Communication Studies (CMST)

This course introduces students to the field of communication studies. Students will study the field's disciplinary history, the nature of theory, and foundational concepts from multiple subfields within the discipline. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course overviews the research process, with an emphasis on the foundational skills necessary to conduct original research, including: generating research questions; developing scholarly arguments; locating, retrieving, and evaluating sources; and actual data collection methods. Students will also be introduced to basic aspects of writing for the discipline, as well as expectations for scholarly ethics and proper citation of sources. Prerequisite: CMST 1600. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course is designed to introduce the students to interpersonal communication theories, processes, and skills. The course challenges students to examine their own communication behaviors and focus on their strengths and weaknesses as a way to develop and apply new communication skills and proficiencies. Prerequisites: CMST 1600 and CMST 1700. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Flag: Quantitative Literacy.

A study of the principles and theories of human communications related to cross-cultural encounters. This course emphasizes understanding the relationship between persons and culture and for improving communication between persons from different cultural backgrounds. Prerequisites: CMST 1600 and CMST 1700. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course is designed to introduce the students to the field of organizational communication and the relationship between organization and communication. The course allows students to examine a range of organizational communication perspectives, theories, issues, and constructs. At the same time, students are encouraged to explore the ways these perspectives shape, expand, and limit our understanding of communication and organizing. Significantly, the course encourages critical and analytical thinking by using the course content as a basis for critique. Prerequisites: CMST 1600 and CMST 1700. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Flag: Quantitative Literacy.

This course provides a survey of major rhetorical themes and theories, including classical, symbolic, argumentation, critical, feminist, and non-Western approaches to rhetoric. Students will explore the relationship between rhetorical theory and practice, the contributions of rhetorical theory to the social world, and the potential for rhetorical studies to inform issues of democratic governance, marginalized groups, social justice, and technology in society. Prerequisites: CMST 1600 and CMST 1700. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course introduces students to three key areas in the field of media and communication: 1) media industries, circulation and the political economy of media; 2) the legacy of British Cultural Studies in exploring identity, resistance, and the active audience; 3) media effects, including quantitative audience reception studies and ethnographic approaches to audience analysis. Students will be encouraged to directly engage with the political, social, cultural, and economic influence of evolving technologies and mediums in our digitally mediated global environments. Prerequisites: CMST 1600 and CMST 1700. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Flag: Quantitative Literacy.

This course critically examines the implications of cultural and spiritual tourism in the United States and the world with special attention to identities and differences, such as race, sex, gender, sexuality, and ability. In particular, the course will explore the struggle of people/s to preserve their cultural and spiritual identity relative to the role of the tourism industry in protecting their cultural heritage, resources, and sites. The course promotes multicultural awareness, hospitality, and sensitivity as a means of recognizing others and minimizing the exploitation of their culture. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: FND: Studies in American Diversity.

The purpose of this class is to prepare students to become informed consumers of communication quantitative research. To accomplish this, we will discuss quantitative research perspectives, ethics, methodologies, and analysis. This course will develop your ability to locate and fully comprehend Communication research and to understand how that quantitative research is conducted, reported, analyzed, and critiqued in Communication literature. By the end of this course, students will emerge not only as well-informed consumers, but also as critical thinkers equipped to navigate and contribute to the dynamic realm of quantitative reasoning in communication research. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course provides advanced training in argumentation skills, including logical reasoning, the use of evidence, and effective organization of content. Students will conduct topical research and prepare oral and written arguments. Prerequisites: CMST 1600 and CMST 1700. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Flags: Information Literacy, Oral Skills.

This course introduces to students to the ways in which sub-fields within communication studies relate to the field of public relations. Specific topical areas include the relationships among public relations and: 1) rhetoric; 2) media/social media; and 3) social-scientific approaches to persuasion. The course also addresses information gathering and information literacy skills as relevant to the field of public relations. CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of B (3.0) or higher.

