Communication - COMM

The information below lists courses approved in this subject area effective Fall 2015. Not all courses will necessarily be offered these terms. Please consult the Schedule of Classes for a listing of courses offered for a specific term.

500-level courses require graduate standing.

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100 Fundamentals of Human Communication
3 hours. Emphasis on strategies for public speaking, public presentations, and conducting meetings. Effective approaches to audience analysis, speaker/presenter credibility, using evidence, argument development, delivery, and planning meetings. No credit given toward the Major in Communication. Individual and Society course.

101 Introduction to Communication
3 hours. Introduction to central concepts in communication, including key terms and theories, specific contexts and key debates. Individual and Society course.

102 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
3 hours. Effective communication in human relationships; verbal and nonverbal messages; reflective listening, disclosure, showing affection, empathy, assertiveness; handling interpersonal conflict; cultural and gender differences. Individual and Society course.

103 Introduction to Media
3 hours. Conceptualizing mass communication. Internal and external controls. Media and minorities. Individual and societal functions of the media. Individual and societal effects of the media. Individual and Society course.

105 African Americans in Film, 1900 - Present: Images, Individuals and Ideas on Screen
3 hours. Examination of the history of African Americans in film from the silent era to the present. The careers of African American filmmakers and actors and the evolution of images, themes, and ideas in films by and about African Americans. Same as AAST 105 and MOVI 105. Creative Arts, and US Society course.

140 Fundamentals of Media Communication
3 hours. Instruction and practice in the composition, analysis and dissemination of messages that employ media in professional contexts. Individual and Society course.

200 Communication Technologies
3 hours. History, development, and social impact of communication technology: print, broadcast, cable, satellite, computer, internet. Issues related to infrastructure, regulation, access, globalization, conveyance, and change. Same as MOVI 200. This is a blended-online and classroom course. Use of computer and internet access is required. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 101, COMM 102, COMM 103 with a grade of B or better in at least two of these; or approval of the department. Moving Image Arts minors must obtain approval of the Department of Communication.

201 Statistics in Communication Research
3 hours. Processes of communication research as a social science; variables, hypotheses, and theories; conceptual and operational definition; sampling; research design; statistics; use of computers for research. Prerequisite(s): COMM 101, COMM 102, and COMM 103 with a grade of B or better in at least two of these, and MATH 090 or MATH 118 or any other advanced math course; or math placement above MATH 090 or MATH 118; or approval of the department.

204 Gender and Popular Culture
3 hours. Analysis of representations of gender and sexuality in popular and material culture, using contemporary theories. Focus is on US popular culture. Same as GWS 204. Prerequisite(s): Sophomore standing or above; or consent of the instructor. Recommended background: Credit or concurrent registration in GWS 101 or Credit or concurrent registration in COMM 102 or Credit or concurrent registration in GWS 102 or Credit or concurrent registration in COMM 103. Individual and Society, and US Society course.

207 The Mass Media and Politics
3 hours. Impact of mass media coverage on political attitudes and the conduct of American politics. Communication policies and media institutions in times of rapid technological change. Same as POLS 207. Prerequisite(s): One course in political science, sociology or contemporary history.

234 History of Television
3 hours. A critical history of television. Same as ENGL 234 and MOVI 234. One additional hour each week for required screenings.

301 Communication Research
3 hours. Designs and measurements for conducting empirical analyses of communication activities in both laboratory and business settings. Prerequisite(s): COMM 200 and COMM 201; or approval of the department.

303 Communication and Culture
3 hours. Examination of the relationship between communication and culture through an exploration of the general theoretical principles linking cultural influences and communicative acts. Credit is not given for COMM 303 if the student has credit in COMM 203. Prerequisite(s): COMM 101 and COMM 102 and COMM 201 and junior standing or above; or approval of the department.

304 Male-Female Communication
3 hours. Speech differences and universals across genders. Talk in male-female interaction. Communication in romantic relationships. Gender issues in work settings. Same as GWS 304. Prerequisite(s): COMM 101 and COMM 102 and COMM 201 and COMM 203; or approval of the department.

306 Organizational Communication
3 hours. Examination of communication issues in organizational settings. Exposure to topics such as rules, networks, leadership, and decision making as well as methods of analyzing communication problems. Prerequisite(s): Junior standing and COMM 201 and COMM 315; or consent of the instructor.

309 Environmental Communication
3 hours. Description and analysis of communication practices about environmental issues with attention to conflict resolution, media coverage, advocacy initiatives and marketing campaigns. Prerequisite(s): COMM 101 and COMM 201; or approval of the department.

