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Professional Communication

  • • Earn 3 transferable credits
  • • 100% online and Zoom-free
  • • Includes everything you need

Available through dual enrollment at partner high schools

Benefits

  • College Credits

    Earn 3 credits to save time + money on your degree

  • ENGAGING EXPERIENCE

    Top-rated instructors, interactive textbooks + cinematic lectures

  • IN YOUR HIGH SCHOOL

    The support + structure to thrive in your first college experience

  • Overview

    From resumes and cover letters, to virtual meetings and presentations, professional communication is vital to any career path. But it doesn’t have to be intimidating or impersonal. This course will build your confidence in public speaking and help you become an authentic, persuasive communicator.

    You’ll learn essential communication skills through engaging workshops—including mock interviews and improv games. And you’ll put those skills into action during practice presentations. Plus, with job search coaching, you’ll polish your resume, refine your Zoom presence, and be ready to ace any job interview!

  • Brilliant Instructors

    We hand-picked 3 instructors for the personal stories and unique approaches they bring to the table. Professor Josh Hamzehee uses his experience coaching a nationally ranked speech and debate team to help you become more persuasive. Professor Shae Hsieh leads by example to demonstrate the power of storytelling and authenticity in your professional life. And comedian Gretchen Eng uses improv to help you build confidence in uncertain situations.

  • How It Works

    Enjoy movie-quality video lectures, and enhance your learning with beautiful active learning materials.

    Learn on your schedule with course materials available online 24/7. Upon completion (congrats!) you’ll earn 3 transferable college credits.

  • Dedicated Support

    Hit a snag on the site? Have a burning question? We’ve got you covered.

    Our dedicated Student Success team is available to assist you—and push you—to help you pass with flying colors. 

Transferable credits from a top 50 school

Most schools accept credits transferred from University of Pittsburgh

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Traditional course Outlier

credits

Usually 3-4 credits from your school

credits

3 transferable credits

format

In-person or Zoom

format

Interactive and 100% online (Zoom-free)

LECTURES

Specific time and place

LECTURES

On-demand, anywhere

exams

Specific hour

exams

Flexible window

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What you’ll learn

This course covers all the basic principles of oral communication you’ll need for college credit (and then some—see the syllabus for a complete list)

Communication & You

  • How to tell a Story 
  • Learn to Communicate Authentically
  • Story Structure and Function 
  • Attention, Memory, and Recall in Storytelling
  • Public Speaking in the Real World 
  • Kicking Off the Job Search
  • Types of Common Interview Formats
  • Preparing for an Interview
  • Cultivating Professionalism in Writing 
  • Resumes & Cover Letters 
  • Video vs. In-Person Interview Etiquette 

Communicating Your Way to a Career

  • Identifying and Overcoming Anxieties 
  • Confident Cross-Cultural Communication 
  • Communicating Confidence in Body Language 
  • Coping with the Unexpected
  • Choosing a Topic 
  • Research + Citation
  • Organization and Structure
  • Deliver Your Presentation
  • Transitions 
  • Informative Delivery Formats
  • Audience Analysis

Communication On The Job

  • Understanding Your Personal Communication Style
  • Identity and Intersectionality
  • Building Cultural Awareness
  • Active Listening 
  • Nonverbal Communication
  • Group Roles and Dynamics 
  • Teamwork, Problem-Solving, and Decision-Making
  • Persuasion 101
  • Making and Supporting Arguments
  • The Art of Receiving Feedback
  • Giving Good Feedback

Hear from our students

  • Jacqueline W.

    Jacqueline W.

    “LOVE LOVE LOVE. I’ve taken a lot of online courses over the years and [this] blows them all away—in design, teachers, production, content, and facilitating learning.”

  • Taija P.

    Taija P.

    “I never thought I'd like an online class this much. I never expected to be so engaged, so thoroughly interested in everything I was learning, and to be excited about doing an online class.”

  • Elliot P.

    Elliot P.

    “The staff was amazing! Not only knowledgeable but very friendly and super supportive. I felt the same level of rapport with them as though I was attending physical classes and seeing each of them every day.”

Frequently asked questions

  • Outlier by Savvas courses are offered through US highschools

See for yourself!

Hey, Outlier! We’re so glad that you’re interested in our Professional Communication course and we want you to be 100% confident in your selection so we’ve unlocked the entire first lesson for you, free of charge!

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