This is a three-credit graduate level course and is one in a series of elective courses in the Human Resource Management (HRM), Humanitarian Services Administration (HSA), and Homeland Security Leadership (HSL) fields of study. The HRM, HSA, and HSL programs are part of the online Master of Professional Studies (MPS) degree offered through the University of Connecticut's Center for Continuing Studies. The developer of this course is Dr. Diana Rios.

Course Title:	Special Topics: Intercultural Communication (GPPS 5301)
Credits:	3
Instructor:	Diana Rios E-mail: diana.rios@uconn.edu

For special permission to register for this course, contact Donna.Campbell@uconn.edu. Include your Peoplesoft ID number and reason for taking the course.

This course takes an interdisciplinary approach to communication across cultures, as this area has been informed by various disciplines and specialties. It acquaints students with intercultural communication subareas and interrelated issues of cultural change; ethnic and racial identities; ethical challenges and violation; and conflict and cooperation.

By the conclusion of this course, the student should be able to:

1. Scrutinize one's own communication as culturally based.
2. Analyze intercultural or cross-cultural phenomenon at different levels: individual, group, society.
3. Examine ethical and moral challenges in professional or research practices with co-cultures in our domestic and global societies.
4. Discover conflict-cooperation patterns across cultures in everyday work, family, education, religious, and entertainment contexts.
5. Examine ethnic, racial, cultural, and other groups as co-cultures in a society.

Summary of Course Grading

Course Components	Points	Percentage
Module 1: Discussions	5	5%
Module 2: Discussions	5	5%
Module 3: Discussions	5	5%
Module 4: Discussions	5	5%
Module 5: Discussions	5	5%
Self Quizzes (5 @ 2 points each)	10	10%
Thought Pieces (3 @ 10 points each)	30	30%
Term Paper Proposal	5	5%
Term Paper Project	30	30%
TOTAL	100	100%

Module Discussions
Each module contains several discussion topics. You are required to make an original post to two (2) discussion topics and respond to two (2) other discussions. The discussions allow you to reflect on the module and readings and discuss your ideas with your class in written form. Each discussion topic links to a Module Discussion Rubric providing you with the specific "success criteria/requirements" for the discussion topics. The due dates for the module discussion topics are listed in the HuskyCT Calendar tool.  

Self Quizzes
Each module concludes with a self quiz exercise consisting of multiple choice questions.  These quizzes are individual exercises intended to reinforce key concepts covered in the module.  You are allowed unlimited attempts for each self quiz question.  In order to earn all points associated with this self quiz, you must complete it by the deadline listed in the HuskyCT Calendar or Assessments tools and continue taking it until you answer all quiz questions correctly. 

Thought Pieces
There are three thought pieces in the course. Two-page thought pieces allow you to tackle a particular issue in intercultural communication with precision, thoughtfulness and quality. You will demonstrate accurate usage of terminology, concepts, and theories in the "thought piece"essays. Each "thought piece"essay links to a Thought Piece Rubric providing you with the specific "success criteria/requirements"for the thought pieces. The deadline for completing each thought piece is listed in the HuskyCT Calendar and Assignment tool.

Term Paper Proposal
You will prepare and submit a two-page proposal, describing your choice for a term paper project that examines an intercultural issue, challenge, dilemma or problem in the work place, organization, community or society. The specific requirements are provided in a linked Term Paper Proposal Rubric in HuskyCT. The deadline for submitting your Proposal is listed in the HuskyCT Calendar and Assignments tools.

Term Paper Project
You will prepare and submit a term paper project examining the intercultural issue, challenge, dilemma or problem in the work place, organization, community or society you identified in your proposal. The specific requirements are provided in a linked Term Paper Project Rubric in HuskyCT. The deadline for submitting your Term Paper Project is listed in the HuskyCT Calendar and Assignments tools.

Final Course Grade
Final letter grades for this course will be determined based on the following scale:

Grade	Letter Grade	GPA
97-100	A+	4.3
93-96	A	4.0
90-92	A-	3.7
87-89	B+	3.3
83-86	B	3.0
80-82	B-	2.7
77-79	C+	2.3
73-76	C	2.0
70-72	C-	1.7
67-69	D+	1.3
63-66	D	1.0
60-62	D-	0.7
<60	F	0.0

You are responsible for acting in accordance with the Student Code, available at http://www.dosa.uconn.edu/student_code.cfm?from=im&fn=Judicial%20Affairs.

Course Communication and Etiquette
At all times, course communication with fellow students and the instructor are to be professional and courteous. If you are new to online learning, you may want to look at this guide titled, The Core Rules of Netiquette.

It is expected that you proof read all your written communication in the course, including discussion posts, assignment submissions, and mail messages. Incorrect spelling and grammar will be penalized when course work is graded.

Course Due Dates
The Calendar tool in HuskyCT lists the course's important due dates and details the course schedule. All course deadlines are based on Eastern Time; if you are in a different time zone, adjust your submittal times accordingly.

Course Pacing
Even though this course is being facilitated during a "compressed"summer session, it remains a 3 credit course. Expect the summer session workload to be intense. In order to keep up with the accelerated pace, you should plan to check into this course frequently.

Instructor Availability
I will check into the course frequently, once a day at the beginning of the course and on average once every two days after that. If I expect to be away due to illness, travel or family obligations, I will make every attempt to notify you in advance. If you need to discuss an issue with me individually, please use the Mail tool within HuskyCT.

Feedback and Grades
I will make every effort to provide feedback and grades in a timely manner. To keep track of your performance in the course, use the MyGrades tool. In addition, the Assignments and Assessments tools have their own grading feedback mechanisms.

Students with Disabilities
Students needing special accommodations should work with the University's Center for Students with Disabilities . You may contact the Center by calling (860) 486-2020 or by emailing csd@uconn.edu . If your request for accommodation is approved, an accommodation letter will be provided. Please present your official letter to the instructor as soon as possible so special arrangements, as appropriate, can be made. (Note: Student requests for accommodation must be filed each semester.)

The University of Connecticut's online course management system, HuskyCT, is a product of Blackboard, Inc. "Blackboard measures and evaluates accessibility levels using two sets of standards; Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act issued from the United States federal government and the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI) issued by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)." (Retrieved December 1, 2008 from http://www.blackboard.com/company/accessibility.aspx).

These course texts may be purchased locally or through an online bookstore.
Required Course Texts:

Neuliep, J.W. (2009). Intercultural communication: A contextual approach (4th ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications. ISBN: 978-1-4129-6770-9

Rodriquez, C. (2000). Changing race: Latinos, the census and the history of ethnicity. New York, NY: New York University Press. ISBN: 978-0-8147-7547-9

All other required course materials are available via Electronic Course Reserves (ECR), the Internet, or linked within HuskyCT.

Recommended Source Materials:

There are numerous recommended readings identified in this course.  Recommended readings are available via Electronic Course Reserves (ECR), the Internet, or linked within HuskyCT.

• Word processing software
• Adobe Acrobat Reader

Your Internet browser and browser settings need to be HuskyCT compatible.
See Settings.

Module 1 - Introducing Intercultural Communication
Module 2 - Cultural Dynamics
Module 3 - Ethnic and Racial Identities, Groups and the U.S. Census
Module 4 - Ethics
Module 5 - Intercultural Conflict and Convergence

Students will be provided an opportunity to evaluate instruction in this course using the University's standard procedures, which are administered by the Office of Institutional Research.