Graduate Courses

Introduction to methods and findings of critical, analytical, qualitative, and quantitative research and techniques of preparing graduate-level research papers.

Students study the American political culture using rhetorical framework. They evaluate the rhetorical strategies used in campaigns, issues, create, maintain, and denigrate our political institutions. They examine the political strategies used in deliberative and constitutive rhetoric.

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, culture, language, and identities.

This graduate-level survey course is designed to develop an advanced understanding of First Amendment law as it relates to citizens, mass media, and democratic practice. The course examines core questions about how communities function and how civil society can be constructed and maintained through free and robust public discussion from diverse and antagonistic sources.

Communication is a diverse discipline. This course provides students with a framework for understanding the variety of theories that influence what we know about human communication. This course investigates major explanatory theories of communication, with an emphasis on understanding theorizing as a powerful process of constructing knowledge and reality. 

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

Introduces students to rhetorical theories and analysis vital to understanding and evaluating key public messages. Students analyze cultural persuasion created in ever-changing forms of mediated messages.

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

Introduces students to qualitative research methods used to study human communication. Prepares students to design and implement qualitative research projects.

Course provides an introduction to the dynamics of intercultural communication. Content includes learning the importance of understanding one's own culture, navigating culture 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 review the research literature to analyze narratives about gender and culture pertaining to several aspects of international development, and to understand best models and practices for such development.

This course investigates organizations as sites of power, control, and influence. Major topics for the course include understanding organizations as raced, gendered, abled, classed, heteronormative, and more. An underlying theme of this course is to explore and consider how human communication sustains or transforms organizational power, control, oppression, and influence. 

This course offers an advanced investigation of organizational culture. Students will identify symbolic organizing practices, ideological meanings tied to these practices, and examine how cultural meanings and beliefs are marginalized. Topics include org. ethnography, cultural diversity, and social justice. Drawing from both interpretive and critical traditions, students will design and implement an advanced cultural research project.

Students study theory and analysis of visual public messages to understand the means of visual persuasion by rhetors who create important images, pictures, and designs. Students investigate ethical and effectual dynamics of visual message design.

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 in news reporting of public affairs, including crime and police, courts, governments, politics and education. Students learn about the problems and challenges of serving a watchdog role over the institutions and processes that shape civic life. Includes an advanced investigative reporting component in which graduate students produce a series of investigative stories on an important public issue.

Students evaluate and critique current online journalism practices and gain experience in editing, collaborating, and producing multimedia stories.  Students analyze current digital storytelling practices of big and small news organizations in order to address some of the key ethical and entrepreneurial challenges associated with digital journalism, including commenting capabilities and revenue streams.

Course designed to help students attain professional-level competence in oral and written business communication. Students learn rhetorical principles and apply them to business communication situations, such as: making formal oral presentations, conducting meetings, and writing business correspondence and reports.

This course unpacks leaders’ communicative means to engage people’s thought, attention, motivation, and learning. Students examine research, theory, philosophy, and instructional communication practices designed to increase credibility, flexibility, comfort, and effectiveness in teaching-learning leadership situations. Students develop their own teaching philosophies and learn about sharing memorable information, facilitating teamwork and discussion, and developing productive, satisfying teaching-learning relationships with others.

Credit arranged.

Credit arranged.

Credit arranged.

This course is for students nearing completion of their academic program. It will provide an opportunity for students to explore a research project in more depth and explore areas of special interest in communication.

Credit arranged.

Communication or organizational communication majors may undertake on-the-job training positions with professional organizations. This course is designed to provide reflective, specific guidance in applying students’ academic experience to a professional communication experience. Students may receive an IP (In Progress) grade until completion of their internship. May be taken twice. Only 3 credits can apply to the major.

3-6 cr. hrs., 1 or 2 semesters.

Registration for any graduate student who has received the grade of IP in CST 599 is required while the thesis is in progress. Fee: $50.