Communications (COM)

The course gives students a general overview of the field of communication. Students are exposed to a broad view of the field including the areas of nonverbal, interpersonal, organizational, cultural, and mass communication. Students use critical thinking skills to evaluate each type of communication.

Consideration of the roles of the interviewer and interview in employment, investigative, and other professional situations. Practical and theoretical principles are covered.

The course is devoted to instruction in the mechanics of writing and presenting one's own material. This will include such things as the following: outlining, addressing varied audiences, styles, and appropriate techniques of delivery, as well as the use of technology to enhance one's presentation. It is a pragmatic, skills-oriented course designed to provide a context for practicing the construction and presentation of well-reasoned public messages.

The principles of effective speaking and listening are the focus of this course. Special attention is paid in mastering American English. Students prepare and deliver a variety of original presentations to inform and persuade. At least one presentation is video-taped. The Language Laboratory is used for intensive work on accent reduction. This course is the equivalent of COM 200.

This course will examine the mass media, e.g., radio, film, television, newspapers and magazines, and the cultural, political, economical and educational effects these media have on society.

Modern trends and changes in mass communication; news practices and influence in controversies and consideration of alternatives; persuasive impact; critique of mass media as a source of information and influence of all "new media."

Theory and practice of communication between diverse domestic and international cultures. Emphasis on barriers and gateways to effective intercultural communication.

Interpersonal and intrapersonal aspects of the communication process from the points of view of communication theory and interpersonal dynamics; opportunity is provided for students to gain experience as communicators in a variety of work and social settings. The nature of the course varies according to the needs of the students.

The objective of this course is to improve communications skills in the workplace. The course will focus on theories of communication, the influence of new technologies in the workplace and will incorporate practical exercises to build effective communication.

Students will be able to understand the applicability of communication concepts in an organizational context; to develop dyadic, group and presentational skills for use in contemporary organizations.

This course will focus on how media functions in our information society. Students will gain factual information on the history, processes and effects of different types of media including the mass media of newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television and the Internet. Special attention is paid to the convergence of digital technology and each of the traditional mass mediums.

This course explores the ways in which digital media and information technologies are impacting everyday life, culture, institutions and identities. We will address issues of representation, identity, policy, regulation, law, ethics, aesthetics and consumption in the digital era. We will ask: How does new media alter the ways in which we communicate? Play? Do business? Gather information? Entertain ourselves? Imagine our worlds? Participate in the democratic process? And engage in social change? What are the consequences of these innovations?

This course provides an historical examination of youth representation in American popular media. We will explore: representations of femininity and masculinity; intersections of race, class, sexuality, and gender in mediated constructions of young people; and audience participation in creating meaning from representations of gendered identities. We will also consider how such constructions impact our perceptions of youth and childhood as well as our own sense of self.

: This course establishes an understanding and appreciation for the impact of culture on gender and communication styles/strategies used at the United Nations to effect positive social interaction for the advancement of human rights, fundamental freedoms and social development for women and men, in the 21st Century.

This course examines abuses in human communication through which citizens must learn to navigate, from the epidemic of bullying to the darker forms of media, culture and political expression that affect democracy. Students will explore issues, theories, and implications of destructive communications from a variety of contexts including identity, interpersonal relationships, media and politics, and global affairs. Among the issues that will be explored, we will focus on the language of bullying and verbal abuse; hate groups and bigotry; cult rhetoric and manipulation; the vitriolic tone in American politics; and warring words on the global stage. As a Civic Engagement course, an emphasis will be placed not only on building an understanding of the many manifestations of hurtful communications, but also on engaging counter­ efforts for confronting these issues beyond the classroom. Students will become active learners by volunteering in the community at a non-profit organization whose work is dedicated to anti-defamation or anti-bullying efforts. Students must be able and willing to volunteer 25 hours of community service during the semester.

This course examines the development of student protest movements and the relationship between communication and political dissent.

Students will analyze the political, social and bureaucratic dynamics of public policy as it relates to message flow, public interaction and communication technology.

This course will lead students in a critical exploration of filmmaking from the margins and will examine a diversity of voices that are articulating new ways of understanding identity and 'difference'. Various filmic texts (both narrative fiction and documentary) will be presented. The purpose of this course is to understand how films from the margins reveal themselves in the intersecting spaces of hybridity and authenticity, resistance and cooptation, tradition and modernity, and entertainment and education.

Death and the interpersonal and social attitudes surrounding it are analyzed from the perspectives of symbolic interaction and culture. Discussions of how people prepare for and respond to the deaths of others and how death can be “performed” symbolically will be included.

