Department of Communication Studies

COMM 1310. Fundamentals of Human Communication.

This course examines the speaking and listening principles and techniques that are fundamental for human communication. The course aids students in the development of basic verbal and nonverbal communication knowledge and skills in a variety of specific contexts including interpersonal, small group, and public speaking. The course has a specific multicultural focus with an emphasis on ethics and diversity.

COMM 2111. Speech and Debate Activities.

A course designed to provide credit for participation in speech and debate activities. May be repeated for a total of four credits.

COMM 2315. Interpersonal Communication.

This course studies communication principles and theories exploring interpersonal interactions with emphasis on conceptual foundations, personal growth and skill enhancement. Prerequisite: COMM 1310 with a grade of "D" or better.

COMM 2326. Interpretive Reading.

A study of the techniques of the oral interpretation of literature with an emphasis on performance. Prerequisite: COMM 1310 with a grade of "D" or better.

COMM 2330. Small Group Communication.

This course focuses on communication in small groups and teams including an analysis of the structure and skills involved in managing the task and relational components of group work. Special emphasis is placed on problem solving discussion, effective meeting leadership and participation, and critical thinking. Prerequisite: COMM 1310 with a grade of "D" or better.

COMM 2338. Public Speaking.

This course helps the student to develop personal speaking skills and introduces principles of contemporary types of speeches. Prerequisite: COMM 1310 with a grade of "D" or better.

COMM 3301. Empirical Research Methods.

This course explores how to conduct and interpret communication research through the scientific method.

COMM 3302. Rhetorical Research Methods.

Students will explore and apply methods of analysis and evaluation of rhetorical discourse with emphasis on developing critical research and writing skills. Students should complete COMM 3302 before enrolling in other advanced rhetorical studies courses. (WI) Prerequisite: COMM 1310 and COMM 2338 both with grades of "D" or better.

COMM 3310. Communication Theory.

This course explores the practical ways in which communication theory operates to foster self-awareness, to make sense of personal experiences, and to cultivate critical thinking.

COMM 3316F. Rhetoric, Race, and Memory.

This course explores how public articulations about what happened in the past inform our present and future. Through an exploration of how communities remember civil rights and racism, the course offers students with deeper insight into how communicative practices enable communal transformation and can sustain or disrupt communal identity.

COMM 3316I. LGBTQ+ Communication Studies.

This course investigates how communication impacts LGBTQ+ people’s experiences across their lives in relationships, organizations, healthcare, media, and society. Students examine how communication sustains both discrimination against LGBTQ+ people and their resistance, theorize how LGBTQ+ people navigate their holistic identities, and create LGBTQ+ justice across communication practices, cultures, and structures.

COMM 3318J. Communication in Health Organizations.

This course examines the delivery and exchange of messages within health organizations. Specific communication contexts to be emphasized will include interpersonal conflict, negotiating, communication networks, communication environments, virtual systems of communication, channel/media selection strategies, communication climate, communities of practice, public relations communication campaigns, and organizational crisis management.

COMM 3319. Introduction to Organizational Communication.

Applies communication and management theory along with contemporary research to understand messages in corporate, nonprofit, and volunteer organizations. Prepares the students to think critically about their organizational experiences and use theory to assess and manage communication processes including supervisor-subordinate communication, conflict, and cultures.

COMM 3320. Sport Communication.

Sport Communication provides a theoretical foundation to understand and apply interpersonal, organizational, team, and public communication skills in sport settings. Sample topics include: fan culture, racial identity and gender, player/coach interactions, and crisis communication. Students gain practical knowledge and skills to optimize verbal and nonverbal messages in sport contexts.

COMM 3322. Communication Career Readiness.

This course helps students discover communication careers by assisting them in building a personalized career pathway through hands-on experiences, mentoring, networking, and examining the field of communication studies. Prerequisite: COMM 1310 with a grade of "C" or better and instructor approval.

COMM 3324. Professional Skills for the Global Workplace.

This course provides a survey of relevant skills necessary to work in an international work setting. Through discussion, site-visits, and application activities, students will leave the course with an understanding and ability to apply these skills in their careers.

COMM 3325. Communication and Conflict Management.

Demonstrates the ways communication skills can be used to manage conflict. The class also provides an analytic framework for diagnosing conflict, negotiation, and mediation. (WI).

COMM 3326. Family Communication.

