COM - Communication

A studio/performance-oriented course covering the fundamental principles of visual organization. Emphasizes two-dimensional design and the use and theory of color.

A studio/performance-oriented course offering an introduction to materials and techniques of photography.

A studio/performance-oriented course that introduces various electronic and digital tools for use in creating artistic projects. Covers the history, evolution and theory of relevant technology in order to provide context for the hardware and software used in the class. Laboratory fee required.

Art and Technology is a lecture course conceived to provide a context for the development of art and its interrelations with technology. Students study the definition of multimedia and its evolution toward what is currently known as hypermedia. Special emphasis is placed on the creation and transformation of technology used in the 20th century, such as radio, television, computers, the Internet and networked environments. Developments are related to historic art movements.

A studio/performance-oriented course that gives an introduction to three-dimensional computer animation, exploring the basic techniques of modeling and animation. The course also includes necessary aspects of texture mapping, deformation, motion control, lighting, cameras and rendering. Laboratory fee required.

Studies the fundamentals of communication theory to provide a foundation for understanding how the mass media work, how they influence us, how we can analyze them and how we can effectively use them. Students can apply these critical skills to their roles as responsible consumers and communication professionals. May be used to fulfill the general distribution requirements for the social sciences if not used for the major.

An introduction to the principles and practices of writing for major types of mass communication media, with an emphasis on content, organization, conciseness and clarity. Students learn different styles of writing for print media, broadcast media, the Web, advertising and public relations. This course also discusses the ethical and legal implications of writing for the media.

Students learn and practice the principles behind the art and craft of scriptwriting for short, single-camera "motion picture" format, documentary production and multi-camera, live audience television (such as situation comedies). May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

It is one of the great ironies of contemporary existence that we are beset, informed, controlled and constructed by images, yet we receive almost no formal training in understanding and creating visual communication. Visual Literacy addresses this issue through interdisciplinary study of the terminology and theory of visual communication, with special emphasis on the relationship of visuality and cultural practice. Considering ideas from art history, photography, film, mass media and cultural studies, students are asked to analyze visual rhetoric, begin to see critically, articulate meaning and author visual rhetoric of their own. May be used to fulfill the general distribution requirements for the humanities if not used for the major.

Teaches the technique of animation as a visual medium, and enables students (regardless of major) to design, script, write, direct and communicate concepts through animation. Emphasizes art, history, movement, audio design and writing. May be used to fulfill the general distribution requirements for the humanities if not used for the communication or film and media arts majors. Laboratory fee required.

An introduction to the techniques of writing stage and television scripts. May be used to satisfy general distribution requirements if not used for the writing major or minor.

Introduces students to the basic principles involved in recording, processing and distributing image and sound for film, television and the Internet. The student learns the basics of cameras, lenses, exposure, lighting, film, microphones, scanning, basic digital effects, editing and other post-production techniques. Basic history, theory and aesthetics of related media are presented. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements. Laboratory fee required.

A writing workshop devoted to nontraditional dramatic works such as radio drama and spoken-word performance. Students listen to, read and critique monologues and dialogues, as well as writing and performing.

A study of the transformation of short stories and novels to the screen aimed at an enhanced appreciation of both the written page and the visual medium.

Students are responsible for the programming and management of WUTV and WUTZ, the University's closed-circuit television and radio stations. Students are encouraged to register for 1 to 2 credit hours initially and to save 4 credit hours for officer positions. Students also may participate as volunteers for either station. (Limited to 6 credit hours total.)

A basic introduction to film studies. Surveys the history of American narrative film with an emphasis on the cultural impact of film in society. May be used to fulfill the general distribution requirements for the humanities if not used for the major.

An examination of world cinema movements. May be used to fulfill Third World requirements. May be used to fulfill the general distribution requirements for the humanities if not used for the major.

This studio course introduces students to Web design techniques, technologies and theories, including (X)HTML, CSS and Web design software. Almost all work is performed at a computer. Laboratory fee required.

This course provides a hands-on practice of journalism, enabling students to gain an understanding of reporting and information-gathering techniques, develop interviewing skills, familiarize themselves with elements of the news, and learn to write news stories. To do that students will need to write clearly, purposefully, and engagingly with the right organization and appropriate tone. Students will also learn to be fair and objective in their reporting.

