CE 39201 – Technical Communication in Civil Engineering

Credits and contact hours:

2 credits
Lecture that meets once per week for 50 minutes per meeting and recitation that meets once per week for 50 minutes per meeting for 15 weeks

Specific course information:

Catalog description: CE39201 builds upon the technical communication components of CE29202, adding rhetorical theory and practice, large projects, and oral presentation. This course challenges students to develop arguments based on sound rhetorical principles and then adapt those arguments into different media. This course is intended to be taken near the end of a student’s degree program, ideally just before enrolling in Senior Design. Skills acquired in this class will be used throughout the professional civil engineer’s career as he or she interacts with other engineers and the general public.
Prerequisites: CE 29302 with a C or better
Course status: Required course

Specific Goals for the course:

Student learning outcomes - Upon successful completion of this course the student shall be able to:
- Apply the time-honored standards of classical rhetoric to communication in the modern world
- Create persuasive arguments using the tools of rhetorical invention
- Evaluate arguments in the communication of others
- Practice oral communication using the tools of voice, expression, and gesture
- Connect persuasive argument to the responsibility of civil engineers in the world
Relationship of course to program outcomes
- Outcome 3: An ability to communicate effectively with a range of audiences
- Outcome 4: An ability to recognized ethical and professional responsibilities in engineering situations and make informed judgments, which must consider the impact of engineering solutions in global, economic, and environmental contexts
- Outcome 7: An ability to acquire and apply new knowledge as needed, using appropriate learning strategies

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