400

Students study how we use messages (Written, oral, and visual) to create and maintain political and social movements. The course examines how messages influence and constrain these movements. All study symbols created and used by message makers within American social movements, as well as the political campaigns and programs of U.S. Republican, Democratic, and third parties.

This course overviews relationships between computer-mediated communication (CMC) and several forms and functions of human activity. It explores how humans use computers to construct knowledge, relationships, and specific realities. Utilizing different social media applications and tools will help identify, explain, and understand interrelationships among CMC, language, and identities.

Survey course designed to increase student's understanding of First Amendment law as it relates to individual citizens, mass media, and corporate communication. Ethical considerations inherent in communication law decisions are emphasized.

This course investigates major explanatory theories of communication, with emphasis on understanding theorizing as a process of constructing visions of reality. Students develop the ability to analyze the assumptions underlying theoretical models of communication.

This course explores barriers to effective communication between members of differing social groups (sexes, races, generations, etc.). Consideration is given to causes of problems and effective strategies for solutions.

An intensive study of orientations toward managing disputes and of specific processes and techniques currently in use. Course includes consideration of both organizational and interpersonal disputes and also focuses on the role of the mediator.

This course explores how people create and use messages that focus on the term “sustainability,” as used in environmental, political, and commercial discourses. Using a rhetorical perspective, the course examines how organizations and businesses have attempted to constitute themselves, promote their products and services, and advocate environmental and social policies using the term sustainability.

Investigates the dynamics of human communication in building, maintaining, or altering interpersonal relationships. Particular emphasis is given to family communication.

Course provides an introduction to the dynamics of intercultural communication. Content includes learning the importance of understanding one’s own culture, navigating cultural similarities and differences through communication, and negotiating skilled, adaptive identities within and across cultures.

The course examines alternative perspectives on international development, especially gender analysis in intercultural relationships, cross-cultural communication, peace and security, and nation building.  Focusing on dignity and social justice, students learn to analyze, reflect on, and deconstruct narratives about gender and culture in ways that demystify the interplay among individuals, political leaders, non-profits, and the nation in international development.

This course investigates major topics in organizational communication theory, such as culture and identity, gendered work, work/family life balance, organizational power and decision making, and organizational and interorganizational leadership. An underlying theme of this course is to explore the possibilities for meaningful work in various work contexts, such as for-profit, nonprofit, and global organizations.

This course focuses on qualitative research methods in various organizational settings. Students explore designing and implementing qualitative research projects.

Study of mass mediated communication using various critical frameworks, including rhetorical, ideological, semiotic, argumentation, and narrative analysis.

Students study and write televisual criticism which closely analyzes messages as cultural repositories of meaning or which investigates the interaction between television and culture. Emphasis is on the method, stance, and purpose of broadcast critics.

Explores the influence of movies on American culture. Students explore theories and ideas concerning film, society, conflict, visual persuasion, and narrative. Students view popular American movies as focal points for lecture and discussion.

Provides instruction about news reporting of public affairs. Students learn to research, report, and write in-depth, interpretive, and analytical stories on public affairs in areas such as crime and police, courts, government, politics, and education. Students learn common problems and techniques for covering public affairs agencies.

Prepares students to work in an online news environment where emerging devices, technologies, and social media are innovatively changing and challenging journalism practices.  Students learn how to report, write, and produce stories for online news audiences. Students will produce and edit original content with audio, photographs, video, maps, info graphics, and text, and evaluate and critique current online journalism practices.

Surveys various forms of opinion writing. past and present, with extensive writing of various kinds of opinion writing and critiqued written assignments.

Instruction in writing feature stories. Students study, write, and critique a number of kinds of stories, including recollections, profiles, issue stories, travel and leisure features, and trend articles.

Under faculty supervision, each student works independently on a comprehensive project designed to display advanced skills.

This course explores conflict through a biblical, theological, and social scientific lens. Using the biblical text, topical readings, and conflict theory, the course examines intrapersonal and interpersonal conflict, and provides opportunities to explore a variety of conflict mediation and negotiation skills aimed at developing just and transformative relationships for life in a complex world.

Credit arranged.

Credit arranged.

Credit arranged.

Credit arranged.

Credit arranged.

Academic internships are available for certified students. Communication or organizational communication majors may undertake on-the-job training positions with professional organizations. May be taken twice. Only 3 credits can apply to the major.

Research, study, or original work under the direction of a faculty mentor, leading to a scholarly thesis document with a public presentation of results. Requires approval of thesis director, department chair, dean, and the director of the honors program, when appropriate.