A critical and analytical study of 20th-century painting, sculpture, photography and architecture with an emphasis on the conditions and circumstances that caused them to evolve to their present states.

This class simultaneously explores digital based photography and digital manipulation of imagery. Relevant history, theory and aesthetics of related media are presented, along with discussions of the societal impact that digital imaging has introduced. Laboratory fee required.

A critical and analytical study of the history of graphic design, from the 14th century to present, with major references to Movable Type, the Renaissance, Art Nouveau, Modern, Post-Modern, and Digital eras.

This course will explore the history, theory and practice of advertising and public relations. History and critical studies encourage research and discussion about how advertising and public relations have come to shape economies and consumer cultures. Principles in marketing, media and visual communication are discussed.

Draws from a variety of design theories to create and analyze workplace documents such as training, marketing and documentation materials. Emphasis will be placed on thinking creatively about how to make information as usable as possible, and choosing appropriate media and genre for communicative purposes. Students will put theory into practice by writing and designing portfolio pieces. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

Survey course on the visual documentary tradition. May be used to satisfy general distribution requirements in the humanities if not used for the major.

This course introduces students to theory, research and applied practice in the study of organizational communication. Students will explore the role human communication plays in structuring, maintaining and changing organizations, and they will explore specific issues within the study of organizational communication including socialization, decision-making, conflict, stress and burnout, cultural diversity and external communication.

This course teaches strategic use of digital tools for business purposes, including development of corporate identification, layout of print collateral, creation of print and web graphics, production and editing of small-scale video, creation of a simple websites, and development of blogs and other social media.

Emphasizes formal aspects of studio video-production operations, including camera switching, lighting, sound and accessory equipment and remote-location production for integration into a studio program. This course provides production support for WUTV programming. May be used to satisfy general distribution requirements in the humanities if not used for the communication major. Laboratory fee required.

A studio/performance-oriented course that is an introductory study of the creative processes associated with the graphic design field. Emphasis on creative problem-solving, basic design principles and the integration of type and imagery as applied to realistic graphic design problems. Laboratory fee required.

A studio/performance-oriented course with emphasis on the development of the creative process as applied to design problem-solving. Focus is on the development of ideas and the tools used to execute design solutions. Subjects covered include print advertising, brochures, logotypes, signage, packaging and illustration, and how each ties in with marketing strategy. Laboratory fee required.

A studio/performance-oriented course designed to increase a student's technical knowledge and ability for individual expression. Problems involve multiple imagery, serial photography and other exercises to increase a student's creative potential. Encourages experimentation with larger format, as well as with other aspects of the photographic medium.

A study of film as an aesthetic medium. Explores the social, technological, historical and artistic influences on the development of cinema. Also examines how theories of film (i.e., realism, formalism, expressionism and semiology) affect the aesthetic construction and critical reception of films.

A studio/performance-oriented course designed to increase the student's understanding of typography as it relates to visual communication and graphical expression, while exploring both traditional and nontraditional forms.

A studio/performance-oriented course. A continued exploration of graphics programs with emphasis on the creative use of available tools. Three-dimensional modeling, animation and interactive media are used. Laboratory fee required.

A studio/performance-oriented course that is an advanced Web design and production class addressing the history and culture of the Internet and exploring the Web as a domain for publication and expression for online producers. Special emphasis is placed on defining the differences between client-side and server-side creations, and how these affect the content and presentation of the information on the Web. It emphasizes the evolution of multimedia into hypermedia through the use of client/server tools, Web services, programming languages and databases. Laboratory fee required.

This course offers students a hands-on opportunity to explore narrative filmmaking using digital technologies in a combined theory and practice approach. Each student completes a series of short digital films relating to the history, theory and aesthetics of narrative film. Technical instruction includes digital cinematography, lighting, sound and editing. Class includes screenings and discussions on the history and theory of the narrative film. May be used to fulfill the general distribution requirements for the humanities if not used for communication or the film and media arts majors. Laboratory fee required.

This course offers students a hands-on opportunity to explore documentary filmmaking using digital technologies in a combined theory and practice approach. Class includes screenings and discussions on the history and theory of documentary film and video. Technical instruction includes digital cinematography, lighting, sound and editing. Each student completes one or more short digital films relating to the history, theory and aesthetics of the documentary film. May be used to fulfill the general distribution requirements for the humanities if not used for communication or the film and media arts majors. Laboratory fee required.

