Applying to the Course of Non-Verbal Communication in the University of California

Having studied the basics of verbal communication, I have come to the conclusion that words and language enable only a minuscule amount of information to be imparted to us. 70% of it is being transmitted with the aid of emotions, voice, gestures, and expressions. This fact has inspired my interest in the course of Non-verbal Communication at the University of California. I believe it is fascinating that when one’s verbal and nonverbal signs contradict each other, one chooses to trust expression rather than the content of utterance.

What has driven my interest in the suggested course is my desire to understand what people actually communicate. An abundance of gesture interpretations causes numerous debates in this sphere of study. For example, body language expert Allan Pease claims that folded arms indicate a closed posture, or a person’s unwillingness to communicate. On the other hand, some may interpret it as just acting cold. Moreover, documentaries illustrate numerous examples of when human speech contradicts the intentions of a particular person, revealed from their gestures and postures. The brightest examples are politicians, who may be adept at rhetoric, yet lack persuasion due to their inability to control their body language. In fact, this is the most common cause of a failed speech.

What is more, the University of California suggests a wide range of subjects, allowing a person to choose their own sphere of interest, whether it is the expressions of a human face that serve as an indicator of our emotions, or the voice and tone that send specific signals to the recipients of the message. Although nonverbal communication as a subject was investigated by a number of scholars, there are too few hands-on specialists devoted to any particular sphere of this science—whether it is the study of posture and pose, or the study of cultural peculiarities of nonverbal traditions. Therefore, my main purpose in opting for the course of Non-Verbal Communication is to become a professional, specializing in human behavior. This course will also come in handy for my first degree—English to German Interpretation and Translation—since I believe it should ease the process of communication and interpretation. My personal interest is to study the human voice and its influence on the overall perception of the speaker. Taking into account that I already hold a degree in linguistics, this information should certainly help me to develop my career further and obtain more diverse skills, useful in the sphere of communications and translation.

Hopefully, I have managed to deliver the message of what value the offered course holds for me, and what the reasons are for my choice. Thank you for your consideration of my application.

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