Graduate Courses Offered

Unless otherwise specified, all courses are three credits

Mass Communication

• COMM 625 - Specialty Writing
  Methods and practice of writing features and opinion for print publication.
  
  
• COMM 631 - Communication Ethics
  Ethical theories and their role in conceptions of mass media responsibility.
  
  
• COMM 634 - Communication Law
  Exploration of speech and press protections of the First Amendment. Topics include libel, privacy, electronic media regulation, and speech regulation.
  
  
• COMM 635 - Popular Culture and Mass Media
  Analysis of popular culture message (programming, content, and advertising) presented by the media as an expression of social values. Media include television, cinema, music, and radio.
  
  
• COMM 636 - Issues in Mass Communication
  Topical studies of media technologies and organization in interaction with social, cultural, political, and economic realities. Media's impact on national life and thought.
  
  
• COMM 637 - Mass Communication Theory
  Survey of social scientific, interpretive, and cultural critical theories used in mass media research and criticism.
  
  
• COMM 642 - Information Technologies and Mass Media
  Study of mass media programming and management with an emphasis on the impact of new information technologies.
  
  
• COMM 643 - Mass Media and Public Opinion
  Overview of theories and methodologies used in the study of the role of mass media in attitude formation, attitude change, and public opinion.
  
  
• COMM 672 - Public Relations Campaigns
  Social science research as applied to public relations, case study analysis, construction, and implementation of public relations campaigns.
  
  
• COMM 700 - Research Methods in Communication
  Introduction to research planning and design, methods of research, and presentation of research results.

Speech Communication

• COMM 601 - Survey of Rhetorical Theory
  A historical/descriptive examination of rhetorical theory from the classical through contemporary periods. Exploration of the foundations and evolution of modern rhetorical theory.
  
  
• COMM 602 - Contemporary Rhetoric
  Examination of the use of public address in the contemporary culture to identify styles of usage and ethical practices employed by communicators.
  
  
• COMM 611 - Communication Theory
  Major theoretical approaches to the study of communication from a social scientific tradition.
  
  
• COMM 612 - Women and Gendered Communication
  Exploration of philosophical and theoretical issues surrounding gender construction, communication, and culture. Focus on ways in which communication in families, schools, media, and other institutions creates and sustains gender roles.
  
  
• COMM 650 - Issues in Communication
  Theory and philosophy of research issues in the field of communication.
  
  
• COMM 680 - Health Communication
  Designed to help individuals communicate in the health professions. Exploration of professional behavior as communication, staff-client communication, and team communication in the health-care setting.
  
  
• COMM 683 - Organizational Communication I
  Exploration of the theory of management communication practices in organizations. Emphasis on the formal structure and inter-personal aspects of supervisor-subordinate relations.
  
  
• COMM 700 - Research Methods in Communication
  Introduction to research planning and design, methods of research, and presentation of research results.
  
  
• COMM 706 - Advanced Interpersonal Communication
  Interpersonal communication theory and research methods are developed from the perspectives of uncertainty reduction, conflict management, relationship reciprocity, constructivism, compliance gaining, discourse dominance, and relational dynamics.
  
  
• COMM 708 - Advanced Qualitative Methods in Communication Research
  In-depth application of the methods used in qualitative communication research.
  
  
• COMM 715 - Theories of Small Group Communication
  Survey of rhetorical constructs of communication in the small group setting. Examines current methods of research.
  
  
• COMM 721 - Intercultural Communication
  Advanced theories of verbal and nonverbal behavior, attitudes and communication styles that affect interaction between cultural groups.
  
  
• COMM 751 - Directing Forensics
  Theory and philosophy of coaching individual speaking events and debate. Designed for those who will coach at the high school or junior college level.
  
  
• COMM 752 - Theory of Argument
  Philosophy and theory of argumentation. Exploration of analytical methods employed in argumentation.
  
  
• COMM 767 - Rhetorical Criticism
  Survey of critical methods of inquiry that may be applied to oral discourse and frameworks for critically evaluating communication processes and products.
  
  
• COMM 782 - Theories of Persuasion
  Survey of the theories related to persuasion, attitudes, and values of societal groups, and the assessment of attitudes and values held by the public.
  
  
• COMM 784 Organizational Communication II
  Study of the structure and function of communication interaction in formal organizations and survey of methods of analysis including the communication audit. Also includes models of introducing innovations.
  

Variable Credit Courses

• COMM 790 - Graduate Seminar (1-3 credits)
  
  
• COMM 793 - Individual Study/Tutorial (1-5 credits)
  
  
• COMM 795 - Field Experience (1-3 credits)
  
  
• COMM 796 - Special Topics (1-5 credits)
  
  
• COMM 797 - Master's Paper (1-3 credits)
  
  
• COMM 798 - Master's Thesis (1-6 credits)