Communication (COM)
Professors Gilbert and Vickery; Assistant Professor Diels.
The study of communication involves investigation of the way messages and media influence relationships, organizations, communities and cultures. Rigorous interdisciplinary coursework, critical and creative project work, and required internships prepare students for graduate study and for professional careers in communication and media industries, non-profit agencies, health care organizations, social and political advocacy, public relations and many other arenas.
Major Requirements
Forty credits in COM and 12 credits of pre-approved cognate work in allied areas of study. Cognates may count toward second majors and minors.
The Communication curriculum has three major components:
- Core: COM 101 and 111; one ethics class selected from PHL 126, 225, 227, 228 or 229.
- Concentration: Thirty-six credits of COM and cognate courses in one of the following areas of emphasis:
- Relational and Cultural Communication: Twenty credits that must include COM 201, 220 and 8 additional credits selected from COM 123, 223, 281, 320, 381. Must take 4 additional COM credits from the Strategic/Public area, or from NMS. At least 8 credits of cognate coursework selected from: COG 120, 180, 280; IPH 223; PSY 212, 236, 240, 245; PHL 240; REL 202, 210; SOA 220, 241, 243, 251, 353; WGS 101, 102, 280; or other course pre-approved by the Department.
- Strategic and Public Communication: Sixteen credits that must include COM 211, 227 and 8 additional credits selected from COM 202, 243, 253, 282, 302, 327, 353. Must take 4 additional COM credits from the Relational/Cultural area, or from NMS. At least 8 credits of cognate coursework selected from: BUS 323, 333, 334, 401; IPH 270, 331; ENG 270; PAF 150, 350, 450; POL 141, 242, 341, 345; SOA 234, 326; or other course pre-approved by the Department.
- Capstone: Twelve credits consisting of COM 350, 385 and 450. Note: No more than 4 credits of COM 385 may be counted toward the COM major; and no more than 8 credits of COM coursework may be counted toward another major or interdisciplinary minor.
Departmental Honors
Completion of all COM major requirements, 3.5 GPA in the major, and completion of a senior thesis of honors caliber (COM 500).Minor Requirements
Twenty-four credits, 12 of which must be upper level. Must include COM 101, 111, 450; 4 credits from the Relational/Cultural area; 4 credits from the Strategic/Public area; and 4 additional COM credits.
Four credits from COM, with the exception of practicum or independent study courses, count towards the Distributive Requirements in the Humanities.
| COM 101. | Human Communication: Messages and Meaning | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 credits | ||
| Beginning study of the nature, problems and theories of human communication. Examines issues of meaning, relationship and community within interpersonal, group and media contexts. Surveys rhetorical, pragmatic and interpretive perspectives on the communication process. | ||
| COM 111. | Fundamentals of Speech Communication | |
| 4 credits | ||
| Elements of oral communication in public contexts. Emphasis on diagnosing rhetorical situations, inventing and delivering informative and persuasive presentations, and facilitating public discussion. | ||
| COM 123. | Performing Advocacy | |
| 4 credits | ||
| Explores the relationships among identity, power and culture. Students learn how to become advocates through the use of Everyday Life Performance and other performance techniques, engaging in perspective taking and service learning with marginalized groups. | ||
| COM 180/*280/*380. | Topics in Communication | |
| 1-4 credits | ||
| 4 credits in COM or Permission | ||
| Selected topics and problems in communication and problems in communication theory and research. May be taken more than once for credit. | ||
| COM 192. | Introduction to Public Relations | |
| 2 credits | ||
| Introduction to the principles of public relations and strategic corporate communication practices. Topics include message design, campaign planning, audience analysis, issue management, and case studies of ethical issues. | ||
| COM 199/*299/*399/*499. | Independent Study | |
| 1-4 credits | ||
| Permission | ||
| COM *201. | Relational Communication | |
 |
4 credits | |
| COM 101 or Permission | ||
| Examination of messages, roles, rules and strategies through which interpersonal relationships are initiated, maintained and changed. Emphasis on analysis of interaction and communication processes in a variety of interpersonal contexts. | ||
| COM 202. | Group Communication and Teamwork | |
| 2 credits | ||
| Uses academic literature, case discussions, illustrative exercises, and group projects to foster the development of skills needed to participate in and lead groups and teams. Learn how to recognize and diagnose group communication difficulties, and to develop strategies for improving teamwork and group performance. | ||
| COM 211. | Discourse and Democracy | |
| 4 credits | ||
| Explore literature and perspectives from the fields of communication, rhetoric, and cultural studies to ground an examination of contemporary issues in the public spheres of civic life. Topics include the role of free speech and a free press in democratic society, the influence of media and news organizations on the quality of public discourse, and challenges to civil discourse, inclusive civic participation, and sustainable representative democracy. | ||
| COM *220. | Intercultural Communication | |
 |
4 credits | |
| Study of interdependent relationship between communication and culture. Examines conceptual and experiential problems of communication across cultural boundaries. Focuses on perceiving, interpreting, and evaluating different cultural values, world views and patterns of communication. | ||
| COM *223. | Humor, Culture and Communication | |
| 4 credits | ||
