Department of Communication Studies
DENNIS MUMBY, Chair
Professors
Robert C. Allen (21) Film and Media History, Media Criticism, Cultural History, History of Popular Culture
V. William Balthrop (1) Rhetorical Theory and Criticism, Cultural Studies, Argumentation
Carole Blair (40) Rhetorical Theory and Criticism, Cultural Studies, Argumentation
J. Robert Cox (3) Rhetorical Theory and Criticism, Environmental Advocacy
Paul Ferguson (5) Performance of Literature, Directing, Adaptation and Script Writing
Lawrence Grossberg (19) Cultural Studies, Popular Culture, Popular Music, Philosophy of Communication and Culture
Gorham A. Kindem (10) Documentary Production, Film History, Media Aesthetics
Dennis Mumby (36) Organizational Communication
Della Pollock (9) Performance of Literature, Performance Theory and Criticism, Cultural Studies
Lawrence B. Rosenfeld (11) Interpersonal Communication, Family Communication, Empirical Research Methodology
Julia T. Wood (12) Interpersonal Communication, Gender and Communication, Feminist Theory
Associate Professors
Richard C. Cante (33) Media and Cultural Studies
Cori Dauber (2) Rhetoric and Public Address
Ken Hillis (28) Communication Technology
Steven K. May (13) Organizational Communication, Cultural Studies
Patricia S. Parker (31) Organizational Communication and Culture, Critical Studies in Gender, Race, Organizational Leadership
Joyce Rudinsky (53) Media Studies, Electronic and Interactive Media
Francesca Talenti (52) Media Studies
Michael S. Waltman (14) Interpersonal Communication, Social Cognition
Eric Watts (66) Rhetorical Studies, African American Communication and Culture, Critical Media Studies
Assistant Professors
Renee Alexander-Craft (41) Critical/ Performance Ethnography, Performance of Literature, Critical Studies in Race and Gender
Sarah Demsey (60) Organizational Communication
Christopher Lundberg (64) Rhetoric and Public Culture, Cultural Studies, Critical Theory, and Religion
Michael Palm (68) Media Studies
Tony Perucci (67) Performance, Media and Cultural Studies
Edward Rankus (61) Media Studies
Sarah Sharma (65) Media Studies, Cultural Studies and Communication Technology
Professors Emeriti
Elizabeth Czech-Beckerman
Howard Doll
Robert J. Gwyn
William M. Hardy
James W. Pence Jr.
Beverly Whitaker Long
The Department of Communication Studies offers graduate work leading to the degrees of master of arts and doctor of philosophy. A variety of courses are offered, including interpersonal and organizational communication, media studies, performance studies, rhetoric and critical theory, and communication and cultural studies.
The program is designed to develop scholars, teachers and practitioners capable of producing, disseminating and applying knowledge in the academic community and in the broader public sphere. Graduates have continued their study in higher degree programs, accepted teaching positions at various levels, and accepted positions in training and development, administration, the arts and media production in both public and private organizations.
Master of Arts Degree
Students develop their own program of study with faculty guidance and approval. Focus and depth are expected. Students must meet the following requirements:
1. Thirty semester hours of graduate-level course work, including either three or six hours of thesis credit. Fifteen of these 30 hours should be in courses numbered 700 and over.
2. Passing COMM 702, a course to prepare students to teach.
3. Passing COMM 700, an introductory course in intellectual history in communications and related fields, with a grade of P or higher; COMM 701, Research Colloquium, with a grade of P or higher.
4. Passing at least one course designed to develop capability in critical, historical and/or social scientific methods of communication research.
5. Passing an oral comprehensive examination, usually in the third semester of study.
6. Completing a research or production-centered thesis, including an oral defense, for three or six hours of credit, depending upon the breadth of the enterprise.