This course offers students a hands-on opportunity to explore 16mm experimental filmmaking in a combined theory and practice approach. Each student completes one or more short films in 16mm relating to the history, theory and aesthetics of the experimental film. Technical instruction includes 16mm cinematography, camera operation, film stocks, lighting, editing and sound. Class includes screenings and discussions on the history and theory of experimental cinema. May be used to fulfill the general distribution requirements for the humanities, if not used for communication or the film and media arts majors. Laboratory fee required.

A studio/performance-oriented course that offers an investigation into three-dimensional computer animation, including advanced techniques of modeling and animation. The course also includes necessary aspects of texture mapping, character rigging, motion control, animation principles, digital lighting, virtual camera principles, particle effects, dynamics and rendering. Laboratory fee required.

This is a course in the politics, economics and technologies of the information age. Areas covered include basic designs of the new technologies, marketing strategies utilized to bring them to the public, and the social changes that may ensue. Emphasis is on the merger of telephone, television and computer technologies at the consumer level, and state-of-the-art developments within institutions. May be used to fulfill general distribution requirements for the social sciences if not used for the major.

This course covers the elements of broadcast news writing and production, including the structure of radio and television news and feature stories, research and interviewing techniques, "package" production and ethical considerations. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

An exploration of the electoral process, particularly in the United States, with emphasis on the role of communication in political campaigns.

Communication and Law is the study of concepts, policies, laws and court decisions that affect communication in our society. Through text, scholarly and popular articles, sound and video recordings, court decisions, lectures and class participation, we explore critical legal principles of civilized democratic society and the range of laws that protect or restrain communication within it. In addition to examining such principles and laws for their own merit (or lack of it), the course provides a practical basis upon which students who seek to become communications professionals can identify legal issues that will influence their professional conduct.

The Creative Triangle explores the roles in the creative decision-making processes of the director, cinematographer and production designer. It emphasizes the technical, administrative and communication skills that provide the means for successful realization of drama, television, documentary and new media projects. The aim is to develop a wide range of skills necessary for effective performance in these roles in the context of complex creative collaboration. Laboratory fee required.

This is a survey of traditions of television criticism. The class covers key areas of television research and criticism, including narrative, aesthetic, production-oriented, economic, audience-centered, and ideological approaches to TV. The class will address questions related to TV as a technology, the broadcast and post-network eras of TV, the globalization of media programming, as well as a wide range of TV genres and their conventions.

The purpose of the course is to apply studio television training to the production of a weekly telecast. Students are required to expand previous training in studio television to include planning, budgeting, booking guests in advance and program planning. Each facet of producing a weekly telecast is explored, including prerecorded elements and the roles of associate producer, assistant director, graphics wraparound and set design. Laboratory fee required.

Examines the cultural, political, economic and ethical issues surrounding a complex, international communication movement known as the New World Information Order. Explores all aspects of the topic, with an emphasis on threats to the national sovereignty of developing countries, the bias of international news agencies and cultural imperialism. May be used to fulfill Third World requirements. May be used to fulfill general distribution requirements for the social sciences if not used for the major.

Students study and view tapes and films produced as part of the non-commercial independent movement. May be used to satisfy general distribution requirements in the humanities if not used for the major.

Students learn how to evaluate and script creative communication projects within the corporate environment. The scripts are for a variety of applications, client needs and audience levels. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

The course objective is to professionalize the implementation and production of animation techniques, including the use of computers. Advanced projects deal with specific problems and exercises in drawing, storyboard and script/visual analysis. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements. Laboratory fee required.

This course teaches students to create web-based interactive applications for mobile devices. Students will apply advanced web design and interactive programming techniques to produce applications that are compatible with a variety of mobile platforms. They will learn writing and design strategies to produce content optimized for mobile devices. They will be introduced to software and protocols for converting their web-based applications to "native" applications designed to run on specific platforms and devices.

Covers the elements of writing feature film scripts including character development, dialogue and dramatic structure. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

A study of producing for cinema, television, interactive, and commercial and business applications. Students acquire skills in production budgets, package development, script breakdown, cost projections, shooting schedules, and marketing and sales presentations.

