Communication (COMM)

In this introductory course to the discipline, students will learn about a variety of historical and contemporary approaches to the study and practice of communication. The course treats communication as a fundamentally cultural practice that shapes meaning in peoples'beliefs, attitudes, values, and practices across contexts.

This course is a survey of the American mass media and communication. It will examine mass communication and media literacy in today's society by investigating forms of media (print, music, movies, television, and the Internet), the messages of media (news, public relations, advertising, and entertainment), and the ethical, legal, and cultural issues surrounding media.

This course is an introduction to the art, history, and influence of film. Students will trace the history of cinema through both technical advancements and aesthetic developments enabling them to understand the aesthetics of films as well as the cultural and historical context in which the films were made.

In this introductory course to Public Speaking students will engage in the process of transmitting ideas and information orally in a variety of situations. Effective oral communication involves generating messages and delivering them with attention to vocal variety, articulation, and nonverbal signals. In order to be a competent speaker, a person must be able to compose a message and provide ideas and information suitable to the topic, purpose, and audience.

The course examines the theory and practice of communication in interpersonal relationships across a variety of cultural contexts.

Students will learn about the theory and process of small group communication. The course will examine the creation, development, and functions of small groups. Students will gain experience leading group discussions and analyzing patterns of communication in community-based small group settings.

A comprehensive survey of public relations principles and practices: fact-finding, planning and programming, action and communication, evaluation. This course covers relationships between organizations and their publics, and the effective use of media. Students will plan a complete public relations program.

This course approaches communication as a fundamentally cultural accomplishment. The course will examine how people acquire and enact cultural identities, build cultural institutions, and maintain and resist cultural practices. We approach these issues through the examination of both theoretical perspectives and data-based studies of cultural practices. The course seeks to develop student sensitivity to cultural variation in behavior, ideology, and communicative practice, in the service of increased intercultural competence, and ethical participation in intercultural contexts.

With the advent and proliferation of new communication technologies, interpersonal relationships and communities have taken on new forms, transcending space and time, challenging our definitions of what relationships and community can be. In this course, we will examine theories and concepts pertaining to the development of interpersonal relationships and communities in mediated contexts, the role of culture in shaping those contexts, and the social consequences of new communication technologies.

This course covers news gathering and reporting within the context of news criteria. Interviewing, ethics and law are introduced.

Explore the fundamentals of photographic storytelling including news and feature photography. Students examine the history of photojournalism and apply this understanding to their own visual storytelling. Course work focuses on ways of using the camera and related imaging equipment, developing professional relationships with photographic subjects, ethical standards, and law as applied to contemporary photojournalism.

This course provides a theoretical and technical foundation in visual communication. Visual communication is the process of creating, evaluating, and distributing effective visual messages. Students are introduced to the principles of visual design, media content and forms, aesthetic dimensions and audience characteristics. Students apply these principles in the production process while designing projects using visual media hardware and software.

Sports Reporting introduces students to the fundamentals of sports writing. Students will analyze sports reporting in print, broadcast, and online. Assignments emphasize practical skills grounded in journalism, including interviewing, writing, and editing. Students will produce both written and recorded (audio/video) assignments to demonstrate course competencies.

Building on the basics of Journalism, this class focuses on writing news and feature stories for both print and broadcast. The classroom becomes a newsroom where students assign, write and edit stories and then recast their news stories into a broadcast format. Instruction centers on issues in reporting, writing, and editing. Course work will appear in the student newspaper and in the student produced television news show.

This course is an introduction to single camera video field production and post-production techniques with an emphasis on visual storytelling. Students will learn program development, proposal and script preparation, high-definition camera operation, portable lighting techniques, sound recording, video editing, motion graphics, visual effects and preparing finished programs for distribution. Students will create news, documentary, instructional and narrative programming for a variety of platforms including mobile, Internet streaming and broadcast television.

The fundamentals of television production are presented in this lab course in the College's TV studio. Scripting, camera set-ups, how to work with talent, and the control room side of TV production are topics that will be covered.

A creative workshop in which students will work in groups and make their own movies. Students work with video camcorders and editors. Students will learn scripting, shooting, editing and audio production techniques.

This course is an introduction to the art, practice, theory, and best practices of audio production. Students will apply audio production theories to hands-on production techniques and digital editing. Copywriting, mic usage, vocal performance, and digital audio production software will be covered.

This course introduces the skills needed for general radio, commercial, news, and spoken word production. Current practices in radio production and broadcasting will be covered including station automation, FCC regulations, studio operations, podcasting, Internet radio, and other forms of digital broadcasting. Copywriting, and digital audio workstation-based projects in informational and music-based programming may include pre-recorded elements and programs for the college's radio station.

A faculty-developed course that focuses on exploring a communication study or process that is outside the current courses that are offered in the Communication program. This course is designed to provide our students with an opportunity to pursue an area of study that is of interest to a large group. The program coordinator and department chairperson will approve the area of study. Students may repeat COMM 1998 for no more than a total of nine (9) credits. Each course iteration must focus on a unique topic.

