COMM 1113. Principles of Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Introductory study of human communication emphasizing both theoretic understanding of the process as well as skillful application of communication principles and techniques within a variety of settings. (F, Sp, Su) [I-O].
COMM 2003. Communication in Non-Western Culture.3 Credit Hours.
Designed to broaden students' perspectives on human communication beyond the boundaries of Western cultural traditions. Patterns of perception, language, verbal behavior, nonverbal behavior, and interpersonal orientation in Asian, Middle Eastern, African and Latin American traditions are studied. (F, Sp) [IV-WDC].
COMM 2111. Practicum in Forensics.1 Credit Hour.
May be repeated; maximum credit four hours. Develop performance materials (speeches, interpretive cuttings, debate briefs) for use in speech/debate contests. Practice sessions with critiques of performances are given. (F, Sp)
COMM 2113. Business and Professional Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Seeks to enhance the student's awareness and appreciation of communication processes in business and professional settings. An emphasis is placed on improving skills in interpersonal relations, professional oral presentations, interviews, and group processes. Career opportunities in business and professional contexts are discussed. (F, Sp) [I-O].
COMM 2213. Interpersonal Communication.3 Credit Hours.
This course surveys theory and research related to interpersonal communication. The course focuses on effectively managing personal (e.g., romantic, family, roommates, and friends) and professional relationships (e.g., work and classroom). The course's format consists of lectures, group discussions, experiential activities, and written assignments. (F, Sp)
COMM 2323. Survey of Health Communication.3 Credit Hours.
An introduction to one of the fastest-growing areas of the communication discipline: health communication. Surveys current issues, theory, and research surrounding health communication and it will focus on a variety of issues, such as perceptions of health, provider-patient relationships, health organizations, health campaigns, intercultural issues, and the use of new communication technologies in health care. (Irreg.) [III-SS].
COMM 2413. Media Literacy.3 Credit Hours.
Students will develop the ability to question media content and to think critically about how media generate meaning and affect our lives. Topics include: social impact of popular culture, influence of advertising on media content, mass media as a global industry, how to read the news, and media as a source of information and entertainment. (Irreg.) [III-SS].
COMM 2511. Introduction to Statistics Corequisite.1 Credit Hour.
Prerequisite: A satisfactory score on the math placement test; Corequisite: COMM 2513. This course introduces statistics with the purpose of providing tools for interpreting and conducting social science research. This course is designed for students who have some understanding of statistical principles but may still require some guidance to be successful in COMM2513. COMM2513 is a co-requisite. The same grade will be received in 2513 and 2511. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 2512. Introduction to Statistics Extended Corequisite.2 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: A satisfactory score on the math placement test; Corequisite: COMM 2513. This course introduces statistics with the purpose of providing tools for interpreting and conducting social science research. This course is designed for students with rudimentary statistical knowledge who may require greater guidance in understanding statistical principles. COMM2513 is a co-requisite. The same grade will be received in 2513 and 2512. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 2513. Introduction to Statistics.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: MATH 1005 or satisfactory score on math placement assessment. This course introduces statistics with the purpose of providing tools for interpreting and conducting social science research. Topics include; central tendency, variability, normal distributions, sampling distributions, correlation, regression, T-tests, anovas, and nonparametric statistics. (F, Sp) [I-M].
COMM 2613. Public Speaking.3 Credit Hours.
Develops skill in the composition and delivery of speeches suitable to various common speech situations and criteria for judging speeches heard or read. Topics include: nature of public speaking; choosing and presenting a topic; analyzing an audience; organizing and outlining. (F, Sp, Su) [I-O].
COMM 2713. Communication Theory.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: 1113. Examines the formats, roles, strategies and constraints of human communication in varied social contexts. (F, Sp)
COMM 2970. Special Topics/Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.
Special Topics. 1 to 3 hours. May be repeated; Maximum credit nine hours. Special topics course for content not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. May include library and/or laboratory research, and field projects. (Irreg.)
