Communication
Courses
COM 500 Reading & Research in Communication 3.0 Credits
This course introduces students to basic research concepts and methodologies used in social science research as they are applied to communication research. Through different readings, students will learn to analyze, understand and evaluate scholarly research in communication studies. Lastly, students will learn to communicate scope, method and result of the existing body of research to the professional community.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 516 Campaigns for Health and Environment 3.0 Credits
This seminar-style course, which includes a significant amount of reading and writing, explores theories and practical aspects of environmental information campaigns and community-based social marketing campaigns. The theories and frameworks presented in this course apply to health issues as well as environmental issues. This course has a strong applied component.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 518 Communicating Health and Risk in a ‘Fake News’ World 3.0 Credits
People need to be able to understand health risks in order to make basic life decisions. Whether the issue is climate change, vaccines, toxins, etc., we need to be informed to take appropriate action. Studies show that most people learn about science and health from the media. We know that the general public score low in science literacy. The cloud of “fake news” and propaganda obstructs understanding and informed decision making. For those of us who are charged with communicating about these topics to the general public, knowing how to sift through these various agendas and present clear information can be a challenge. In this course, we will start with health and risk communication theories, use case studies to look at the process of scientific obfuscation, and discuss approaches to effective communication.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 520 Science Writing 3.0 Credits
Scientists contribute to the world with new insights and secure credibility for them largely through writing. This course will guide you in understanding the conventions of the various genres of scientific writing. In particular, you will learn to distinguish one genre from another and how the design of each genre contributes to the effective communication of science to professional and lay audiences. Once you understand the conventions of science writing, you will explore them in your own area of scientific interest and develop your own writing skills.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 525 Document Design and Usability 3.0 Credits
This course introduces students to the principles and practice of document design as well as strategies for collecting, analyzing and presenting data. Students will also learn about usability testing to measure the effectiveness of their documents with the intended audience.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 533 Modern Desktop Publishing 3.0 Credits
Using accessible modern software programs and a personal computer, desktop publishing facilitates the creation of professional-quality promotional materials by non-designers. Emphasis is on applying copywriting techniques and theoretical design principles of color, typography and composition to create audience-specific business cards, posters, advertisements, and brochures. These are essential skills for those entering into the fields of event planning, public relations, nonprofit communication and social media management.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 535 Digital Publishing 3.0 Credits
This course provides students with applied and theoretical knowledge of the current state of digital publishing by examining the technical disruption to, and the current state of, the book and magazine publishing industries. Students then become digital publishers themselves by choosing a niche topic aimed at a target audience and learning how to write and optimize long-form content and integrate images to create and publish a professional, branded and visually appealing blog or website using an accessible and free blogging platform. Students will consider issues of credibility, SEO, promotion, monetization and web usability. The ethical issues of digital publishing, such as influencer/sponsored content and sources for copyright free photo/image use are explored.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 536 Strategic Social Media Communication 3.0 Credits
Students learn research-based best practices for developing strategic social media programs and campaigns, then assess how influential brands and organizations are or are not using them for platforms, content, authentic engagement, crisis response and influencer marketing. Students will produce a campaign and content calendar for an organization of their choosing and prepare for and earn an industry-recognized, real-life social media certification through this course.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 538 Copy Editing 3.0 Credits
Every aspect of communication, whether public relations, social media, technical or scientific writing, needs to be copy edited before it is released to the public. Copy editing does not just examine spelling and punctuation, but also takes into account the flow and length of the text. Copy editors are also routinely asked to write compelling headlines and accompanying captions for photographs and graphics. In this class, students will look at the mechanics of proper writing, delve deeply into AP style, and will learn to be critical readers who ask questions about the purpose and content of written communication. Students will learn best practices for copy editing different texts.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 541 Foundations of Public Relations 3.0 Credits
This introductory course is designed for students who are new to public relations. It introduces students to the basic theories, strategies, tactics and skills that form the foundation of public relations practice. Students learn about public relations as a professional field, and the importance of ethical public relations as a strategic tool to interact with internal and external audiences. The course covers important strategies such as corporate social responsibility and reputation management, and provides students with basic skills related to public relations research.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 542 Public Relations Writing 3.0 Credits
This course teaches students the preparation of public relations materials such as news releases, media advisories, press statements, backgrounders, facts sheets, features, opinion pieces and other related communication materials. It covers the preparation of materials for different outlets (e.g. writing for print/websites as opposed to writing for radio and TV). This course also provides a brief introduction to speech writing. This is a workshop-oriented class with a focus on persuasive writing.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: COM 541 [Min Grade: B]
COM 543 Public Relations Planning 3.0 Credits
