Communication & Media Courses

CME 1050 INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA (3)
formerly COM 1050
Covers the basics of communication and theory, and how these theories apply to contemporary culture. Discusses the historical development of a wide variety of communication media. Provides an understanding of how these are regulated within the United States and throughout the world. This course gives students the necessary foundation for further study and makes them more critical consumers of the media.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: fall

CME 1080 CRITICAL MEDIA LITERACIES (3)
This course will train students to develop critical media literacy skills, the ability to analyze media messages deeply and interrogate how they connect to and reproduce social systems of power. By taking this course, students will become a more engaged and reflective media consumer. They will understand how ideas are created, circulated, and transformed through the media. In addition, they will be able to identify credible, non-credible, and biased sources of information.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: spring

CME 1500 INTRODUCTION TO INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION (3)
formerly ACL 1500
This course teaches the fundamental elements of communication — what communication is, how it works, and how it relates to your life. It examines different types of relationships and how they are developed, situating communication as fundamental to relationship development. Students will learn and improve upon social skills, including foundations in intercultural communication, conflict communication, and collaborative communication.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: fall, spring

CME 1510 SPEECH COMMUNICATION (3)
formerly ACL 1510
This course provides practical opportunities to develop skills in public speaking through the development, organization, preparation, and delivery of speeches. It also examines how feedback, perception, and individual’s belief, attitude, value system, nonverbal and verbal signals, and biased language influence communication. Students develop active listening skills and practice principles of ethical communication throughout the course.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: fall, spring

CME 2000 RHETORICAL THEORY AND PRACTICE (3)
formerly ACL 2000/ACL 3000
This course surveys rhetorical texts beginning with classical rhetoric and working through modern, post- modern, and contemporary rhetorics. It focuses on texts that are both traditional and non-traditional, including the studying of several sub-fields in rhetoric, such as cultural and global rhetorics, feminist rhetorics, and digital rhetorics. This course will introduce students to a wide array of rhetorical practices, theories, and traditions that undergird current conversations in the larger field of Rhetoric, making them to be more critical consumers and producers of information.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: spring

CME 2540 STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION (3)
formerly ACL 2540/ACL 3540
This course applies current Strategic Communication theory and practices to relevant cases in modern organizations. Publicity, branding, social media, PR writing, celebrity, crisis management, event planning, campaigns, ethics, public opinion are explored in relation to organizational stakeholders within and without various types of organizations.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: spring

CME 2570 DIGITAL MEDIA WRITING I (3)
formerly COM 2570
This course focuses on developing content for our contemporary media landscape, including gathering information and / or news stories, storytelling, enacting organization and principles of information design, and publication. Experience will be gained through practice in writing and reporting techniques for online publication, print, broadcast, and social media.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: fall

CME 2580 AUDIOVISUAL PRODUCTION (3)
formerly COM 2580
Covers the fundamentals of audiovisual production and the technology involved, the planning processes of producing any media product, and the stages of production. Specifically, this course will help the student to understand specific production techniques, writing for producing audiovisual content, the industry, and issues related to the industry.
Prerequisite: CME 1050
Corequisite: CME 2600
Offered: spring

CME 2600 AUDIOVISUAL PRACTICUM (1)
formerly COM 2600-2670
This course is offered as a co-requisite to students enrolled in audiovisual production. In this course, students will gain hands-on practice capturing, editing, and producing audiovisual content. The course will emphasize the most recent techniques and technologies in audiovisual production. The course is repeatable up to three times.
Prerequisite: none
Corequisite: CME 2580
Offered: spring

CME 2800 COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA THEORY (3)
formerly COM 2800
This course examines both theoretical and methodological approaches to the field of communication media to include media history; media economics and policy; media effects and power; media as producers of meaning; media audiences; media technologies; and roles of the media in social, cultural, and political change. Students will develop an understanding of our contemporary media landscape and develop strategies for analyzing media messages.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: fall

CME 3020 ADVANCED AUDIO PRODUCTION (3)
formerly COM 3020
This course covers the fundamentals of audiovisual production and the technology involved, the planning processes of producing any media product, and the stages of production. Specifically, this course will help the student to understand specific production techniques, writing for producing audiovisual content, the industry, and issues related to the industry.
Prerequisite: CME 1050
Offered: fall, every other year

CME 3030 ADVANCED VIDEO PRODUCTION (3)
formerly COM 3030
This course covers the fundamentals of video production and the technology involved, the planning processes of producing any media product, and the stages of production. It will introduce students to the planning processes of producing any media product, the stages of production, and the standards for evaluating the finished program. We will explore both single camera and multi-camera television applications as well as potential new approaches for the production and distribution of video.
Prerequisite: CME 1050
Offered: fall, every other year

CME 3060 COMPUTER GENERATED GRAPHICS AND ANIMATION (3)
formerly COM 3060
This course focuses on the histories of computer graphics and animation, examining critical issues in these areas today. Considers what it means to translate objects from the physical to digital, how bodies exist in digital spaces and become represented by computer graphics, what are the ethical boundaries that should guide the production of computer graphics, and what aesthetic concerns shape the production of computer graphics. Students will develop basic skills in developing computer graphics and animation. No prior experience is required.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: spring, every other year

