Development Studies (DEST) 485 - Lecture 01
INTERNATIONAL AND INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Winter 2007
TUESDAY AND THURSDAY: 11:00 – 12:15  

Instructor:	Dr. Wisdom Tettey
Office Location:	SS 304
Office Phone:	220-4847
E-Mail:	tettey@ucalgary.ca
Web Page:
Office Hours:	Tuesdays & Thursdays – 15:30 -16:30 or by appointment

Course Description

This course is a seminar in cross-cultural communication at the personal, organizational, societal, and international levels. It will discuss the concept of 'Globalization' and its implications for communication among different cultures; analyse various theoretical perspectives underlying intercultural communication; explore issues of power, identity and influence; and examine intercultural encounters in the context of specific diversified settings.

Objectives of the Course

The objectives of the course are to:

1. Equip students with the tools necessary for interacting appropriately and effectively in the emerging context of globalization and multiculturalism.

2. Provide a critical understanding regarding the contexts and patterns of communication through which information is structured and exchanged.

3. Enable students to independently engage in a scholarly examination of aspects of intercultural communication at different levels of interaction, based on various intellectual approaches and theoretical perspectives.

Textbooks and Readings:

The following text-book is required:

Judith N. Martin and T.K. Nakayama: Intercultural Communication in Contexts, New York: McGraw-Hill, 2004

**In addition, a set of readings will be available on Blackboard at the beginning of the semester.

Assignments and Evaluation

It is the student's responsibility to keep a copy of each submitted assignment.

Note: Please return assignments directly to the instructor if possible. If it is not possible to do so, a daytime drop box is available in SS110; a date stamp is provided for your use. A night drop box is also available for after-hours submission. Assignments will be removed the following morning, stamped with the previous day's date, and placed in the instructor's mailbox.

*Class Participation 15%

Mid-Term Exam 20 % (Feb. 15, 2007)

In-Class Final Exam 20 % (March 27, 2007)

**Team Project 20% (There will be oral presentations between March 29 and April 12, 2007. Dates for each team’s oral presentation will be assigned on March 27, 2007)

***Research Paper 25% (Due April 12, 2007, in class)

Note:

* All students are expected to contribute to class discussions. Marks will be based not only on the frequency of contributions, but on their quality as well.

** The project must be based on personal experience, primary data collected through research, and secondary sources. Each group will present an oral report in class some time during the last two weeks of classes.

*** Each student will write an essay on a topic of his/her choice. Students are encouraged to consult with the instructor in their choice of topics to ensure that it fits into the parameters of the course.

NB: All essays should be a maximum of 12 pages, type-written with a font size of 12, and double-spaced. Use the following citation styles: in-text citations (eg. Doe, 2001, p. 1); end notes, not footnotes, if necessary; and a bibliography at the end in the format cited below:

Book: Doe John. 2001. This is my Term Paper. Calgary: My Own Publications.

Book Chapter: Doe Jane 2001. “Time is Up,” in J. Doe and J. Doe (eds), Our Group Project, pp. 1-20

Journal Article: Doe Jane. 2001 “Continuing to Work Hard,” Journal of Hard Work, vol. 1, no. 1, 2001, pp. 1-20

All components of the course must be completed in order to pass. Marks will, in part, be based on the coherence of arguments and clarity of expression.

Registrar-scheduled Final Examination: No

Please note: If your class is held in the evening, the Registrar's Office will make every attempt to schedule the final exam during the evening; however, there is NO guarantee that the exam will NOT be scheduled during the day.

Policy for Late Assignments

Assignments submitted after the deadline may be penalized with the loss of a grade (e.g.: A- to B+) for each day late.

Writing Skills Statement

Faculty policy directs that all written assignments (including, although to a lesser extent, written exam responses) will be assessed at least partly on writing skills. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Writing skills include not only surface correctness (grammar, punctuation, sentence structure, etc) but also general clarity and organization. Research papers must be properly documented.

If you wish help with your writing at any stage, including drafts, you are invited to contact the Writing Centre, SS110, 220-7255.

Grading System

The following grading system is used in the Faculty of Communication and Culture:

A+ (96-100); A (92-95); A- (86-91); B+ (81-85); B (77-80); B- (71-76);
C+ (65-70); C (62-64); C- (59-61); D+ (55-58); D (50-54); F (0-49)

 

Plagiarism

Using any source whatsoever without clearly documenting it is a serious academic offense. For details see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info. Consequences include failure on the assignment, failure in the course and possibly suspension or expulsion from the university.

You must document not only direct quotations but also paraphrases and ideas where they appear in your text. A reference list at the end is insufficient by itself. Readers must be able to tell exactly where your words and ideas end and other people’s words and ideas begin. This includes assignments submitted in non-traditional formats such as Web pages or visual media, and material taken from such sources.

Please consult your instructor or the Writing Centre (SS110) if you have any questions regarding how to document sources.

Additional Information

THE DEVELOPMENT STUDIES CLUB

The Development Studies Club is a student run group which focuses on raising awareness about development issues on campus. Our mandate is to increase students’ understanding about matters concerning both local and global development – that of Northern and Aboriginal communities in the First World, and the processes of change internationally. Student participation is vital to this group, which plans and organizes events such as International Week, Brown Bag Lunch Discussions and education campaigns.

For more information, or to join, please email us at dsc@ucalgary.ca

Students with Disabilities

If you are a student with a disability who may require academic accommodation, it is your responsibility to register with the Disability Resource Centre (220-8237) and discuss your needs with your instructor no later than fourteen (14) days after the start of the course.

Students' Union

For details about the current Students' Union contacts for the Faculty of Communication and Culture see www.comcul.ucalgary.ca/info

"SAFEWALK" Program -- 220-5333

Campus Security will escort individuals day or night -- call 220-5333 for assistance. Use any campus phone, emergency phone or the yellow phone located at most parking lot booths.

Schedule of Lectures and Readings

To be handed out in class.