Courses
The listing of a course description here does not guarantee a course’s being offered in a particular semester. Please refer to the published schedule of classes on the Student Link for confirmation a class is actually being taught and for specific course meeting dates and times.
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COM CM 717: Fundamentals of Creative Development
Focus is on the strategic creative process in advertising including concept development, copywriting, visualization, and design. Assignments require conceiving solutions to client marketing challenges across a range of media. Teaches foundations for development of effective advertising: problem definition, strategic development, and conceptual idea generation through tangible executions. 1st sem. -
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
CM722 Communication Research Methods is an introduction to the social scientific method of inquiry and the fundamental concepts and processes of social scientific methods that are used in media science, advertising, and public relations. Assorted research methods are covered, including both quantitative and qualitative. Also included are literature review, research design, research execution, quantitative and qualitative data analysis, and reporting of findings. -
COM CM 723: Advanced Communication Research
Provides skill training for data analysis with SPSS (Statistical Package for Social Sciences). Students will obtain hands-on experience by carrying out actual analyses using real data acquired via different research methods. Techniques covered include correlation, regression, t-test, ANOVA, and factor analysis. Students also learn how to translate the results of their analyses into data-driven narratives that provide actionable solutions to problem cases. -
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. 2nd sem. -
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 730: Marketing Communication
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 communication, and develop marketing communication strategies through the use of case studies and classroom discussion. 1st sem. -
COM CM 732: AdLab
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. 2 cr. -
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. 2nd sem. -
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. -
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. -
COM CM 751: Advanced Art Direction
This course builds upon the conceptual work and executional skills acquired in the prerequisite classes. Emphasis is placed on visual thinking and decision-making as it applies to advertising art direction. Assignments are focused on the strategic development of individual brand aesthetics translated across a range of media, as well as package design and collateral. -
COM CM 752: Advanced Copywriting
This course builds on the concept development and copywriting foundations learned in prerequisite courses. Assignments will require the creation of copy for a range of audience segments and media channels. Students will learn to shape copy for video, digital, print, and social media. -
COM CM 753: Portfolio Development I
Course is for graduate students who intend to work in the creative area of the advertising industry. Focus is on the principles needed to understand, conceptualize, and create an entry-level portfolio of work (print, video, digital, mobile, experiential). A workshop-like environment, mirroring an advertising agency, is augmented with lectures and case studies. -
COM CM 754: Portfolio Development II
A continuation of Portfolio Development I, this course continues the iterative process required to construct a competitive advertising portfolio. Students work to refine concepts, revise and strengthen the impact of the art direction and copywriting, and determine how the work should ultimately be displayed. -
COM CM 772: PRLab
PRLab at Boston University is the nation's oldest student run public relations agency. PRLab allows students to gain valuable industry experience in an agency style setting, working in the corporate, nonprofit and government sectors. Students engage in media relations, event planning, branding, copy editing, content creation and social media management. Over the course of the semester, students create professional portfolios. 2 or 4 cr. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Teamwork/Collaboration. -
COM CM 773: PR E-Board
This course represents the management function of the student run PRLab. The PRLab Executive board consists of a President, Vice President and several Account Supervisors, who work together to facilitate the overall success of the student/client interactions and PRLab as a whole. The E-Board is also responsible for PRLab's branding and new business acquisition. 2 or 4 cr. Effective Fall 2020, this course fulfills a single unit in the following BU Hub area: Teamwork/Collaboration. -
COM CM 809: Graduate Internship
Students are placed in public relations, advertising, or communication departments of business, educational, philanthropic, or governmental institutions. Fifteen hours per week of supervised work. Students with a comprehensive report evaluating internship experience at end of semester. 2 or 4 cr. -
COM CM 824: Technical Writing for Communication Research
Teaches students to develop clear and concise research proposals and write detailed research reports incorporating appropriate methodological sequences, techniques, and strategies. Teaches students to interpret the results of quantitative analyses in a layperson's terms and relate their implications to a client, as well as to analyze the standards and pricing structure of competing agencies and available subcontractors in a given market. 1st sem. -
COM CM 831: International Communication
Factors of international communication; cultural, economic, political, and social influences. Role of communication media in effecting social change in a wide variety of countries. 1st sem.