| Explores humor as an important means of communicating cultural messages by considering issues such as power, identity and marginality. Focusing on a variety of media — from stand-up comedy performance to literary parody, this course examines humor as social critique and potentially subversive rhetoric. Through analysis and performance of stand-up comedy, students gain an understanding of the relationship between humor and power, and the importance of this relationship in rhetorical and cultural contexts. | ||
| COM *227. | Argumentation and Public Advocacy | |
| 4 credits | ||
| Investigates the nature and practice of argument in a democratic society. Focuses on speeches, debates, conversations, and other contexts of public argument. Emphasis on the analysis of evidence, reasoning, assumptions, and values in current policy debates. | ||
| COM *243. | Health Communication | |
| 4 credits | ||
| Examines communication practices in health care relationships and organizations. Topics include effective provider-patient interaction, communication relationships in health organizations, rhetorical and media strategies for managing health issues, and the uses of new communication technologies to promote health and manage health information. | ||
| COM *253. | Environmental Communication | |
|
4 credits | |
| Examines issues and controversies in conservation, ecology and environmentalism from a communication perspective. Emphasizes critical analysis of the role of mass media and public discourse in the definition, deliberation and resolution of environmental issues. | ||
| COM *281. | Topics in Relational Communication | |
| 4 credits | ||
| Exploration of specific topics in relational communication, which may include nonverbal communication, conflict communication, intimacy and technology, family communication, communicating loss and other areas. | ||
| COM *282. | Topics in Strategic Communication | |
| 4 credits | ||
| In-depth exploration of specific topics in strategic communication, which may include political campaign communication, corporate image management, public policy and advocacy, presidential rhetoric, the rhetoric of social movements, organizational change, non-profit leadership, strategic health campaigns, environmental advocacy, and other areas. May be taken more than once for credit as topics vary. | ||
| COM *302. | Organizational Cultures and Leadership | |
| 2 credits | ||
| COM 202 or Permission | ||
| Examines organizational participation and leadership as influenced by communication roles, networks and cultures. Emphasis on internal processes of socialization and leadership as well as external communicative processes of public relations, issue management and civic responsibility. | ||
| COM *320. | Gender and Communication | |
| 4 credits | ||
| 4 credits in COM or Permission | ||
| Explores the rhetorical construction of gendered identities, focusing on cultural messages about femininity and masculinity in social, political, institutional and relational contexts. Through readings, discussions, films and presentations, the course examines the way gendered identities are created, contested and performed, emphasizing the relevance of this process to our daily lives. | ||
| COM *327. | Propaganda and Persuasion | |
| 4 credits | ||
| COM 227 or Permission | ||
| Examines the mediated and rhetorical processes of social influence and the elements of propaganda. Emphasis on analysis of institutional persuasive strategies in film, television, print and oral media. | ||
| COM *350. | Seminar in Communication Inquiry | |
|
4 credits | |
| Junior Standing, 12 credits in COM, including COM 101 or Permission | ||
| Examination of systematic methodological approaches to the formal analysis of communication processes, messages and problems. Focus on evaluation of research literature and creation of a research proposal. | ||
| COM *353. | Risk and Crisis Communication | |
| 4 credits | ||
| COM 243 or 253 or Permission | ||
| Examine the communication practices and resources through which individuals, groups, agencies, media organizations and communities recognize and respond to natural and socially created risks and crises. Topics include the nature and types of risks and crises, the functional requirements for effective risk and crisis communication, the organizational and procedural elements of risk and crisis communication systems, and the communication skills needed to design and disseminate the verbal, visual and multi-media messages to reduce risks and manage crises. | ||
| COM *381. | Seminar in Relational Communication | |
| 4 credits | ||
| Through substantive reading, discussion and presentation, students focus on a particular area of relational communication (topics vary) in order to gain in-depth understanding and become familiar with recent scholarship in that area. Using a seminar format, each student plays a significant role in sharing scholarly findings. | ||
| COM *385. | Internship in Communication | |
| 2-4 credits | ||
| 12 credits in COM and Junior Standing or Permission | ||
| Application of communication concepts and skills through participation in communities, institutions, agencies, schools and businesses. Supervision by faculty and sponsoring organizations. Includes interpretive journal and substantive analytic paper. | ||
| COM *450. | Seminar in Communication Theory | |
|
4 credits | |
| COM Major or Minor; Senior Standing and COM 385 or Permission | ||
| Synthesis, integration and elaboration of theoretical perspectives on communication issues, problems and practices developed through previous coursework, projects and internships. Coursework includes completion of individual senior project and compilation of portfolio. | ||
| COM *500. | Senior Thesis | |
|
2-4 credits | |
| Senior Standing and Permission | ||
| Development and completion of original research. May be interpretive, critical, empirical, or theoretical. Required for departmental honors. | ||