Courses     Required Core Courses   COMM 5000, Methods of Research COMM 5001, Proseminar in Communication COMM 5030, Applied Communication Theory COMM 5600, Integrated Corporate Communication COMM 5650, Communication Law Research Component   COMM 5950, Research Project COMM 5991, Research Requirement Completion COMM 599A, B, Thesis Writing Elective Courses   COMM 5020, Organizatonal Communication COMM 5050, Public Relations COMM 5060, Public Opinion COMM 5100, Marketing Communication COMM 5110, Communication Leadership COMM 5115, Sports Broadcasting COMM 5150, Advertising Strategies COMM 5210, E-Communication Strategies COMM 5300, Audience Behavior COMM 5350, Media Management COMM 5400, Politics and Mass Media COMM 5410, Web Design and Criticism COMM 5500, Electronic News Gathering COMM 5700, Interpersonal Communication COMM 5710, Media Ethics COMM 5730, Web Content Management COMM 5750, Feature Writing COMM 5800, Persuasion and Social Change COMM 5810, Race, Gender, and Mass Media COMM 5920, Economics of Mass Media Special, Limited Courses   COMM 509B, International Communication: Corporate Communication COMM 5010, Advanced Communication Research COMM 5444, Communication Internship COMM 5555, Independent Research COMM 5900, Issues in Global Communication

Course Description - Required Core     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5000 Methods of Research  3   Dr. Ellen Kanervo A study of research methodology including library scholarship, quantitative methods, historical and legal research.     Top

Course Description - Required Core     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5001 Proseminar in Communication  1 Dr. Frank Parcells Overview of functions, processes, strategies, tools, and effects of communication. Introduces students to fields of marketing communication, advertising, public relations, sales, print-broadcast electronic media, and the theories governing the study of these fields.      Top

Course Description - Required Core     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5030 Applied Communication Theory 3 Dr. Mike Gotcher The communication process will be approached from a behavioral point of view. This class will be a combination ofmodern communication theories and their application in dyadic and small group interaction.      Top

Course Description - Required Core     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5600 Integrated Corporate Communication 3 Dr. Frank Parcells or Dr. Margaret Duffy Important corporate communication areas such as internal communication advertising, PR, sales promotion, direct marketing, and new communication technologies and how these approaches work together to achieve organized objectives.      Top

Course Description - Required Core     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5650 Communication Law 3 Dr. David M. von Palko An in-depth examination of the legal and ethical impact of new technologies on mass media involving lecture, discussion, extensive reading and writing assignments.      Top

Course Description - Research Component     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5950 Research Project 3 All Graduate Faculty Rrequired research rpoject approved by student's graduate committee chair prior to submission to Graduate College.      Top

Course Description - Research Component     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  599A, B Thesis Writing  3, 3 All Graduate Faculty Optional, more advanced and comprehensive, original research study approved by the student's three-person graduate faculty committee.      Top

