101. The Mass Media. (4). (SS).
This course is designed to provide an introductory overview
of contemporary mass media systems and an examination of the various
factors – historical, economic, political, and cultural – that
have shaped their development. The course begins with a description
of present print and electronic media and examines their evolution.
Attention is given throughout to the legal and ethical implications
of mass communication systems and to comparisons between American
media systems and those elsewhere in the world. Finally, it considers the probable future course of the media and examines possible
alternatives. Cost:2
WL:1 (Thrall)
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102. Media Processes and Effects. (4). (SS).
This course introduces students to the contemporary research
on mass communication processes and effects. Basic processes involved
in the production, dissemination, reception, and impact of media
messages are examined. The course investigates a variety of effects
on individuals' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors, as well as
influences on the functioning of larger social systems. It proceeds
in general from investigations of individual-level to societal-level
impact. Critical reading and evaluation of research on media processes
and effects, and of its application to social policy debates, is encouraged and developed. Cost:2
WL:1 (Metzger)
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111. Workshop on Managing the Information Environment. (1). (Excl).
Hands-on workshop intended to develop student mastery of the
rapidly developing and expanding electronic information environment.
Skills developed include the use of electronic communication systems, data base searching, word processing, data management, and various
research uses of public computer networks and the information
superhighway. The course introduces students to a range of campus
computing resources, including local area networks and available
software, and remote access to the Internet and the World Wide
Web. Problem-solving assignments are designed to teach strategies
used in finding information and evaluating its validity and utility.
Cost:2 WL:1
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211(206). Evaluating Information. Comm. Studies 111. (4). (SS). (QR/1).
This course teaches the fundamental thinking skills necessary
for critical evaluation of research-based arguments, especially those based on quantitative information. Such skills are required
for one to be a competent mass communicator of information, a
critical consumer of information relayed by the mass media, or
an intelligent scholar of media processes and effects. The course
introduces generic logical and statistical concepts through analysis
and discussion of specific cases drawn from research reported
in the mass media (e.g., health and business news, public
opinion polls), research on the media, (e.g., the impact
of media violence), and research for the media (e.g.,
audience research). Students' logical and quantitative reasoning
skills are improved through a variety of "hands-on"
exercises and projects (many involving computerized spreadsheet
programs). The course is introductory in nature, and no prior
statistical expertise is required. Cost:2
WL:1 (Traugott)
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305/Ling. 305/Poli. Sci. 305. Political and Advertising Discourse. Junior standing. (3). (Excl).
See Linguistics 305. (Heath)
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321(450). Undergraduate Internship. Junior standing, concentration in Communication Studies, and permission of instructor. No more than eight credits combined of Comm. Studies 321 and 322 may be elected. (1-6). (Excl). Offered mandatory credit/no credit. May not be used to satisfy communication studies electives in a communication studies concentration plan. No more than eight credits combined of Comm. Studies 321 and 322 may be elected. (EXPERIENTIAL). May be elected for a total of eight credits.
The internship is designed to provide Communication Studies
concentrators limited credit for appropriate practical work experience.
Time requirement for a 2-credit internship is approximately 12-15
hours per week for a 14 week term. Student evaluation is based
on satisfactory completion of the internship and written recommendation
of the internship sponsor. Internship credit is not retroactive
and must be pre-arranged.
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322. Practicum. Permission of department. Practicum credit is not retroactive and must be prearranged. No more than eight credits combined of Comm. Studies 321 and 322 may be elected. (1-6). (Excl). Offered mandatory credit/no credit. May not be used to satisfy communication studies electives in a communication studies concentration plan. No more than eight credits combined of Comm. Studies 321 and 322 may be elected. (EXPERIENTIAL). May be elected for a total of eight credits.
The practicum is designed to provided Communication Studies
concentrators limited credit for appropriate practical experience
gained in other than an employment setting. Time requirement for
a 2-credit practicum is approximately 12-15 hours per week for
a 14 week term. Student evaluation is based on satisfactory completion
of an analytical evaluation (e.g., research-based paper)
of the experience, under direction of the practicum supervisor.
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351. Structure and Function of Media Systems. Comm. Studies 101 or 102 strongly recommended. (4). (SS).
This course examines research and scholarship focused on existing
media institutions, their genesis and current lines of development, institutional arrangements, organization and operation, economic
structure, and characteristic communications "output."
Course topics may include: the history of media systems; media
and government, including legal, regulatory, and free-expression
issues; media economics; international media systems; technologies;
media organizational routines; and the values and behavior of
media professionals. The course investigates the ways in which
institutional, economic, and organizational arrangements affect
professional behavior and media content, with attention to media
system changes over time and in comparative contexts. Cost:2
WL:1 (Ohmer)
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361. Processes of Mediated Communication. Comm. Studies 101 or 102 strongly recommended. (4). (SS).
