Course Descriptions

Department of Communication

J. A. Aune, P. Burkart, H. A. Campbell, C. R. Conrad, L. G. Dorsey, J. O. Iverson, A. C. La Pastina, M. J. Medhurst, J. R. Mercieca, K. I. Miller*, M. S. Poole, L. L. Putnam, S. Ramasubramanian, K. W. Ritter, E. W. Rothenbuhler, B. F. Sharf, M. T. Stephenson, R. L. Street, Jr. (Head), R. S. Sumpter, I. G. Weber

* Graduate Advisor

The Department of Communication offers two graduate degrees: the Doctor of Philosophy and the Master of Arts. The PhD requires 64 hours of course work, a sequence of research methodology courses and a dissertation. In conjunction with their advisory committees, PhD students devise an individualized program of study which encompasses one or more of the four research foci in the department: organizational communication, health communication, telecommunication and media studies, and rhetoric and public affairs. The PhD program is appropriate either for students who plan careers in academia, or in research-oriented careers in government or the private sector. The MA program is research and theory-oriented. MA students may opt for a thesis option (30 hours of course work, including the thesis), or a nonthesis option (36 hours of course work and a comprehensive examination). They may focus in one or more of the areas described above, or pursue a generalist degree.

Communication
(COMM)

610. Social Science Methods in Communication Research. (3-0). Credit 3.

Quantitative research methods in communication, including design, measurement and analysis for descriptive and experimental research; practice in evaluating and conducting research projects. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.

615. Interpretive Methods in Communication Research. (3-0). Credit 3.

Introduction to interpretive and qualitative methods in communication research; underlying epistemologies, design issues, and explanation of knowledge claims; methods including participant observation and interviewing. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

620. Communication Theory. (3-0). Credit 3.

The nature and role of communication theory; systems of ontology and epistemology in theory development; critical review of current theories concerning communication codes, functions and processes in various contexts. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.

630. Interpersonal Communication. (3-0). Credit 3.

Major theories in interpersonal communication; critical examination of current research programs on communication in interpersonal influence, relational development and conflict management. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

631. Group Communication. (3-0). Credit 3.

Major concepts and theories of communicative processes in task-oriented groups from a social scientific perspective; the role of group communication in (1) group decision processes, (2) decision development, (3) decision-making agendas, and (4) conflict and performance quality. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

632. Communication and Conflict. (3-0). Credit 3.

Elements and central features of conflict theories and different approaches to communication in conflict management; analysis of communication research in interpersonal, family/marital, group, organizational, and public conflicts and the role of the media in social and international disputes. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

634. Communication and Gender. (3-0). Credit 3.

Gender considered as a complex phenomenon constituted through communication; topics include femininities, masculinities, language, power, nonverbal behavior, gender in media, organizations, interpersonal relationships, and social movements. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

636. Survey of Organizational Communication. (3-0). Credit 3.

Theoretical and empirical literature on human communication and complex organizations; the study of messages, interaction, and meaning in the process of organizing; topics include superior-subordinate communication, communication networks, and technologies, language, message flow, symbols and organizational culture, negotiation and conflict, and power and politics. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

637. Organizational Communication Seminar. (3-0). Credit 3.

Investigation of a subject important to the understanding of organizational communication, such as communication and organizational decision-making, group communication within organizations, communication and organizational culture, and organizational rhetoric and issue management. May be repeated for credit with different content up to a total of three times. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

640. Rhetorical Theory. (3-0). Credit 3.

Close reading of classical and contemporary systems of rhetoric; survey of principal applications to communication theory and research. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.

645. Rhetorical and Textual Methods in Communication Research. (3-0). Credit 3.

Comparative study of traditional and contemporary perspectives on the description, interpretation, and evaluation of public discourse, including textual analysis, neo-classical analysis, Burkean criticism, quantitative and qualitative approaches to content analysis, fantasy theme analysis, and semiotic analysis. Prerequisite: Graduate classification or approval of instructor.

