SCHOOL OF HUMANITIES AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Communication and Media Studies Curriculum
A minimum of 124 credits is needed to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Media Studies. Students must earn a grade of C or better in each 300- and 400-level course in the major field.
A minor in Communication and Media Studies requires 18 credits. Students should select these credits in consultation with their academic adviser and the program chair so the courses complement their major. The minor is a popular addition to the English and Political Science majors, and to School of Business degrees such as Marketing and Management. Many Business, Liberal Arts, and Science majors select the Communication and Media Studies minor as one of their three modules.
In their first year of study, students primarily take courses that help fulfill General Education requirements such as composition and rhetoric, math and general science, the First Year Seminar, a foreign language, and health or physical education. Major-specific courses that can be taken during the first year include Mass Media and Society, Introduction to Rhetorical Theory, and Film and Cinema.
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CAS 101: Introduction to Human Communication. Introduction to major theoretical, critical, research and pedagogical issues in human communication. CAS 175: Persuasion and Propaganda. An introductory examination of how symbols have been used to create belief and action in revolutionary, totalitarian, and democratic settings. CAS 201: Introduction to Rhetorical Theory. History and theory of public advocacy and civic discourse. CAS 202: Introduction to Communication Theory. Introduction to the study of human communication in interpersonal, organizational, and mass communication systems. CAS 455GI: Gender Roles in Communication. The study of gender-related communication in intimate, casual, and occupational situations. CAS 478: Contemporary American Political Rhetoric. An analysis of contemporary political rhetoric concerning social issues. COMM 100: Mass Communications in
the United States. Organization, role, content, and effects
of newspapers, magazines, television, radio, books, and films.
COMM 150: The Art of the Cinema. The development of cinema to its present state; principles of evaluation and appreciation; examples from the past and present. COMM 180: Survey of Broadcasting and Cable. Introductory study of American broadcasting system. History and technological development; societal compulsions and constraints on programming and practices. COMM 205: Women Minorities and the Media. An analysis of the historical, economic, legal, political, and social implications of the relationship between women, minorities, and the mass media. COMM 250: Film History and Theory. Exploration of film theory and criticism in the context of aesthetic, technological, and economic evolution of film history. COMM 320: Introduction to Advertising. Advertising management in business, including communication theory; common industry practices; basics of copy, media, and budget decision; and environmental influences. COMM 360: Broadcast Journalism I. Reporting, writing, producing, and presenting radio news programs, focusing on the development of news judgment and writing skills. COMM 421W: Advertising Creative Strategies. Planning, designing, writing advertisements; introduction to graphics and production techniques and processes; layout and copywriting practice and critiques. COMM 422: Advertising Media Planning. Analysis, selection, and scheduling of advertising media; examination of algorithms, technologies, and software used in media planning. COMMU 001: Newspaper Practicum. Practical experience in newswriting, editing, and production of the Behrend Beacon. COMMU 002: Newspaper Editorial Staff. Practical experience serving as a section editor or editor-in-chief of the Behrend Beacon. COMMU 003: Radio Practicum. Practical experience in radio production and broadcasting at WPSE radio 1450. COMMU 300: Introduction to Communication and Media Technologies. Introduction to existing and emerging communication technologies and their impact on the communication process. COMMU 301: Introduction to Media Writing. A tutorial and practice in various kinds of journalistic and commercial writing. COMMU 305: Introduction to Public Relations Strategies and Campaigns. The analysis and practice of the writing used by private and public organizations to address internal and external audience. COMMU 310: Introduction to Communication Research. An introduction accessing, gathering, analyzing and interpreting communication research, and designing and conducting basic communication research studies. COMMU 312: Professional Public Speaking. Designed to develop skills in organizing, adapting, and presenting ideas in public informative, persuasive, technical, and ceremonial situations. COMMU 315: Survey of Interpersonal Communication Theory and Practice. An introduction to the theories used to study of interpersonal communication emphasizing skill development. COMMU 317: Communication for Teachers and Trainers. An analysis of the communication relationship between instructor and student in a variety of settings. COMMU 319: Communication and Civility. Communication behaviors contributing to civil and uncivil discourse; their implications in business, public life, across cultures and in interpersonal relationships. COMMU 325: Speech Communication in Organizations. An introduction to the formal and informal patterns of communication emphasizing interviewing, conferring, decision-making, and briefing in organizations. COMMU 383: Introduction to Audio Video Production. Introduction to the basic formal and technical elements of audio and video production. COMMU 400: Global Mass Communication. An examination of the globalization of the mass media and the economic, social, and political forces shaping it. COMMU 401W: Advanced Writing and Editing. An advanced course in writing and editing for the trade press. COMMU 402DF: Intercultural Communication. An analysis of communication processes as it is affected by national cultures. COMMU 403: Electronic News Gathering and Editing. The development of intermediate level skills in creating and editing television news packages. COMMU 404: Media Ethics. An examination of rights and consequent responsibilities inherent in the "free press" guarantees of the First Amendment. COMMU 405: Advanced Public Relations Campaigns and Strategies. An advanced examination and application of strategies for public relations campaigns. COMMU 416: Rhetorical Criticism in Public Affairs. An examination of the methods of rhetorical criticism and application of its theories to contemporary socio-political organizations. COMMU 425: Organizational Communication Analysis and Improvement. An examination of communication in organizations emphasizing problem identification and the design of communication interventions. COMMU 430: Small Group Communication and Leadership. An examination and development of communication skills required for effective participation in and leadership of groups in organizations. COMMU 483: Advanced Audio Video Production. Advanced techniques in video production applied to narrative, non-narrative and short documentary formats. COMMU 494: Senior Project. An opportunity for senior communication majors to apply communication skills in an extended research project. COMMU 495: Internship. Practical experience in a communication office under the supervision of a communication professional and a faculty member. ENGL 420: Writing for the Web. Analysis and composition of informative, persuasive, and "creative" Web texts, based on rhetorical principles. PHIL 123: Introduction to Ethics in Media and Journalism. Studies ethical problems, human values, and politics in differing media forms and the ways media shape such problems and values. |