COMM 3003. Political Campaign Processes.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 or P SC 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Teaches students to apply communication skills including public speaking, debating, mass media news and advertising to political campaigns. (F, Sp)
COMM 3023. Communication Research Methods.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and COMM 2513. Studies the goals, objects and methods of communication research. Emphasis is on the student's role as a critical consumer of research; exploration of vocational/professional applications of communication study. (F, Sp)
COMM 3223. Small Group Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Examination of communication principles in the small group setting. Includes consideration of task and interpersonal dimensions, cohesiveness, conformity and approaches to leadership. (F, Sp)
COMM 3243. Communication and Social Change.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Critical analysis and evaluation of persuasive strategies employed in historical and contemporary social movements, especially situations involving agitation and counter-agitation. (F, Sp)
COMM 3253. Persuasion Principles.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. This course investigates various communication and social science theories dealing with cognitive, affective, emotional, and motivational processes associated with persuasion and social influence. The primary focus is on the psychological means and methods different sources use to manipulate communication to influence people within various contexts, as well as the means receivers have for accepting or resisting that influence. (Irreg.)
COMM 3263. Organizational Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Focus on the communication patterns and strategies of private and governmental organizations, including most recent research on problems in management, motivation and communication systems. (F, Sp)
COMM 3283. Communication and Emotion.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Communication and emotion is an advanced course designed to examine the interrelationships between human communication and affective, emotional, and cognitive processes. Emphasis is on theory and research regarding the function of affect and emotion as they impact thinking, feeling, mood, memory, and expression in communication and social interaction. (Irreg.)
COMM 3313. Communication and Public Health.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Introduction to concepts fundamental to understanding human health behavior and health promotion. Describes prevalent health behavior, psychosocial, and psychological theories of behavior change used by health educators and researchers in a variety of contexts. Examines several individual-based, social-based, organization-based, and eco-social theories, including the health belief model, the theory of planned behavior, the transtheoretical model, decision-making, and social support. (F, Sp)
COMM 3413. Interethnic Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Examines the nature of communication between individuals of differing ethnic/racial backgrounds. Identifies behaviors that impede or facilitate the development of positive interethnic relationships. Explores various societal, situational, and psychological forces that influence the communication process. (F, Sp)
COMM 3440. Mentored Research Experience.3 Credit Hours.
0 to 3 hours. Prerequisites: COMM 1113 and permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit 12 hours. For the inquisitive student to apply the scholarly processes of the discipline to a research or creative project under the mentorship of a faculty member. Student and instructor should complete an Undergraduate Research & Creative Project (URCP) Mentoring Agreement and file it with the URCP office. Not for honors credit. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 3443. Deception.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. This course explores the varieties of deceptive communication, their causes and consequences in a wide range of contexts, as well as strategies that can be used to detect their occurrence. (F, Sp)
COMM 3483. Communication and Argumentation.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Seeks to acquaint the student with ways of constructing valid arguments, with application to such communication contexts as policy making, legal decision-making, organizational decision-making and personal inquiry. Fundamentals of argumentation are explored, along with methods of argument construction and numerous contextual applications. (F, Sp)
COMM 3513. Intercultural Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Introduction to intercultural communication theory, research, and application addressing the challenges and the promise of communicating with people with differing cultural/subcultural backgrounds. Topics include cross-cultural variations in communication behavior, intercultural communication effectiveness, intercultural relationship development, cross-cultural adaptation, and intercultural community building. (F, Sp) [IV-WC].
COMM 3523. Communication in Relationships.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Introduces and discusses various theoretical approaches (social exchange, pragmatism, social cognition, etc.) toward understanding human interaction. In addition, the following topics are covered: relationship development and termination, life-span communication, the family, friendship relationships, therapeutic relationships, and interpersonal relationships in various organizational settings. (F, Sp)
COMM 3543. Conflict Management and Negotiation.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Expands understanding and practical experience with negotiation and conflict management. Provides an understanding of negotiation and conflict management processes in a wide range of contexts and from a communication perspective. Also examines factors that influence communication in negotiation and conflict, types of strategies used, and their outcomes for the management of such situations. (Sp)
COMM 3563. Risk and Crisis Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Provides an understanding of the theory, research, and practice related to risk and crisis communication. The course's format consists of lectures, group discussions, experiential activities, and written assignments that require your active involvement. (Irreg.)
COMM 3573. Communication and Humor.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Provides an understanding of the role of humor in communication. Students will learn about theories and ideas related to humor and its effects on a variety of issues, including: relationships, persuasion, identity, media, and politics. Insight will be gained into humor and communication in a way that illuminates important issues in life. (Irreg.)