This graduate level course will enable students to put into practice the theoretical knowledge, research skills, interpersonal and group skills, writing skills, and creative problem solving abilities developed throughout their public relations studies. This course will help students approach public relations strategically so they will be able to apply public relations techniques and theories to the creation, execution and management of public relations plans and campaigns.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: COM 541 [Min Grade: B]
COM 544 Media Relations in a Digital Age 3.0 Credits
While traditional media outlets may be shrinking their newsrooms and their staff, and there is an increasing PR emphasis on social media strategy and influencer marketing, the value of earned media is still very much present. There are millions of digital news sites, all looking to break the story of the day or tell the best feature. With less full-time journalists and more freelancers, it has become increasingly difficult for brands and companies to get their voice into the media. Those that succeed are ones with good media relations strategies. This course will focus on media relations strategy and how brands can consistently win earned media. In doing so, it highlights strategies for getting the attention of journalists, freelancers and prominent bloggers.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: COM 561 [Min Grade: B]
COM 545 Crisis Communication 3.0 Credits
This course provides students with an understanding of the frameworks and practical tools necessary to successfully manage a variety of crisis situations from a communications standpoint. Following the crisis management process (prevention, preparation, response, and revision), students will learn the theories, principles, and best practices associated with crisis communication and management. Using real-world case studies, crisis communication theories and ethics, and role-playing activities, students will develop the ability to think strategically, make recommendations to address crisis-related challenges, and develop proactive crisis communication plans to assist organizations during challenging times.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: COM 541 [Min Grade: B]
COM 551 Creative Content Production 3.0 Credits
This course explores content creation for digital media, including websites, social media, newsletters, video and blogs through both theory and execution. Learn topics and concepts that are essential for those in or entering into the fields of marketing, advertising, communications and social media management: content development; audience engagement; brand identity and archetypes; concepts in digital design; visual storytelling through social media and strategic methods in marketing content. Students will also learn how to glean relevant information from data and information and create visually stimulating and engaging infographics and slide decks.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 561 Fundamentals of Journalism & Newswriting 3.0 Credits
This is an introductory course which introduces students to the fundamentals of journalism, various forms of newswriting and, in this context, explores and applies mass media effects theory. Students will learn to distinguish news and opinion pieces, and will get a basic understanding of the media and journalism industry, the role and impact of advertising and PR, and the implications of media law and ethics. Students will also learn to write clear and accurate stories, including concise leads and informative yet attention-grabbing headlines. In this context, students will be introduced to basic concepts of editing and journalistic style, including AP conventions.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 562 International Negotiations 3.0 Credits
This course examines theoretical and practical elements of international negotiations. Students are taken into the work of diplomats, policymakers, and corporate leaders negotiating agreements and are guided through psychological, sociological, and political dimensions of the talks process. By the end of this course students will be able to analyze negotiations scientifically and professionally.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 563 Event Planning 3.0 Credits
This course will provide the student with the theoretical and practical fundamentals in understanding the complexities of producing special events across different industries. Students will learn to research, design, plan, coordinate and evaluate special events, including virtual events attended remotely.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 574 Organizational Communication in Project Management 3.0 Credits
Organizational communication is relevant for all types of sectors and institutions be it governmental, healthcare, for-profit or not-for-profit. In this context, project management is a required skill to accomplish team goals. Whether you are the leader of the team or a contributor - effective organizational communication is the number one skill needed by all team members. In this course, we will explore how to properly communicate with leaders, team members, stakeholders and more while exploring best practices for various types of project communication - including daily briefings, email updates, demos, executive summaries and more.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 575 Grant Writing 3.0 Credits
Students develop the skills needed to write an effective grant proposal. Topics include idea development, analyzing a team's capabilities to complete a project, developing a clear plan of attack, locating funding sources, honing research skills, and effectively using graphic elements in proposal design.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 576 Nonprofit Communication 3.0 Credits
The nonprofit sector is vital to today’s complex society, uniquely supporting education, social services, advocacy and activism, political engagement, medical services, and much more. Studying this dynamic sector and its organizations through a communication perspective can help us gain deeper insights for more effective nonprofit work. This course introduces students to the strategic ways nonprofits communicate with a broad range of audiences and stakeholders, as well as the ways researchers have examined these practices. Through a combination of scholarly readings, case studies, interviews, and volunteer work for nonprofit organizations, students will study and practice effective nonprofit communication strategies and skills across many nonprofit contexts.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 577 Communication for Civic Engagement 3.0 Credits
Extremist rhetoric and divisive politics seem to go hand-in-hand in today’s public deliberations. The media so often pair the word rhetoric itself with the pejorative adjectives mere, empty, and deceptive, that anything rhetorical becomes vilified. This course draws from the ancient accounts of rhetoric and the contemporary studies on rhetoric to rehabilitate it as a way to inform our efforts towards a more civil public discourse. This course also will host guest speakers from local civic and political organizations who engage in rhetorical practices in the service of civic engagement, which includes the discourse both of people who exercise political power and of citizens who debate over public policies and cultural identity.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 578 Focus Groups 3.0 Credits
