Communications & Media Studies (COMS)

This course introduces students to the history, theory, practices, institutions, and impact of modern communications media. We will examine both print and non-print media and address the media's impact on society, how audiences respond to media, how people produce and consume media, and media industries and careers. Students will apply what they learn by composing in multiple mediums and other means of communication integral to contemporary communications.

This course is designed to expand your public speaking "tool box". By preparing and performing a range of speaking assignments, engaging in in-class activities, and reading the assigned textbook, each student should leave this course with an increased comfort in expressing ideas before various audiences. These skills will not only be useful in larger, formal public speaking settings, but also for small group and interpersonal communications, and for constructing, analyzing and criticizing claims, arguments and rhetorical techniques more generally.

Students will analyze various visual genres (e.g., philosophy, graphics, videos, films, television shows) to learn how the visual elements of texts affect understanding. Students will produce a multimedia project and final research project.

An experiential approach to developing intercultural awareness. Presents three aspects of intercultural communication: (1) knowledge of culture and cultural differences; (2) attitudes and feelings about those who are culturally different; and (3) skills or new behaviors to improve effective communication when living and/or working with people of other cultures. Uses videos, classroom guests and field trips to ethnic museums, restaurants and festivals, as well as in-class exercises, readings and discussions.

This course introduces students to the basics of quality social scientific research, in addition to the basics of responsible newsgathering. Students in this course analyze and design interview plans, survey instruments, polls, samples, and other quantitative and qualitative research methods. Students learn about the ethics of research, especially as regards human subjects.

Students will consider communication technologies and how and what people communicate using those technologies. We'll examine the role of communication technologies in society and culture, with an emphasis on how they function in the information age. This will include both the social and cultural influences that have shaped the development of various emerging media, information, and communication technologies.

This course is designed to help students think about and experiment with the components of documentary video production. Throughout the course, students will develop the skills to produce, film, and edit video for promotional, news, or documentary purposes.

The tools and tactics of strategic communication are changing dramatically as a result of the constantly transforming digital media environment. Because of this, organizations in both the for-profit and non-profit world find themselves constantly facing the challenge of determining what communication strategies and products will set them apart? This course incorporates lecture, class speakers and a significant group project for an outside organization to provide students with an overview of what's involved in the strategic communications industries, how the campaign development process works, and some of the challenges facing the field.

This course provides a brief introduction to the principles, tools, and techniques of digital audio recording, editing and production. Through discussion, demonstrations, and hand-on experiences in the studio and the field, students will gain an understanding of the nature of sound, basic microphone usage, digital audio recording equipment and techniques, digital sound editing, writing, narration, and production techniques used in news, podcasting, and audio documentaries.

This course investigates how social media platforms and personal digital technologies have radically shifted the way that businesses, politicians, and other meaning makers circulate their messages. Students will work on a social media messaging campaign, carefully tailoring the content and form of the message to the appropriate audience and social media platforms.

Students in this course learn the fundamentals of writing for multiple public audiences in multiple communication formats and genres. Students will also learn to judge the importance of information as well as set priorities and tailor writing to meet the needs of different audiences.

Fashion is one of the fundamental ways in which humans communicate about themselves and their desired self-image. Students will examine the intersection between fashion, media, personal identity, and image management in today's society. They will learn how the fashion industry creates powerful and persuasive messages through channels, and how those images are reinforced through media. Guest speakers, industry-based learning projects, and field trips will aid students in transforming theory into fashion communication practice.

In today's media based world there is little that divides the fields of Communication and Sports. Students will explore their intersection through examination of journalism, social media, media relations, sports information production and advertising. By critically analyzing actual media coverage of sporting events, addressing social and ethical issues involved in college and professional sports, meeting professionals in the field and developing an understanding of sports promotion and advertising processes, students gain an in-depth understanding of not only the professional issues involved in sports communication, but their larger importance in our society.

Students will learn reporting and storytelling techniques across several media including text, video, audio, and social platforms. They will also learn how to utilize digital sources to gather and verify information.

Crises are a fact of life in organizations, whether it is in business, fashion, politics, sports or others, and being able to navigate through them is a crucial skill for all communication professionals. Building on much of what students have learned in their previous communication classes, this course will be an introduction to crisis communication theory and application. The class time and readings will cover crisis management approaches, classic cases and the influence of culture on crisis communication. Additionally, throughout the semester students will engage in group simulations, field trips and individual projects to master the tools of the trade.

While academic writing courses are designed to prepare you for the writing required as a university student, this course prepares students for writing and communication in a professional setting. In particular, this course focuses on the specific demands of communicating and writing for non-profit organizations. We study the audiences you may encounter in the field and the diverse writing tasks that you may be asked to complete. The numerous writing workshops and peer group tasks make this a very collaborative course and will prepare students for a career at a non-profit organization. Therefore, the course will run, as much as is possible, as a non-profit writing consultancy.

This course, designed for the senior in Professional Communication, will focus on important ethical issues facing the profession and its practitioners. The course will not advocate for particular ethical standards, but it will strive to motivate students to critically and analytically think about standards are germane to their personal and professional lives, to consider reasons why current standards are in place, and to evaluate whether current ethical standards are sufficient, workable, and understood by communication professionals.

This course, designed for the senior in Professional Communication, will focus on integrating your college course work through developing a capstone project portfolio. By working on a capstone project that draws on prior course work and that culminates in an oral presentation and a written project, students will use critical thinking skills in synthesizing previous course work to extend and develop original ideas.