This five part lecture series, "Interpersonal Communication: Managing Friendships" is designed to give you an interpersonal communication background on the concept of friendships. Friendships are one of the most vital interpersonal relationship you can foster and maintain, but we oftentimes pay little attention to the development and maintenance of these relationships in our own lives. The first lecture on the friendship formula explores the key ingredients required to build and sustain a friendship.The next lecture on the friendship lifecycle, examines how friendships develop, as well as potentially end. Our third lecture on relationship stressors further investigates tensions that can either end a friendship or put a strain on the interpersonal relationship. Next, our fourth lecture explores how social media has shifted potential friendship dynamics into a new concept of amiendships. Lastly, the lecture series ends with the final lecture that offers some helpful tips on being more effective with your communication within a friendship dynamic.

This course is led by Dr. Marcus C. Shepard a tenured communication professor with degrees from both Northwestern University and the University of Southern California. Dr. Shepard has written several books, but his first book "Midnight Musings: Interpersonal Communication & Social Media" is where he explores many of the concepts he has condensed into this five part lecture series.