This course provides an examination of the communication styles of males and females in a variety of settings. Course surveys gender similarities and differences in verbal and nonverbal communication with an emphasis on how males and females perceive the world and how these perceptions affect the human communication process. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, either CMST 2100 or CMST 2400, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course examines aspects of interpersonal and relational communication within the context of the family system. Topics including family identity and the creation of shared family meanings, family intimacy, family roles, family power dynamics, managing family conflict and family stress, and intergenerational family relationships are investigated through the lens of the family communication system. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2100, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course will identify prosocial behavior and communication, contrast it with antisocial norms, and focus on the values inherent in the caring, sharing, and ways of building relationships and communities with an emphasis on the possibilities for both individual and collective growth and well-being. Emphasis will be on the understanding of both individual and group behaviors that promote effective and cooperative prosocial communication. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2100, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course provides an overview of basic social-scientific theories of persuasion (fear appeals, social proof, liking, reciprocation, social judgment theory, etc.). Then, the course examines how these social-scientific approaches differ from and complement other approaches to understanding the practice of persuasion. Draws on Robert Cialdini's work in the psychology behind various persuasive techniques. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2100, and CMST 2800. Minor Prerequisites: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors/CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Flag: Engaged Learning.

In this course we will explore a wide range of human behavior as it relates to leadership development and communication with an emphasis on global communication issues. Students will learn about leadership, strengthen leadership skills, and learn to value their potential for leadership. This course will integrate theory and practice to build leadership competencies required in today's global workplace. This course is largely experiential and guided by the principle that leadership is a skill that can be developed and refined. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, either CMST 2100 or CMST 2300, and CMST 2800. Minor Prerequisites: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors/CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Integrations: Interdisciplinary Connections.

Seminar addressing selected, advanced topics in relational communication. May be taken twice for degree credit if subject/title differ. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2100, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary study of human relationships, with a particular focus on the sociocultural approach to relating and communicating. This course is based on the premise that relationships are far more than the matching of personalities or the forming of emotional bonds. Rather, our relational experiences are situated within and shaped by larger historical, social, cultural, technological, and political contexts. Through readings, lectures, class discussions, and film analyses, students will explore social rules in relational conduct, the cultural codes of love and romance, the material/technological circumstances of relating, and the politics of private life. This course is also designed to encourage students to rethink some popular assumptions that inform our understanding of interpersonal communication, such as the false binary of public/private, the illusion of relationships as containers, and the centrality of individualism and cognition. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2100, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Integrations: Interdisciplinary Connections.

This course introduces students to the interdisciplinary study of personal relationships, particularly romantic relationships, familial relationships, and intimate and reproductive labor, form a cross-cultural perspective. It explores two broader issues: global diversities in the ideas and practices of close relationships and the impact of globalization on private lives. Readings include scholarship from communication studies, anthropology, and sociology on issues such as romance and courtship, marital and intergenerational relations, queer intimacies, cross-border marriages, transnational adoption, migrant families, and the global commodification of sex and reproductive labor. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, either CMST 2100 or CMST 2200, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

The family is a major institution in which social inequalities are embedded and manifested. Instead of imagining the family only through positive lenses like trust, intimacy, and unconditional love, this course invites you to see the family as a site of social constitution and power contestation. It introduces you to the basics of family communication, highlighting the contested nature of the concept of family and the discursive challenges faced by many families. It also explores the emerging literature on racial-ethnic diversity and inequality in family communication, and invites you to gain new perspectives on social inequalities through service learning. Overall, this course provides you with an opportunity, as well as a challenge, to reflect on the diverse family experiences created by unequal social structures and to connect classroom learning with the real-world struggles and triumphs of marginalized communities. Course counts toward Four Advanced Topics Courses requirement. Junior or Senior standing. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Culture, in any given state or formation, across time or space, is never a neutral arbitrator nor static in its configuration. As a way of life, as an apparatus governing life, culture is fluid, contested, visceral, and constantly in the process of reformation. Culture is always already a social construction and always already power-laden. This course centers the roles and functions of power--the ability to control, hold authority, dominion or rule over others--and culture. In this class, 1) we will learn how to think critically about the construction of culture(s), 2) we will explore the impact of American empire and its discursive practices on other cultures and nations, and 3) we will explore the constructive nature of power and discourse. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2200, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course explores the long-standing history of sport as it relates to race and culture. Beginning with historical contexts regarding the post-American Civil War (1861-1865) African American jockey movement to #BlackLivesMatter and from Muhammad Ali to LeBron James, this course also dives into the infamous relationship between sport and politics. Lastly, this course explores how sport has influenced culture and caused societal shifts when it comes to issues on social justice. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2200, CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course introduces students to the theory and practice of pedagogies in the field of communication. It brings together several (inter) disciplinary strands of research, including Critical Pedagogy, Higher Education and Development, Communication Education, Instructional Communication, Critical Communication Pedagogy, Critical Performance Pedagogy, and Critical Intercultural Communication Pedagogy. Students will also be introduced to Feminist & Queer theories to enable them to explore philosophies, strategies, methods, and problems related to communication pedagogy. This course provides a space for current and future instructors of communication to develop philosophical foundations and approaches to teaching through a dual emphasis on theory and engaged practice (praxis). Course counts towards Four Advanced Topics Courses requirement. Junior or Senior standing. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course is designed to foster intercultural communication competency and increase understanding of our social identities. We will explore how communication, identity, and culture influence our perceptions, feelings, and behaviors. We will also explore how our social identities are shaped through communication with others (e.g., friends, families, classmates, colleagues, strangers). We will learn that individuals can have multiple identities which are dynamic and influenced by society. To accomplish this, we will learn through both theories and concrete examples of intercultural communication and social identity. Course counts towards Four Advanced Topics Courses requirement. Junior or Senior standing. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better.