COMM 3643. Media and Society.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Examines the role of the mass media in social life. Topics include the impact of technology, economics, law, work routines, and culture on media content, and the relationship between the messages created and the audiences that receive them. Competing theories about information dissemination and reception are considered. Emphasis on providing students a framework for thinking critically about mass media content. (Irreg.)
COMM 3653. Computer Mediated Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. An introduction to the area of computer-mediated communication (CMC). Will look at a number of contexts for CMC, including CMC and interpersonal communication, on-line communities, CMC within organizations, and CMC as mass communication. Will introduce students to the history of computer-mediated communication, theories of computer-mediated communication, and will explore communication within a variety of internet-based populations. (Irreg.)
COMM 3810. Variable Topics in Communication.1-6 Credit Hours.
1 to 6 hours. Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit six hours. Content will vary, but will cover a specific aspect or issue in Communication. Designed to present content not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. (Irreg.)
COMM 3960. Honors Reading.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: 1113, 2713 or junior standing with permission of instructor, and admission to Honors Program. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Consists of topics designated by the instructor in keeping with the student's major program. The topics will cover materials not usually presented in the regular courses. (Irreg.)
COMM 3980. Honors Research.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: 1113, 2713 or junior standing with permission of instructor, and admission to Honors Program. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Will provide an opportunity for the gifted honors candidate to work at a special project in the student's field. (Irreg.)
COMM 3990. Independent Study.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: permission of instructor and junior standing. May be repeated once with change of content. Independent study may be arranged to study a subject not available through regular course offerings. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM G4010. Communication Internship.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: junior or senior who has completed two-thirds of the communication courses required for graduation, plus permission of instructor. Applicants must have minimum overall GPA of 2.50 or higher and a minimum GPA of 2.75 in communication courses. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. A planned work experience related to personal career and academic goals, integrated into the student's academic schedule. It includes working in an assigned workplace several hours a week in addition to completing academic assignments and meeting regularly with organizational and academic supervisors. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 4153. Nonverbal Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Seeks to expose students to recent research on nonverbal behavior, emphasizing those properties of communication which characterize social and cultural group memberships. (Irreg.)
COMM G4233. Free Speech: Responsible Communication Under Law.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. A study of the interaction between communication and the law. A consideration of the role of law as both deterrent and protector of the communicator's efforts. Attempts to provide a better understanding of the pervasiveness of regulation of communication. (Irreg.)
COMM 4243. Family Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Examines social science research related to communication processes in family relationships. Focuses on the impact of communication in the development, maintenance, and dissolution of family relationships. Topics include: research methods and theory, stage models of family development, diversity issues related to families, and communication patterns related to different family forms including single-parent families, nuclear families, stepfamilies, and extended families. (Irreg.)
COMM 4253. Strategic Communication Campaigns.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Course focus is on the use of influence in modern campaigns. The course attempts to apply theories and strategies of persuasion to applied campaign settings. The broad objectives of the course includes fostering a student's ability to understand and to use the theories, strategies, and methods involved in persuasive campaigns in a generic sense and in terms of specific contexts. (Irreg.)
COMM 4323. Political Communication.3 Credit Hours.
(Crosslisted with P SC 4323) Prerequisite: COMM 1113 or P SC 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. This course considers the role of communication in democracy. Topics include the kinds of information necessary to sustain democratic systems, the ways in which citizens are informed about public affairs, the function of news media in democratic systems, and how citizens, media and political leaders interact. (F, Sp)
COMM 4413. Issues in Health Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Communication theories and principles in various contexts. Will be a thematic course, which focuses on in-depth, context-specific, health-related research and theories. Introduces various themes that are important in health communication, with particular focuses on interpersonal (e.g., social support, uncertainty management, provider-patient communication), cross-cultural (e.g., cross-cultural health care and illness ideology), and organizational (e.g., HMOs and risk communication) contexts. (Irreg.)
COMM 4423. Communication and Public Opinion.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 or P SC 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Examines the concept and measurement of public opinion. Students learn critical and analytical tools for evaluating the current role of public opinion in democratic societies. Topics include how to measure public opinion, interpreting polling data, social and psychological aspects of public opinion, impacts of media and interpersonal communication on public opinion, and public opinion as group behavior. (Irreg.)