This course examines general phenomena involved with the creation, dissemination, and reception of mediated information. Course topics
may include: information processing, including message encoding
and decoding; media priming and framing of evaluations and decisions;
influences of message structure and communication modalities on
processing; media use and reception, including interpretive processes;
information flow and control, focusing on influences of communication
networks, message diffusion, and information gatekeeping; and communicative processes of learning, persuasion, and social influence.
The emphasis is on the development and testing of general theories
explaining how mediated communication works, even though research
examined will center on particular cases (e.g., studies
of priming in political communication). Cost:2
WL:1 (Price)
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Times, Location, and Availability
371. Media, Culture, and Society. Comm. Studies 101 or 102 strongly recommended. (4). (SS).
This course explores social and cultural approaches to the
study of mass communication. Course topics studied may include:
communication and social identity, including race, ethnicity and gender; media's role in defining and reflecting culture; the equity
of community, state, and worldwide information systems, including
debates over the "new world communication order," postcolonialism, and globalization; media audiences as interpretive communities;
media and social movements; and the role of media in altering
and maintaining political and social order. Research on mass communication
is examined in connection with broader questions about the relations
between cultural systems and social formations, and about the
dynamics of social and cultural change and contestation. Cost:2
WL:1 (Douglas)
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381. Media Impact on Knowledge, Values, and Behavior. Comm. Studies 101 or 102 strongly recommended. (4). (SS).
This course critically evaluates research and scholarship focused
on the impact of mass communication in a variety of substantive
domains. Media impact is treated both in theoretical and applied
terms. The research examined spans levels of analysis, including
effects on individuals as well as society at large. Topics to
be covered include media impact on: social values; educational
development; political behavior; violence and aggressive behavior;
consumer behavior; health; emotion and mood; and on children.
Research on the use of mass communication in public information
campaigns is also reviewed, as is the role of media research in
providing guidance for social policy makers and media professionals.
Cost:2 WL:1
(Harrison)
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439. Seminar in Journalistic Performance. (1-4). (Excl). May be repeated for a total of eight credits.
This course will evaluate media coverage of the U.S. Supreme
Court, in the context of long-range factors affecting the ability
of news media to function in a democracy. This seminar will examine the scope and content of news reporting on major cases before the court. How accurately, fairly and adequately do news organizations
cover the cases as they proceed through the legal system? Do the
media help the American public gain a broad public impact of each
case? In addition to an overview of media coverage of the major
current and recent cases, each student will select one new case
under consideration by the court this term and study in detail
how well it is being covered by the different media. Cost:2
WL:1 (Collings)
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441. Independent Reading. Permission of department. (1-8). (Excl). (INDEPENDENT). Comm. 441 and 442 may be repeated for a combined total of eight credits. No more than four credits may be included in a Communication concentration.
Intended for individualized instruction in subject areas not
covered by scheduled courses. Must be arranged with the faculty
member. Cost:2
WL:1
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442. Independent Research. Permission of department. (1-8). (Excl). (INDEPENDENT). Comm. Studies 441 and 442 may be repeated for a combined total of eight credits. No more than four credits may be included in a Communication concentration.
Intended for original, individualized student research under the direction of a faculty supervisor. Must be arranged with the
faculty member. Cost:2
WL:1
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452. Media Law and Policy. Comm. Studies 351 or 371 strongly recommended. (3). (Excl).
This course covers the basic principles of media law and its
applications in connection with media practice and regulation.
Topics covered include First Amendment theory, hate speech, prior
restraints, libel, indecency, obscenity and pornography, media
censorship, rights to privacy, freedom of information and public
rights of access, advertising and consumer regulation, and electronic
media regulation. Cost:2
WL:1 (Metzger)
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Times, Location, and Availability
453(400). The Media in American History. Comm. Studies 351 or 371 strongly recommended. (3). (SS).
This course places the development of American mass media in
historical perspective. It surveys the evolution of the mass media
from colonial times to the present, focusing on the development
of contemporary forms: the newspaper, magazine, broadcasting, and motion picture. Changes in the structure of the media are
examined in connection with historical and economic trends in
American society. While there are no specific prerequisites, a
general grounding in American history is recommended. Cost:2
WL:1 (Craig)
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459. Seminar in Media Systems. Comm. Studies 351 or 371 strongly recommended. (3). (Excl). May be repeated for a total of 6 credits.
This course will investigate coverage of foreign news as a
reflection of the structure and function of media systems. What
factors influence decisions as to how much coverage to give to
developments overseas, at the UN, and at the State Department?
What criteria do the media use for deciding which events to cover
and at what length, and how valid are these criteria? What value
systems do they reflect? How successfully do the media make foreign
news relevant to American readers and viewers? What special problems
do foreign correspondents face? Cost:2
WL:1 (Craig)
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Times, Location, and Availability
462. Social Influence and Persuasion. Comm. Studies 361 or 381 strongly recommended. Students who have taken Communication 310 in a previous term should not enroll in this course. (4). (Excl).