This course will focus on the process through which media influences intercultural communication in our everyday life. To that end, we will discuss how viewers select, interpret, and respond to media in a global context and how media images and practices play a role in how we create meanings and communicate with others. We will explore how media forms and reflects certain cultural norms through the use of traditional (e.g., TV, film) and emerging (virtual reality, teleconferencing) media. To accomplish this, we will cover a wide range of topics such as media representations of race/ethnicity & gender, intercultural processes, entertainment media, and soft power. Course counts toward Four Advanced Topics Courses requirement. Junior or Senior standing. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course offers an introduction to the practices of intercultural communication studies through the theme of monsters and monstrosity. Considering examples from different genres, media (such as literature, film, graphic novels), and time periods, students analyze the cultural significance of the monster in the many forms it may take and explore the ways in which creative works, through such figures as the monster, represent and rethink realities (social, cultural, scientific, human) through the blurring of the real and the imaginary. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2200, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Seminar addressing selected, advanced topics in intercultural communication. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2200, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. May be taken twice for degree credit if subject/title differ.

This course provides a comprehensive introduction to integrated marketing communications, media selection, and campaign execution. Students will learn the elements of a successful strategic communications plan by evaluating advertising, public relations, and marketing silos and their impact on motivating target audiences. In this course, students will learn to evaluate audience demographics and apply appropriate communication channels and messages based upon audience needs and the business realities of marketing campaigns. A key course objective is to gain an understanding of how to propose and implement an integrated marketing communications plan from the viewpoints of advertising agencies, businesses, and nonprofit entities. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2300, and CMST 2800. Minor Prerequisite: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors/CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course develops and facilitates learners' critical knowledge of the intersections between sexualities, organizations, and communication. Over the course of the semester, we will build a queer understanding of sexuality and organizational communication that is guided by the question, "What would it mean to embody a sexual ethics of organizing?" Building upon theoretical approaches to organizational communication, this course lays an anti-foundational understanding of sexuality, or rather we will come to know sexualities as strange, plural achievements that are lived and embodied within a contested terrain of history, culture, power, and labor. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2300, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Integrations: Interdisciplinary Connections.

Communication plays a critically important role in many different aspects of the healthcare process from care delivery to public health campaigns. This course offers a broad survey of health communication theory, research, and practice focused on patient-provider interaction, communication in healthcare organizations, culture and health, health education, and social marketing. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, either CMST 2100 or CMST 2300, and CMST 2800. Minor Prerequisites: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors/CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Integrations: Interdisciplinary Connections.

This course consists of a critical exploration of theories and practical applications of corporate ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR). Students will analyze and critique organizational messages surrounding corporate crises, ethics case studies, and exemplars of corporate social responsibility in the news, historical accounts, and film/documentaries. Students will also learn about being an informed consumer by experiencing a week without a sweatshop, in which they research organizational practices, ethics, production and supply chains, and whether or not employees are paid a living wage, while keeping track of all their purchases for a week, journaling, and writing a self-reflection of the process. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, either CMST 2300 or CMST 2400, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course will explore the interplay between the business, socioeconomic, and cultural dynamics of sport and how these intersections are influenced by the aspect of public communication. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2300 and CMST 2800. Minor Prerequisites: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors/CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This class is a Community Based Learning (CBL) course and requires completion of volunteer hours with a nonprofit organization. Students will work in teams to design and write communication campaign items, such as brochures, flyers, fundraising letters and PowerPoint presentations, and social media content for a nonprofit organization. The course is grounded in Social Justice and Community-Based Learning theories and applied communication practices. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2300 or CMST 2400, and CMST 2800. Minor Prerequisites: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors/CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Flag: Engaged Learning.