649. American Public Discourse to 1865. (3-0). Credit 3.

Public discourse and political rhetoric in America in colonial and pre-Civil War years; historical, conceptual, and practical examination of political campaign rhetoric, legislative rhetoric, judicial rhetoric, and advocacy group rhetoric. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

650. American Public Discourse Since 1865. (3-0). Credit 3.

Public discourse and political rhetoric in America in post-Civil War years; historical, conceptual, and practical examination of political campaign rhetoric, legislative rhetoric, judicial rhetoric, and advocacy group rhetoric. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

651. Presidential Rhetoric. (3-0). Credit 3.

Rhetorical discourse of American presidents, including principal genres of presidential communication, speechwriting and media strategies; case studies of presidential communication ranging from campaign oratory, to crisis rhetoric, and ceremonial addresses. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

654. History and Theory of Rhetoric to 1800. (3-0). Credit 3.

Emphasis on interactions between rhetorical theory and practices; includes Sophists, Stoic logic and rhetoric, poetics and stylistics from Plato through Cicero, semiotics and hermeneutics in medieval rhetoric, Enlightenment rhetoric and moral philosophy, literary. Cross-listed with ENGL 654.

655. History and Theory of Rhetoric since 1800. (3-0). Credit 3.

Major figures and movements in rhetorical theory; revisionist effect of psychology, linguistics, and romanticism upon classical rhetorics; associationist psychology; belles lettres movement, twentieth-century linguistic turn; current-traditional rhetoric and its successors; rhetorical critical theory. Cross-listed with ENGL 655.

658. Seminar in Communication and Culture. (3-0). Credit 3.

Investigation of the ways that culture, religion, identity, gender, popular culture, community, history, and related ideas are shaped through communication in order to understand the development of social norms, political values, and the human experience. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

659. Communication and Citizenship in the Public Sphere. (3-0). Credit 3.

Theoretical examination of communication within democratic, republican, and liberal conceptions of citizenship: consideration of the ideal of the public sphere, and communication in global civil society; specific attention to the practices of American citizenship within the global civil society. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

662. Survey of Telecommunication and Media Studies. (3-0). Credit 3.

Survey of research and theory in media studies and telecommunication, review of literature on mass communication, media, culture, and society, media audiences, texts, industries, and technologies; provides students an overview of the literature and theoretical orientation. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

663. Seminar in Telecommunication and Media Studies. (3-0). Credit 3.

Intensive work on selected topics of research in telecommunication and media studies; may address work in the areas of audience studies, media effects, industries, policy, international issues, media and culture, media history, or theory; may be repeated for credit with different content up to a total of three times. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

665. Communication and Technology. (3-0). Credit 3.

Examines the relationships between human communication and technology, investigating the social effects of communication technologies, the quality of messages, communicative practices, and rhetorical norms that typify effective communication in technological society. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

669. Survey of Health Communication. (3-0). Credit 3.

Theories and research in health communication considering functions and outcomes of communication processes in various health contexts, ranging from interpersonal settings to public campaigns; emphasis on providing a framework for synthesizing and critically evaluating health communication research. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

670. Health Communication Seminar. (3-0). Credit 3.

Investigation of a subject important to the understanding of health communication, such as persuasion and public health campaigns, physician-patient communication, or communication in health care organizations. May be repeated for credit with different content up to a total of three times. Prerequisites: Graduate classification and approval of instructor.

681. Professional Seminar. (1-0). Credit 1.

Provides socialization to the profession of communication, focusing on graduate students’ roles as scholars and teachers; provides instruction on teaching communication, conducting and writing publishable research, and fulfilling responsibilities to one’s organization and profession. May be repeated up to three times. Prerequisite: Graduate classification.

685. Directed Studies. Credit 1 to 6 each semester.

Directed studies in specific problem areas in communication. Student may take up to two sections of directed studies in communication in the same semester, with a maximum of 6 credits. Prerequisite: Approval of department head.

689. Special Topics in... Credit 1 to 4 each semester.

Selected topics in an identified area of communication. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Approval of instructor.

691. Research. Credit 1 or more each semester.

Research for thesis.