7. Completing all requirements and deadlines of The Graduate School for the M.A. degree.
Doctor of Philosophy Degree
Degree Requirements
The doctoral program in communication studies emphasizes the development of programs of study appropriate to each student's particular interests and to normative expectations for sophisticated, focused dissertation research (cf. Normative Practices for Doctoral Studies, The Graduate School, UNC-Chapel Hill, November 18, 1992). Each student is required to take courses appropriate for her or his program of study from four groups. The first group, core courses, assures that each student is exposed to the variety of communication theories prominent in the discipline and current communication research practices. The second group, courses in the primary concentration, includes a research methods course in the area of primary concentration, a core seminar, advanced seminars that require students to produce original research in the area of concentration and a research practicum that serves as the springboard for dissertation work. The third group, courses in a secondary concentration, includes a minimum of three courses in an area of the department not selected as the area of specialization. Areas appropriate to the specialization and secondary concentration include interpersonal and organizational communication, media studies, communication and cultural studies, performance studies and rhetoric and critical theory. Finally, the fourth area, cognate courses, includes at least two courses outside the Department of Communication Studies related to the work done in the specialization and/or the secondary concentration.
Completion of the Ph.D. program—including course work, a qualifying examination, and a dissertation—normally requires four years of study beyond the M.A. degree.
Admission Requirements
Application for admission to the Department of Communication Studies must be made on the application form provided by The Graduate School. Applicants are admitted for the fall semester only.
All applications must be completed by January 1, and should include the following:
1. The Graduate Record Examination (GRE), with a minimum score above the 50th percentile on both the verbal and quantitative sections
2. Two official transcripts from all postsecondary educational institutions
3. Three letters of recommendation, at least two of which should include specific details about the applicant's educational background, and
4. A personal statement explaining why the applicant wishes to pursue graduate work in this department, his/her goals and any additional information not requested elsewhere.
In addition to the requirements for admission to the graduate program, applicants for the doctor of philosophy degree program must have a master's degree in communication studies or a related discipline from an accredited college or university in the United States (or its equivalent from a foreign institution) and must submit a sample of scholarly writing that shows promise of the ability to conduct research and /or write effectively for a scholarly or professional audience.
International applicants must include Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) scores. They are also required to submit a financial certificate prior to being admitted into the program.
For more information, contact
Director of Graduate Studies
Department of Communication Studies
CB# 3285, Bingham Hall
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, N.C. 27599-3285
Web: www.unc.edu/depts/comm.
Financial Aid
Financial assistance is available in several forms. Please see the financial aid chapter in this catalog for more information on various sources of available funds and deadlines.
All applicants to the department are eligible for teaching and/or research assistantships; applicants should indicate their desire for such an award on the application form. Generally, first-year students assist with two introductory undergraduate courses. Applicants for the doctor of philosophy degree may have responsibility for their own class, depending upon previous experience. All assistantship assignments are awarded on a competitive basis. In some cases out-of-state applicants who are awarded an assistantship are recommended by the department for a remission of the out-of-state portion of their tuition.
To be considered for The Graduate School's Competitive Merit Assistantship, applications must be completed by January 1.
Courses for Graduates and Advanced Undergraduates
NOTE: Courses are offered on demand except as otherwise noted.
275 HISTORY OF GERMAN CINEMA (GERM 275) (3). This course explores the major developments of German cinema. All films with English subtitles. Readings and discussions in English.
312 [112] PERSUASION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 120 or nonmajors by permission of the instructor. Examines contemporary theory and practice of influencing others' attitudes, beliefs and actions. Focuses particularly on analyzing and developing persuasive messages.
410 [110] INTRODUCTION TO QUANTITATIVE RESEARCH (3). Basics of data collection, measurement instrument development and data analytic approaches to communication research are presented to the student. Emphasis is placed on practical application of research.
411 [111] CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES (3). This course explores theories of criticism and symbolic action through readings, lecture and practical criticism of literature, media, discourse and other symbolic acts.
431 [130] ADVANCED AUDIO PRODUCTION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140, 230, or permission of the instructor. Advanced analysis and application of the principles and methods of audio production.
432 [131] VISUAL CULTURE (3). Prerequisites, COMM 140 and 230 or permission of the instructor. Overview of, and intensive practice in, advanced directing techniques for film, video and digital media.
433 [132] INTERMEDIATE SCRIPTWRITING (3). Prerequisite, COMM 330 or permission of the instructor. A major writing project will be completed by each student, either dramatic or nonfiction for radio, television, film or stage.