This course examines theory and research trends regarding the dynamics of family communication. Topics include parent-child, sibling, marital, and inter-generational interactions; family culture and roles; divorce and stepfamilies; conflict; stress and well-being.

COMM 3328. Communication and Gender.

Investigates the interactive nature of communication and gender, the creation of gender identities, and the role of gender and communication in a variety of settings. (MULT) (WI).

COMM 3329. Intercultural Communication.

Presents theory and application of communication skills for a culturally diverse world. Develops verbal and nonverbal abilities in social and professional intercultural contexts. (MULT).

COMM 3330. Nonverbal Communication.

Introduces the conceptual foundations of nonverbal communication. Theoretical components, research methods and applications of nonverbal communication are also explored in a variety of contexts.

COMM 3332. The Dark Side of Communication.

This course examines communication that is considered challenging, complicated, stressful, or unpleasant. Topics include (but are not limited to) deception, teasing/bullying, jealousy, topic avoidance, and aggression. The phenomena covered range from the everyday to the extreme, and impact our well-being as well as our relationships.

COMM 3335. Communication and Identity in International Work Cultures.

This course explores how personal, cultural, organizational, and occupational identities shape workplaces.

COMM 3336. Diversity and Communication.

This course examines various styles of formal and informal communication, and builds awareness and understanding of diversity. It will address diversity issues in social characteristics such as age, gender, race, and sexual orientation. It will address how society communicates about issues related to diversity. (MULT).

COMM 3342. Interviewing Principles and Practices.

This course explores the components and techniques that differentiate the interviewing process from other forms of communication. By understanding the intricacies of interviewing (goals, structure, question formats), students improve their ability to apply interview principles.

COMM 3345. Argumentation and Debate.

A study of basic principles of argumentation emphasizing analysis, evidence, reasoning, and refutation and their applications in formal and informal debate contexts. Students will do laboratory work with the University forensics squad. Prerequisite: COMM 1310.

COMM 3350. Public Advocacy and Civic Engagement.

This course provides a theoretical foundation to understand the fundamentals of public deliberation, the individual's role in advocacy, and civic engagement in a democratic society. Sample topics include practices of engagement and inquiry, communication ethics, free expression and the responsibility of advocates.

COMM 3358. Professional Communication.

Application of self-presentation and interaction concepts and skills to the transition from undergraduate studies to professional life, including job selection, resume preparation and presentation, interviewing, and interaction management in business and professional settings.

COMM 4111. Practicum in Communication Studies.

On-the-job experience working with faculty to assist with the department missions of teaching, research or service. Students may work in the department communication lab, assist faculty in the classroom, serve as faculty research assistants or other academic support tasks. May be repeated one time for additional credit. Prerequisite: Departmental approval.

COMM 4307. Media Criticism.

Explores the influence of media messages based upon communication and rhetorical theories in shaping perceptions and values. Focus is upon the rhetorical analysis of how the visual media of film and television communicate social, political, and personal attitudes and behaviors.

COMM 4310. Methods of Teaching Communication Studies.

A study of methods of teaching communication studies principles and skills for secondary school teachers. Students enrolled in teacher certification programs with a major in Nutrition, Consumer Affairs, Communication Studies or a second teaching field in Communication Studies should contact the Department of Communication Studies for approval to register. (WI) Prerequisite: COMM 1310, COMM 2315, COMM 2330, or COMM 2338; with a grade of "C" or better.

COMM 4311. Instructional Communication Practicum.

This course provides students with an overview of instructional communication research, including teacher immediacy and clarity, and student responsiveness and engagement. Students will also work with a faculty supervisor as an instructional aide in which they will facilitate experiential activities and learn to assess lower-division assignments. Prerequisite: Instructor approval.

COMM 4315. Directed Research in Communication Studies.

Individual or group research projects at the advanced level that are not offered in the present curriculum. Permission and project approval must be obtained from the departmental chair prior to registration. May be repeated with different emphasis for additional credit.

COMM 4320. Planning Communication Studies Activities and Events.

This course is designed to assist individuals in the management and implementation of communication activities and events. The course includes practical experience in planning and directing individual events.

COMM 4321. American Speeches.

Analysis and evaluation of major American speeches and their influence on the history and culture of the United States from 1630 to the present. Prerequisite: COMM 2338.

COMM 4322. Rhetoric of Protest Movements.

