COUN-116: Assertiveness in Daily Living

School
Student Affairs
Division
Counseling
Department
Counseling
Academic Level
Undergraduate
Course Subject
Counseling
Course Number
116
Course Title
Assertiveness in Daily Living
Credit Hours
1.00
Instructor Contact Hours Per Semester
16.00 (for 15-week classes)
Student Contact Hours Per Semester
16.00 (for 15-week classes)
Grading Method
A-E
Pre-requisites
COUN-115 or instructor's permission.
Catalog Course Description

An advanced course in assertiveness focusing on communication problems with parents, siblings, friends, relatives and strangers, including specific assertive strategies of successful communication with difficult people. Emphasizes how to refuse a request, ask for a favor, respond to criticism and manage one’s anger.

Goals, Topics, and Objectives

Core Course Topics
  1. Defining Assertiveness.
    • Definition of assertiveness.
    • Show the value of behaving assertively.
  2. Passiveness, assertiveness, aggressiveness, and passive-aggressiveness.
    • Define passive, aggressive, and passive-aggressiveness behavior.
    • Analyze how these behaviors negatively impact communication.
    • Role play each of these poor communication models.
  3. Assertive behavior in typical daily living situations.
    • Role play difficult daily living situations using the following assertive techniques: asking for a favor, paying "no" without feeling guilty, responding to criticism, negotiating a workable compromise, conflict resolution with parents, friends, siblings, strangers, store clerks and asking for what you want in life.
  4. Assertive behavior with difficult people.
    • Incorporate assertive role-playing techniques while interacting with difficult people (who often hold positions of power) to resolve conflict without getting angry. These techniques will solve passive and aggressive behavioral problems. Some examples of difficult people in daily living situations can be: parents, siblings, extended family members, friends, children, educators, customer service representatives, law enforcement officials, other governmental representatives, medical personnel and banking officials.

Assessment and Requirements

Assessment of Academic Achievement

Assessments of student learning may include, but not be limited to, writing assignments, oral reports, role playing and testing.

Approval Dates

Effective Term
Fall 2019
ILT Approval Date
AALC Approval Date
Curriculum Committee Approval Date
Review Semester
Fall 2019