311 Interviewing and Communication
3 hours. Study of the forms and principles of information-seeking interviews, with special attention to fact-finding and data gathering missions. Prerequisite(s): COMM 102, and any two 200-level communication courses or consent of the instructor.

315 Group Communication
3 hours. Study and practice in the theories and techniques of group communication; the nature of small group decision-making; observation and analysis of established work groups. Prerequisite(s): COMM 101 and COMM 102 and COMM 201; or approval of the department.

316 Writing for the Electronic Media
3 hours. Principles of writing applied to the presentation of information in electronic media. Practical applications and analysis of relations between form and content. Prerequisite(s): COMM 200 and COMM 201; or approval of the department.

323 Argument and Persuasion
3 hours. Analysis and application of historical and contemporary theories of argument and persuasion as they function to form or change opinions and beliefs. Prerequisite(s): COMM 101 and COMM 102 and COMM 201; or approval of the department.

330 Mass Media and Popular Culture
3 hours. A theoretical and analytical examination of the media and popular arts as cultural artifacts. Focus on form, content, design, and effects of cultural commodities. Prerequisite(s): COMM 103 and COMM 201 and juniors standing; or approval of the department.

394 Special Topics in Communication
3 hours. Analysis of contemporary or historical issues in media and communication. May be repeated. Prerequisite(s): COMM 200 and COMM 201; or approval of the department.

404 Discourse Analysis
3 OR 4 hours. Nonverbal aspects of communication; rules of communication; speech acts; conversational coherences; acts and sequences in communication; marital communication patterns. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 304 or COMM 315 or COMM 416 or approval of the department.

416 Conflict and Communication
3 OR 4 hours. Students learn to manage and resolve conflict in business, governmental, and community settings. Practical analysis of interpersonal and group conflict cases. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 312 and COMM 313 and COMM 315; or approval of the department.

423 Discourse and Rhetoric
3 OR 4 hours. Exploration of interconnections between language and social practices with attention to multiple components of discursive situations: senders, receivers, context, code, media, and content. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 101 and COMM 102 and COMM 201; or approval of the department.

430 Media, Information and Society
3 OR 4 hours. News as a distinct form of mass communication, involving social functions and significant questions about facts, truth, knowledge and values. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 103 and COMM 200; or Comm 300; or approval of the department.

434 Global Communication Systems
3 OR 4 hours. Structure and flow of international communication. Media organization systems. International impact of new media and information technology. Impact of U.S. media reporting on foreign affairs. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the department.

454 Cognitive Psychology of Language
3 hours. Provides students with a survey of methods, theory and research in language and discourse processing. Same as LING 474, and PSCH 454. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

456 Topics in the History of Communications
3 OR 4 hours. This course introduces students to major developments in the history of communications, with a focus on the political and cultural dimension of technologies. Same as HIST 456. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor. Recommended background: At least one history course at the 100 level.

458 Minorities and Communication
3 OR 4 hours. Description and analysis of the processes through which ethnic and racial perceptions shape public discourse. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Two communication courses at the 300-level; or approval of the department.

460 Visual Communication
3 OR 4 hours. Exploration of processes through which meaning is derived from verbal and visual roles of media images in the cultural circuit. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): Two communication courses at the 300-level; or approval of the department.

467 Public Opinion and Political Communication
3 OR 4 hours. Nature of public opinion and political communication systems. Patterns of opinion distribution and its measurement. Forces shaping public opinion and its impact on public policy. Same as POLS 467. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): POLS 200 or the equivalent or consent of the instructor.

473 Organizations and Their Publics
3 OR 4 hours. History of relevant theories and models; problem solving: analyzing goals, identifying publics, setting objectives, designing messages, choosing channels, planning implementation (budgeting, staffing, timetables), evaluating effects. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 201 and COMM 306; or approval of the department.

474 Internship
1 TO 8 hours. Students work in an approved professional setting. Individual projects developed through conferences with a faculty member and a field supervisor. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. A maximum of three hours may be counted toward the undergraduate communication major requirements. May not be counted toward the minimum Master of Arts degree requirements. Prerequisite(s): 12 hours of upper-division courses in communication, with a 3.00 grade point average in those courses; recommendation of two faculty members and approval of the department obtained in the semester prior to internship.

490 Seminar in Culture and Communication
3 hours. Analysis of contrastive cultural paradigms (interethnic, gender, class) to develop student's awareness of own socialization and cultural orientation. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301 plus any other 300-level Communication course, or approval of department.