This class will explore basic theories and principles of communication and gender in organizational contexts through lecture, class discussions, case studies, assigned readings, films, and written assignments. Students will develop an understanding of gender issues at work and how we construct gendered stereotypes, policies, and values. The course will culminate in a study of some gender context within the workplace, such as sexual harassment, gender pay equity, mentoring practices, etc. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2300, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

In this course, students will actively explore the roles and responsibilities of consultants. Students will be introduced to common elements of consulting interventions and will apply these elements in case studies that will be engaged first as an entire class and later in small groups of students who have assigned individual responsibilities in managing the cases on which they are working. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2300, and CMST 2800. Minor Prerequisites: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors/CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Seminar addressing selected, advanced topics in organizational communication. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2300, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. May be taken twice for degree credit if subject/title differ.

The act of deliberation is the act of reflecting carefully on a matter weighing the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions to a problem. It aims to arrive at a decision or judgment based not only on facts and data but also on values, emotions, and other less technical considerations. This course takes a unique approach to the field of political communication by viewing key concepts and research through the lens of deliberative democracy theory. This course focuses on how communication is central to democratic self-governance primarily because of its potential to facilitate public deliberation. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2400, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course provides the opportunity to explore and analyze rhetorical texts created by women in a variety of contexts and for a rage of purposes. The overall goal of the course is to examine the ways in which women develop and use rhetoric to function in, challenge, and change the world. Various texts including writing, speaking, visual and performing arts, as well as media forms will be used to understand rhetorical situations, concerns, and goals of women. Students will gain an understanding of feminist perspectives on communication as a foundation for critically questioning, evaluating, and re-envisioning the nature of communication in our socially constructed world. In this course, gender is viewed as a lens, platform, and position that significantly affects and can radically transform our personal, local, and global lives. Particular attention will be given to the ways in which gender and gender issues intersect with race, class, and sexuality. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2400, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course provides the opportunity to explore and analyze various rhetorical texts through the lens of theories created by Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC). Students will explore rhetorical theories from BIPOC perspectives. Offering alternatives to traditional rhetorical theory and gaining a deeper understanding of current uprisings for racial justice in our contemporary socio-political context, including: agency, liberation theory, decolonization, and marginalization, among other constructs. The main goal of the course is to examine ways in which BIPOC develop and use rhetoric to 1) function in and challenge systems of oppression, 2) work to dismantle racism, and 3) transform our collective discourse. Seminar addressing selected, advanced topics in rhetorical studies. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2400, CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course examines cultural constructions of crime and punishment. Although the course focuses primarily on the U.S. criminal justice system, we will attend to the prison industrial complex's global reach. Consequently, the course gives students the opportunity to examine one of the most pressing social issues of our time. We will focus our study of cultural constructions of crime and punishment in three different rhetorical cultures: public discourse, prisoners' discourse, and prison activism discourse. These three arenas map onto the three units of the course: 1) Crime and Punishment in the Cultural Imagination; 2) Crime and Punishment in the Prisoners' Imagination, and 3) From Criminal Justice to Transformative Justice. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, either CMST 2400 or CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Integrations: Interdisciplinary Connections.

The purpose of this course is to facilitate a critical and practical awareness of rhetoric's relationship to social change. As such, this class is both theoretical and practical. This class will analyze individual and group rhetorical strategies and tactics, and consider the utility of these strategies in relation to groups that are attempting to create social change. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2400, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course will cover the history of the disability rights and justice movement. Particular attention will be paid to analyzing the material and discursive goals of the current disability justice movement. Students will learn about "crip wisdom", "cripepistemology", and "crip care webs" to name a few. Further, this class will analyze the disability justice movement in an intersectional fashion. This class will cover invisible and visible disability identities, including neurodivergent disabilities. Intersections include disability and capitalism, disability and mutual aid, disability and trans/LGBTQIA movements for justice, and disability and the abolitionist movement of the carceral state. Junior or Senior standing. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. Course counts toward Four Advanced Topics Courses requirement.