COMM 4513. International Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Presentation and discussion of academic analyses of culture, politics, and ethics in various non-USA media systems. Issues covered include media ownership and concentration, ethnicity and gender in the media, media and international conflict, non-western media industries, global media audiences, and new information and communication technologies. (F, Sp)
COMM 4643. Mass Media Effects.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and junior standing or permission of instructor. Examines theories and research that informs conclusions about mass communication effects. Focuses on media use patterns, social effects (violence, pornography, and stereotyping) and effects on children, public opinion, political effects (election campaigns), economic effects (advertising), cultural effects, new communication technologies, and long-term effects. The course also seeks to enhance the skills of critical reading, logical thinking, and use of media. (F)
COMM 4713. Issues in Communication Study.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Departmental permission, COMM 1113, COMM 2613, COMM 2713 (with a grade of C or better), COMM 3023 (with a grade of C or better), COMM 2513 and nine hours of Communication electives at the upper-division level; Must have earned senior standing (90 hours or more) prior to the semester of enrollment. Provides the opportunity to integrate knowledge about communication and apply it to a project culminating in a speech and senior paper. The project will develop a selected problem, issue, or controversy in communication. (F, Sp, Su) [V].
COMM 4960. Directed Readings.1-4 Credit Hours.
1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: good standing in University; permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit four hours. Designed for upper-division students who need opportunity to study a specific problem in greater depth than formal course content permits. (Irreg.)
COMM 4970. Special Topics/Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: Senior standing or permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit nine hours. Special topics or seminar course for content not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. May include library and/or laboratory research and field projects. (Irreg.)
COMM 4990. Independent Study.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: COMM 1113 and COMM 2713 or junior standing with permission of instructor. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Contracted independent study for topic not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. Independent study may include library and/or laboratory research and field projects. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 5003. Quantitative Research Methods.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. This course introduces students to social-behavioral science processes of inquiry about human communication phenomena. It Examines the relationship of theory and method, looks at various research paradigms and designs, and provides an introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics. (Sp)
COMM 5013. Introduction to Graduate Study.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission. Traces the development of research and professions in communication, providing an integrative conception of the discipline and an introduction to research and theory formulation. Students are exposed to those skills critical to success in graduate training in communication. (F)
COMM 5023. Introduction to Quantitative Research Methods.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Introduction to social-behavioral science processes of inquiry about human communication phenomena for graduate students not pursuing a Ph.D. Examines the relationship of theory and method, between research paradigms and designs, and provides an introduction to descriptive and inferential statistics. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 5033. Advanced Statistics.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing and COMM 5003, or permission of instructor. Advanced statistics covering topics which include: ANOVA, ANCOVA, MANOVA, multiple regression, path analysis, and confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis. (F)
COMM 5043. Organizational Research Practicum.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate student major who has completed two-thirds of the communication courses required for graduation, plus permission. Applicants must have an overall grade point average of 3.25 or higher. Provides practical research experience in an organization. Student adviser and organization's sponsor must agree through a written contract about the goals, plan, and activities associated with the research project. (Irreg.)
COMM 5053. Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Introduction to various qualitative methodological strategies used in the social sciences for students not pursuing a Ph.D. Examines the relationship of method and theory and the process of collecting, coding, and analyzing data. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 5213. Interpersonal Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission. Studies the research and theories in interpersonal communication with emphasis on dyads and small groups, public address, message analysis and nonverbal communication. (Irreg.)
COMM 5233. Communication and Social Change.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission. Studies alternative theories of social change, both historical and modern, with emphasis on the role played by communication at the interpersonal, group and social levels. (F)
COMM 5253. Cross-Cultural Communication: Theory and Research.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission. Study of theory of cross-cultural communication with special attention to language, stereotyping, perception, role, power and nonverbal communication as such variables operate in cross-cultural situations. (Irreg.)