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Conflict Management is a course designed to develop a theoretical and practical understanding of conflict dynamics that we experience in social, interpersonal and group situations.

This course is designed to show films from the past that are constantly referenced either by title, image, or lines by contemporary filmmakers or are found in literature or other art forms. The objective of this course is to allow the student to understand the basics of filmmaking and have a background of film archetypes that will help them to be able to define, analyze and evaluate the films that they see now.

In this civic engagement and public value course students will explore, in the classroom and in service, how young people participate in their media environments. We will study the role of your people in meaning making and in the production of media. We will analyze how young people have used media as tools through which they can document their lives, concerns, and desires; as tools through which they can produce social change; and as tools through which they can put democracy into action. We will work directly with young urban producers to help them think through and engage in the process of using their voices as tools for changes and using media as tools of expression.

: The course will employ several texts from television, movies, books and other sources to examine how commercial cultural reprocesses the fringe elements of society into attractive commercial products. Students will write analysis and participate on discussions of relevant theories and concepts.

This course will apply the traditional dynamics of effective public speaking to the modern range of communicating through new and convergent media. Subjects include organization, strategy, audience analysis and evidence.

One of the primary dynamics of mass media content creation is corporate synergy. Mass media synergy takes two related forms, 1) the repurposing and recycling of old materials into new products, and 2) the financing and profit generation that derives from related products and services. The graphic novel will be employed to demonstrate and teach the student to analyze synergy.

This course examines abuses in human communication through which citizens must learn to navigate, from the epidemic of bullying to the darker forms of media, culture and political expression that affect democracy. Students will explore issues, theories, and implications of destructive communications from a variety of contexts including identity, interpersonal relationships, media and politics, and global affairs. Among the issues that will be explored, we will focus on the language of bullying and verbal abuse; hate groups and bigotry; cult rhetoric and manipulation; the vitriolic tone in American politics; and warring words on the global stage. As a Civic Engagement course, an emphasis will be placed not only on building an understanding of the many manifestations of hurtful communications, but also on engaging counter­ efforts for confronting these issues beyond the classroom. Students will become active learners by volunteering in the community at a non-profit organization whose work is dedicated to anti-defamation or anti-bullying efforts. Students must be able and willing to volunteer 25 hours of community service during the semester. Rotation: Fall (even years).

This course is designed to acquaint students with language as a symbolic process, examining various uses of language in interpersonal and public contexts. Extending upon the foundational principles of communication, the course will help students to critically analyze communication activities. All the while, students will be given opportunities to evaluate their own use of language and discuss means of more effective communication.

This course will examine a recent trend in communication that has come about with the advent of the mobile device and Web 2.0 technologies, known as participatory communication. After providing an overview of the theoretical development, the course will examine several participatory media channels that have become “mainstream” within the past few years. In addition to analysis and criticism of the media, students will apply the concepts in practical exercises that utilize contemporary media channels.

This course will examine a recent trend in communication that has come about with the advent of the mobile device and Web 2.0 technologies, known as participatory communication. After providing an overview of the theoretical development, the course will examine several participatory media channel that have become "mainstream" within the past few years. In addition to analysis and criticism of the media, students will apply the concepts in practical exercises that utilize contemporary media channels.

This course examines organizational structures from the point of view of symbolic interaction to illuminate how meanings are created and sustained. Special emphasis is placed on how the communication perspective can help members of organizations solve and avoid problems in both lateral and vertical communication.

This course will trace the development of the noir -- bleak and expressionistic world view that dominated the films of the `40s and `50s, and that has continued to influence contemporary filmmaking. We will explore the narrative and cinematic types that define the genre, the literary antecedents such as the work of Hammett, Chandler, and Highsmith, and view representative films including: The Big Sleep, Touch of Evil, Cat People, The Long Good-bye, Chinatown, and other classics. Through class discussion and research, students will explore the cultural and societal influences that influenced noir writers, directors, and cinematographers.

An introduction to the distinct but related fields of Persuasion and Compliance Gaining theories and concepts. Subject matter will focus on both interpersonal and public spheres. Emphasis will be placed on 20th century and later theories and concepts.

Instruction and practice in writing techniques for effective placement of information, including press releases, brochures, and other public relations copy.

This course will take the student from back concepts to a first level of practice through a consistent and original method. It will train students to consistently identify a problem, think it through, and find a resolution before beginning to write. Students will acquire the skills and confidence needed to write effective films, corporate and training videos, documentaries, PSAs, TV series, and other types of visual narrative.