This course explores the relationship between media justice and the creation of socially just, sustainable communities. Students learn how to identify propaganda and other systemic barriers to equity that threaten human and ecological well-being. Student also learn how to advocate for social change in climates that stifle dissenting viewpoints by studying the communication strategies and concepts of "snarling citizens" -- artists, activists, and media justice advocates who defy public norms and/or public policy in order to work toward racial, gender, and environmental justice. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2400, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course will fuse theory and practice through the lenses of public policy and activism/advocacy. Students will refine their persuasive speaking/writing skills, put theory into practice via hands-on fieldwork, hone leadership/motivational abilities, be inspired by the rich history of student-led activism and resistance, research and develop communication strategies for (re)framing of issues, and empower themselves to work for a better tomorrow for all. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2400, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course explores ways in which mass media help form, reproduce, and challenge our understanding of gender and sexuality. As a culture saturated with media institutions, we cannot remain untouched by their reach, and consequently, their ideas about what it means to be masculine, feminine, transgendered, racially marked, heterosexual, bisexual, lesbian, gay, queer, or sexually fluid. The course explores how gender and sexuality become normalized through mass media, and what makes possible the disruption of certain constructions of gender or sexuality. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, either CMST 2400 or CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course is a media criticism course focused on the genre of television crime programs. It explores various sub-genres including the detective story, forensic scientists show, the cop show, and the mafia story. It also explores the transnational circulation of this genre in American, European, and Australian contexts. As we explore this genre historically from early radio programs to digital platforms like Netflix, we will consider changes in the television landscape that impact both our TV consumption and the place of crime stories in our lives. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, either CMST 2400 or CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course helps students cultivate visual literacy in order to better navigate a world of increasing visuality. By adopting a rhetorical perspective toward visual communication, the course examines images designed to persuade and constitute audiences. In the process we will explore the role of visual communication in shaping public opinion, cultural values, and laws. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2400, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: FLAG: Engaged Learning. University Core fulfilled: INT: Interdisciplinary Connections.

Seminar addressing selected, advanced topics in rhetorical studies. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2400, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. May be taken twice for degree credit if subject/title differ.

In this course, students will first be introduced to key international communications theories and will then be asked to consider whether the introduction of Web 2.0, inexpensive mobile technology, and other recent digital media advances are reinforcing or disrupting existing patterns of globalization. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Minor Prerequisites: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors/CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Our central question in this course will be: what's the nature of online identity? In this class, we'll explore that question through examining: theoretical approaches to self and society, arguments for and against technological determinism, technology's contested impact on civic engagement and community, and the profound influence of digital marketing and digital marketing research tools on consumers-as-brands. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course explores the origins of social media and how it shapes our interactions with brands, people, and governments. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500 and CMST 2800. Minor Prerequisite: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. CMST majors/CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of B (3.0) or higher.

This course focuses on analyzing how technologies alter audience, author, text, rhetorical strategies, message, and channels of communication. Students will become better versed in criticism and consumption of digital texts and media. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, either CMST 2400 or CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Minor Prerequisites: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors/CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Seminar focusing on issues of environmental conservation and justice from a communication studies perspective. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, either CMST 2400 or CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Immersed in Oil is a course focused on documenting the oil infrastructures of LA County and producing a publicly accessible and immersive archive of research about the communities that inhabit local oil fields. In this course, teams of Journalism and Communication Studies students will document historic and contemporary oil refining and production practices and the social and environmental problems created by the petroleum industry in Los Angeles. Students will create a digital archive on a specific Los Angeles oil field: its history, oil infrastructure and records of public safety and environmental racism in relation to the communities that live on the field and adjacent to it. In the process of creating their digital archive, students will develop familiarity with an interdisciplinary skill set drawing on Communication theory, news reporting, documentary and immersive storytelling skills, archival research and VR/AR journalism. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500 and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This class outlines the evolution of the practices, technologies, and ethics of visual documentation as a means to understand how documentary filmmaking is being changed in and through digital media. The class will move historically through the development of documentary media beginning with early ethnographic films and documentaries. At each point in this history we will reflect on technological, social, and political shifts in filmmaking. Students will be expected to conceive of and execute a short documentary film project in small groups and will be asked to reflect on how their film engages with the theoretical topics discussed in this course. Training on the basics of filmmaking will be provided in class, though students will also be expected to master these skills through practice outside of class. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course will introduce students to cultural, technological and historical understandings of the podcast as an art form and will also cover theories of sound in Media Studies. Students will learn the basics of capturing and editing audio, and crafting stories. And they will display these skills in he final project for the course: a multi-media podcast, designed, planned and produced in groups. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: EXP: Creative Experience.