COMM 5263. Health Communication in Interpersonal Contexts.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission of instructor. Provides a broad overview of theoretical and applied approaches to health communication. A variety of health communication topics including doctor-patient communication, health information campaigns, mass media influences on health, role of culture in health and disease, health care organizations, and group influences on well-being will be presented. (F)
COMM 5313. Qualitative Research Methods.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Survey of different qualititative methodological strategies used in the social sciences to collect, code, and analyze information. (Sp)
COMM 5323. Advanced Qualitative Research.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: 5313. Designed to immerse students in the actual experience of conducting qualitative research in the field. Emphasis on participatory observation, ethnographic research, and textual analysis. (F)
COMM 5333. Organizational Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Focuses on the communication environment of organizations, both internal and external, emphasizing implications of organizational designs for communication, communication principles to motivate employees, and the role of communication for productivity and the quality of life. (Irreg.)
COMM 5353. Conflict Management.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Examines theory and research about conflict management in various communication contexts. Takes a social scientific approach to conflict management with emphasis on cognitive processes, affective systems, interaction sequences and strategies and tactics related to how people negotiate the meaning and management/resolution of conflict. (Irreg.)
COMM 5363. Communication and Technology.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission. Provides a comprehensive overview of emerging technologies (e.g., teleconferencing, electronic mail, videotext, electronic bulletin boards, telecommuting, distance education, media richness, voice messaging, invisible technologies, etc.) and analyzes some of the social and behavioral effects of these technologies on human interaction in interpersonal, organizational, small group, and international contexts. (F)
COMM 5373. Communication and Leadership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Examines theory and research related to the philosophy and behaviors associated with leadership communication in various contexts. Emphasis placed on unique aspects of messages as individuals enact leadership roles. Scholarship from several areas of the social sciences will be considered, but communication theory will be given primary emphasis. (F)
COMM 5383. Survey of Political Communication.3 Credit Hours.
(Crosslisted with P SC 5383) Prerequisite: graduate standing. Embraces the premise that meaningful democracy requires an effective political communication system. Examines some of the tensions between the requirements of democracy and the forms of communication that have emerged to meet them, exploring the roles of political leaders, citizens, and the media in the evolution of a democratic political information system. (Irreg.)
COMM 5393. Risk and Crisis Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. The term "risk communication" refers to a body of knowledge and a set of practical skills that can be used in characterizing and managing issues, disseminating information, and communicating effectively in crises or emergency situations. Examines key concepts of risk communication, investigates risk communication theories and approaches as well as implements practical application in learning about communicating in risk situations. (Irreg.)
COMM 5453. Social Influence.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. A social scientific approach to the study of influence (persuasion), emphasizing scholarship drawn from speech communication, mass communication and social psychology. (F)
COMM 5553. Survey of Communication Campaigns.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Theory and research about persuasive communication campaigns which involve conscious sustained communication efforts designed to influence the thinking, feelings and/or behaviors of targeted receiver groups. (Sp)
COMM 5810. Special Topics in Communication.1-4 Credit Hours.
1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission of instructor. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit nine hours. Topics will vary and are intended to acquaint the graduate communication major with specialized study involving communication theory, methodology and research. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 5960. Directed Readings.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate Standing and permission of instructor; May be repeated; maximum credit three hours for the master's degree and nine hours for the Ph.D. Intensive survey of the literature in a selected area of communication under the direction of a graduate faculty member. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 5970. Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; others vary by topic. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit nine hours. Varied special topics in communication. (Irreg.)
COMM 5980. Research for Master's Thesis.2-9 Credit Hours.
2 to 9 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing, majors only, and permission of instructor. Variable enrollment, two to nine hours; maximum credit applicable toward degree, four hours. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 5990. Independent Study.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor; May be repeated; maximum credit eight hours. Contracted independent study for a topic not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. Independent study may include library and/or laboratory research and field projects. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 6023. Communication Research Task Groups.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor; May be repeated; maximum credit 15 hours. Designed to explore numerous topics in communication study, including the development and execution of research in communication. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 6233. Small Group Processes.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Considers current status of small group theory and research, emphasizing leadership. Includes both the development of a tentative theory of leadership and the application of small group theory to the process of decision making. (F, Sp)
COMM 6314. History and Theory of Communication.4 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: 5003, 5013, and 5313 or permission of instructor. Presents the evolution of communication theory from ancient rhetorical traditions to the present. Topics covered include: classical origins of communication; enlightenment contributions to theory; interdisciplinary roots of communication study; and contemporary theories of communication. (Sp)
COMM 6323. International Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission. An interdisciplinary survey of theory and research pertaining to issues of mass media and information and communication technologies and their interaction with culture, identity, politics, and ethics. (Irreg.)
