These courses represent a sample of academic offerings that provide skill building in civil discourse topics. For specific questions about courses and programs, contact your advisor or the offering department/college.
Spring 2025 Courses
From non-credit and certificate programs to multi-credit courses, Ohio State offers a range of in-person, online and hybrid learning opportunities to enhance civil discourse and difficult conversation skills to support your professional and personal growth.
Undergraduate courses
Non-credit and certificates
One-credit courses
PUBAFRS 5515: Conversing with Confidence Across Differences
This course uses self-reflective and case-based approaches to present frameworks and strategies to support students in the development and sharpening of skills necessary to engage in safe, authentic, and effective conversations across differences in a public affairs setting.
COLUMBUS—ONLINE Session 1
Three-credit courses
Students will explore the topic of the Conversations on Morality, Politics and Society (COMPAS) program from a variety of disciplinary perspectives and be required to attend or to view recordings of the various COMPAS events.
GE Foundation: Historical and Cultural Studies
Columbus—In Person
Building skills for handling tough conversations; practical ways to manage disagreement and disappointment in a constructive manner. Provides method for straight talk that moves people and positions forward. Principles further build a capacity to hold people accountable while increasing commitment & performance. Drives impact and competitive advantage at the leader, team, and organizational level.
Prereq: English 1110.01 or equiv.
Columbus—distance enhanced
This course is designed to increase your understanding of persuasive communication as it relates to citizenship and the American experience. As an advanced-level writing course, the course is specifically designed to improve your persuasive writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills as specific citizenship behaviors.
Prereq: Completion of GE Foundation Writing and Information Literacy course. Not open to students with credit for 2367H.
COLUMBUS—IN PERSON, HYBRID, ONLINE
LIMA—HYBRID
MARION—IN PERSON
This course provides an overview of media's role in citizenship by learning about media industry operations, how media influence us, critical evaluation of media, media responsibility and literacy, and how our experiences and biases affect the current relationship between mass media and democracy. We will learn how to engage with media to promote informed, active, and responsible citizenship.
GE Theme: Citizenship
Columbus, Lima (session 2), mansfield—Online
Newark—In Person
This course will explore the theory, history, and ethical issues associated with free speech and free press areas of the First Amendment. Students will analyze key legal and ethical issues that affect journalism and media, with a focus on cases that have shaped media law and theories that help journalism professionals make decisions.
Columbus—In Person, Hybrid
Introduces students to the study and practice of rhetoric and how arguments are shaped by technology, media, and cultural contexts.
Prereq: GE Foundation – Writing and Information Literacy course
GE Theme: Citizenship
Columbus—In Person, Online
Foundational concepts of citizenship in historical, current, and social science contexts; definitions, benefits, and responsibilities of citizenship. Citizenship and community participation in rural, urban, or suburban locations, differing perspectives, community institutions and civic engagement. Impacts of agricultural and environmental issues locally, nationally, and globally.
GE Theme: Citizenship
Columbus—In Person
This course examines the sonic expressions of people's status, identity, rights, and duties as political subjects across multiple scales of place. We will consider the value of cultural advocacy in the public sector and social activism in the public sphere and the importance of partnering with (non)governmental institutions, community organizations, and grassroots affiliates to advance musical art.
GE Theme: Citizenship
Columbus—In Person
The nature of right and wrong, good and evil; the grounds of moral choice and decision; the resolution of moral conflicts.
GE Foundation: Historical and Cultural Studies
Columbus, marion, Newark—In Person
mansfield—Online
Introduction to American politics, the institutions and processes which create public policy, the strengths and weaknesses of the American political systems.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 3100 (300), 101, or 101H
GE Foundation: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Newark—ONLINE
Introduction to politics and political science: power, democracy and authoritarianism, political participation, the state, political institutions, subfields of the discipline, and political research methodology.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 165 or 165H
GE Foundation: Social and Behavioral Sciences
marion—in person
Newark—Online
Students will engage in an in-depth study of the mechanics of democracy. Students will take a close look at various forms of voting and representation around the world and examine the motivation and tactics of elite actors (candidates, reporters, interest groups, political parties, media personalities, etc.) and the voting public.
GE Theme: Citizenship
Columbus—In Person, regular academic term and sesson 2
Newark—In Person
Assessment of the contemporary realities of U.S. governmental authority as interpreted by the judiciary; emphasis on judicial review, case and controversy requirements, and legislative and executive power.
Prereq: Not open to students with credit for 520.
Columbus—In Person
Lectures address experimental research in stereotyping and prejudice; readings focus on historical, cultural, and sociological perspectives on issues related to gender, ethnicity, and social class.
Prereq: 1100 or 1100H.
Columbus, Mansfield—In Person
lima—online
Introduces students to the policymaking process and the core crafts on which schools of public affairs focus: policy analysis & evaluation and public administration & management.
GE Foundation: Social and Behavioral Sciences
Columbus—In Person
Columbus, Mansfield, Newark—Online session 2
This course introduces students to the role an engaged citizenry plays in a democracy. Students will explore trends in civic engagement, the reasons behind these trends, and their consequences; along with issues of social equity in engagement and strategies to increase civic participation.
GE Theme: Citizenship
Columbus, newark—In Person
Graduate courses
Non-credit and certificates
One-credit courses
This course uses self-reflective and case-based approaches to present frameworks and strategies to support students in the development and sharpening of skills necessary to engage in safe, authentic, and effective conversations across differences in a public affairs setting.
COLUMBUS—ONLINE SESSION 1
(Offered Session 2)
Negotiation skills have been identified as critical for effective, successful public management and leadership. Explores the major concepts and theories of negotiation to improve negotiation skills. Through readings, role play exercises and class discussion, students develop an understanding of individual negotiation styles and core approaches to negotiation and dispute resolution.
Prereq: Grad standing, or permission of instructor
COLUMBUS—ONLINE SESSION 1 AND SESSION 2
Three-credit courses
Building skills for handling tough conversations; practical ways to manage disagreement and disappointment in a constructive manner. Provides method for straight talk that moves people and positions forward. Principles further build a capacity to hold people accountable while increasing commitment & performance. Drives impact and competitive advantage at the leader, team and organizational level.
COLUMBUS—IN PERSON SESSION 2
Highlight the components of an effective negotiation and teach students to analyze their own behavior in negotiations. Largely experiential, course provides students with an opportunity to develop their skills by participating in negotiations and integrating their experiences with the principles presented in the assigned readings and course discussions.
Prereq: Enrollment in Fisher College of Business graduate programs. Not open to students with credit for 7240, 7241, or 7345.
COLUMBUS—IN PERSON