Students explore advanced creative and technical possibilities of motion picture editing using the University's advanced digital editing facilities. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements. Laboratory fee required.

This course explores practice and theory in three fields of writing for interactive media: copywriting, e-journalism, and experimental "net narrative" writing. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

This course is an introduction to the mechanics of writing for television. From idea through final draft, students learn the process of developing scripts for television. The structural demands of commercial television and cable are explored. The student obtains a grounding in the historical development of marketable TV genres. The selling and buying of a script are analyzed, as well as strategies for creating a teleplay by oneself or with a staff of writers. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

Internships are with local, state and national sponsors throughout the communication field. Students may take a maximum of 8 credit hours. COM 354 cannot be used to meet the 300-or-above-level requirement in the major. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

A search for the defining characteristics of a director's works, including issues of thematic motifs and visual style. May be used to satisfy general distribution requirements in the humanities if not used for the major.

This course introduces students to the principal software, programming language and methodology used in designing interactive media for DVD distribution. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements. Laboratory fee required.

The course is designed to introduce intermediate research methodologies to a student's critical analysis of large-scale media events. It involves the practical analysis of a media event, including circumstances, details, historical perspective and reactions by journalists, officials and the public. Archival coverage, documentaries, feature films, print articles and Internet sites relating to a singular or series of events will encompass a majority of the analysis. Particular attention will be given to events with international implications. Students will review the previous exposure of related topics in an effort to compare the attention given to a subject in a comparison of "before and after." May be used to fulfill general distribution requirements for the social sciences if not used for the major.

Focuses on the politics of representing women, particularly in film, television, advertising, popular literature and the popular press. The critical background includes texts on political economy, semiotics, feminist theory and cultural studies. The student completes a major research project during the course. May be used to fulfill general distribution requirements for the humanities, but not for the social sciences if not used for the major.

An advanced journalism class that focuses on writing longer feature stories of greater complexity. Involves extensive writing assignments of the kind that appears in print or online magazines. Students will study some of the important genres in those publication and learn how to complement their own stories with additional elements such as sidebars. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

This course combines training in Web-based multimedia technologies with instruction in journalism and digital storytelling. Students learn to plan online multimedia projects; to think as professional communicators when gathering information; to capture still images, audio and video; and to publish materials they collect in interactive packages designed for the Web. Laboratory fee required.

This course explores history, philosophy and myth surrounding computing technology and the Internet. The course examines the specifics of computing technology beginning with Plato and concluding within the discussion of the post-human. Domestic and global political/economic considerations also are discussed. Language, discourse and legal implications relating to the Internet are introduced.

This course involves strategic concept development and writing for advertising projects, as well as a look at ethical considerations related to the practice. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

This course involves training in theory, form and style for writing public relations materials for all stages and types of public relations campaigns. This course is designed to provide students with a broad range of public relations writing skills utilized in the industry.

For Honors Program students only. This course is an exploration of the concept of "ethnicity" and how it may be expressed through literature and film. May be used to satisfy general distribution requirements in the humanities if not used for the major.

Research or creative project under the auspices of a communication instructor. May be repeated for a maximum of 8 credit hours. May be used to satisfy general distribution requirements in the humanities if not used for the major.

The purpose of this course is to provide students with an understanding of the socio-cultural dynamics that affect the communication process. Students focus on their own cultural world view as they are exposed to the cultural dynamics and characteristics of other societies. Emphasis is placed upon the nonverbal and oral/visual aspects of communication content, structure and context. May be used to fulfill general distribution requirements for the social sciences if not used for the major.

A studio/performance-orientated course designed to explore sustainability issues as they relate to graphic design. Special emphasis is placed on specific aesthetics relative to graphic design, as well as the many forms of sustainable inks, materials and paper.

Raises fundamental questions about the relationship between science and the humanities. Analyzes the role of technology in modern life with special emphasis on the impact of new information technologies. May be used to fulfill general distribution requirements for the humanities if not used for the major.

Examines public opinion from a variety of perspectives, providing students with the ability to be intelligent consumers of public opinion research and effective users of public opinion research tools. Explores the interaction between the media and public opinion, as well as public opinion's effects on contemporary society and politics.