COMM 6413. Interethnic Communication Seminar.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing or permission. An interdisciplinary survey of theory and research pertaining to issues of interethnic/interracial communication. Specific verbal and nonverbal communication behaviors are examined in conjunction with salient contextual factors of the macro-societal, situational, and psychological milieu surrounding the communication process. (Irreg.)
COMM 6423. Communication in Health Organizations.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Examines delivery and exchange of messages within health organizations with emphasis on conflict, bargaining, and negotiating, communication networks and environments, virtual systems of communication, etc. (Sp)
COMM 6433. Seminar in Intercultural Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Studies communication across cultural boundaries with emphasis on comparative analysis of communication systems of various cultures, factors involved in predicting intercultural communication patterns and effects, and the role of communication in cultural and technological development. Special attention is given to communication problems between subcultures in American society. (Irreg.)
COMM 6453. Seminar in Social Influence.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit six hours. Seminar on specialized topic in social influence. Content focus varies with instructor. (Sp)
COMM 6463. Media and Political Behavior.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Examines the interplay of mediated communication and political behavior. Focuses on individual-level psychological processes that shed light on how news, political campaigns, new media, and entertainment programming may influence socialization, attitude formation, political decision-making and participation. (Irreg.)
COMM 6473. Communication and Public Opinion.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Focuses on how collective and individual opinions are formed, communicated, and deployed to make decisions. Examines different conceptions of public opinion, such as the aggregation of individual citizens' opinions, the development of shared values and beliefs, and the active negotiation of opinion in the public sphere. (Irreg.)
COMM 6483. Media and Civic Life.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Focuses on the relationship between media and civic life, including campaigns and engagement in the electoral arena, as well as broader perspectives of life as part of the general body politic. Examines the changing news and media landscape, including the affordances and limitations of contemporary and emerging communication platforms in democratic politics. (Irreg.)
COMM 6523. Health, Culture, and Communication.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing and permission of department. Examines the complex definitions and dimensions of culture and the various pathways in which culture can shape patients' illness experiences and providers' behaviors. This course focuses on three general areas: culture and health behaviors; healthcare delivery in cross-cultural contexts, and minority health. (Irreg.)
COMM 6563. Structural Equation Modeling.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: graduate standing and COMM 5033. Introduction to the analysis of covariance structures. Topics covered include confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, multi-group analyses, and latent means models. (Irreg.)
COMM 6573. Social Network Analysis.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisites: graduate standing and COMM 5033. Reviews theoretical, conceptual, and analytic issues associated with network perspectives on communicating and organizing. The course will review scholarship on the science of networks in communication, economics, organizational science, public health, political science, psychology, and sociology, in order to take an in-depth look at theories, methods, and tools to examine the structure and dynamics of networks. (Irreg.)
COMM 6960. Directed Readings.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor; May be repeated; maximum credit three hours for the master's degree and nine hours for the Ph.D. degree. Directed readings and/or literature review under the direction of a faculty member. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 6970. Seminar in Communication.1-4 Credit Hours.
1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit 15 hours. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 6980. Research for Doctoral Dissertation.2-16 Credit Hours.
2 to 16 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor; may be repeated. Maximum credit applicable toward degree, 15 hours. Directed research culminating in the completion of the doctoral dissertation. (F, Sp, Su)
COMM 6990. Independent Study.1-4 Credit Hours.
