Communication and Healthy Relating

Healthy and sustained relationships require effective communication. Therefore, this area of emphasis focuses on the many ways that communication creates, maintains and transforms, effective and nourishing relationships across many contexts (e.g., family, romantic, friendship, work). This focus should allow students to be more aware and more effective relational partners, both personally and professionally.

This emphasis can prepare students for careers in social and family services, human resource management, counseling, conflict mediation, sales, event planning, corporate training, non-profit organizations, management and many others.

Some students also go on to graduate school in areas such as communication, psychology, counseling and sociology.


A. Required Core Courses:

COM 110 or
COM 310

Elements of Interpersonal Communication -or-

Relational Communication

COM 410 Interpersonal Communication Theory and Research

B. Recommended Elective Courses:

COM 230 Small-Group Communication
COM 263 Elements of Intercultural Communication
COM 310 Relational Communication
COM 312 Communication, Conflict, and Negotiation
COM 316 Gender and Communication
COM 317 Nonverbal Communication
COM 327 Civil Communication
COM 411 Communication in the Family
COM 452 Communication and the Art of Happiness
COM 394 or
COM 494
Relevant Special Topic Courses