Communications (COMM)

An examination of the structures, functions, and historical development of the major mass media industries, as well as the impact they have had on American Society. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Introduction to Public Speaking details the history, theory and practice of public speaking with an emphasis placed upon the organization and delivery of informative and persuasive speeches. Further emphasis is given to the reduction of anxieties associated with public speaking. This course meets the standards for the Component Area Option category of course under the core curriculum.

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Interpersonal Communication enables students to analyses and practice communication in one-on-one relationships. Students will learn and evaluate basic interpersonal communication theories as well as learn about their personal communication strengths and weaknesses and be given opportunities to improve their communication skills in both individual and group contests. This course meets the standards for the Component Area Option category of course under the core curriculum. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Students in this course obtain practical skills and acquire working knowledge of the textual, aural and visual content-producing methods and formats in use by mass media. Using a relevant software foundation that includes smartphone applications, Audacity, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, students create content as well as analyze and critique professional media, based on an understanding of the function, roles and legal/ethical responsibilities of mass media in society. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Editing and layout processes, with emphasis on accuracy and fairness, including the principles and techniques of design. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Fundamentals of writing for the mass media. Includes instruction in professional methods and techniques for gathering, processing, and delivering content. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Students in this course obtain practical skills and acquire working knowledge of the textual, aural and visual content-producing methods and formats in use by mass media. Using a relevant software foundation that includes smartphone applications, Audacity, Adobe Photoshop, InDesign, and Illustrator, students create content as well as analyze and critique professional media, based on an understanding of the function, roles and legal/ethical responsibilities of mass media in society. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Theory and practice in news gathering and writing; types and techniques of public affairs reporting. Assignments include coverage of university departments and activities, municipal and county government, schools and courts either with the university newspaper or other university publication approved by Department Chair. Requires use of computers as editing terminals and databases. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Identifying and developing feature story ideas. Reporting and writing feature articles and arranging appropriate pictures for publication in newspapers or periodicals. Emphasis on training students in identifying markets for nonfiction writing. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

This course introduces students to the techniques of computer-assisted reporting, using the computer as a tool for news gathering and data analysis. Students will review statistics and mathematical relationships, such as percentage change, and analyze data using a spreadsheet. Students will learn about the legal aspects of computer–assisted reporting.

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

An exploration of advanced elements of multimedia journalistic storytelling, including audio, video, data visualization, and online journalism formats. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

This hands-on roll-up-your-sleeves course covers CSS, JavaScript, and PHP needed in an online newsroom. The course covers fundamental design principals such as grid-based Web design, color, typography, and data visualization tools. Each student in the course will work their way up to creating a personal portfolio site in WordPress. Critical thinking will be encouraged through class interactions, projects, and online postings. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

This class provides students with the theoretical and technical principles to produce non-fiction content for television and online video platforms. Throughout the course, students conceive and produce different types of digital video content for Jaguar Student Media. Formerly RTVF 3307. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Writing correctness, clarity, and style in radio and television: includes collecting, writing and editing news, continuity, drama, address and commercial copy. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, and Writing.

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

The purpose of this course is to provide journalism students with a hands-on opportunity to learn about the social media tools (1) that are being used now by many professional journalists and (2) that will be required to work in the field of professional journalism in the future. Students will be required to create and maintain classroom accounts on various social media platforms including Twitter, Instagram, and Wordpress. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

This course introduces the student to the principles governing page layout and the design of publications. Topics covered include the basic principles of effective typography; the use of grids; integration of graphics and photos into publications; basic information design principles, working with spot, process color and separations, principles of page assembly and other methodologies to design and produce a variety of single- and multi-page publications. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

This course involves the use of the computer as a powerful creative tool. The modular structure is designed specifically to emphasize the following specific Adobe Cloud design programs and their relevance when solving design problems and developing creative solutions using Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe InDesign and Adobe Bridge. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing.

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Students will learn how to produce compelling audio stories using storytelling techniques modeled from public radio programs. This course will run as a newsroom where students brainstorm, pitch, map out, and ultimately record and distribute audio stories as podcast segments. The course emphasizes non-fiction, conversational writing and a combination of in-depth and long-form storytelling.

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Advertising writing, layout, typography and artwork. Advertising campaigns, selling, practice exercises, and advertising work for publication. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

This course teaches the basics of digital news photography. In addition to teaching students how to operate digital cameras and process digital photos, this course will present the problems and practices of photography for newspapers, magazines and the Internet. Students are introduced to the important role of photojournalism in the society and learn how to produce different categories of photojournalism that apply to news reporting through reading, class discussion, and practicing. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Students will learn basic social scientific methods in the context of communication research: Problem formation, hypothesis testing and theory building; fundamentals of measurement; research designs and approaches; data collection and analysis; and ethics in academic and professional applications. This class is a prerequisite for COMM 4393 – Senior Communication Seminar.

