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COM 401 Intercultural Communication

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.

Credit Hours: 4

COM 425 Information Technology and Human Values

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.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

COM 224, junior or senior standing, or consent of instructor.

COM 426 Public Opinion, the Media and Power

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.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Junior or senior standing, or consent of instructor.

COM 431 Traditions of Digital Media

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.

Credit Hours: 4
(A)

Prerequisites

COM 232 and at least one 300-level theory course in Communication, or permission of the instructor.

COM 435 Women Directors: Theory and Criticism

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.

Credit Hours: 4
(A) (IG) (NW)

Prerequisites

FYW 101 and FYW 102; or one of COM 232, COM 260 or COM 261; or one course in women's studies; or consent of instructor.

COM 436 Critical Studies in Public Communication

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.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

COM 224.

COM 440 Screenwriting II

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

Credit Hours: 4
(W)

Prerequisites

COM 340 or consent of instructor.

COM 443 Communication and Cultural Studies

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.

Credit Hours: 4
(W)

Prerequisites

COM 224, junior or senior standing or consent of instructor.

COM 445 The Image and the Reality

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.

Credit Hours: 4
(A)

Prerequisites

Junior or senior standing and one of the following courses: COM 260, COM 261, COM 300, COM 308, COM 335, COM 360, COM 370 or COM 465, or consent of instructor.

COM 446 Advanced Topics in Communication

Credit Hours: 4

COM 450 Experimental Cinema: History and Theory

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.

Credit Hours: 4
(A)

Prerequisites

COM 232, COM 260 or COM 261, or consent of instructor.

COM 452 Advanced Producing and the International Film Market

A seven-week course with a study abroad component at a major international film festival. The core of the course is the intensive travel 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. Activities the participants may attend may include but are not limited to red carpet competition screenings and daily workshops, internships, networking meet-ups, business and film market symposiums and critique sessions. Film and media arts majors will be encouraged to submit their films for screenings for distributors, producers and festival programmers.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

COM 342 and permission of instructor

COM 455 Film Theory and Criticism

Through readings, screenings and discussion students will examine classical and contemporary film theories. Issues of representation, the cinematic apparatus and semiotics including psychoanalytic film theory will be discussed. Theorists including Sergei Eisenstein, Andre Bazin, Gilles Deleuze, Walter Benjamin, Laura Mulvey and Lev Manovich will be studied. Examples of contemporary and historic film will be presented in class for theoretical and critical analysis. Weekly reading and screening responses and a major critical paper will be required. May be counted in the Humanities if not counted in the major.

Credit Hours: 4
A

Prerequisites

Any one of the following: COM 232, COM 260, COM 261, or any 300- or 400-level course in the "Media, Culture and Society" course offerings, or instructor consent.

COM 460 Senior Seminar in Film and Digital Production

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. Laboratory fee required.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Senior standing and any one of the following: COM 312, COM 313 or COM 314, or consent of instructor.

COM 463 Multimedia and Installation Art

Multi-Media and Installation Art is a course that introduces students to contemporary multi-media and installation art through both the study of the cutting edge practitioners within the field, and through the production of artwork. More specifically, the course provides students with an in-depth study of the development of multi-media art over the last fifty years and also teaches the tools for the production of such works. Modes of production covered include video projection, audio installation, site-specific works, land art, and hybrid combinations of the above modes incorporating sculpture and other traditional media such as painting.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

class='sc-courselink' href='/en/2013-2014/catalog/course-descriptions/com-communication/200/com-241'>COM 241 or COM 242

COM 465 Senior Seminar in Cinema Studies

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.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Senior standing, and any of the following: COM 260, COM 261, COM 300, COM 308, COM 335, COM 360, COM 370 or COM 445, or consent of instructor.

COM 466 International Advertising

The course is designed to help students integrate knowledge of advertising theory and practice within an international context. Instructor and students will meet occasionally over the spring semester for orientation and introduction to course material and spend two weeks abroad in May expanding the study and application of international advertising topics/concepts. In addition, the travel portion of the course will give students the opportunity to learn about and experience, first hand, advertising as a product and shaper of culture and the advertising industry’s role in a globalized economy.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

COM 283

COM 470 Communication Research Methods

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.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

COM 224, junior or senior standing, or permission of instructor.

COM 475 Seminar in Critical Media Practice

The course emphasizes interpretation, discussion, and practice, building upon theoretical and practical knowledge students have acquired over the course of their study in critical media practice. Using traditional and emerging media technologies, students will produce projects over the course of the semester to convey critical perspectives on phenomena with social, cultural, economic, and/or political implications.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

COM 375

COMO 490 Portfolio Reivew

The Portfolio Review is a capstone experience where in which students summarize and demonstrate what they have learned in the major and in their area of concentration. The course is delivered as a “hybrid” course (partially online, partially on ground). Faculty members oversee the submission process and evaluation.

Credit Hours: 1

Prerequisites

Senior standing, Communication Majors Only.

COM 499 Senior Project

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.

Credit Hours: 4

Prerequisites

Senior standing.