This course examines the capability of the mass media to persuade, and the basic processes involved. Both cognitive and social-psychological theories of influence are examined in detail, and in connection
with a variety of persuasive phenomena, including advertising, media campaigns, and propaganda. Conditions that facilitate or
impede the persuasive influence of media messages are investigated, as are the ethical implications of employing the mass media to
influence audiences. Cost:2
WL:1 (Salomonson)
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464. Communication Processes and Technologies. Comm. Studies 361 or 381 strongly recommended. (3). (Excl).
A survey of the present state and future applications of interactive
communication technologies, cable and satellite delivery systems, worldwide computing networks, and other new electronic media.
The course examines the impact of these technological developments
on basic mass communication processes, against the backdrop of
research on the interplay of technology, society, and behavior.
Topics include the impact of communication modalities on cognitive
processing of messages, spatial and cultural "biases"
of different media technologies, and the manner in which communication
technologies are adapted and implemented for commercial purposes.
Cost:2 WL:1
(Thrall)
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474. Mass Communication and Identity. Comm. Studies 351 or 371 strongly recommended. (3). (Excl).
This course explores the role of mass communication in shaping
personal and social identity. Special attention is given to the
ways in which the mass media can create, sustain, or alter ethnic
culture and subcultures. Topics include the ethnic media in contemporary
America, including the role of the media in immigrant communities, and the complex interplay of "mainstream" and minority
cultural life. Cost:2
WL:1 (Wolfe)
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481. Media and Violence. Comm. Studies 351 or 371 strongly recommended. (3). (Excl).
This course examines the theoretical and empirical connections
between violence in society and portrayals of violence in the
mass media. The course explores the reasons for the prevalence
of violent themes in television, film, and other popular media, and investigates the psychological and social mechanisms through
which media portrayals might influence attitudes and behavior.
Because one cannot fully understand the relation between violence
and violence in society without first understanding the causes
of aggressive and violent behavior, we will begin by examining the nature of aggressive and violent behavior and how it develops.
In Section 002, we will discuss the role of the media as socializing
agents in general. In Section 003, we will delve into the research
and theory on the link between media violence and aggression.
Finally, in Section 004 we will discuss societal and psychological
approaches to controlling violence and the effects of media violence
as well as issues of media policy. Cost:2
: WL:1 (Huesmann)
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484(420)/Pol. Sci. 420. Mass Media and Political Behavior. Comm. Studies 361 or 381 strongly recommended. (4). (Excl).
This course focuses on the role and importance of mass media
in the political process. Topics include: how news is made; political
advertising; relations between Congress, the President and the
media; and the role of mass media in political campaigns. These
topics are examined through a systematic review of research in
both mass communication and political science. Primary emphasis
is on the American political system, but comparisons are drawn
with other advanced industrial democracies. Cost:2
WL:1 (Valentino)
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485(463)/Soc. 463. Mass Communication and Public Opinion. Comm. Studies 351 or 371 strongly recommended. (3). (SS).
This course explores enduring research questions concerning
mass communication and public opinion. Important normative and conceptual issues (e.g., the role of the press in a democratic
society; the susceptibility of citizens to media influence; the
differentiation of mass, crowd, and public; the relationship of
attitudes to opinions) are first identified and examined by reviewing
writings in social philosophy and social science. These issues
are then investigated further through a review of relevant research
in sociology, political science, social psychology, and mass communication.
Emphasis is given to recent research dealing with the impact of the media on public opinion. Cost:2
WL:1 (Craig)
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489. Seminar in Media Effects. Comm. Studies 361 or 381 strongly recommended. (3). (Excl). May be repeated for a total of 6 credits.
This seminar seeks to explore phenomena related to the impact
of Mass Communication exposure on the individualsí affective
states. Toward this end, several topics will be discussed including the definition of mood, affect, and emotion and the impact of
media presentations on each; an examination of how affect can
influence the encoding and decoding of information, selection
of content, priming and other cognitive information processing;
and an overview of some recent studies conducted in the mass communication
discipline and others which link affect and media exposure. Cost:2 WL:1
(Salomonson)
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491(590). Senior Honors Seminar, I. Comm. Studies 311 and admission to Honors. (3). (Excl). No more than 3 credits of Comm. Studies 491-492 may be included in a Communication concentration plan.
This is the first in a two-part Honors seminar sequence of
seminars that Honors concentrators in Communication Studies must
take during their senior year while writing a senior thesis. During this first seminar, offered only in the Fall, students develop thesis topics, decide on a choice of methods, and write a prospectus.
To be eligible for enrollment students must be accepted as Honors
concentrators during the second term of their junior year. Admissions
as a Honors concentrators requires a cumulative GPA of 3.3, and at least a 3.5 in departmental course work, and a passing grade
of B or higher in Communication Studies 311. Qualified applicants
should meet with the Honors Advisor during the second term of their junior year to be evaluated for admission. Cost:2
WL:1 (Huesmann)
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