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

This course is designed to introduce students to the world of communication theory. Communication theory allows students to learn about communication research, which in turn allows them to learn more about the different ways that people communicate with each other. In this course, students will discuss what researchers have found over the years about how, why, and to what effect people communicate with each other. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

This course is designed to introduce students to theory, research methods, and research findings concerning the impact of the mass media on the individuals who consume it and on society in general. Course content includes: (1) An introduction to theory and how theory is used to generate research questions; (2) an introduction to research methods and the use of statistics; (3) a discussion of effects models and research paradigms; (4) examples of early classic media research and theory development; and (5) examples of contemporary media theory and effects studies. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

A theoretical and practical survey of the communication between different co-cultures in the United State and different cultures of the world. This course will examine distinctive cultural orientations, behaviors, expectations, and values that affect our ability to communicate effectively with people from diverse cultures and co-cultures. Students will also learn the similarities, differences, and connections between intercultural communication in different dimensions (interpersonal, intrapersonal, public, mass, social media).

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Development of the newspaper in England and the United States with attention to the social, economic and political forces which brought about changes in journalistic techniques and in basic ideas as to newspaper functions. Study of the careers of noted journalists. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

The study of literature and research in areas of communication. Includes such topics as international press, or yearbook production, semantics and history of public address. May be repeated once for credit when the topic varies. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Repeat Status: Course may be repeated 1 time(s).

This course uses documentaries and films, readings and discussions, research assignments, and group projects to increase understanding of racial and ethnic minorities and media in U.S society. Specifically, this course will increase understanding of the historical context of racial and ethnic minorities in the U.S.; increase knowledge about media and journalism in society; improve skills for evaluating media representation and coverage of racial and ethnic minorities; develop knowledge about journalism and communication theories and their application to racial and ethnic minorities and the media; improve research proficiency. Formerly RTVF 4309. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

This course is a study of motivational appeals and social scientific approaches to creating and evaluating persuasive messages. Emphasis will be on applying theories to both analyzing examples and creating appeals under different circumstances. The components and functions of different forms of persuasion will be carefully reviewed at different levels (cognition, affection, and behavior). TSI Restriction(s): Reading, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

This course will (1) examine philosophical and moral problems relating to the current state of the mass media and (2) use the case study method to analyze ethical decision-making processes. Topics will include ethical concerns and dilemmas in news, advertising, public relations and entertainment. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

This course provides technical preparation for intermediate and advanced television and online production work. Students will be coached through the process of producing a weekly television news program and its contents. Formerly RTVF 4301. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Legal and ethical limitations and responsibilities of the mass media, relationship and interaction between broadcaster, governmental regulatory agencies and the public. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing.

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

Principles of public relations and their application in business, industry, education, government, social agencies, and other institutions; the media of public relations; research methods used in public relations; journalistic implications of the public relations process. Case studies and analysis. Practice in public relations planning and writing. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

Public Relations Strategies introduces students to the strategic planning process involved in putting together and coordinating organizational public relations efforts. In this course, students will learn what is involved in developing, implementing and evaluating public relations strategies. The course provides insights on understanding an organization’s internal and external environment as well as identifying and addressing public relations situations that emerge in these environments. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

The skills-based course teaches students how to write and produce public relations materials, including news releases, backgrounders, and talking points, media kits, advertising, fund-raising letters, grant proposals, speeches, and other promotional copies. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

Examines solutions to public relations problems through an analysis of actual corporate and association cases. The focus will emphasize successful public relations management and practice through the systematic application of defining, planning and programming, acting and communicating, and evaluating results. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

This course is designed to teach the basic principles of video production. It offers a conceptual introduction and practical experience on how to shoot video that is steady, in focus, well framed and, most importantly, tells a story. The course provides students with the basic foundations necessary to create videos from initial idea to finished video. Focus is placed on pre-production, production and post-production skills and techniques. Professionalism, leadership, and teamwork are also emphasized. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Mastery of television equipment utilization both in the studio and field. Practical experience in electronic news gathering and electronic field production for educational television.

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

Intensive work in a special area of the student's major or minor. A maximum of 6 semester hours of credit in independent study may be applied toward graduation. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Junior or Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.

Repeat Status: Course may be repeated 1 time(s).

Supervised professional experience in a media outlet, public relations office or other media-related setting. Jointly supervised by on-campus faculty and off-campus representatives at the internship site. Student may repeat this class for a maximum of six semester credit hours. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Graduate level students may not enroll.

Repeat Status: Course may be repeated 1 time(s).

Designed as the capstone course for Communications majors. By working on a capstone project that draws on prior coursework, students not only utilize their critical thinking skills in synthesizing previous coursework, but also extend and develop their own original ideas. TSI Restriction(s): Reading, Math, and Writing

Restrictions: Enrollment limited to students with a semester level of Senior.Graduate level students may not enroll.