434 [152] MINORITIES AND THE MEDIA (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. The course traces the development of minorities in film, radio and television, and the press, looking at trends and treatment of minorities by the media, and how and if they have changed.
436 [117] GENDER AND PERFORMANCE (WMST 437) (3). The course combines several fields, analyzing the construction of gender through science, science fiction and film. Students are exposed to science issues as they are represented in popular media.
440 [140] MEDIA THEORY AND CRITICISM (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Intensive investigation of the nature and role of theory in media studies, as well as the nature and role of the critical encounter with particular media texts.
441 [141] AUDIO THEORY CRITICISM AND AESTHETICS (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. An examination of theories of aurality, psycho-acoustics and the development of the audio aesthetic. Course includes, but is not limited to, audio in film, video and multimedia.
442 CULTURAL STUDIES (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. This class will introduce students to the major theoretical and methodological commitments of cultural studies as a perspective on communication, culture and society.
450 [150] MEDIA AND POPULAR CULTURE (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Examination of communication processes and cultural significance of film, television and other electronic media.
451 SPECIAL TOPICS IN MEDIA AND POPULAR CULTURE (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. A special topics course on a selected aspect of media and cultural studies.
452 FILM NOIR (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Course combines reading about and viewing of 1940s and 1950s films combining narrative techniques of storytelling, novels and the stage with purely filmic uses of spectacle, light, editing and image.
464 [164] POETRY IN PERFORMANCE (3). Prerequisite, COMM 160 or permission of the instructor. Critical, aesthetic and rhetorical approaches to performed poetry.
466 [166] NARRATIVE FICTION IN PERFORMANCE (3). Prerequisite, COMM 160 or permission of the instructor. Study of selected short stories and novels in performance with emphasis on narrative point of view.
470 [113] POLITICAL COMMUNICATION AND THE PUBLIC SPHERE (3). A course covering the relationship between communication and political processes and institutions. Topics include media coverage and portrayal of political institutions, elections, actors and media influence on political beliefs.
521 [121] COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL MEMORY (3). An investigation of psychological aspects of communication, particularly the perceptual and interpretive processes underlying the sending and receiving of messages.
522 [124] FAMILY COMMUNICATION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 120; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Analysis and exploration of personal experiences, family systems theory and communication theory to describe, evaluate and improve family communication patterns.
523 [125] COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP (3). Prerequisite, COMM 120; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Critical examination of alternative theories of leadership and trends in the study of leadership; focuses on the communicative dimensions of leaderships.
524 GENDER, COMMUNICATION, AND CULTURE (3). Prerequisites, COMM 224 and 372; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Course examines the speeches and other texts that announced and embodied the goals and political strategies of multiple branches of three waves of feminist activism in the United States.
525 [123] ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION (3). Prerequisites, COMM 120 and 325; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Provides a critical exploration of organizational communication theory, research and application, examining the factors involved in the functioning and analysis of complex organizations.
526 [126] NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 120; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Examines the roles and functions of nonverbal behavior in the communication process. Topic areas may include physical appearance; body, face and eye movements; paralinguistics; haptics; nonverbal deception; the effects of environment; and personal space.
530 [127] INTRODUCTION TO PHONETICS (SPHS 530) (3). A detailed study of the International Phonetic Alphabet with emphasis on the sound system of American English. Application of phonetics to problems of pronunciation and articulation. Includes broad and narrow phonetic transcription.
532 [133] MEDIA ACTING AND PERFORMANCE (3). Study and practice in acting and performance for radio, television and motion pictures.
534 [134] NARRATIVE PRODUCTION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 230 and corequisite, one of COMM 546, 547 or 645. The course focuses on narrative, representational, and aesthetic strategies of narrative production.
540 [182] SPEECH SCIENCE (SPHS 540) (3). Introduction to the science of speech, including production, acoustics and perception.
543 [143] HISTORY OF NATIONAL MEDIA IN THE WEST (3). Study of the development of the art and craft of the film through examining individual films and topics stressing the interaction of aesthetic considerations with sociocultural and institutional settings.
544 [144] ELECTRONICALLY MEDIATED COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION MACHINES (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. A survey of developing telecommunication systems and technologies and their impact on the traditional electronic media and society.
