Course Descriptions
COM
101 - Fundamentals of Public Speaking
Credit Hours: 3
Preparation and delivery of effective
oral communication with emphasis on research, organization and delivery. [C2 900]
COM 200 - Understanding Media
Credit Hours: 3
Overview of newspaper, magazine, motion picture, radio, television and developing
media. Includes history, role in social change, media processes
and resultant biases.
COM 201 - Film Appreciation
Credit Hours: 3
Overview of the historical and technological development of film and its relationship
to society. Introduction to film theory and criticism, including
formal aspects of cinema, tools for stylistic analysis and ideological implications
of film. Weekly screenings.
Prerequisite(s): COM 200 or consent of instructor
COM 205 - Communication and Human Behavior
Credit Hours: 3
A study of human communication and language process; speaking and listening;
semantics and meaning.
COM 210 - Media Writing
Credit Hours: 3
This course establishes a foundation for journalistic and public relations writing with a focus on the various types of news media, including print, broadcast, and online outlets. The course stresses proficiency in reporting, interviewing, and writing, with attention to standard usage and formats as well as professional
norms and style.
Prerequisite: ENG 111, ENG 112 or consent of instructor.
COM 256-7 - Practicum: Newspaper Reporting
Credit Hours: 0.5
Students work on a student newspaper, The Falcon, as reporters and writers. Graded
P/F.
COM 258-9 - Practicum: Newspaper Editing
Credit Hours: 1
Students work on the student newspaper, The Falcon, as editors. Graded
P/F.
COM 320 - Comparative Media Systems
Credit Hours: 3
Compares how media of other countries function with those of the United States
along political, economic and cultural lines. Systems to be studied
include the British BBC, communist (the former Soviet Union and China), and
developing media in sub-Saharan Africa. Concludes with a look at
how these systems interact internationally.
COM 330 - Media Writing: Electronic and Commercial
Credit Hours: 3
This course focuses on writing for magazines and advertising as well as for broadcast and
new media outlets. Students will develop fluency
and flexibility in writing for diverse audiences
and across multiple media platforms.
Prerequisites: ENG 111, ENG 112 or consent of instructor.
COM 340 - Small Group Communication
Credit Hours: 3
Examination of communication principles in the small group setting. Includes
consideration of task and interpersonal dimensions, cohesiveness, conformity
and approaches to leadership.
COM 346 - Fundamentals of Sports for
Broadcasting
Credit Hours: 3
The goal of this course is to prepare the sport
communication professional to understand the
rudiments of eight major sports in order to
provide print and electronic media coverage.
The course will include information, theory,
and broadcast application of the rules, procedures,
and common strategies of each sport.
COM 350 - Interpersonal Communication
Credit Hours: 3
Introduces the complex interaction of social and psychological forces operating
in human communication. Theories considered in the context of real
communication situations in industry, education, medical and legal practice,
as well as in empirical research. Recent research results will be
discussed.
COM 351 - Intercultural Communication
Credit Hours: 3
Overview of the study of cross-cultural communication. Includes
a survey of non-Western culture, communication concepts, intercultural communication
problems and approaches to their resolution.
COM 352 - Women, Minorities and Media
Credit Hours: 3
Seminar in language and media use by dominant versus minority culture. Quantitative
and qualitative presence of minority cultures in media history, industry and
content. How media functions as a social force to engender inequality;
media role in protest and reform in women's rights and civil rights agitation.
COM 353 - Politics and the Press
Credit Hours: 3
Uses lectures, discussions and audio-visual materials to examine the role of
communication in American politics. Begins with communicative aspects
of the campaign and then considers the part communication plays for a politician. Specific
topics include persuasive, intrapersonal, interpersonal, small group, public
(debates and speeches) and mass communication (political advertising, televised
performances) aspects of politics. Attention paid to how an elected
official governs through the use of the various channels and types of communication.
COM 354 - Gender and Film
Credit Hours: 3
Examines roles and portrayals of masculinity and femininity in film and places
these terms in a cultural context. Weekly screenings.
Prerequisite(s): COM 201 or consent of instructor
COM 355 - Communication and Social Change
Credit Hours: 3
Role of communication in technology and information diffusion systems on local,
regional, national and international level; change agents, product life cycles,
stages of adoption, etc.
COM 356-7 - Practicum: Newspaper Reporting
Credit Hours: 0.5
Students work on the student newspaper, The Falcon, as editors. A
portfolio must also be prepared. Graded A/F.
COM 358-9 - Practicum: Newspaper Editing
Credit Hours: 1
Students work on the student newspaper, The Falcon, as editors. A
portfolio must also be prepared. Graded P/F.
COM 361 - Principles of Performance
Credit Hours: 3
The course emphasizes development and performance of scripts before microphone
and camera. It is designed to help students develop and presents professional
and broadcast quality script productions and to provide an understanding of
the relationship between performer and production.