In this course, students will examine political divides in America by identifying and interviewing stakeholders in a locale (purview) different from their own to better understand opportunities and possible solutions for a return to more civil discourse. As part of this process, students will develop original video and audio documentary content examining how issues, political and cultural, play in and across different regions and populations in our deeply divided country. Through a combination of theory and praxis, we will explore and practice the essential role of journalism and digital storytelling in America's democratic experiment. Students will learn key media production skills and have the opportunity to shoot and edit video, conduct interviews for video and podcasts, draft compelling written content, and market their stories. Junior or Senior standing. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. Course counts toward Four Advanced Topics Courses requirement.

This course will review major legal issues affecting mass communication, including journalism, public relations, and broadcasting. Issues discussed will include: First Amendment freedoms, libel/ slander, rights of privacy and the media, obscenity, regulations specifically relating to broadcasting and the Federal Communication Commission, regulations specifically relating to advertising, and copyright laws. Major cases pertinent to each topic will be studied in an attempt to help the student understand why the law is as it is. Ethical considerations will be discussed throughout the course. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

The course will develop an understanding of the business side of the media industry. We will look at economic models for publications and media companies and consider the future of media and journalism in the digital age. This exploration will be conducted through the lens of power and privilege. Mass communication is described as one to many message delivery. In this class, you will also learn about the one in that description. The concept of power and privilege in modern society will be infused into an exploration of the firms and people who own and operate media outlets. You will see how that ownership has been consolidated through mergers enabled by changes in laws and regulations brought about through the influence of those firms and people. We will look at efforts to make media egalitarian and the dropping of barriers to entry in the digital age. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course will teach students how to build a personal brand and to think about organizing and applying their skill sets into a future media business. If you want to be your own boss, this class will guide you through the steps it takes to establish yourself and the various business models used in media and journalism. This course will explore how these structures dictate the current media landscape and what new models might exist in the future. Junior or Senior standing. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. Course counts toward Four Advanced Topics Courses requirement.

This interdisciplinary course offers a critical, cultural studies analysis of ethical and representational issues in digital, broadcast, print, and other modes of media. We will examine legal and ethical issues in journalism through the lens of historical and contemporary news and popular culture, political economy of mass communication, and legal and organizational case studies. Key themes will arise repeatedly throughout the semester, including ethics, free speech, digitalization, representation, privacy, public sphere, transparency, bias, agenda-setting and priming, media effects, regulation of the media, the tabloidization of the news and political culture, objectivity, professionalization, and the importance claims to facts. Our discussions will be circular, not linear” meaning, we will look at where and how these issues intersect. Our focus will not be to find answers to the problems facing journalists today, but to raise questions about where we as news producers and consumers have come from and where we go from here. Major Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: INT: Ethics and Justice.

This course will trace the cultural, political, and technical development of cable TV news and its prominence in the late twentieth century. The course will also address pre-cable and post-broadcast paradigms to develop a broad historical lens for understanding the influence of policy, technology, and political climate in the creation and performance of news. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course will look at the cultural, political, and technological significance of the rise of ""citizen media"" and its expression in constructs of 'alternative media' 'participatory culture' and 'user-generated'. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. CMST majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Historically, the evolution of communication technologies has had a profound effect on the organization of urban space. Scholars from W.E.B. DuBois to Manual Castells have theorized about the relationship between practices of communication and the urban space. The tension between structure and agency, proximity and distance, weak ties and strong ties, the familiar and the stranger, difference and indifference, are all spatial issues that drive the need for more critical communication practices. This course will take an interdisciplinary approach to the relationship between the built environment, through concepts of space and place, and practices of communication like digital storytelling, journalism, and cartography. Through a service-learning, students will partner with LA Commons, a community storytelling non-profit organization located in the Leimert Park neighborhood to create narrative media projects that reimagine neighborhoods through the stories of residents. These projects serve as counter narratives to dominant, administrative, and disparaging characterizations of South-Central LA. Student will participate with community member in developing and creating these projects and apply their communication studies and journalism scholarship and personal experience in service of social justice within the broader LA community. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course introduces students to the research method of media ethnography by providing students with a series of readings and projects that understanding of how historical and contemporary ideologies, national politics and economic interests are embedded in the mediascapes/media representations that surround us. Students will learn to collect ethnographic data on media practices and critically m1alyze the material while reflecting on the ethical aspects of conducting research. Students will learn to tell compelling stories, and produce media content linked to the themes and concepts of Media Ethnography. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Seminar addressing selected, advanced topics in media studies. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, CMST 2500, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. May be taken twice for degree credit if subject/title differ.

