2009-2010 Course Listings

190. Public Speaking. 4 semester hours.

Addresses basic theoretical principles of effective public speaking necessary for pluralistic audiences, concentrating on content, organization, audience analysis, ethics, language, and delivery. Students apply these principles to several oral presentations, some requiring the use of PowerPoint. Every year.

200. Introduction to Communication Studies. 4 semester hours.

An introduction to communication theory in practical and relevant contexts (e.g., public speaking, relational communication, organizational communication, small-group communication). Writing intensive. Prerequisite: English 101. Every year.

220. Topics in Communication. 1 to 6 semester hours.

Courses entail an exploration of topics in communication studies in areas such as rhetoric, media, interpersonal, or organization communication. Students may be awarded 5 or 6 semester hours for study abroad only. Alternate years.

224. Group Dynamics. 4 semester hours.

Explores the theory and practice of effective communication behaviors in group discussions.  Structured group activities allow for application of scholarly theories of successful group interaction. Every year.

270S. Interpersonal Communication. 4 semester hours.

Introduces message production and interpretation in a face-to-face context.  The primary objective of this course is to illustrate how choices in interpersonal communication behaviors are basic to our character as human beings and the nature of our interpersonal relationships.  Every year.

280. Reasoning and Communication. 4 semester hours.

Study of and practice in practical reasoning, critical thinking, listening, reading, writing, speaking and relational skills, and informed deliberation of critical contemporary issues. Writing intensive. Prerequisite: English 101. Every year.

290S. Media Literacy. 4 semester hours.

Introduces students to media studies with special emphasis placed on developing critical interpretations of mass communicated messages.  Examines topics such as the origins of mass communication systems, the audience, the current structure of media industries, and message content.  Writing intensive. Prerequisite: English 101. Every year.

300. Social Scientific Methods. 4 semester hours.

Introduces social scientific research processes in the study of communication.  Primary emphasis is on how to formulate a valid research question and conduct library research for an appropriate literature review.  Addresses how to adhere to standards for scholarly writing, and how to critically evaluate others' research studies.  Writing intensive.  Prerequisites:  Communication 200 and Communication 270S, 280, or 290S; math placement score 22.  Every year.

301. Critical Methods. 4 semester hours.

Develops students' abilities to describe, analyze, interpret, and evaluate messages using the scholarly methods of the communication critic.  Students review and apply multiple critical approaches (e.g., Neo-Aristotelian, semiotics, and ideological criticism).  Writing intensive.  Prerequisites: Communication 290S or permission. Every year.

320. Topics in Communication and Culture. 4 semester hours.

Includes courses a) analyzing the relationship between one’s culture and one’s communication practices and b) exploring communication processes in a variety of cultural contexts and across cultural differences (e.g., Communication and Gender; Intercultural Communication). Some courses may be writing intensive. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Communication 200 and Communication 270S, 280, or 290S; or permission of instructor. Alternate years.

322. Interpersonal Conflict. 4 semester hours.

An advanced service-learning course in interpersonal communication that focuses on the communication behaviors that occur when individuals are in conflict.  Requires the student to perform 30 hours of community service as part of a course project.  Prerequisites: Communication 200 and Communication 270S, 280, or 290S; or permission of instructor.  Alternate years.

323. Interpersonal Influence. 4 semester hours.

An advanced course in interpersonal communication that adopts a language-action perspective as it focuses on the interaction processes apparent when people atempt to directly influence the behaviors of other people.  The personal ethics of interpersonal influence attempts are emphasized.  Prerequisites:  Communication 200 and Communication 270S, 280, or 290S; or permission of instructor.  Alternate years.

327. Health Communication. 4 semester hours.

An advanced seminar that investigates a wide range of scholarship about health communication.  Emphasis is on the nature of the communication processes that influence and/or are influenced by health and health care contexts, such as communication between health care provider and patient, as well as public health communication.  Prerequisites:  Communication 200 or permission of instructor.  Alternate years.

328. Intercultural Communication. 4 semester hours.

An advanced seminar that investigates the nature of the communication processes that influence and/or are influenced by intercultural contexts.  Specifically, the ways in which cultural values and orientations shape communication styles, preferences, and expectations will be considered.  Ethics, cultural identity, conflict, and communication competence will be emphasized.  Prerequisites:  Communication 200 or permission of instructor.  Alternate years.

330. Analysis of Persuasion. 4 semester hours.

Explores theories of persuasion with the goal of helping students become critical receivers of persuasion in contexts such as political rhetoric, print and electronic advertising, visual persuasion, and social movements. Writing intensive. Prerequisites: Communication 200 and Communication 270S, 280, or 290S; or permission of instructor. Alternate years.

350. Topics in Media. 4 semester hours.

Courses entail an advanced exploration of such topics as the nature, function, history, processes, and effects of media and communicating in mediated contexts (e.g., Media Ethics, Computer-Mediated Communication). Emphasis is not on production, but on the critical interpretation of the media. Some courses may be writing intensive. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Communication 200 and 290. Alternate years.

351. Media Law. 4 semester hours.

Examines how the law helps shape the activities of mass media industries in the United States with an emphasis on understanding First Amendment principles as they relate to mass communication.  Prerequisites:  Communication 290S or permission of instructor.  Alternate years.

360. Topics in Rhetoric. 4 semester hours.

Courses entail an advanced exploration of rhetoric (e.g., Contemporary Perspectives on Rhetoric, Feminist Rhetorical Theory, Rhetoric of Social Movements). Writing intensive. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Communication 200 and 280. Alternate years.

361. Gender and Communication. 4 semester hours.

Explores critically the relationship among gender, communication, and various cultural institutions, practices, and contexts, focusing particularly on rhetorical constructions of gender and the resulting politics.  Writing intensive.  Prerequisites: Communication 200 and 270S, 280, or 290S; or permission of instructor.  Alternate years.

403. Communication Senior Seminar. 4 semester hours.

Capstone experience. Through their work in small-group projects, students will practice research, writing and critical thinking skills that are part of the process of conducting communication research, culminating in a public presentation of their results. Writing intensive. Prerequisites: Communication 200 and 300; senior standing. Every year.

490. Independent Study. 1 - 4 semester hours.

No more than four semester hours may be counted for the major. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Every year.

491. Internship. 1 - 4 semester hours.

Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Every year.

499. Senior Honors Thesis/Project. 1 - 4 semester hours.

Prerequisite: 3.50 GPA and permission of the Department Chair.