COM 363 - Technical Communication & Research
Methods
Credit Hours: 3
This course provides the student with a working knowledge of various types
of technical and scientific communication, basic methods of statistical analysis
in the field of communication, and basic research methods in communication.
Prerequisite(s): ENG 111, ENG 112
COM 364 - Public and Media Relations in Sport
Credit Hours: 3
An analysis of the role of the media and public relations in sport organizations. The
appropriate methods and theories will be presented as well as their application
in the professional, intercollegiate and commercial sport industries. The
relationship between sport organizations and the print and electronic media
will be explored and how that relationship is vital to the success of the sport
organization will be emphasized. (Same as SPM 364)
COM 365 - Electronic Technologies and Society
Credit Hours: 3
Emphasis on computer interfaces with radio, video, and new media. Explores
the nature of electronic technologies and their impact on everyday life.
Prerequisite(s): COM 384 or consent of instructor
COM 370-9 - Special Topics
Credit Hours: 3
Special topics in communication and writing depending upon demand and staff. Topics may include popular culture, feature, sports, and editorial writing, and writing for publication.
COM 380 - Principles of Journalism
Credit Hours: 3
Combines journalistic reporting and writing skills with
journalism concepts. The skills portion may include writing
investigative articles, entertainment reviews, business and science
articles, columns and editorials. Concepts covered include
beat reporting, the First Amendment, journalism's role in a democratic
society, influences of ownership and work routines, and interacting
with sources.
COM 381 - Principles of Public Relations
Credit Hours: 3
Study of and practice in the tools of effective and ethical communication between
an organization and its publics. Introduces public relations management
techniques of polling, MBO and PERT planning, creation and analysis of messages
to address internal, media and community publics.
Prerequisite(s): COM 210 or ENG 382
COM 382 - Business Communication
Credit Hours: 3
This course will provide the opportunity for students to learn the skills and strategies necessary
to become effective business communicators.
This course counts toward a minor in writing
but does not fulfill the general education
requirement in literature or count toward the English major. (Same as ENG 382)
COM 383 - Public Relations Campaigns
Credit Hours: 3
Planning and execution of public relations programs and projects. Practice
in research, planning, selection of audiences, messages and media, and evaluation
of effects. Simulated agency setting. Creative project
in service to community client.
Prerequisite(s): COM 381
COM 384 - Principles of Audio Production
Credit Hours: 3
Overview of audio production for radio, television, and multimedia projects. An
introduction to the basic techniques and aesthetics of audio production. Lab
time and assigned projects provide "hands on" experience with the ideas and
techniques discussed in class.
Prerequisite(s): COM 200
COM 385 - Principles of Television Production
Credit Hours: 3
Techniques and aesthetics of video production. Provides working
knowledge of producing, directing, scripting, creating sequences, aesthetics,
and professional production attitude. Production assignments and
observation of working professionals.
Prerequisite(s): COM 200 or consent of instructor
COM 386 - Communication in Culture
Credit Hours: 3
This course is a broad introduction to key topics in communication
and culture, including different theoretical perspectives and approaches
within communication and culture studies. The areas studied include:
structuralism and semiotics, folk and popular culture, and tools for
the analysis of communication in culture.
COM 387 - Advanced Field Production
Credit Hours: 3
Advanced field production involving scripting, fieldshoots, remote shoots,
and editing. Advanced technologies in the area of post-production editing will
be introduced in the Media Lab, and students will be responsible for development
of script ideas, scheduling, and project completion.
Prerequisite(s): COM 385 or consent of instructor
COM 390 - Communication Law and Ethics
Credit Hours: 3
Provides understanding of historical, legal and ethical issues involved in
freedom of expression. Principles and case studies in communication
law, constitutional guarantees, libel, privacy, contempt, privilege, copyright,
regulatory agencies, public policy. Discussion of major court decisions
in each area of communication law and historical/political climate out of which
the cases emerged provide the framework for the course.
Prerequisite(s): Junior/Senior standing
COM 395 - Publication Workshop
Credit Hours: 3
Audience analysis, article selection, editing, illustration and layout, sales,
circulation, production and publishing. Production of lab publication
from idea to printed word.
Prerequisite(s): ART 395, COM 330
COM 480/481 - Practicum
Credit Hours: 1-3
On-the-job training in the media professions, preferably in the area of the
student's major interest - reporting, editing, photography, advertising, public
relations, electronic communication - at a newspaper, radio station, television
station, news bureau, public relations agency, advertising agency or other
communication operation. At the same time, it is a university course
carrying academic credit and culminating in a letter grade. Approval
of the internship coordinator should be obtained before applying for an internship.
Prerequisite(s): 9 hours of COM courses
COM 497 - Senior
Seminar
Credit Hours: 3
Theory, literature and research methodologies of interpersonal, print, persuasive
and electronic communication. Includes content analysis, survey
research, historiography and focus groups. Theory-based applied
project or senior thesis.
Prerequisite(s): Senior standing
Prerequisite(s): senior standing. |