545 [138] PORNOGRAPHY AND CULTURE (3). Examines the social, cultural, political, legal, historical and aesthetic implications of pornography.
546 [146] HISTORY OF FILM I, 1895 TO 1945 (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140. Studies the development of the art of film through World War II by examining individual films and filmmakers and the emergence of national cinemas through interaction among aesthetic, social, economic and technological factors.
547 [147] HISTORY OF FILM II, 1945 TO PRESENT (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140. Study of the development of the art of film from the end of World War II to the present day by examining individual films and filmmakers and the emergence of national cinemas through interaction among aesthetic, social, economic and technological factors.
548 HUMOR AND CULTURE (3). Prerequisites, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Investigates how humor, comedy and laughter function socially and culturally through close examination of selected United States popular media texts and the primary modern theoretical writings on these issues.
549 [137] SEXUALITY AND VISUAL CULTURE (3). Examines questions about sexuality and how it has changed over time, through various media of visual communication.
553 [153] MEDIA AND ACTIVISM (3). A study of the electronic media as a feedback mechanism for community organization and social change. A variety of broadcast and nonbroadcast uses of the media are studied.
561 [160] PERFORMANCE OF LITERATURE BY WOMEN OF COLOR (WMST 561) (3). Prerequisite, COMM 160 or permission of the instructor. Explores through performance contemporary poetry, fiction, nonfiction and feminist thought by women of color in the United States.
562 [161] ORAL HISTORY AND PERFORMANCE (FOLK 562, HIST 562, WMST 562) (3). This course combines readings and field work in oral history with study of performance as a means of interpreting and conveying oral history texts. Emphasis on women's history.
563 [163] PERFORMANCE OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE (3). Prerequisites, COMM 160 and permission of the instructor. The course explores advanced performance theory while focusing exclusively on contemporary poetry, prose fiction, and drama intended for young audiences. Both solo and group performances for young viewers are included.
565 [165] RITUAL, THEATER, AND PERFORMANCE IN EVERYDAY LIFE (FOLK 565) (3). Prerequisite, COMM 160 or ENGL 126 or permission of the instructor. This course will explore the dynamics of performance as it is broadly produced within the texture of individual experiences, the interaction of community memberships and the dramas of cultural aesthetics.
566 [168] NARRATIVE IN FICTION AND FILM: ADAPTATION AND PERFORMANCE (3). Study of narrative in selected short stories and novels and their adaptation for film.
570 [183] ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY OF THE SPEECH AND HEARING MECHANISM (SPHS 570) (3). Anatomy and physiology of the speech producing and aural mechanism.
571 [171] RHETORICAL THEORY AND PRACTICE (3). Prerequisite, COMM 270; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Investigates contemporary theories of purposive symbolic behavior; focus is upon rational, psychological and dramatistic explanations of human behavior.
572 [172] PUBLIC POLICY ARGUMENT (3). Prerequisite, COMM 270; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Analyzes argument in a variety of contexts with an emphasis on public policy and exploring tensions involved in addressing both expert and public audience in the political sphere.
573 [173] THE AMERICAN EXPERIENCE IN RHETORIC (3). Prerequisite, COMM 270; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Examines public discourse from the colonial period to the present. Discourses, critical perspectives and historical periods studied will vary.
574 [174] WAR AND CULTURE (PWAD 574) (3). Examines American cultural myths about war generally and specifically about the causes of war, enemies, weapons and warriors, and the way these myths constrain foreign and defense policy, military strategy and procurement.
582 [180] INTRODUCTORY AUDIOLOGY I (SPHS 582) (3). Theory and practice of the measurement of hearing, causative factors in hearing loss, evaluation of audiometric results and demonstration of clinical procedures.
596 [191] ADVANCED INDEPENDENT STUDY/DIRECTED READING (1-3). Prerequisites, completion of at least one 300-level COMM course and departmental permission. For the communication studies major who wishes to pursue an advanced independent research project or reading program under the supervision of a selected instructor. Intensive individual research on a problem designed by instructor and student in conference.
617 [684] INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION DISORDERS (3). Explores the etiology, epidemiology, assessment and educational implications of speech and language disorders.