This qualitative research methods course will discuss the use of focus groups to collect data for social science inquiry from both an academic and a consumer research perspective. We will take an in-depth look at how to plan, implement, and analyze data collected through a focus group process, including: purposes and uses of focus group interviews, human subjects research considerations, participant recruitment, sampling, question design, facilitation techniques, recording options, transcription, analysis, and reporting of data.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 586 Strategic International Communication 3.0 Credits
The course will explain the significance of strategic international communication in the contemporary globalized and digitized world. Mostly we communicate with the representatives of different nations on the basis of preconceived images of them. Those images are formed by objective forces as well as by active image shapers/manipulators. To a large extent, nations are brands and the images of those brands are strategically shaped by different agents – private and political interests, as well as state and business actors. Students will explore this process of strategic international image formation through the historical context, theoretical concepts, and economic and structural aspects of strategic international communication.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 600 Graduate Seminar in Communication 3.0 Credits
This is an upper-level graduate seminar in various topics in Communication, including but not limited to Public Relations, Journalism, and Non-profit Communication. Students will undertake an in-depth examination of critical texts or themes in Communication. The course is intended for graduate students in the MS Communication program and can be repeated for credit with a different topic. This course is open to all students at the graduate-level.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated 4 times for 15 credits
COM 610 Theories of Communication and Persuasion 3.0 Credits
This course examines theories and models of communication and persuasion. It thereby focuses on theories underlying persuasive communication and issues informing the discipline, drawing readings from the field of communication and related disciplines.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 613 Ethics for Professional Communication 3.0 Credits
Professional communicators confront conflicting interests throughout their time at work. Their professional aspirations and their duties to their employer inevitably affect their efforts to make ethical decisions. This course is about ethical decisions in professional communication settings, which include: journalism, public relations and advertising, science and health communication, and digital and social media. Through the analysis of case studies and the examination of ethical frameworks this course will explore ethical issues in such topics as: Ethics of social media usage in crisis situations; Ethical behaviors among social media influencers, etc.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 614 Social Media Concepts that Matter 3.0 Credits
Social media platforms are volatile. With online users producing more data, this course illustrates concepts relevant for changing social media platforms such as interactivity, convergence and big data, and explores challenges and opportunities that social media face. The course focuses on the different values that social media holds for media companies and their users. Students will evaluate social media through a social media audit to distinguish between social media logics and user-centered logics. They will also discuss how to integrate user-centric and organization-centric logics to fulfill the needs of social media users. Students will examine different implementations of social media information infrastructure and social media affordances through concepts such as attention economy and platformization.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 615 Media Environments in a Digital World 3.0 Credits
This course examines theories of media environments and the application of those theories to our experiences living in a densely mediated world. We will examine media as media ecologists, focusing on how human thought and action are shaped through interactions with our media environments. We will define media in the broadest possible definition, including but not limited to communication, technology, literacy, the arts, and education.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 651 Media and Communication Policy in a Digitized World 3.0 Credits
Understanding the foundations of the policies, laws and regulations that govern media and communication has become a necessity in the everyday lives of consumers and citizens and crucial knowledge for communication professionals. Issues like ‘Net neutrality’, ‘breaking up big tech’, ‘algorithmic privacy breaches’ and ‘trust in (public) media’ reflect the increasingly complex communications patterns and industries. This course offers an overview of media and communication policy, law and regulation from a critical perspective. We interrogate the regulatory and judicial systems that administer and interpret media policies, and the public policy apparatus those relationships create. Drawing on academic research and case studies, we assess American media law and policy in light of ‘the public interest’.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM 660 Investigative Journalism 3.0 Credits
An intensive hands-on course in researching and writing investigative news stories. Students will select and cover beats and submit a series of in-depth articles on deadline.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
Prerequisites: COM 561 [Min Grade: B]
COM 698 Managing Communication Professionals' Identities in a Digital Age 3.0 Credits
In this course, students will explore literature regarding the professional identities of communication professionals. Students will learn how to manage one’s professional identity and reputation across various digital platforms and social media. Students will then draw from this body of research to create a professional identity package, including a digital portfolio, based on the work they have completed in the MS program as well as in their own areas of professional expertise. This professional package will demonstrate their aptitude, performance, and compatibility to succeed in their target career.
Repeat Status: Not repeatable for credit
COM I599 Independent Study in COM 0.0-12.0 Credits
Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
COM I699 Independent Study in COM 0.0-12.0 Credits
Self-directed within the area of study requiring intermittent consultation with a designated instructor.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
COM T580 Special Topics in Communication 0.0-9.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
COM T680 Special Topics in Communication 0.0-6.0 Credits
Topics decided upon by faculty will vary within the area of study.
Repeat Status: Can be repeated multiple times for credit