Film History examines the narrative, stylistic, industrial and cultural aspects of contemporary U.S. film.

This course will examine a specific topic in film and film making from a historical and artistic perspective. Topics that may be covered include examining the work of an influential director, a specific film genre, or artistic film movement, among others. Students may repeat Topics in Film for no more than 9 credits. Each course iteration must follow a unique Topic.

Advanced instruction in oral communication with emphasis on argumentation, rhetoric, and the conventions of formal debate. Students practice evaluative listening, research skills, and delivering persuasive arguments in a formal debate setting.

This hands-on course is designed to train students to produce the student publication. Students will practice all aspects of production, including writing, editing, managing, layout and design, photography, proofreading, and pre-press work (including digital imaging). Students will learn to judge appropriate news content, check facts, and investigate legal and ethical concerns. The course will also allow students to specialize in one or two supporting areas of newspaper production, including editing, layout and management. Advertising (sales and design) may also be part of this course.

This hands-on course continues the work students began in Publications Workshop, with a focus on further developing the skills integral to strong writing and reporting and the production of a student publication and contributing more of a range of content and expertise to that publication. Students will focus on more in-depth reporting and writing than in Publications Workshop and will be coached in developing reporting and writing projects that enable them to focus on areas for growth and topics of particular interest. In addition, students will be called upon to develop leadership skills, mentoring students enrolled in Publications Workshop and taking a more active role in determining the direction of the student media.

Surveys the components of mass communication. Introduces the nature and complexity of mass media by examining its role today in the political, economic, and social fabric of society.

This course introduces students to various forms of social media and how to use them strategically, especially for business and professional purposes. Students analyze a range of social media platforms with an emphasis on communication, marketing, and public relations. The course explores how social media has transformed the way we interconnect and interact with the world, both personally and professionally. Students are expected to apply their knowledge by participating in hands-on social media projects.

This course is introduction to the basics of screenwriting for television and film. The course covers the formatting of scripts for both television and film as well as market considerations. Elements of storytelling including characterization and plotting will be emphasized.

An introduction to writing scripts for radio, television, film and new media. Through extensive writing, students will learn the basic requirements for writing public service announcements, commercials, news copy, corporate and educational videos, reality and documentary treatments, and dramatic features. This course will teach standard formats and techniques used by professional scriptwriters including preliminary proposals, outlines, treatments, screenplays and scripts, as well as key terms, concept development and analysis.

This production course covers professional practices in creating digital fiction and nonfiction projects. Students learn advanced preproduction, production, and post-production techniques with an emphasis on strong storytelling. Students learn advanced skills in proposal writing, scripting, production, and editing for long-form content. Two hours of lecture; three hours of hands-on production.

The course introduces students to advanced digital production techniques for radio, video, and multimedia. Through lectures, demonstrations, and production assignments, students gain valuable knowledge of the theory and practices of audio art as a recognized form of artistic expression using advanced techniques of audio manipulation on digital audio workstations. Topics include digitizing, formats, synthesis, filtering, and effects via digital techniques. Particular emphasis is placed on audio for radio and video. The course provides students with intensive practice and skill development in audio production techniques, while preparing them to work directly with video and radio program producers.

Students enrolled in the practicum gain hands-on experience working in a radio station environment. Each student is assigned a weekly, three-hour airshift. Students will learn how to operate station equipment, follow a format clock, and adhere to FCC rules and regulations. This class is graded on a pass/fail basis. Course may be repeated for up to three credits. As part of their shift, each student will participate in an aircheck session with the instructor after each week in order to identify strengths and weaknesses and the potential improvement thereof.

The capstone portfolio process is an opportunity for students majoring in Communication to prepare a professional portfolio created during course work leading up to the associate degree, and throughout the capstone course. Faculty offer appropriate topical instruction, constructive critique of portfolio products, provide technical guidance, and mentor students in the creation of a final portfolio, via weekly or bi-weekly meetings.

This course provides students with the opportunity to apply classroom theory in an actual work setting, in paid and unpaid supervised positions, related to their majors. Completion of approximately 15-20 hours per week of work (150 hours for unpaid placements, depending on major; 300 hours for paid placements) and participation in Cooperative Education Online are required. In addition to the work placement, students are required to attend and complete classroom work (online) to enhance their cooperative education work experiences.

This course provides students the opportunity to apply classroom theory in an actual work setting. Student may be placed in a variety of work settings as related to their program of study including but not limited to: TV, radio, production agency, social media, P.R., or newspaper.

A faculty-developed course that focuses on exploring a communication study or process that is outside the current courses that are offered in the Communication program. This course is designed to provide our students with an opportunity to pursue an area of study that is of interest to a large group. The program coordinator and department chairperson will approve the area of study. Students may repeat COMM 2998 for no more than a total of nine (9) credits. Each course iteration must focus on a unique topic.