620 [120] THEORIES OF INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 120; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Course focuses on how communication is used to build and sustain interpersonal relationships. Forms and functions of communication are examined as a means of testing and defining relationships.
622 IMPACT OF DISASTERS ON FAMILIES (3). Examination of the effects of disasters on children, families and communities. Course considers strategies for disaster relief and methods for decreasing long-term psychosocial damage.
629 [129] TOPICS IN INTERPERSONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 120; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Designed for advanced students, course provides in-depth examination of particular theories of human communication. Course focus varies. May be repeated.
635 [135] DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 230; corequisite, one of COMM 546, 547, or 645. A workshop in the production of video and/or film nonfiction or documentary projects. The course will focus on narrative, representational and aesthetic strategies of documentary production.
636 [136] INTERACTIVE MEDIA (ART 406) (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140, 230 or permission of the instructor. Explores interactive media through creative projects that include sound, video and graphic elements. Technical information will serve the broader goal of understanding the aesthetics and critical issues of interactive media.
639 [139] SPECIAL TOPICS IN MEDIA PRODUCTION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140. A special topics course on a selected aspect of media production or writing. May be repeated.
642 SPECIAL TOPICS IN CULTURAL STUDIES (3). Prerequisites, COMM 442; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. This course will explore various specific topics, theories and methodologies in cultural studies.
645 [142] THE DOCUMENTARY IDEA (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. Historical and theoretical examination of expressions of the documentary idea in different eras and various modes including film, television and radio.
646 [118] ANIMATION (3). Prerequisites, COMM 130 and 230; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. An introduction to the art and mechanics of two-dimensional digital animation.
649 [149] THIRD WORLD MEDIA (3). The cultural and educational uses of radio and television are studied in the developing countries of Africa, Latin America and India. Emphasis will be placed on the new electronic media and their effectiveness in serving developing countries.
651 [151] CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL MEDIA (3). Study of contemporary film/television within a specific international context, such as Great Britain, with particular attention to comparisons and contrasts with the United States and Hollywood.
652 MEDIA AND DIFFERENCE (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. This course examines critical and theoretical issues concerning the representation and study of various modes of difference, such as sexuality, race and gender, in specific media texts.
656 [156] WOMEN AND FILM (WMST 656) (3). This course examines the representation of women in contemporary American film and also considers women as producers of film.
658 [158] LATIN AMERICAN CINEMA (3). This course examines the films, audiences and social contexts of Latin American cinema from the 1930s to the present.
659 [159] SPECIAL TOPICS IN MEDIA STUDIES (3). Prerequisite, COMM 140; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. A special topics course on a selected aspect of media studies, including but not limited to media texts, contexts and/or reception. May be repeated.
660 [162] GROUP PERFORMANCE (4). Prerequisites, COMM 160, 260, one 100-level performance course and permission of the instructor. Theory and practice in adaptation, direction and group performance of texts.
662 [262] LITERATURE/PERFORMANCE OF BLACK DIASPORA (3). Focuses on interpreting the literature and culture of black people in Africa, the Caribbean, Europe and the Americas, including fiction, nonfiction and film, through performance. Participants may anticipate performing every class session.
667 [167] THE POLITICS OF PERFORMANCE (3). Prerequisite, COMM 160 or 162 or permission of the instructor. Course will address the relationship between performance and power, focusing on topics concerned with the potential for performance to contribute to social change.
669 [169] SPECIAL TOPICS IN PERFORMANCE STUDIES (3). Prerequisites, COMM 160 and one 100-level performance course or permission of the instructor. Advanced study of selected topics drawn from performance history, theory and practice. May be repeated.
675 [175] ENVIRONMENTAL COMMUNICATION AND THE PUBLIC SPHERE (ENST 675) (3). Examines communication practices that accompany citizen participation in environmental decisions, including public education campaigns of nonprofit organizations, "risk communication," media representations, and mediation in environmental disputes.
679 [179] SPECIAL TOPICS IN RHETORIC AND CULTURAL STUDIES (3). Prerequisite, COMM 270; or for nonmajors, permission of the instructor. A special topics course on a selected aspect of rhetoric and cultural studies. May be repeated.
