Undergraduate Catalog: Communication Arts Courses (COMM)

COMM 101 Dynamics of Speech Communication (2)

Offers a laboratory approach to the communicative skills needed for the changing conditions of a contemporary world.

COMM 111 Mass Media of Communication (3)

Presents a comprehensive introduction to communication in the modern world; studies the role of the media in today’s society; examines the challenges and opportunities in the communications professions.

COMM 112 Communication Theory (3)

Studies the nature of communication in its psychological, social, philosophical, and technical contexts; includes a review of media institutions in regard to communication theory.

COMM 115 News Writing (3)

Presents fundamentals of newspaper and broadcast style; how to spot news; get information; interview; organize, write, and edit stories. Computer lab simulates real reporters in real situations.

COMM 116 Feature Writing (3)

Introduces fundamentals of writing and editing feature stories for newspapers and magazines, including personality profiles, human interest, in-depth analysis, investigative reporting, and trend stories; computer lab.

COMM 117 Corporate Communication Media Aesthetics and Production (3)

Examines computer applications relevant to the corporate communication field. Topics include desktop publishing and multimedia production. Students are introduced to underlying concepts, aesthetic foundations, software/hardware operations, and work on various projects (e.g., creating a newsletter and a multimedia production).

COMM 118 Introduction to Electronic Journalism and Social Media (3)

This course complements COMM 115 News Writing and serves as an introduction to the electronic journalism field. Existing and emerging media systems and tools are covered as well as fundamental design concepts, ethics, and research.

COMM 130B First-Year Practicum (1)

Introduces first-year students to the principles and protocol that govern work in the Communication Arts field. Students are required to apply these principles through practical work in the areas of Advertising/Public Relations, Digital Media, and Broadcast Journalism.

COMM 201 Marketing Principles for Communication (3)

Analyzes the four factors in marketing—product, price, place, and promotion from a creative communications perspective; a managerial approach for advertising copywriters that considers consumer, industrial, business-to-business, retail, and non-profit organizations. Cross listed with BUS 111.

COMM 202 Advertising: Principles and Practices (3)

Studies social and economic aspects of advertising; discusses creative strategy and media planning, including concept development and preparation of copy and art; evaluates role of marketing and consumer research; examines ethics of advertising. Cross-listed with BUS 212.

COMM 204 Public Relations: Principles and Practices (3)

Studies the nature of public relations; the processes of researching and influencing public opinion; analysis of public relations programs; responsibilities of the public relations practitioner to professional principles, to the media, and to the public.

COMM 205 Principles of Corporate Communication (3)

Basic approaches to developing various kinds of programs to meet company and client needs, including training activities, product marketing, personnel recruitment, corporate positioning, among others.

COMM 206 Organizational Communication (3)

Cross-listed with BUS 221. See BUS 221 for course description.

COMM 213 Consumer Behavior (3)

Cross-listed with BUS 213. See BUS 213 for course description.

COMM 222 Dissent and Discussion (3)

Presents principles of argumentation and techniques of leadership and participation in discussion. Permission of the instructor required.

COMM 223 Phonetics of American Speech (3)

Analyzes characteristics and production of speech sounds in the context of acceptable professional standards for American
English.

COMM 224 Electronic News Gathering Seminar (3)

The seminar explores advanced journalism topics. The subject will change, on a semester­to­semester basis reflecting current issues. These can range from the impact of new media tools in the news market to the reporter and editor’s role in ensuring that news is accurately portrayed and reported.

COMM 230A, B Communication Arts Practicum (1, 1)
COMM 330A, B Communication Arts Practicum (1, 1)
COMM 430A, B Communication Arts Practicum (1, 1)

Under supervision of the department faculty, involves students in the application of theory through practical experience in the various programs of study. Requires 60 activity hours for academic credit.

COMM 231 Audio Production (3)

This course is designed to study the principles and techniques of sound and audio recording. With an emphasis on audio production, several formats for the expression of sound will be explored. As sound is a medium for artistic expression, each student will be expected to write and produce audio programs that will reflect their under­standing of audio potentials. The course will also place a special emphasis on digital recording and music recording and editing. These elements represent the present and future use of audio applications.

COMM 233 Video Production I (3)

Introduces basic video equipment for broadcast and non-broadcast purposes; presents training in the planning and presentation of various types of television productions, using studio and ENG/EFP facilities.

COMM 234 Video Production II (3)

Continues the study of video production, including more complex techniques and special effects. Electronic digital field production and nonlinear editing skills are also emphasized. Prerequisite: COMM 233 or permission of program director.