1 to 4 hours. Prerequisite: Graduate standing and permission of instructor; May be repeated; maximum credit eight hours. An individual course of intensive study with the area and problem to be determined by the student and the instructor responsible for supervising the study. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5013. Interdisciplinary Foundations for Leadership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. An introduction to the concept of interdisciplinarity as an organizing principle for understanding and interpreting models, theories, and applications of leadership in a variety of organizational settings. Provides selected readings designed to reinforce the interdisciplinary approach to graduate studies in leadership. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5053. Evidence-Based Leadership in Organizations.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. This course examines evidence-based leadership by leveraging analytics to improve decision-making and organizational performance. Students develop skills in data evaluation, pattern recognition, and ethical communication of insights. Practical applications are emphasized through assignments rooted in leadership theory and decision science, preparing students to address people-related challenges effectively. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5113. Theories of Management and Leadership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. This course explores and analyzes the concept of leadership including such topics as leadership theory, changing leadership roles, power, decision-making, empowerment, vision, communication, diversity, and ethics. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5123. Building Positive Workplace Relationships.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate Standing and Majors Only. This course develops positive communication skills for professionals and leaders. Students will explore workplace culture, apply a practical communication model, and analyze case studies. Through reflection and strategic planning, they will enhance their skills to foster positive relationships and lead workplace change effectively. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5133. Cultures of Organizations.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. The course looks at the meaning of organizational culture and its significance for leadership behavior, ways of thinking about organizations and the structure of organizations, the implications for leaders, and other relationships between organizations and aspects of leadership. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5153. Ethics in Leadership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Students develop their leadership capacity by analyzing ethical considerations in global organizations. Students examine contemporary ethics cases, learning that many decisions fall into gray areas where the right answers may not be clear. By balancing the concepts of ethical reasoning with the organizational factors that influence ethical decision-making, students learn to make informed strategic decisions that affect global operations. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5163. Strategic and Crisis Communication for Leaders.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: OL 5113 and graduate standing. This course explores leadership through strategic and crisis communication. Students will learn key theories, analyze real cases, and develop a crisis communication plan. Beyond crisis response, they will examine other strategic communication needs, practicing essential leadership skills to navigate organizational challenges effectively. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5173. The Individual and Leadership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. This course explores the social, psychological, and behavioral characteristics of leadership, personal skills that enhance leadership ability, and strategies for dealing with interpersonal problems in organizations. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5193. Creating, Leading, and Managing Change.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. An examination of effective leadership skills necessary to create and manage change in a variety of organizational settings. Topics include leadership styles in change management, organizational change strategies, models, and frameworks, and the potential barriers to change in organizations. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5203. Leadership Issues in Decision Making.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003, and OL 5113; or permission of dean. Interdisciplinary inquiry into rational and irrational decision making. Content includes research on how decisions must often be made with incomplete evidence, use of cognitive psychology in decision making from a human intelligence perspective, and how decisions are made from a social and cultural process. Students will learn leadership decision making, values of good decisions and unintended consequences of poor decisions. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5223. Financial Leadership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Introduces foundational accounting principles and financial concepts for non-financial managers. Topics include analysis of financial reports, communication of financial data to organizational leaders and stakeholders, and financial planning. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5243. Project Management.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003 and OL 5113; or permission of dean. Interdisciplinary inquiry to simulate as closely as possible the real-world experience of managing a project for a client; the client participates in grading for the course. Topics include: project planning, project execution, project control, project communication, client relations, performance oriented design, collecting information in the field, current operations analysis, specifications for a proposed solution, devising and evaluating alternatives, and implementation. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5283. Building High Performance Teams.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Provides students with the knowledge needed to identify a group's current functioning and build the necessary conditions to create a high-performance team. Explores components of teams and examines the qualities of one who is capable of leading groups of people effectively. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5313. Organizational Communications.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003 and OL 5113; or permission of dean. An interdisciplinary inquiry in the role information and knowledge management play in making decisions in organizations, fundamental issues in the management of information, how people in organizations exchange information, and ultimately how effective sharing of information leads to effective problem solving. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5323. Fundraising and Budgeting.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Provides students with an overview of the history, philosophy, and ethics of fundraising and development. Students will learn about building relationships, goal setting, communication, and how to build strategic fundraising plans to support a non-profit organization's vision. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5333. Motivation in Work and Leadership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Exploration of personal and work motivation, including discussion of relevant theories and their application in leadership and the workplace. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5353. Non-Profit Governance.