Course Description - Research Component     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5991 Research Requirement Completion 1 All Graduate Faculty For students not fulfilling graduate school literacy requirement within one year after scheduled completion of thesis or research project. Enrollment required in each subsequent semester, including summer terms. Tuition and fees for one credit hour must be paid every semester until research component requirements are met.-      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5020 Organizational Communication 3 Dr. Mike Gotcher, Dr. Patrick Jablonski, or Dr. James Parker Emphasis will be placed on the philosophical and practical aspects of organizational communication theories. Topic areas include organizational communication theories, the identification of communication problems, the application of research methods, ethical and cultural issues in a changing organizational environment, internal communities, and public communication practices and conflict resolution.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5050 Public Relations 3 Dr. Pam Gray or Dr. Frank Parcells A counseling, advising and management perspective serves as the basis for exploring the profession of public relations. Students review case studies, develop strategies, prepare tactics and evaluate internal and external communication for a variety of publics and organizations.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5060 Communication and Public Opinion 3 Dr. Patrick Jablonski The purpose of this course is to provide an overview of the concept of "public opinion" and to explore the relationships between communication and public opinion. An important normative goal will be to explore ways to allow media messages to contribute to a healthy civic life rather than detract from it.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5100 Marketing Communication Strategies 1 Dr. Frank Parcells An exploration of direct marketing, sales promotion, and branding through the application of advertising, persuasion, and mass media concepts and principles to the preparation and analysis of communication campaigns, case studies, programs, projects, and special events.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5110 Leadership and Communication 3 Dr. Mike Gotcher or Dr. Frank Parcells This course focuese on leadership as a function of communication and behavior. Through discussion, cases and exercises, participants will explore effective communication strategies within an organizational setting. The course will cover team leadership skills, rhetorical sensitivity, charisma and practical suggestions for improving leadership effectiveness.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5115 Sports Broadcasting Direction 3 Professor John Moseley or Dr. Mike Gotcher The course provides experience in the production, direction, and editing of live sports events. Students will learn theoretical and practical skills associated with camera operation, digital switching, instant video replay, floor direction, and digital editing. (on campus only)      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5150 Advertising Strategies 3 Dr. Pam Gray, Dr. Frank Parcells or Dr. Margaret Duffy This course considers advertising theory and practice and reviews application of theory to advertising, promotion, and media selection strategies. This course requires development of an advertising plan, media selection rationales, evaluation of selected campaigns, and use of advertising media research techniques.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5210 E-Communication Strategies 3 Dr. Frank Parcells This course surveys critical issues in management communication, promotional strategies, public relations, and marketing communication in the context of electronic marketplaces and virtual communities. Course activities include online assignments, traditional and online readings, projects, and guided evaluations of a variety of e-strategies.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5300 Consumer and Audience Behavior 3 Dr. Carmen Reagan or Dr. Pam Gray Understanding the behaviors of consumers and audiences in response to persuasive messages. Includes decisions of persuasive and pshyh9gical theories and their application to marketing problems of issues management.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5350 Media Management 3 Dr. Pam Gray or Dr. Frank Parcells The legal, social, programming, and sales aspects of electronic media are studies from a management perspective.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5400 Politics and Mass Media 3 Dr. Ellen Kanervo Media's role in U. S. politics: influence of mass media on political opinions, on elections, on political participants, and on public policy; and how political participants help shape the messages sent out by mass media.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5410 Web Design and Criticism 3 Dr. Frank Parcells In the changing electronic environment, the communication professional needs to have the necessary skills for Web page construction and evaluation. HTML, Photo Shop, and popular Web page design programs are used to develop functional web pages. On the theorietical level, the course explores censorship, ethics, advertising promotion, privacy, and other relevant issues. (on campus only)      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5500 Electronic News Gathering 3 Dr. Yvonne Prather or Professor Kathy Lee An advanced production course in which students create, design, and complete a variety of video projects which many involve field production and electronic news gathering, studio production, scheduling, shooting, editing, and evaluating their video projects. (on campus only)      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5700 Interpersonal Communication Theory 3 Dr. Mike Gotcher or Dr. Frank Parcells A study of interpersonal communication models and theories and their psychological, philosophical, and sociological influence on dyadic communication in society.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5710 Ethics in a Changing Environment 3 Dr. Mike Gotcher or Dr. Frank Parcells This course will explore ethical challenges within the context of new technologies and media. Topics covered include codes of ethics, forces that affect ethical decision-making, and media responsibility.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5730 Web Content Maintenance and Mgt. 3 Dr. Frank Parcells Students develop a team approach to the techniques of creating and publishing web sites and then manage and maintain the web and electronic content for an organization's site. Course includes Internet research projects, web site strategic management plans, Internet management and content development, and procedures and policies for site maintenance. (on campus only)      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5750 Feature Writing 3 Dr. Ellen Kanervo Workshop designed to give instruction and practice in writing feature articles for newspapers, trade journals, and magazines.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5800 Persuasion and Social Change 1 Dr. Patrick Jablonski A study of persuasive theories and their application tothe development of social and cultural issues.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5810 Race, Gender, and Mass Media 3 Dr. Yvonne Prather Examination of current and historical portrayals of ethnic minorities and men and women in media news, entertainment and advertising; discussion of research into the influence of these portrayals on audience attitudes.      Top

Course Description - Elective     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5920 Economics of the Mass Media 3 Dr. Frank Parcells A study of the economics of the mass media including the overall financial impact of the media on our economy, society, and technology.      Top

Course Description - Special, Limited Courses     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  509B International Communication: Corporate Communication 3 All Graduate Faculty This course offers international perspectifves to graduate students in corporate communication. This study abroad experience is linked to selected graduate communication courses.      Top

Course Description - Special, Limited Courses     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM 5010 Advanced Communicaiton Research 3 Dr. Ellen Kanervo The purpose of this course is to apply important data analysis techniques in the field of communication, develop a deeper appreciation of research strategies and analysis decisions, and provide the opportunity for practice in analyzing quantitative data with SPSS. Topics include measurement decisions, research designs, and more advanced statistical techniques.      Top

Course Description - Special, Limited Courses     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5444 Communication Internship 3 All Graduate Faculty Practical experience in professional communication to augment theoretical coursework. Students are required to work 150 hours, keep an evaluative journal, and produce an analytical paper related to the experience. Departmental policy governs accepted type of communication positions. Students may not apply both COMM 5555 and 5444 toward the M. A.      Top

Course Description - Special, Limited Courses     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5555 Independent Research 3 All Graduate Faculty Directed research in an area of special interest to the student. Students enrolling in this course must submit a written project proposal to the instructor before enrolling. Enrollment in the course will be accepted only after the instructor approves the proposal. Students may not apply both COMM 5555 and 5444 toward the M. A.      Top

Course Description - Special, Limited Courses     Prefix Number Course Title Credit Typical Instructor (s) COMM  5900 Issues in Global Communication 3 All Graduate Faculty Research, discussion, and papers focus on one of a variety of mass media topics related to broadcasting and/or print media such as: mass media and politics, mass media and children, mass media and women, media economics or international communication. The course covers one of these topics in depth each semester it is offered.      Top