COMM 237 New Communication Technologies (3)

Examines the applications and implications of the new communications technologies. Relevant issues cut across the broadcasting/non-broadcasting fields and include satellite communication, HDTV, digital technology, relevant computer applications, and optical media. Social, legal, economic, ethical, and aesthetic issues are also covered. These include intellectual property and aesthetic principles governing multimedia productions.

COMM 238 Media Scriptwriting (3)

Uses workshop approach to the techniques of writing for film and TV, including commercial and public service announcements, documentaries, dramas, and programming geared for smaller, specific audiences.

COMM 239 Telecommunications Research (3)

Examines research methodologies and applications relevant for the telecommunications field. These include questionnaire design, surveys, and analysis of broadcast ratings. Data analysis and spreadsheet operations for organizational/analytical purposes are also covered.

COMM 301, 302 Advertising Copywriting (3,3)

Analyzes strategic and tactical creative decisions; writing for print, television, and radio; emphasizes campaign development, positioning, concept, copy structure, visualization, and execution; use of computer word processing, and computer graphics. Prerequisite: COMM 202 or permission of program director.

COMM 303 Public Relations Writing for the Media (3)

Presents fact gathering and writing skills for the print and electronic media from a public relations viewpoint. Prerequisite: COMM 204 or permission of program director.

COMM 304 Publicity and Special Events (3)

Discusses techniques for creating public awareness and planning a publicity campaign; presents practical analysis and development of specialized communications materials and events to gain reaction and support from various publics. Prerequisite: COMM 204 or permission of program director.

COMM 305 Media Planning and Buying (3)

Reviews media planning, execution, and control of advertising media programs for print and broadcast; analyzes media and audience characteristics, sources of analytical media data, computer-assisted media planning techniques, buying and selling process. Prerequisite: COMM 202 or permission of program director.

COMM 306 Communication Graphics (3)

Provides a managerial approach to hands-on skill training in graphics, including visualization, design, layout, typography, and production for advertising; includes computer art graphics and practical applications for advertising campaigns.

COMM 307 Case Problems in Public Relations (3)

Presents case studies of public relations problems in industry, labor, education, government, social welfare, and trade associations. Prerequisite: COMM 204 or permission of program director.

COMM 308 Sales Promotion (3)

Presents sales promotion techniques and planning, implementation, evaluation and legal aspects of strategies for consumer, industrial, and trade markets; coordinates promotion campaigns with marketing, advertising, and public relations programs. Prerequisite: COMM 202 or permission of program director.

COMM 309 Computer Graphics (Desktop Publishing; Multimedia Production) (3)

Covers elementary to more advanced desktop publishing and multimedia skills; application to advertising, public relations, newsletters, and brochures. Suggested prerequisite: COMM 306 or permission of program director.

COMM 310 Promotion, Publicity and Public Relations (3)

Integrated techniques for effectively conveying corporate messages to relevant clients, including internal constituencies, consumer public, business-to-business. and the media.

COMM 311, 312 Multimedia Approaches to Oral Interpretation (3,3)

Involves creative oral interpretation of various forms of literature, directed towards an experience shared by the reader and an audience, combining the techniques of the various media of modern communication.

COMM 316 Telemarketing (3)

Cross-listed with BUS 316. Please see BUS 316 for course description. Prerequisites: COMM 201, 202, BUS 111 or permission of program director.

COMM 320 Communications Ethics and Law (3)

This course covers key ethical and legal issues relative to the journalism field. It will also be used to explore, in an in­depth fashion, some topics introduced in earlier courses.

COMM 334 Media Management (3)

Studies administrative principles and procedures in radio, television, and possibly, cable operation; staff organization; business affairs. Management issues relevant for new, emerging media institutions may also be covered.

COMM 336 Broadcast Newswriting (3)

Deals with news reporting, writing, editing, and production for the electronic media; the role and responsibilities of the newscaster; the impact of words and pictures; ethical and legal issues; class is held in a production/ workshop environment.

COMM 337 Media Programming (3)

Examines past, present, and future programming in light of industry structures and public demand. Programming options for new, emerging media institutions may also be covered.

COMM 338 Telecommunications Law and Policy (3)

Examines legal topics relevant to the communications field. Topics include the FCC, regulation and deregulation, libel, and slander, copyright; designed to introduce future TV/Radio/Cable station personnel and managers to legal issues that affect their field(s). The course also covers relevant ethical issues.