Explores the persuasive strategies used by protest and political movements to promote social and political change. Focuses upon the application of critical perspectives in understanding the stages, leadership styles, and rhetorical appeals characteristics of movements in American society. (MULT) Prerequisite: COMM 2338.

COMM 4324. Organizational Rhetoric.

Guided by principles of rhetoric, students will investigate a variety of functions for internal and external audiences. Functions will include building identity; managing issues, impressions, and crisis; and influencing organizational culture. Students will use this knowledge to create and analyze organizational messages.

COMM 4325. Communication and Technology.

This course explores how the use of information and communication technologies relates to interpersonal, organizational, public, political, and intercultural communication practices and outcomes.

COMM 4326. Health Communication.

This course provides students with an overview of major theoretical and practical issues for communicating about health issues in clinical, organizational, relational, and public contexts. Students will gain knowledge and skills to improve patient health outcomes through effective message strategies.

COMM 4327. Social Media in Organizations.

Social Media in Organizations prepares students to be effective social media writers, resourceful workers, critical consumers, and savvy job seekers. We will consider members’ use of social media inside organizations as well as explore our peripheral connection with organizations as consumers and prospective employees.

COMM 4329. Communication Training and Human Resource Development.

This course presents the principles and skills of developing and presenting communication training programs. An emphasis is placed upon applications of communication skill development, communication theory, and instructional communication research in organizational contexts. Prerequisite: COMM 2315, COMM 2330, or COMM 2338.

COMM 4331. Persuasion.

An investigation of rhetorical and behavioral theories of persuasion, the devising of persuasive campaigns, as well as the consumption and generation of persuasive messages in a variety of communication settings. Applicable for careers in business, law, and human relations.

COMM 4336. Diversity and Inclusion Training.

In this course, we recognize, challenge, and seek to change imbalances in power structures that deny equal respect, dignity, and rights to inclusion for the socially marginalized. Within an immersive educational environment, students apply diversity-related topics and instructional communication methods to conduct diversity and inclusion training sessions.

COMM 4338. Advanced Public Speaking.

In-depth critical analysis of speech construction and the development of presentation skills. Prerequisite: COMM 2338.

COMM 4341. Intercultural Communication in the Americas.

This course investigates intercultural communication in various contexts of North, Central, Latin America and the Caribbean covered over two sections: (1) understanding the cultural differences (i.e., values, nonverbal communication, negotiation, business communication, family communication), and (2) understanding transitional experiences of migrants from Central and Latin America, and the Caribbean. (MULT).

COMM 4345. Political Communication.

A study of historical and contemporary political campaigns in the United States analyzing management strategies, promotional techniques, and rhetorical messages. Prerequisite: COMM 2338.

COMM 4346. Environmental Communication and Sustainability.

In this course, students learn how to analyze environmental communication messages and how they influence our understanding of environmental issues. Students will examine public discourse including formal oratory, public debate, political communication, organizational communication, and mass mediated messages.

COMM 4347. Leadership and Communication.

An advanced course in communication designed to examine in detail the phenomenon of leadership in groups and organizations. Various theories and approaches to leadership will be surveyed with an emphasis on applying leadership principles.

COMM 4350. Communication and Coping across the Lifespan.

This course reviews research regarding the communicative management of stress during life transitions. We explore theoretical and practical implications of leading models of stress, coping, and support from communication and related disciplines with a specific emphasis on communicative processes (e.g., support and advice, disclosure and avoidance, advocacy) that facilitate and hinder the adjustment (e.g., psychological, relational, and physiological health) to stressors across the lifespan (e.g., emerging adulthood, family transitions and caregiving, chronic illness and end-of-life).

COMM 4351. Relational Communication.

The study of theory and research trends regarding communication in close relationships, including attraction and intimacy; relationship development, maintenance, and dissolution; affection and support; and conflict. The theoretical and practical relevance of the social, emotional, and relational consequences of messages in emphasized throughout the course.

COMM 4390. Communication Internship.

This course provides on the job experience in a communication related role in an approved organization. Enrollment requires permission of the instructor, a minimum of 150 clock hours on the job, a written contract with the internship coordinator, and a final portfolio of work. May be repeated for additional credit. Prerequisites: 6 hours of upper level communication electives completed with a grade of “C” or higher. Restricted to full majors or minors in their junior or senior year. Good academic standing required.