Course Syllabus

Summer 2026 | COM-1030-VO01 - Intercultural Communication

Online Class

Online courses take place 100% online via Canvas, without required in-person or Zoom meetings.

Faculty

Sandy Bolivar
View Faculty Credentials
View Faculty Statement
Hiring Coordinator for this course: Ashraf Alamatouri

General Education Requirements

Communication

Note

Many degree programs have specific general education recommendations. In order to avoid taking unnecessary classes, please consult with additional resources like your program evaluation, your academic program catalog year page, and your academic advisor.

Courses may only be used to meet one General Education Requirement.

Course Description

This course examines the role that culture plays in the human communication process. Students will examine the various dimensions of communication in a culturally diverse society, including those in interpersonal, small group, organizational and mass media. Students will explore both the theories of intercultural communication and the verbal and nonverbal applications associated with becoming a competent and effective communicator.

Essential Objectives

1. Describe the central role that culture plays in all forms of communication and the important theories that provide the framework for understanding this field.
2. Explore the many factors that influence communication patterns within and across cultures, including those of race, class, gender, religion, age, abilities and sexual orientation.
3. Identify and reflect on cultural values that influence an individual’s perception and communication.
4. Interpret the social construction of verbal and nonverbal language, culture, and symbols.
5. Demonstrate communication competence through the awareness of intercultural dynamics and the effective application of verbal and nonverbal skills.
6. Prepare a formal presentation that demonstrates proficiency using the CCV Oral Communication Rubric.

Required Technology

More information on general computer and internet recommendations is available on the CCV computer recommendations Support page.

Please see CCV's Digital Equity Statement (pg. 45) to learn more about CCV's commitment to supporting all students access the technology they need to successfully finish their courses.

Required Textbooks and Resources

This course uses one or more textbooks/books/simulations.

Summer 2026 textbook details will be available on 2025-12-01. On that date a link will be available below that will take you to eCampus, CCV's bookstore. The information provided there will be specific to this class. Please see this page for more information regarding the purchase of textbooks/books.

The last day to use a Financial Aid Advance to purchase textbooks/books is the 3rd Tuesday of the semester. See your financial aid counselor at your academic center if you have any questions.

Methods

A. Methods/Content:

1. Discussion style teaching

2. Small groups and participatory exercises

3. Weekly reading assignments

4. Written and/or oral student presentations

Grading Criteria

CCV Letter Grades as outlined in the Evaluation System Policy are assigned according to the following chart:

	High	Low
A+	100	98
A	Less than 98	93
A-	Less than 93	90
B+	Less than 90	88
B	Less than 88	83
B-	Less than 83	80
C+	Less than 80	78
C	Less than 78	73
C-	Less than 73	70
D+	Less than 70	68
D	Less than 68	63
D-	Less than 63	60
F	Less than 60
P	100	60
NP	Less than 60	0

Weekly Schedule

Attendance Policy

Regular attendance and participation in classes are essential for success in and are completion requirements for courses at CCV. A student's failure to meet attendance requirements as specified in course descriptions will normally result in a non-satisfactory grade.

• In general, missing more than 20% of a course due to absences, lateness or early departures may jeopardize a student's ability to earn a satisfactory final grade.
• Attending an on-ground or synchronous course means a student appeared in the live classroom for at least a meaningful portion of a given class meeting. Attending an online course means a student posted a discussion forum response, completed a quiz or attempted some other academically required activity. Simply viewing a course item or module does not count as attendance.
• Meeting the minimum attendance requirement for a course does not mean a student has satisfied the academic requirements for participation, which require students to go above and beyond simply attending a portion of the class. Faculty members will individually determine what constitutes participation in each course they teach and explain in their course descriptions how participation factors into a student's final grade.

Participation Expectations

Full participation requires active and thoughtful engagement in class each week. The following habits and skills are important. You'll have the opportunity to self-assess and receive instructor feedback on each of these areas at the mid-point and the end of the semester.

• Attend the "class week" throughout the entire week in order to gain the most from the material and the discussion.
• Complete all of the week's reading and assignments by the due dates.
• Listen to others attentively and with an open mind
• Positively contribute to class discussions and activities
• Ask questions and seek help when you need it
• Challenge yourself to do your best work

Attendance: Each week there will be multiple links, activities and discussions which will begin on Tuesday morning and run through until the following Monday at 12:00am. You will need to complete these within the time allowed or you will be considered “absent”. If you miss two weeks’ worth of work, your final grade will be dropped to the next grade level (ex. from a B+ to a B). If you miss three weeks’ of work, we will need to make a plan as you may not be able to pass the course.

Participation: Your participation will be assessed based on your involvement in the discussions and activities. Where there are questions or discussions in which to participate, your contributions should be thoughtful, related to the material and substantive. Each week you will need to post an original comment or question for others to answer (by Thursday at 5pm), and you will need to respond to at least three other students’ comments. Your responses need to be on at least 3 separate days out of the week. This will ensure you are keeping up to date on more recent postings. You will have two participation grades this semester, one at mid-term and the other at the end

Missing & Late Work Policy

• Assignments are due by the deadline noted on the syllabus.
• Please reach out and ask questions if anything is unclear.
• Late work will only be accepted in emergency situations. In the case of an extenuating circumstance, please communicate as early as you can with me about the need to miss the class week and/or assignments.

Accessibility Services for Students with Disabilities:

1. Provide disability documentation to the Accessibility Coordinator at your academic center. https://ccv.edu/student-support/accessibility-services/
2. Request an appointment to meet with accessibility coordinator to discuss your request and create an accommodation plan.
3. Once created, students will share the accommodation plan with faculty. Please note, faculty cannot make disability accommodations outside of this process.

Academic Integrity

Apply Now for this semester.