684 [184] INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION DISORDERS (EDUC 617) (3). Explores the etiology, epidemiology, assessment and educational implications of speech and language disorders.
693H [098] HONORS (3). By permission of the department. Individual projects designed by students and supervised by a faculty member.
694H [099] HONORS (3). By permission of the department. Individual projects designed by students and supervised by a faculty member.
700 [200] INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH AND THEORY IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES I (3). Prerequisite, admission to graduate program or permission of the chair. Considers theory and philosophy in the study of communication. Surveys major paradigms of contemporary social/cultural theory (and their roots in modern philosophy) in relation to examples of communication research and practice. First of two semesters.
701 [201] INTRODUCTION TO RESEARCH AND THEORY IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES II(3). Prerequisite, admission to graduate program or permission of the chair. Considers theory and philosophy in the study of communication. Surveys major paradigms of contemporary social/cultural theory (and their roots in modern philosophy) in relation to examples of communication research and practice. Second of two semesters.
702 [360] TEACHING IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES (1). Prerequisite, must be communication studies graduate student. An introduction to teaching at the university level for new teaching assistants and graduate students hoping to have teaching-related responsibilities in communication studies. Fall.
712 [212] THE BODY AND PERFORMANCE (3). This course will explore through performance the various ways the human body is "marked" or signified in culture. Fall and spring.
713 [213] PERFORMANCE CRITICISM (3). Prerequisites, COMM 464, 466 or 660. Deals with the key methods of describing and evaluating literature and literature in performance.
722 [229] SEMINAR IN HUMAN RELATIONSHIPS (3). In-depth examination of contemporary research on communication and human relationships. Foci vary and may include intimacy, groups, families and other communication relationships.
723 [221] RESEARCH IN ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION (3). Explores theoretical, methodological and practical issues encountered in ethnographic, case study and field research on communication phenomena in organizations.
724 [225] FEMINISM, SCIENCE, AND COMMUNICATION (3). Critical examination of key feminist arguments about science and communication scholarship as conventionally defined; exploration of alternative goals, assumptions and practices for research consistent with feminist theories and methodologies.
725 [222] INTERPRETIVE STUDIES IN ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 525 or permission of the instructor. Focuses on the theory and practice of interpretive organizational communication research, including organizational phenomena such as culture, metaphor, symbolism, ritual and narrative. Fall.
726 [223] CRITICAL STUDIES IN ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 525 or permission of the instructor. Focuses on the theory and practice of critical organizational communication research, including organizational phenomena such as power, discourse and culture. Spring.
738 [238] PRODUCTION STUDIES (3). Study the integration of audio/video/film theory and practice through lectures, readings, discussions, oral presentations and the completion of audio, video and film projects.
739 [239] MEDIA PRODUCTION (3). Permission of the department. Study of problems involved in writing and producing various forms of media programming. Emphasis on script and production elements necessary to translate scripts into media products.
750 [250] CULTURAL STUDIES (3). Prerequisite, graduate standing. Introduction for graduate students to the current literature and critical perspectives in the areas of media and cultural studies.
752 MEDIA AND SOCIAL CHANGE (3). This seminar inquires into the range of relationships between media and social life, with a particular emphasis on media's role in movements for social, economic and/or cultural transformation.
753 [253] THEORIES OF THE AUDIENCE/PUBLIC (3). This course offers a sustained analysis of the ways in which the media, audience and/or public have been variously conceptualized historically, in critical theory.
754 [254] POLITICAL, INSTITUTIONAL AND ECONOMIC CONTEXTS OF MEDIA AND CULTURE (3). Prerequisite, COMM 700. A detailed analysis of the relationship between government, policy making, corporate and business interests, and various theoretical approaches to their impact on media and culture. Fall.
755 [255] HISTORY OF CULTURAL STUDIES (3). This class introduces cultural studies through its British "origins," especially but not only the work of the Centre for Contemporary Cultural Studies and the Open University.
756 NATIONAL, INTERNATIONAL, TRANSNATIONAL AND GLOBAL MOVIE/MEDIA HISTORY (3). Explores the economic, social, ideological, technological and aesthetic development of film and television as international, transnational, transcultural and global entities, questioning the viability of the concept of national cinema/media in the 21st century.
