<p>singleparent2005</p>
<p>Communication Studies as a discipline explores the social, political, and economic impact of written, verbal and image based communication. Subspecialty studies in organizational management (business behavior), mass media (PR, polling, advertising), political communications, etc. typically can be found.</p>
<p>If you find this description a little fuzzy, you’re not alone. Traditionally, Communication Studies has been viewed, rightly or wrongly, as ill-defined and “trade-like” in character and resisted as an inappropriate undergraduate course of study by most top tier universities and LACs. It tends to be the newer kids on the block and those that have embraced other “pre-professional” studies that make Communications available as a major (e.g. Penn, Northwestern, Stanford, and Cornell).</p>
<p>Even in these schools, typically only a few classes are devoted to the sole purpose of teaching students the very pragmatic techniques of how to fashion and deliver cogent verbal arguments, utilize specific voice techniques, etc. </p>
<p>Carleton is no different from the vast majority of other top tier schools in its approach. They offer through the English and Theater departments three classes (already mentioned by dietcokewithlime) that teach the very practical skills you mention. Obvioiusly, oral presentations will be requisite parts of many other classes in other departments. In this, again, Carleton would likely be indistinguishable from other LACs. LACs as a group, by virture of smaller class sizes and more discussion based learning, would likely offer more in this regard than their university counterparts. </p>
<p>ENGLISH 220. Arts of Oral Presentation - Instruction and practice in being a speaker and an audience in formal and informal settings</p>
<p>THEA 221: Rhetoric: Persuasion and Debate - This course combines techniques developed for the training of actors with classical rhetorical theories to guide students in developing the ability to create and deliver persuasive arguments and engage in public debate. Classic examples of public address and debate including political speeches and legal arguments will be employed as teaching tools.</p>
<p>THEA 185: The Speaking Voice - This course seeks to provide a practical understanding of the human voice, its anatomy, functioning and the underlying support mechanisms of body and breath. Using techniques rooted in the work of Berry, Linklater and Rodenburg, the course will explore the development of physical balance and ease and the awareness of the connection between thinking and breathing that will lead to the effortless, powerful and healthy use of the voice in public presentations and in dramatic performance.</p>