COMM 410. Race, Gender and Representation: Black Bodies in Media and Mass Culture. 3 or 4 hours.

Examines the ideological, cultural and economic structures that shape the representation of Black subjects in performance, visual arts, and mass media, paying close attention to gender and sexuality. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Same as BLST 410 and GWS 410. Recommended background: Three or more credit hours in Black Studies or consent of the instructor.

COMM 416. Conflict and Communication. 3 or 4 hours.

Students learn to manage and resolve conflict in business, governmental, and community settings. Practical analysis of interpersonal and group conflict cases. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 423. Discourse and Rhetoric. 3 or 4 hours.

Exploration of interconnections between language and social practices with attention to multiple components of discursive situations: senders, receivers, context, code, media, and content. Course Information: Same as ENGL 463. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301. English majors or minors must seek approval from the Communication department.

COMM 425. Digital Advocacy. 3 hours.

Social media, social movements and advocacy efforts in the digital era. Topics covered include hashtag activism, global movements, digital activism, online mobilization around social injustice. Course Information: Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online and classroom course setting. Consult the Schedule of Classes for the mode of instruction. Use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 430. Media, Information and Society. 3 or 4 hours.

Dissemination of information via mass media involving social functions and significant questions about facts, truth, knowledge and values. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online and classroom course setting. Consult the Schedule of Classes for the mode of instruction. Use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 433. Mobile Media and the City. 3 hours.

Relationship between contemporary technologies - new media, urban screens, mobile and wireless technologies, ubiquitous computing - and cities. Foundational theory on mobile media and communication. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 434. Global Communication Systems. 3 or 4 hours.

Structure and flow of international communication. Media organization systems. International impact of new media and information technology. Impact of U.S. media reporting on foreign affairs. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 435. Data, Privacy and Ethics in the Digital Age. 3 hours.

Datafication and privacy. Topics include commodification of personal information through various devices and platforms; the quantified self; legal, ethical, and contextual approaches to privacy; politics of algorithms. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 440. Technology, Social Justice, and Sustainable Futures. 3 hours.

Complex interplay between technology, humans and the environment. Anthropocene and climate change. Sustainable design. Electronic waste. Environmental racism. Futurology and Afrofuturism. Technological diffusion and planned obsolescence. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 301; or approval of the department.

COMM 445. Politics of Platforms. 3 hours.

Exploration of the politics embedded in digital platforms’ policies and practices. Topics include content moderation, mis/disinformation, AI, digital activism, privacy and surveillance, influence, and community. Course Information: Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online and classroom course setting. Use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 458. Minorities and Communication. 3 or 4 hours.

Description and analysis of the processes through which ethnic and racial perceptions shape public discourse. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 460. Visual Communication. 3 or 4 hours.

Exploration of processes through which meaning is derived from visible signs, and the role of media images in the cultural context. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 465. Video Games and Society. 3 hours.

Games and their complex socio-cultural impact on society. Explores what games say about the nature of identity, community, presence, learning, and communication. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 467. Public Opinion and Political Communication. 3 or 4 hours.

Nature of public opinion and political communication systems. Patterns of opinion distribution and its measurement. Forces shaping public opinion and its impact on public policy. Course Information: Same as POLS 467. 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Prerequisite(s): POLS 200 or the equivalent or consent of the instructor.

COMM 470. Communication and Music. 3 hours.

Study of music as a medium of communication, including the use of various platforms of music creation, performance, and consumption, roles of fans, musicians, and the music industry, and the use of AI and cultural practices in music. Course Information: Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online and classroom course setting. Consult the Schedule of Classes for the mode of instruction. Use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 471. Communication and Sound. 3 hours.

Study of sound communication, technology, new media, and AI. Understanding of audio recording, reproduction, manipulation, and design. Theory of sound including history, technology, culture, method, and practices. Course Information: Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online and classroom course setting. Consult the Schedule of Classes for the mode of instruction. Use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 474. Internship. 1-8 hours.

Students work in an approved professional setting. Individual projects developed through conferences with a faculty member and a field supervisor. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. No more than 3 credit hours of COMM 474 or COMM 498 may be applied toward the major. May not be counted toward the minimum Master of Arts degree requirements. Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online and classroom course setting. Consult the Schedule of Classes for the mode of instruction. Use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the Department.

COMM 490. Seminar in Culture and Communication. 3 hours.

Analysis of contrastive cultural paradigms (interethnic, gender, class) to develop student's awareness of own socialization and cultural orientation. Course Information: Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online and classroom course setting. Consult the Schedule of Classes for the mode of instruction. Use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 491. Seminar in Media and Communication. 3 hours.

Analysis of contemporary or historical issues in mediated communication. Course Information: Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online and classroom course setting. Consult the Schedule of Classes for the mode of instruction. Use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 493. Communication and Social Networks. 3 hours.

Examines the impact and significance of social networks as a construct and platform for reshaping and restructuring of our media, political institutions, and democracy. Course Information: Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online and classroom course setting. use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 494. Special Topics in Communication. 3 or 4 hours.

Contemporary trends in the field of communication. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. May be repeated up to 2 time(s). Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online and classroom course setting. Consult the Schedule of Classes for the mode of instruction. Use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 495. Happiness and Social Media. 3 or 4 hours.

Examines how happiness is imagined, constructed, and lived through daily experiences with technology. Emphasis on the impact of social media on feelings of happiness. Focus on historical, cross-cultural, and diverse understandings of well-being. Course Information: 3 undergraduate hours. 4 graduate hours. Some sections may be offered fully online or in a blended-online course setting. Consult the Schedule of Classes for mode of instruction. Use of computer and internet access is required for all online and blended sections. A high-speed connection, while not required, is strongly suggested. Prerequisite(s): COMM 301.

