Department of Theatre and Design
 

Fundamentals of Speech (SPCM101)  GenEd Course     

The Department of Communication Studies plays a vital role in the general education of Montclair State University's undergraduate students through the basic Communication course entitled Fundamentals of Speech (SPCM101). This course is a general education requirement (GER) for all MSU students and should ideally be completed in the first or second year of a student's academic career.

Basic communication skills such as speaking, listening, writing, group effectiveness, negotiation and interpersonal relations have been identified as the central competencies for tomorrow's workers. In fact, a survey of 480 organizations conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers ranked the ability to communicate as the most desired quality sought by employers and as the most central qualification for job advancement1.

 

This section provides information about the Fundamentals of Speech course and its objectives, the Speech Waiver Challenge Exam process and the faculty who teach in the program. Click on the following links for access:

 

1 Report of the National Association of Colleges and Employers. ( December 29, 1998). Wall Street Journal, Work Week, p. A1.

 

SPCM101 Course Description & Objectives


Students practice skills of presentation and teamwork.

 

Fundamentals of Speech introduces students to the theoretical and practical requirements of different types of public presentations and helps students develop an understanding and appreciation of the dynamic nature of the communication process. The course focuses on the basic elements: listening; communicator and audience characteristics; basic research skills; and message composition and delivery. Students learn about the demands of public presentations in culturally and professionally diverse environments and develop presentation competence and flexibility.

 

of the fundamental tenets of democratic societies is the citizens' right to participate in public life and have impact on public policy. Fundamentals of Speech emphasizes the centrality of developing an informed and ethically responsible voice from which participation can take place. In addition, the course encourages students to be critical evaluators of the public communication of others, such as politicians, religious leaders and advertisers, in order to make informed decisions in their lives.


The Fundamentals of Speech course promotes four complementary objectives:

  1. Public Communication Competence
  2. Audience Diversity Awareness
  3. Preparation for Professional Development
  4. Critical Thinking & Citizenship


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The Speech Waiver Challenge Exam


Students with previous experience and/or advanced competencies in presentational speaking may test out of the Fundamentals of Speech course. The Speech Waiver Challenge Exam is quite rigorous and appropriate only for students who have already taken a similar course, have specific knowledge about the subject matter and have extensive experience in public speaking. Students who test out are still required to make up the three credits with other coursework.


We strongly recommend that you carefully consider if you are an appropriate candidate for the exam and that you DO NOT schedule the exam during your last semester of study at MSU. (If you fail the Speech Challenge Exam during your final semester of study, you will not be able to graduate but will have to complete the requirement and postpone your graduation until the subsequent semester.)


The exam is scheduled twice during each academic year  once in the fall and once in the spring. Please contact the Department of Communication Studies office (973.655.7471) in early September or late January for information about scheduled dates.

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