It will be hard, and not satisfying, for you to be a productive and happy professional if you neglect your whole-person development. And you will not be as efficient if you are unsure of who you are and how to grow (mostly) happily over time and through life’s circumstances… This class is designed to foster develop of emotional intelligence, self-management, social skills and communicative capacity. We will apply these tools to social and professional situations. Our class borrows from interdisciplinary perspectives on intra-personal, interpersonal, and intercultural communication and competences (ICC). We spend about one-third of the course on “self-as-other.” In this first unit we will emphasize self-observation, self-knowledge, and self-development. In the second unit we will develop knowledge and skill related to ICC theory and practice. During this section of the course we will explore concepts, tools, tips, and frameworks to help you understand yourself and others as cultural and intercultural beings. In the final unit of the course we will examine your personal, cultural, and intercultural perspectives and what they mean for you as an individual, a student, a professional, and a citizen—and how these perspectives relate to your nationality, race, ethnicity, and other identities. .

Our class mixes role play, activities, and engagement with others in the francophone world that engage your whole identity (cognitive, affective, behavioral-attitudinal, and physical). We will supplement experiential components of class with reading and discussions of texts and theories. For personal growth student work will emphasize reflection and self-observation outside the classroom and practicing strategies and tactics for developing socio-emotional intelligence. Through these varied approaches the course is intended to foster curiosity and wonder as students gain cognitive knowledge about ICC, hone their self-knowledge, and build a toolkit for personal, academic, and professional life.