758 [258] STUDIES IN FILM AND TELEVISION (3). Graduate introduction to the study of film, television and video. This course traces the theoretical and methodological development of media studies.
760 [260] DIRECTING GROUP PERFORMANCE (3). Prerequisites, at least two performance courses at or over the 400-level. An in-depth examination of the theories and techniques of group performance.
761 [261] ADAPTATION SEMINAR (3). This seminar recognizes and applies narrative theory in understanding texts, lives and cultural practice broadly.
769 [269] TOPICS IN PERFORMANCE STUDIES (3). Prerequisite, second-year graduate students and/or consent of the instructor. Special problems in performance studies.
772 [371] SEMINAR IN CONTEMPORARY RHETORICAL THEORY (3). Advanced rhetorical theory. Special attention is paid to contemporary accounts of rhetorical invention, hermeneutics, political judgment and symbolic action. Spring.
773 [273] HISTORY OF RHETORIC (3). A critical survey of the history of rhetoric. Focus on classical and Enlightenment theories of rhetoric, with emphasis on problems of invention, persuasion and interpretation. Fall.
792 [292] PHILOSOPHY OF COMMUNICATION AND CULTURE (3). Prerequisite, COMM 700. Considers the history of and developments in the philosophy of communication and culture, as well as the role these concepts have played in western philosophy. Spring.
798 [298] TOPICS IN RESEARCH METHODS (3). Advanced study of selected topics in research methods. Topics vary.
810 [210] RESEARCH IN INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 410. Special emphasis on survey research, content analysis and experimental design. The designs and analysis of communication data gathered in lab and field settings are reviewed. The course emphasizes multivariate data analytic techniques and their interpretation.
811 [211] RHETORICAL CRITICISM (3). Prerequisite, COMM 571 or permission of the instructor. Investigates the function of rhetorical criticism, the critical method and a variety of approaches to the performance of rhetorical criticism.
821 [226] COMMUNICATION IN CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS (3). Prerequisite, COMM 620. Examination of contemporary theory and research on communication in close relationships. Topics include communication in relational formation, change and termination.
822 [322] SEMINAR IN FAMILY COMMUNICATION (3). This course is an advanced seminar in which students may study family communication and produce original research.
824 [323] SEMINAR IN FEMINIST STUDIES IN COMMUNICATION (3). Prerequisite, COMM 722. This course compares and critically evaluates the work of major feminist scholars in the field of communication. Spring.
825 [329] SEMINAR IN INTERPERSONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION (3). A variable topic seminar that permits faculty and graduate students the opportunity to explore significant historical and emerging issues in the field of communication. Spring.
841 [241] PERFORMANCE ETHNOGRAPHY (FOLK 841) (3). This seminar focuses on methods of ethnography and fieldwork ethics. Performance as theory and practice informs methodological inquiries as well as the analysis of specific ethnographic texts and case studies.
842 [342] SEMINAR IN PERFORMANCE AND CULTURAL STUDIES (FOLK 842) (3). This course focuses on performance-related issues in the emergent field of cultural studies.
843 [343] SEMINAR IN PROBLEMS IN CONTEMPORARY PERFORMANCE THEORY (FOLK 843) (3). An advanced graduate seminar, this course will address recent developments and problems in performance theory. It will consider cross- and multidisciplinary approaches to performance as sites for consideration and debate. Fall and spring.
844 [344] SEMINAR IN PERFORMANCE AND HISTORY (3). This course explores diverse relations among performance and history, including the performance of life histories, the use of spectacle in history, everyday performances of historical protocols and performance itself as an historical construct. Fall and spring.
845 [345] THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF PERFORMANCE (3). This course examines social relations, particularly power relations, by focusing on resistance as performance and the performance of resistance arising from the dynamics and conflicts within specific locations of a political economy.
849 [351] SEMINAR IN CULTURE AND IDENTITY (3). This course looks at issues of the representation and production of identity, subjectivity, and agency—in various forms—in the practices of media.
850 [350] SEMINAR IN MEDIA STUDIES (3). Selected problems in media aesthetics. Exact topic to be covered is announced before classes begin.
