Michelle Givertz
Assistant Professor and Internship Coordinator
PhD (2002) - Communication, University of Arizona
MA (1996) - Communication Studies, University of Michigan
BA (1994) - Communication Studies, University of Kansas
Tehama 432
mgivertz@csuchico.edu
Phone: 530-898-3048
Fax: 530-898-4096
"Relationships are our life's work, and communication is the primary mechanism through which relationships are created and sustained."
Brief Biography
I moved to the United States from Toronto, Canada in 1990, and I completed all of my higher education at American universities. I have been conducting social scientific communication research since 1993, and I have been teaching courses in communication since 1994. For me, the two pursuits are inseparable, and more, they inform one another. Both endeavors are motivated by intellectual curiosity and a commitment to life-long learning. When it comes to communication phenomena, I am intrinsically curious and on the path to discovery.
Professional Affiliations
- National Communication Association (NCA)
- National Council on Family Relations (NCFR)
- International Communication Association (ICA)
- International Association for Relationship Research (IARR)
- Western States Communication Association (WSCA)
Courses Frequently Taught
- CMST 233 - Foundations of Interpersonal Communication
- CMST 334 - Gender and Communication
- CMST 335 - Intercultural Communication
- CMST 489 - Internship
- CMST 602 - Seminar in Communication Research Methods
- CMST 606 - Seminar in Interpersonal Communication Theories
- CMST 611 - Seminar in Intercultural Communication
Current Interests
As a personal relationships scholar, I am fundamentally interested in the communication that takes place in close relationships. My focus to date has been on romantic relationships and on relationships between parents and their young adult children. In both cases, I’m interested in how communication processes are associated with relationship outcomes at the level of both the individual and the dyad.