, who understand media formats and can make fitting media selections to complement their messages; and accomplished Written Communicators who are able to convey written messages effectively. The Applied Communication Skills certificate is an appropriate addition to any major.
Students completing this Undergraduate Certificate will fulfill the following graduation requirements: Goal 1: Communication - Part 2, Goal 8: Global Perspective, Goal 9: Ethical and Civic Responsibility, and Upper Division Liberal Studies.
Choose 1
Students learn public speaking principles and techniques well enough to prepare, deliver, and evaluate informative and persuasive speeches. Videotaping and self-assessment are integral components of this class as is writing. Some speeches require students to research and critically analyze information. The six to eight class presentations include topics pertaining to the corporate world, community life, the political arena or human services. Students are expected to write well and will outline each presentation. Overlap: COMM 103P Public Speaking Proficiency Test.
Students learn the characteristics and process of interpersonal communication including perception, speech and language, nonverbal behaviors, listening and feedback, conflict and conflict resolution, the ethics of interpersonal communication, relationship development and maintenance. The ability to recognize cultural similarities and differences is emphasized, as is the ability to recognize one's own communicative biases and behaviors. Evaluation is based, in part, on the ability to recognize characteristics of interpersonal communication and apply verbal and nonverbal interpersonal strategies in a wide variety of social and work situations. Overlap: Comm 232 Interpersonal Communication Theory Seminar.
Full course description for Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
This course takes an academic and practical approach to embodied intercultural communication in a globalized world. By understanding the scholarly theories of intercultural communication, students will investigate how to have ethical, appropriate, effective, and mindful intercultural interactions. Through multiple methods of learning, students will gain invaluable practice in navigating intercultural relationships in a variety of interactions (e.g. workplace; family;community, etc.). Significant focus is given to issues of race and racism, particularly as they relate to different communication interactions.
Full course description for Intermediate Intercultural Communication
Designed as an introduction to visual literacy, this course surveys many of the media formats that define today's image-dominant culture. Various examples of print advertising, photography, film, television and multimedia are explored; the focus is equally on principles and concepts from both the fine and applied arts, and draws from history as well as the present day.