This class will explore the intersections of sport, gender, and culture. The class will focus on legislation (such as Title IX) as well as the rules, norms, rites, and rituals that surround sports in our society. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course will examine the relationship between varying forms of modern and historical media, and American Jurisprudence. We will explore the depiction and role of lawyers, jurors, and litigants, as well as differing genders, ethnic and socio-economic groups in the law. Students will study texts, film, and other productions, and participate in interactive lectures and written analysis of ethical issues, the legal process, and social justice. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course will examine the many ways in which performance exists and operates in our culture with a focus on personal narrative, ethnographic fieldwork and literature. In addition, there will be a focus on deconstructing sex, gender, and sexuality as rich sites of theoretical interpretation and performative interaction. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

How one acts during "critical moments" can change the world. This course is designed to help you apply everything that you have learned and will learn about human communication. A particular focus of this course will be on the Coordinated Management of Meaning (CMM). We will explore how this theory can be used to improve communication in a wide variety of contexts, from interpersonal relationships, to workplace communication, to public dialogue and political discourse. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

In this course students investigate how different cultural forms communicate ideas about the world and about ourselves. We will begin by grounding ourselves in communication and rhetorical theory so that we have lenses through which to analyze texts. We will then discover what makes something popular culture; how various forms of pop culture shape and represent "reality" and social life; why we consume popular culture in the way that we do; and how we will create, "play with," and participate in, a popular culture event ourselves. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: Integrations: Interdisciplinary Connections.

Students read graphic novels dealing with themes such as love, mystery, illness, and death. Students critique graphic novels and write the critique as a comic book (with endnotes) in which the student interacts with the characters(s) from the graphic novels chosen. You will tell a story that uses words and images. Students propose and plan a story, shoot photographs, and then produce the comix using Comic Life 3 technology. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: EXP: Creative Experience.

Traditionally, community-based learning and service are distinct from courses of political action and social change. This course focuses on how hands-on community-based learning experiences and skills can act as a vehicle for just social change. Consequently, after the completion of this course, students will have garnered an understanding of the significant relationship between community-based learning, non-profit organizations, and social change. Students will gain hands-on experience in helping organizations create change from a social justice perspective. In so doing, students will gain Communication Studies theoretical and practical knowledge in the non-profit sector from community-based learning and social change perspectives. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This is an advanced course in argumentation and debate in which students apply communication concepts, theories, and research methods to address ""real world"" issues and problems in concrete contexts. In this course, successful students will be expected to analyze and adapt their messages based on specific audiences and contexts, capitalizing on their understanding of the complex and dynamic relationships between communicators, their messages, and their audiences in contexts which are challenging and time-bound. Students will be engaged in study of contemporary social, political, economic, and cultural issues. As debaters, students will be required to develop their group and community-oriented skills by working in teams on and off campus, and traveling to intercollegiate debate competitions as required and possible. Debate, by its nature, sharpens students' appreciation of the value of understanding multiple perspectives on issues, the importance of reflection on the underlying premises on which these perspectives are grounded, and the necessity to think critically about one's own value system. Further, debate teaches students to value the learning process, acknowledging that no one can know all there is to know and that all are ignorant of information that will enhance our capacity to understand more fully why someone else has come to a different conclusion about the facts and values being debated. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. Permission of instructor required.

Students must have secured an internship prior to the start of the semester and have consent of the instructor to register for this course. Communication Practicum is a CMST application class that provides students with an opportunity to gain practical experience in a communication-related field in preparation for obtaining a position after graduation This course provides an opportunity for directed experiences in applying the principles and skills of communication theory while performing specific tasks in the workplace. Students will be able to continue to explore and develop career interests and talents while participating in the internship setting, experience networking, and learn transferable workplace skills. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher. University Core fulfilled: FLAG: Engaged Learning.