851 [251] RESEARCH METHODS IN MEDIA AND CULTURAL STUDIES (3). Prerequisite, graduate standing. Introduction to the issues, methods and materials of research in media and cultural studies. Fall.
852 [352] SEMINAR IN THE HISTORY OF MEDIA (3). Application of historical research techniques to problems in the mass media. Exact topic is announced before classes begin. May be repeated.
853 [353] SEMINAR IN POPULAR CULTURE (3). This course will look at special topics in the study of popular culture. Designed for advanced graduate studies, it will consider critical responses to existing scholarship with original research.
854 SEMINAR IN MEDIA DIFFERENCE (3). This seminar explores critical theories of difference and puts them into dialogue with media representations of difference.
855 [355] SEMINAR IN CULTURAL STUDIES (3). Prerequisite, COMM 755 or equivalent. This class explores the impact of some developments in postmodernism—as an interpretive, historical and philosophical discourse on the possible development of cultural studies.
856 [356] SEMINAR IN COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY (3). Prerequisite, COMM 700. Examines new communication technologies, their spatial and social diffusion, and how these relate to theories of culture, politics and technology and the real-world contexts in which technologies are received. May be repeated. Spring.
857 [357] SEMINAR IN CULTURAL STUDIES AND POPULAR CULTURE (3). Prerequisite, COMM 700. This course will focus on specific topics, issues or queries of popular culture as these have been or can be studied within cultural studies. Fall.
858 [358] SEMINAR IN FEMINIST STUDIES OF FILM AND TELEVISION (WMST 858) (3). Prerequisite, graduate standing. This graduate seminar explores theoretical and practical points of contact between feminism, film and television using psychoanalysis, narrative analysis, ideological analysis and cultural studies. Spring.
859 [359] SEMINAR IN MEDIA AND CULTURAL STUDIES (3). This course, designed for advanced graduate students, will explore specialized topics in interpretive, critical and cultural research in media studies.
871 [271] RHETORIC AND SOCIAL THEORY (3). This course will draw upon contemporary discussions in both rhetorical theory and critical social theory to explore a set of tensions in the western philosophical/political ideals of the public sphere and the political subject as a discursive agent within such public spaces and venues.
872 [372] PUBLIC POLICY ARGUMENT (3). Advanced theory and practice of public argument. Examines the history of the public sphere, critical theories of its operation and its relevance to contemporary politics. Case studies change by semester. Spring.
879 [379] TOPICS IN RHETORICAL AND CULTURAL STUDIES (3). Prerequisite, COMM 811. Special problems in rhetorical and cultural studies.
900 [390] RESEARCH PRACTICUM (1–3, repeatable to a maximum of 6). Prerequisite, permission of departmental coordinator of internships. Individualized practical experience supervised by a faculty adviser and by the departmental coordinator of internships. May be repeated once with approval of departmental faculty.
901 [391] DIRECTED RESEARCH (3). Prerequisite, permission of the graduate faculty member involved. Individual research on a problem defined by the graduate student and graduate faculty member in conference. May be repeated once with the permission of departmental graduate faculty.
902 [392] RESEARCH PRACTICUM IN MEDIA AND CULTURAL STUDIES (3). Prerequisites, COMM 750, 851 and permission of the instructor. Individualized directed research by advanced students supervised by a member of the graduate faculty. May be repeated once with permission of graduate faculty. Fall, spring and summer.
903 [399A] RESEARCH PRACTICUM IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES (1–3). Individualized practical research. Fall and spring.
904 [399B] RESEARCH PRACTICUM IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES (1–3). Individualized practical research. Fall and spring.
905 [399C] RESEARCH PRACTICUM IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES (1–3). Individualized practical research. Fall and spring.
906 [399D] RESEARCH PRACTICUM IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES (1–3). Individualized practical research. Fall and spring.
907 [399E] RESEARCH PRACTICUM IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES (1–3). Individualized practical research. Fall and spring.
993 [393] MASTER'S THESIS (3 or 6). Fall and spring. Members of the graduate faculty.
994 [394] DOCTORAL DISSERTATION (Var.).