A studio/performance oriented course. Physical Computing is an approach to learning how humans communicate through computers that starts by considering how we express ourselves physically. This course explores the nature of transduction, the usage of microcontrollers and their communication with other computers, studying advances in human-computer interfaces and digital art. It requires a hands on approach to writing code, soldering, building circuits and controls to figure out how best to make all of these components relate to a person's expression.

This course teaches theories of digital media from an aesthetic perspective. Students explore how scholars and practitioners have attempted to define digital media, describe their primary characteristics, and distinguish them from other forms of media. Surveying an array of digital media, from web-based and algorithmic art to videogames and synthetic worlds, the class examines how digital media both depart from and continue earlier media traditions.

Examines women directors worldwide. The course will focus on the theoretical, critical, historical, cultural and aesthetic basis of films made by international, mainstream, documentary and the avant-garde women film directors of New Zealand, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, the African and Asian diasporas, and North and South America. Students will submit a series of written critical responses and complete a major project related to course material. May be counted in the humanities if not counted in the major.

This course studies critical contexts of public communications to bring students an understanding of forces that shape media and representation, and relationships between mass communication and the public.

Advanced explorations of feature film scriptwriting and analysis. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

Students explore the role of communication in the social construction of culture. Emphasis is on acquiring knowledge of culture as an evolving process of codifications, and examining dominant and marginal cultural meaning systems in science, history and the arts. May be used to fulfill general distribution requirements for the social sciences if not used for the major.

Drawing on various disciplines, this course focuses on methods for "reading" culture and contemporary consciousness, concentrating on word and image in the formation of attitudes, ideologies and myths. Introduces cultural analysis and a metalanguage through which students can understand the competing sign systems and discourses of culture.

Explores the relationship between myth and cinema. Also looks at the politics of representation as it relates to race, gender and ethnicity. May be used to satisfy general distribution requirements in the humanities if not used for the major.

This course examines experimental, avant-garde cinema worldwide. It focuses on the theoretical, critical, historical, cultural and aesthetic basis of experimental and avant-garde films made by national and international directors. Students submit a series of written critical responses and complete a major project related to course material. May be counted in the humanities if not counted in the major.

A 7-week course with a 15-day study abroad component offered annually in mid-May at the leading film industry international festival of new narrative feature films and documentaries - Cannes Festival du Film and Marche. The core of the course is the Cannes intensive component, which is intended to provide a working understanding of the contemporary film market with an emphasis on how the film producer or business executive functions in the marketplace. Participants attend red carpet competition screenings and daily workshops, and participate in internships, networking meet-ups, business and film market symposiums and critique sessions. Film and media arts majors may have their short films juried into Short Film Corner screenings for distributors, producers and festival programmers.

Film and media arts majors only. Seminar for seniors completing a film or digital production project as the requirement for graduation in film and media arts. Pre-production and production of the senior thesis project will be completed by the end of the semester. Students pursue production projects of sufficient breadth and depth as to crystallize their experiences at the University.

Seminar for seniors completing a thesis paper in cinema studies as the requirement for graduation in film and media arts. Each student pursues a cinema studies thesis project, in written form, of sufficient breadth and depth as to crystallize their experiences at the University. Topic varies from semester to semester.

This course introduces students of communication to the core concepts and common practices of both quantitative and qualitative communication research. Students will be exposed to a variety of theoretical perspectives on the nature, practice, use and meaning of research in the field of communication. Particular emphasis will be placed on research concepts and methods appropriate to the practice of advertising and public relations.

Students must apply for acceptance the semester before their anticipated enrollment. Each year, a select number of students are able to choose a senior project option in order to fulfill the 400-level requirement of the communication major. In this independent course, a student or group of students pursue a research or production objective of sufficient breadth and depth as to crystallize their experiences as communication majors at the University.

This course teaches strategic development of advertising campaigns and involves research, branding, copywriting, design and digital production. May not be used to satisfy general distribution requirements.

This course focuses on a systematic process of public relations, including research, strategic planning, communication tactics and evaluation. Through an extensive public relations campaign project, students will understand and practice the multifaceted and strategic nature of public relations. The course involves case studies, group problem-solving, writing, production and client relations work. (This course replaces COM 482, Advertising and Public Relations: Strategic Design, Innovation and Communication. This course may not be taken if the student has already taken and received a passing grade in COM 482.)