An advanced laboratory course that acquaints students with location production. Projects deal with corporate subjects to prepare students for internal corporate video and corporate public relations production. All aspects of video and audio production are covered.

After study of the principles of dramatic construction applied to the medium of radio, students write dramas which may be produced for broadcast on the student radio station. Technique, production codes, and models are studied.

This course is an advanced hands-on workshop course. The student learns advanced editing techniques on AVID digital editing equipment.

A study of art and craft of screenwriting for the shorter documentary and longer screenplay. Students will explore writing for the spoken word as opposed to the written word and will be introduced to script formatting for dialogue.

This course will examine the changes in a literary work when that work is transposed into film. Classical and contemporary works of fiction will be read and discussed. After discussion, movies based on these works will be viewed. A comparison between the visual experiences and reading experience will serve as the basis for exploration.

The course traces the development of the film in Britain through the contributions of the writers, directors, and performers from the pioneer efforts in the 1890s to the present day.

A survey of communications research methods will be covered. Topics include survey, experimental and ethnographic research. Students will gain practical experience in these methods as well as content analysis. Several field trips are planned to organizations that use these research techniques to measure television, radio, and print audiences.

One to one-and-a-half days per week for 14 weeks or equivalent number of hours. Internships in corporate communication, public agencies, public relations, and related fields.

One to one-and-a-half days per week for 14 weeks or equivalent number of hours. Internships in corporate communication, public agencies, public relations, and related fields.

With the approval of the appropriate faculty member, the department chairperson, and the academic dean, students may select a topic for guided research that is not included in the regular course offerings. The student meets regularly with the faculty member to review progress. A research project or paper must also be submitted.

Study in selected areas of written and oral communication varied according to student need and interest.

This Learning Community will examine American politics through media. We will focus on genres of film which address the role of race, class and gender in politics. We will also look at the mass media of television, radio, print and the Internet, as well as how each influences the political process in the United States.

Survey of issues in media ethics. Introduces foundations of moral and ethical reasoning as applied to case studies involving issues of journalism, advertising, public relations and entertainment.

An examination of the art of American film icon Humphrey Bogart. He reached cult status as the cynical, independent loner. We will follow his career from the ‘30s to the ‘50s with a long weekend in Casablanca.

An exploration of the many genres of filmmaking employed by the great American Director, Steven Spielberg. In depth study of selected films including: E.T., Empire of the Sun, Saving Private Ryan, and other films reflective of the influence of Steven Spielberg on American cinema and culture.

The course will provide much needed theoretical perspectives in order to grasp the complex and culturally diverse developmental realities of India. In placing emphasis on global civic competency, international service learning, and intercultural communication, this course will enable students to develop a more nuanced understanding of the roles of mass and community-based media and the meaning of "development" as it is practiced in postcolonial India. Immediately following this media/communication centric course, interested students will undertake a month long trip to India for a field study.

Communication in the Digital Age will provide students with an understanding of how technologies of the Digital Age (specifically the Internet) have affected the core dynamics of human communication. The first few weeks of the course will be spent understanding the emergence of the Internet as a medium of communication from a historical and theoretical perspective. Following this, we will move onto understanding and analyzing the effect of the Internet on a wide spectrum of communication, from interpersonal or organization to mass-meditate communication. By the end, we will be spending a substantial amount of time figuring out what impact current and emerging technologies will have on the different aspects of human communication.

This course is designed for the student who knows that he or she would like to work in the medium of television but is not quite sure what to pursue. This class will provide the opportunity to meet working professionals and gain from their experiences.

In this course we will explore the ways in which communication, primarily verbal, is used to control and foster one's identity in social interaction. We will focus on theory and research dealing with the nature and implications of managing and controlling one's self-presentations.

This upper-level seminar will focus on historical and contemporary girls' media culture and introduce feminist media studies to explore gilrs' media culture. All students will conduct original research on media created for a girl audience. Students will be expected to read one book or several articles per week, write weekly reading responses, and write a 15-20 page final research paper.

This course addresses the study of research theory and methods in quantitative and qualitative research. The philosophy of research, the scientific method, research design and tools, and scientific writing are also covered.

A study in selected areas of communication with emphasis upon analysis, ideas, philosophical, and psychological concepts.

A seminar on reading historical periodicals in cultural context. What did American children’s magazines say to their readers about the world they lived in, its present, and future? What picture of themselves did readers find inscribed in them? This will be a hybrid course, requiring online work as well as participation in traditional in-class discussion.