491 Seminar in Media and Communication
3 hours. Analysis of contemporary or historical issues in mediated communication. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301 plus any other 300-level Communication course, or approval of Department.

494 Special Topics in Communication
3 OR 4 hours. Contemporary trends in the field of communication. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated up to 2 time(s). Prerequisite(s): COMM 200 and COMM 201 and consent of the instructor; or approval of the department.

498 Independent Study
1 TO 4 hours. Individual investigation of special problems (student-initiated or related to faculty research). May be used for special projects, such as interdisciplinary seminars. May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. A maximum of 3 hours of credit may be applied toward the Major in Communication. Credit earned may not be applied toward the minimum Master of Arts in Communication degree requirements. Prerequisite(s): Senior standing and approval of the department.

500 Introduction to Communication Research
4 hours. History of the field, research traditions, communication viewed as social science; forming research questions, reviewing and critiquing literature, formulating hypotheses and rationale, conceptually defining variables. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor or graduate standing in communication.

501 Operationalizing Communication Research
4 hours. Levels of measurement; operational definitions; sampling qualitative and quantitative designs; coding and analysis of data; statistics; pilot testing and instrument/design revision; writing research reports. Prerequisite(s): COMM 500.

502 Seminar in Media Studies
4 hours. In-depth, intensive examination of theories, perspectives, and approaches to media studies. Prerequisite(s): COMM 500; or consent of the instructor.

503 Seminar in Intercultural Communication
4 hours. Introduction to basic theoretical concepts and important issues in intercultural communication. Prerequisite(s): COMM 500; or consent of the instructor.

504 Communication, Technology, and Society Proseminar
4 hours. Introduction to philosophy and history of communication technologies. The social impact of communication technology.

505 Organizational Communication
4 hours. Classic and current research. Models that examine organizational communication; assessment of organizational problems and conduct of problem-solving research. Prerequisite(s): COMM 306 and COMM 500; or consent of the instructor.

506 Cross-Cultural Communication
4 hours. Analysis of different theoretical approaches to cross-cultural communication (sociolinguistic, attributional); contrastive analysis of Western and non-Western cultural systems (interactional etiquette, discourse rules). Same as LING 506.

508 New Media of Communication
4 hours. Theories, history and philosophy of the new media of communication. Social diffusion and consequences of new media technologies. Assessment and evaluation of the social impact of new media. Prerequisite(s): COMM 504.

525 Approaches to Rhetorical Criticism
4 hours. Contemporary approaches to rhetorical criticism. Each offering focuses upon the distinctive contributions of specified rhetoricians to the theory and practice of rhetorical criticism. May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 410.

534 Mass Communication Theory
4 hours. Introduction to major theories of mass communication: their social history and substantive claims; distinction between mass mediated and other forms of communication, implications of distinction.

567 Topics in Political Communication
4 hours. Intensive study of selected aspects; organizational communication in public institutions, urban political communication patterns, communication elites. Independent research using a variety of community research techniques. Same as PA 567 and POLS 567. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

570 Seminar in Philosophy of Technology
4 hours. Conceptual approaches to technology, with special emphasis on communication technologies. Emphasis on the application of values, beliefs, and thoughts related to the interplay of technology and society. Prerequisite(s): COMM 504.

580 Qualitative Methods in Communication
4 hours. Qualitative methods course analyzing language and culture patterns. Same as LING 582. Prerequisite(s): COMM 501 or consent of the instructor.

591 Health Communication
4 hours. Focusing on interpersonal, organizational and public contexts, seminar participants will review current literature in health communication, and apply selected communication concepts to healthrelated situations. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing in communication, or enrollment in a health professions school or college, or consent of the instructor.

594 Advanced Special Topics in Communication
1 TO 4 hours. Student may register for more than one section per term. Advanced topics in communication theory and research. Subject matter varies. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

596 Independent Research
1 TO 4 hours. Department approved research projects not included in thesis research. May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the head of the department.

598 Thesis Research
0 TO 16 hours. Under guidance of an advisor and committee the student develops and conducts a research project addressing a communication problem of a basic or applied nature. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): COMM 501.

599 Dissertation Research
0 TO 16 hours. Under guidance of an advisor and committee, the student conducts research on the topic of the doctoral dissertation. Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Students may register for more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

Information provided by the Office of Programs and Academic Assessment.

This listing is for informational purposes only and does not constitute a contract. Every attempt is made to provide the most current and correct information. Courses listed here are subject to change without advance notice. Courses are not necessarily offered every term or year. Individual departments or units should be consulted for information regarding frequency of course offerings.