Courses

• COM CM 713: Law of Communication
  Study of the laws that apply to communication practitioners. Topics include the First Amendment, defamation, invasion of privacy, copyright, free press/fair trial, reporter's privilege, access to information, regulation of advertising and Internet law.
• COM CM 714: Oral Presentation
  Study and application of the principles of oral presentation, persuasion, and interviewing. Ingredients of effective preparation for, and delivery of, informative and persuasive presentations. Emphasis on self-criticism for self-improvement.
• COM CM 715: Public Relations in Nonprofit Settings
  Principles and practices of public relations in social, health, educational, and public service institutions. Analysis of the structure, publics, public relations, communication, and marketing programs unique to nonprofit agencies. Attention to recruitment and management of volunteers, fund-raising, budgeting, and intra- and inter-agency relationships.
• COM CM 716: New & Traditional Media Strategies
  Examines media planning, buying and sales as performed by advertising agencies, clients and the media. Research sources providing data on media audiences and product usuage are evaluated. Examines contemporary trends in communication media and their effects on advertisers. 4 cr, either sem.
• COM CM 717: Fundamentals of Creative Development
  Examines the creative process in advertising including concept development, copywriting, layout, and campaign strategies. Emphasis is on print advertising, but radio and television commercials are also included. Assignments include consumer and trade advertisements for both new and mature products.
• COM CM 721: Advertising Management
  Administration of complete advertising program. Case study method used to explore the marketing mix, budgeting, media strategy, planning, coordinating advertising with promotion, working with client or agency, and the social responsibility of advertisers.
• COM CM 722: Communication Research
  Introduction to the methodology of communication research. Includes both qualitative and quantitative approaches. Attention to the nature of scientific logic, computer literature searches, research design, questionnaire construction, sampling, measurement techniques, and data analysis. Explores the use of focus groups, experiments, surveys, and content analysis.
• COM CM 723: Advanced Communication Research
  Provides an in-depth look at data analysis using the SPSS (the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences). Students get hands-on experience by carrying out actual analyses using real data sets. Techniques covered include descriptive statistics, correlation and regression, t-tests, ANOVA, and factor analysis.
• COM CM 724: Sampling Design and Measurement Techniques
  Discusses various issues related to sampling, such as design, sample size, methods of selection, sampling error, and sampling sources for applied research projects. Also teaches about the various types of questionnaires and measurement procedures commonly used in communication research, including those used for assessing such factors as attitudes, beliefs, media use, and consumer behavior.
• COM CM 726: Strategic Brand Solutions
  Explores the impact of current advertising/marketing issues from business, economic, political, social, legal, and ethical perspectives. Modified case method, with lectures from experts on selected issues.
• COM CM 728: International Public Relations
  Structure and function of public relations and communication organizations in international settings. Consideration of levels of development, culture, and geopolitical variables affecting public relations and communication programs. Cases and examples drawn from the Middle East, Africa, the Pacific Rim, South America, the European Economic Community, and the former Soviet Union.
• COM CM 729: Public Opinion and Public Policy
  Examines the components, dynamics, and mutual effects of the U.S. decision-making process and public opinion. Students apply this knowledge to case studies of persuasion campaigns and provide a written policy paper and oral reports. Examines key principles of comparative government, political science, organizational communication, decision making, and group dynamics as bases for measuring and comparing the relationships between public opinion and public policy in the United States and elsewhere.
• COM CM 730: Marketing Communications
  Addresses basic marketing and promotion principles used to increase awareness of and change in attitudes and buyer behavior about products, services, and organizations. Students learn to evaluate appropriate promotional mixes, examine the role of communications, and develop marketing communications strategies through the use of case studies and classroom discussion.
• COM CM 732: Advertising Campaigns
  Provide graduate students with real life, hands on experience replicating the process and procedures typical in the advertising industry. Direct contact with clients will give account and creative groups a first-hand understanding of the realities of the advertising business. Account teams will develop advertising strategy and create ads for clients. 2cr, either sem.
• COM CM 734: Governmental Public Affairs
  Governmental public relations in this century; primary attention to current programs of public relations at national, state, and local levels. Public contact problems, including personnel recruitment, agency purpose, agency publics, and executive direction. Research participation in the field.
• COM CM 742: Media Relations
  Students learn publicity techniques used in media of mass communication, including daily and weekly newspapers, magazines, radio, television, and film. Practitioners invited to class to present publicity problems. Case study method and workshop sessions with informal discussion.
• COM CM 743: New Media & Public Relations
  Explores the effects of new media on the fundamental theories, models, and practices of public relations. Studies how websites, blogs, citizen journalism, social media, direct-to-consumer communication, podcasting, viral marketing, and other technology-enabled changes are affecting interpersonal, small group, and mass media relationships. Also covers and uses the interactive tools that are re-defining the practice of public relations. The course combines lecture, discussion, guest speakers, case study, and research to help students uncover and appreciate the power and potential of interactive media. 4 cr, both semesters. (taught with COM CM443)
• COM CM 750: Advanced Writing for Media Professionals
  Building on the writing skills and formats presented in CM707, students work individually and in-depth on essay writing, analyses/critiques (drawing on The Best American Essays series), online feature editing strategies, blogs, direct mail package, microsite, and a presidential speech. Various writing workshops complete the course requirements. 4 cr, 2nd sem.
• COM CM 751: Advanced Art Direction
  This course builds upon the conceptual and layout skills acquired in the prerequisite classes. The emphasis will be on art direction within the print media, including advertising, colleteral and coporate identity. The role of art director in other media will be discussed. 4 cr, either sem.
• COM CM 752: Advanced Copywriting
  This course builds on the concept development and copywriting foundations learned in prerequisite courses. Emphasis on print and the creation of long and short copy in a variety of categories such as consumer business, technology, financial and medical as well as some broadcast, direct marketing, collateral, and interactive. 4 cr, 1st sem.

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