CME 3070 JOURNALISM (3)
formerly COM 1070
Journalism is a survey course designed to introduce students to the history, fundamentals, and future of journalism. This course focuses on a chronological study of journalism, the basics of telling a story and distinctions between credibility, entertainment, and opinion. Students will apply theories of journalism to their practice, developing relevant and ethical news content for audiences. Students will gain experience in current modalities and formats for conveying the news.
Prerequisite: CME 1050
Offered: fall, every other year

CME 3080 SOCIAL AND INTERACTIVE MEDIA (3)
This class takes a critical approach to understanding contemporary uses of social and interactive media. The course will explore the development of social media by situating it within social, political, economic, historical, and industrial contexts. Students will understand key theories, laws, and ethical guidelines, from the fields of communication and media, that shape the production of social and interactive content. They will additionally learn best practices for planning campaigns, creating and publishing content, reaching audiences, and assessing their goals.
Prerequisite: CME 1050
Offered: spring

CME 3110 LAW AND ETHICS IN COMMUNICATION (3)
formerly COM 3110
This course examines use cases to facilitate the student’s understanding of communication law and the ethics that govern professional practice. Key topics addressed are the communicator’s role in social change and ethical decision-making in the face of political, social, and economic pressures. Students will develop knowledge of the philosophies informing ethical decision making. They will also develop an understanding of legal concepts, such as: constitutional guarantees, libel, accessibility, invasion of privacy, contempt, qualified privilege, copyright, and government regulatory agencies.
Prerequisite: CME 1050
Offered: fall

CME 3350 PUBLIC RELATIONS (3)
formerly COM 3350
This course examines theories and practices relevant to public relations. It offers an examination of communication channels and media used for writing in public relations. Students focus on journal writing that involves the creation, development, planning, and processes affecting organizations, and public opinion. Ethics and laws affecting the practice of public relations are examined.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: spring, every other year

CME 3410 CONTENT MANAGEMENT AND WEB DESIGN (3)
formerly COM 3410
This course focuses on the publication of online content. The course discusses the history and development of the Internet itself, the rise of the HTML format and JAVA scripting for Web publishing, and how other Internet resources interface with this language. Students learn to create web pages, design websites, and make use of content management systems. Finally, students study trends in information design and user-centered design.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: spring, every other year

CME 3530 DESKTOP PUBLISHING (3)
formerly COM 3530
Serves as an introduction to the fundamentals of desktop publishing in the context of corporate communications. This course provides students with an understanding and an appreciation of how audio/visual materials can be used to communicate messages and concepts routinely used in the business world. These messages include print-based newsletters, electronic presentations, and the rudiments of Internet Web page design. The class also discusses the basics of computer filing and routine applications and skills.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: spring, every other year

CME 3600 EXPLORING CROSS CULTURAL COMMUNICATION (3) (GP)
formerly ACL 3600
This course examines the complex relationship between communication and culture including major domains such as recognition of cross-cultural dynamics, broadening of cultural experiences, cultural sensitizing, and skill building for effective communication with people of diverse cultures as well as a variety of sub-cultural groups in the United States. Attention is also given to the formation of one’s worldview.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: spring

CME 3800 QUALITATIVE RESEARCH METHODS (3)
This course introduces students to processes for designing empirical research studies. Students will survey qualitative methods and techniques, used in the field of communication (but which will also be relevant to other fields), including ethnography, surveys, case studies, and user experience studies.
Attention will be paid to ethical research design. The course will also provide critical discussions on topics, such as: balancing transparency with confidentiality, parasitic/parachute research, participant compensation, and diverse knowledge traditions.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: fall

CME 3900 COLLABORATIVE COMMUNICATION (3)
formerly ACL 3900
This course examines communication theories, issues, and practices applicable to working effectively in interpersonal and group contexts. Topics covered include the decision-making process, leadership/ followership, trust, conflict and cohesiveness, relationship building and maintenance, communication culture, and problem solving.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: fall, every other year

CME 4210 INTERNSHIP IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA (1-5)
formerly COM 4210
Experiential learning through placement with local media and other community agencies. Weekly written reports and contact with the instructor are required.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: by request

CME 4700 SENIOR SEMINAR (1)
formerly COM 4700
Prerequisite: none
Offered: fall

CME 4850 SPECIAL TOPICS IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA (3)
formerly COM 4850
Concentrates on unique and in-depth study of topics related to the fields of communication and media. May involve research, travel, or other forms of experiential learning.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: TBA

CME 4990 INDEPENDENT STUDY IN COMMUNICATION AND MEDIA (1-3)
formerly COM 4990
Offers an opportunity for a well-qualified, upper-division student to engage in special research in their major. Requires approval by the faculty advisor, the supervising professor, the division head, and the Provost.
Prerequisite: none
Offered: by request