COMM 339 Media Performance (3)

Offers practical training in techniques for appearances before the microphone and camera in broadcast and non-broadcast settings; includes discussions of suitable clothing, body movement, and articulation; students participate in various audio and video exercises.

COMM 340 Writing for Corporate Communication (3)

Practical writing skills for a corporate communication environment. The course covers essential technical communication principles and examines writing for, among other topics, internal publications and annual reports. Students may also explore a topic(s) of their particular interest, such as slide-tape shows and software documentation.

COMM 389 Telecommunications Sales and Promotions (3)

Examines sales, marketing, and promotional strategies in the radio, television, and possibly, cable industries. May also cover new, emerging media institutions.

COMM 400 Instructional Design and Media (3)

Planning modes of instruction to meet corporate needs, use of instructional technologies and evaluation of instructional methodologies. Also reviews principles and practices of broadcast/non-broadcast applications of various form of media (e.g., slide-tape show) for instructional purposes.

COMM 401 Retail Advertising (3)

Presents planning and preparation of retail advertising with emphasis on the smaller retailer; hands-on experience in developing a unique positioning and image, including preparation of copy, layout, television storyboards, radio scripts; reviews media research, planning, and buying.

COMM 411B Curriculum Materials and Methods in the Communication Arts (3)

Analyzes classroom techniques in teaching the Communication Arts in the secondary school; curriculum design and execution; resources in technological aids to effective teaching.

COMM 416 Advanced Reporting – Local, Regional and International Perspectives (3)

Students explore advanced reporting techniques relative to the electronic and print news fields, with a focus on the former. Topics include: conducting research for a news story, interviewing techniques, working with alternate news sources, commu­nity reporting, reporting for an international audience, reporting through new modal­ities (e.g. podcasts), verifying sources, data mining.

COMM 418 Electronic Storytelling Documentary Production (3)

This course builds on the concepts and techniques covered in COMM 336 Broadcast Newswriting, and COMM 238 Media Scriptwriting. Students, for example, learn how to write and produce a documentary that could subsequently be distributed via a traditional communications channel (e.g., cable station) or through a social networking site.

COMM 422 Personnel Management (3)

Examines the changing responsibilities of a personnel manager within an organization; addresses human and interorganizational behavior. Discusses processes and philosophies of obtaining personnel, developing their abilities, rewarding them monetarily, aligning group and individual interests with organizational goals, and preserving the health of the work force. Cross-listed with BUS 422.

COMM 431 Contemporary Issues in Telecommunications (3)

Examines topical issues in the Telecommunications field. Cuts across broadcast/non-broadcast operations and introduces students to the contemporary forces that are changing and challenging their disciplines. Topics can range from fast-breaking legal issues to an in-depth analysis of economic and/or aesthetic forces. May be cross-listed with another department or may be substituted with a course from another department, with the permission of the program director.

COMM 433 Educational Telecommunications (3)

Examines the policies and practices of radio and television for instructional applications in and out of the classroom; discusses how to meet the challenge of cultural improvement and continuing education through the media.

COMM 435 Media Criticism (3)

Analyzes examples of television and, possibly, cable programming in respect to their form and content; the role of the media critic; basis for criticism; the relationships between the media and society.

COMM 448 Special Topics in Communication Arts (3)

Examines topics of immediate current interest in communication arts; focus of course changes each time offered, according to evolving directions in various professional areas.

COMM 449 Film and Society (3)

Introduces students to film history and the relationships between film and society. Movies are viewed in class; class focus can change on a semester basis.

COMM 450 Internship (3-6)

Involves practical experience under the direction of qualified professionals at cooperating organizations and institutions in the areas of specialization in communication arts. Requires 45 training hours per academic credit. Prerequisites: minimum QPA of 2.50 Communication Arts courses and 2.00 in all other university work; approval of department chair. Generally, only open to students majoring in the Communi ca tion Arts. An exception may be made with the permission of the department chairperson.

COMM 451 Coordinating Seminar in Communication Arts (3)

Synthesizes the related disciplines in Communication Arts, involving individual in-depth exploration of various problems and preparation of thesis or equivalent project. Generally, only open to students majoring in the Communication Arts. An exception may be made with the permission of the department chairperson.

COMM 499 Independent Study (3)

Involves options not offered in regular courses, permitting maximum freedom to enhance a student’s personal interests in academic pursuits, under the direction of the department faculty. Requires approval of the faculty member directing the student’s program as well as the department chairperson; minimum QPA 3.00 in Communication Arts courses. Generally, only open to students majoring in Communication Arts. An exception may be made with the permission of the department chairperson.

Communication Arts Program Description