COMM 498. Independent Study. 1-4 hours.

Individual investigation of special problems (student-initiated or related to faculty research). May be used for special projects, such as interdisciplinary seminars. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 8 hours. No more than 3 credit hours of COMM 474 or COMM 498 may be applied toward the major. Credit earned may not be applied toward the minimum Master of Arts in Communication degree requirements. Prerequisite(s): Approval of the Department and Junior or Senior standing.

COMM 500. Introduction to Communication Research. 4 hours.

History of the field, research traditions, communication viewed as social science; forming research questions, reviewing and critiquing literature, formulating hypotheses and rationale, conceptually defining variables. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor or graduate standing in communication.

COMM 501. Operationalizing Communication Research. 4 hours.

Levels of measurement; operational definitions; sampling qualitative and quantitative designs; coding and analysis of data; statistics; pilot testing and instrument/design revision; writing research reports. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 500.

COMM 502. Seminar in Media Studies. 4 hours.

In-depth, intensive examination of theories, perspectives, and approaches to media studies. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 500; or consent of the instructor.

COMM 503. Seminar in Intercultural Communication. 4 hours.

Introduction to basic theoretical concepts and important issues in intercultural communication. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 500; or consent of the instructor.

COMM 504. Communication, Technology, and Society Proseminar. 4 hours.

Introduction to philosophy and history of communication technologies. The social impact of communication technology.

COMM 505. Organizational Communication. 4 hours.

Classic and current research. Models that examine organizational communication; assessment of organizational problems and conduct of problem-solving research. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 306 and COMM 500; or consent of the instructor.

COMM 506. Cross-Cultural Communication. 4 hours.

Analysis of different theoretical approaches to cross-cultural communication (sociolinguistic, attributional); contrastive analysis of Western and non-Western cultural systems (interactional etiquette, discourse rules). Course Information: Same as LING 506.

COMM 508. New Media of Communication. 4 hours.

Theories, history and philosophy of the new media of communication. Social diffusion and consequences of new media technologies. Assessment and evaluation of the social impact of new media. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 504.

COMM 510. Social Networks and Technology. 4 hours.

Foundational theory and methods of social and informational networks. Emphasis on social influence and social network sciences theories as they pertain to the field of communication and technology. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 500; and COMM 501; and COMM 502.

COMM 522. Human-Computer Interaction. 4 hours.

The computer-user interface: media, languages, interaction techniques, user modeling. Human factors in software development. Theory, experimental methods, evaluation, tools. Project required. Course Information: Same as PSCH 522 and CS 522. Prerequisite(s): CS 422; or consent of the instructor.

COMM 525. Approaches to Rhetorical Criticism. 4 hours.

Contemporary approaches to rhetorical criticism. Each offering focuses upon the distinctive contributions of specified rhetoricians to the theory and practice of rhetorical criticism. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 12 hours. Prerequisite(s): COMM 410.

COMM 534. Mass Communication Theory. 4 hours.

Introduction to major theories of mass communication: their social history and substantive claims; distinction between mass mediated and other forms of communication, implications of distinction.

COMM 554. Language. 3 hours.

Language representation, production, comprehension, and acquisition. Course Information: Same as PSCH 554 and LING 554. Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing or consent of the instructor.

COMM 567. Topics in Political Communication. 4 hours.

Intensive study of selected aspects; organizational communication in public institutions, urban political communication patterns, communication elites. Independent research using a variety of community research techniques. Course Information: Same as PA 567 and POLS 567. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

COMM 570. Seminar in Philosophy of Technology. 4 hours.

Conceptual approaches to technology, with special emphasis on communication technologies. Emphasis on the application of values, beliefs, and thoughts related to the interplay of technology and society. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 504.

COMM 580. Qualitative Methods in Communication. 4 hours.

Qualitative methods course analyzing language and culture patterns. Course Information: Same as LING 582. Prerequisite(s): COMM 501 or consent of the instructor.

COMM 585. Digital Ethnography. 4 hours.

Ethnography as a method practiced digitally and within or beyond digital environments. Theories and practices of digital ethnography. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): COMM 500 and COMM 501 and COMM 502; and COMM 580.

COMM 591. Health Communication. 4 hours.

Focusing on interpersonal, organizational and public contexts, seminar participants will review current literature in health communication, and apply selected communication concepts to healthrelated situations. Course Information: Prerequisite(s): Graduate standing in communication, or enrollment in a health professions school or college, or consent of the instructor.

COMM 594. Advanced Special Topics in Communication. 1-4 hours.

Student may register for more than one section per term. Advanced topics in communication theory and research. Subject matter varies. Course Information: May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.

COMM 596. Independent Research. 1-4 hours.

Department approved research projects not included in thesis research. Course Information: May be repeated to a maximum of 6 hours. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the head of the department.

COMM 598. Thesis Research. 0-16 hours.

Under guidance of an advisor and committee the student develops and conducts a research project addressing a communication problem of a basic or applied nature. Course Information: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Students may register in more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): COMM 501.

COMM 599. Dissertation Research. 0-16 hours.

Under guidance of an advisor and committee, the student conducts research on the topic of the doctoral dissertation. Course Information: Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory grading only. May be repeated. Students may register for more than one section per term. Prerequisite(s): Consent of the instructor.