This course brings the legal trial to the classroom, providing students an opportunity to incorporate an array of communication principles and skills with the experience of trial practice. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Mediation is a process that depends on a great deal of communication savvy; whether you are participating as the mediator, a lawyer, or as a client, understanding the communication principles that are at work in the give-and-take of mediation can help you achieve more satisfying results. In this class we will focus on principles of negotiation, based on a communicative understanding of conflict, persuasion, and situation analysis. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Media, Sport, Culture, Ethics is an interdisciplinary undergraduate research and writing intensive seminar that explores key topics concerning the social impacts and ethical intersections of media, sport, and consumer culture. The course explores the increased roles that two mutually reinforcing trends mediatization and sportification have come to play in our cultural milieu, and more specifically, in ethically problematic promotional market logics pervasive in consumer capitalism. The course situates theoretical and conceptual thrusts from three distinct but complementary disciplines sport studies, media studies, and ethics studies to bridge foci on (1) sport from a sociology of sport lens, (2) sport media from a communication of sport lens, and (3) ethics from a commodification of sport lens. The lenses are integrated in assessing the consumer culture intermix of sport and media amidst promotional and marketing logics. Junior or senior standing required for registration. University Core fulfilled: INT: Interdisciplinary Connections.

This course focuses on the traditional organizational "models" in order to describe various structures and the functions of typical executives/managers within their organizations and within the industry. In addition, the course examines digital media and how these media intersect with traditional models. Prerequisites: CMST 1600, CMST 1700, and CMST 2800. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course introduces students to the ways in which sub-fields within communication studies relate to the field of public relations. Specific topical areas include the relationships among public relations and; 1) rhetoric; 2) media/social media; and 3) social-scientific approaches to persuasion. This course also addresses information gathering and information literacy skills as relevant to the field of public relations. CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of B (3.0) or higher.

This course provides an overview of how effective public relations writing can help organizations to communicate, influence opinion and create change. The course will emphasize the importance of understanding an organization, its goals and objectives, target audience and culture to strategically and effectively communicate through writing. Prerequisite: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of B (3.0) or higher.

This course explores the conceptual and strategic foundations of public relations and marketing. The course examines how to effectively communicate with consumers, create preference for products, and change consumer behavior. Prerequisites: CMST 2900, CMST 3900 and CMST 3910. CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of B (3.0) or higher.

This course is designed to inform you of the fundamentals of how communication operates in professional and business environments. Learning to communicate ideas clearly and concisely is critical to success in the workplace. This course will also provide you with the foundation to achieve your professional goals and aid you in the next step of your career development. Upon completion of this course students will be able to: 1) deliver a variety of business presentations; 2) demonstrate proficiency in facilitating meetings and team development; 3) indicate knowledge and skills in conflict management; 4) understand the fundamentals of the interview process as well as develop a resume and cover letter; and 5) optimize social media profiles for success in the workplace. Juniors and seniors only. CMPR majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This course provides students with the opportunity to gain practical experience in a field related to content in CMST minors. Students must have secured an internship prior to the start of the semester and have consent of the Program Director to register for this course. Prerequisites: CMST 2900 and CMST 3900. CMPR minors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Juniors and seniors only. Majors only.

Juniors and seniors only. Majors only.

This capstone course examines advanced relational communication theories and their application to various contexts. Requires substantial original research. Prerequisites: CMST 2100 and either one course within the CMST 3100-3195 range or CMST 3325. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This capstone course examines advanced intercultural communication theories and their application to various contexts. Requires substantial original research. Prerequisites: CMST 2200 and either one course in the CMST 3200-3295 range or CMST 3192. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This capstone course examines advanced organizational communication theories and their application in various contexts. Requires substantial original research. Prerequisites: CMST 2300 and either one course in the CMST 3300-3395 range or CMST 3180. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This capstone course examines various ways rhetorical theories may be applied to discourse in order to highlight methods of rhetorical criticism. Requires substantial original textual analysis. Prerequisites: CMST 2400 and either one course in the CMST 3400-3495 range or one of the following courses CMST 3110, CMST 3330, CMST 3350, CMST 3530, or CMST 3540. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

This capstone course examines advanced media studies theories and their application to various contexts. Requires substantial original research. Prerequisites: CMST 2500 and either one course in the CMST 3500-3595 range or one of the following courses: CMST 3430, CMST 3460, or CMST 3470. Juniors and seniors only. Majors only. Must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or higher.

Juniors and seniors only. Majors only.