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. Provides students with an overview of key issues involved in the governance of nonprofit organizations and the role of nonprofit boards. Major governance models are examined and implications of using the different models are discussed. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5393. Followership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Introduction to the follower and the dynamics that result from followership in various organizational settings. Topics include theories and definitions of followership, categorization of follower types, and discussion of how followers can be a positive influence against ineffective or bad leadership. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5403. Leadership in History.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Analysis of leadership principles using prominent examples drawn from history to discern patterns and test categories and theoretical generalizations of leadership. Discussions aim to facilitate the understanding of leadership in different historical contexts. Consideration is given to success and failure, the relative importance of personality vs. circumstances, leadership characteristics and styles. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5423. Women in Leadership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003 and OL 5113; or permission of dean. Exploration of women leaders and their influence on their respective societies, as well as contributions on a broader spectrum. Special attention is focused on how women leaders from different eras became change agents and what particular issues made them transformational leaders. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5443. Religious Leaders for Social Justice.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003 and OL 5113; or permission of dean. Focuses on characteristics of leaders as individuals, in particular as individuals of faith for causes pertaining to social justice. Explores individuals from major faith traditions including Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Native American religion and investigates the ways in which faith and the particular constellation of life experiences and social situations have inspired leadership for the cause of social justice. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5463. US Military Leadership: Insights and Applications.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003 and OL 5113; or permission of dean. Studies leadership, both uniformed and civilian, in the United States military from 1775 to present within the context of the evolution of American military from a small 18th-century army and wooden ship-and-sail navy to the globe-dominating colossus of the late 20th-century. Includes the impact of technology, maturing military theory, and the changing position of the United States in the world. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5483. National Security Leadership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: graduate standing. Discussion of leadership within the environment of the U.S. national security system. Course addresses the legislation that created the current national security system and examines the structure of the national security community, how it has evolved, and how it operates in practice. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5553. Assessment-Based Coaching.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. An examination of best practices for using assessment results to conduct data-driven leadership and executive coaching and to maximize coaching effectiveness. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5593. Development and Grant Writing.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing. An in-depth exploration of the grant attainment process, including practical exercises in proposal writing and the grant review process. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5700. Advanced Topics in Administrative Leadership.2-9 Credit Hours.
2 to 9 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit 12 hours. Advanced studies in various administrative leadership topics, offered under stated titles determined each semester by the instructor involved. Intensive research on a topic related to the student's program of study; variable topics. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5903. Experiential Leadership I.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing, CAS 5003 and OL 5113; departmental permission and permission from graduate advisor. The course equips students with skills critical to developing strategy and maximizing their impact in leadership roles, and develops advanced leadership tools including those designed to increase an organization's leadership capacity. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5913. Experiential Leadership II.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing, CAS 5003 and OL 5113; permission from graduate advisor. Corequisite: OL 5903. Students critique personal leadership skills, abilities, and strategies to build a productive team through effective planning, coaching, and decision making. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5920. Internship in Administrative Leadership.2-6 Credit Hours.
2 to 6 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003, and permission of dean. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. 2-6 hours.Field experience directly related to study focus in the Administrative Leadership program. Requirements include some combination of journal, progress reports, written summary of experiences, or academic paper, and a possible comprehensive examination over these materials. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5953. Graduate Capstone in Organizational Leadership.3 Credit Hours.
Prerequisite: Graduate standing, majors only, and OL 5113. This capstone course for the Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership helps students integrate program learning, expand professional networks, apply leadership theories to real-world situations, and develop effective leadership behaviors. Students also create a personal strategy for ongoing leadership development, connecting academic insights with practical, professional growth. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5960. Directed Readings in Administrative Leadership.2-9 Credit Hours.
2 to 9 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003, and completion of first concentration course; or permission of dean. May be repeated with change of content; maximum credit 9 hours. In-depth study of literature on a topic related to the student's program of study; variable content. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5970. Special Topics/Seminar.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003, and completion of first concentration course; or permission of dean. May be repeated; maximum credit nine hours. Special topics or seminar course for content not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. May include library and/or laboratory research and field projects. (Irreg.)
OL 5980. Research for Master's Thesis.2-9 Credit Hours.
2 to 9 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003, CAS 5013, and completion of first concentration course; or permission of dean. May be repeated; maximum credit six hours. Research and writing of a thesis for completion of PACS graduate degrees. (F, Sp, Su)
OL 5990. Independent Study.1-3 Credit Hours.
1 to 3 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing, CAS 5003, and completion of first concentration course; or permission of dean. May be repeated; maximum credit nine hours. Contracted independent study for a topic not currently offered in regularly scheduled courses. Independent study may include library and/or laboratory research and field projects. (Irreg.)
