Return to Communication
NOTE: All courses at the 2000 level or above require successful completion of prerequisites or consent of instructor before enrollment in the course will be permitted.
1300 BASIC ORAL COMMUNICATION Study, application, and evaluation of principles of organization, evidence, reasoning, critical thinking, verbal and nonverbal behavior, interpersonal communication, public speaking, and small group interaction in the oral communication setting. The emphasis will be on meeting the individual needs of students through individualized instruction using communication experiences. Fall, spring, summer.
1310 PUBLIC SPEAKING Introduction to effective presentational speaking in informative, persuasive, and special occasion contexts. Spring.
2308 PERSPECTIVES IN COMMUNICATION An introductory course that examines the many perspectives from which communication may be studied. This course serves as an introduction to the discipline of communication. Prerequisite: SPCH 1300. Fall, spring.
2310 ADVANCED PUBLIC SPEAKING An applied course aimed at developing a level of excellence in different types of public speaking. Includes analysis of subjects, selection and arrangement of materials, audience adaptation, and oral style in a variety of speaking situations. Prerequisite: SPCH 1300. On demand.
2311 BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL SPEAKING An applied course aimed at developing a level of excellence in speech communication skills in business and professional settings. It surveys modern theory as well as listening, negotiation, influencing others, instructional communication, and barriers to effective business and professional speaking. This course is both theory and performance based, and students will make several presentations. Prerequisite: SPCH 1300. On demand.
2313 INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION RESEARCH An introduction to and practice in the construction of research that is appropriate to the student's area of interest in communication. It explains the structure of the communication discipline, the types of research done by students of communication, and focuses on the basics of library research. These basics include selecting a topic, developing research questions, writing and organizing, and acquiring the tools that make the research process more efficient. Prerequisite: SPCH 1300. Fall, spring.
31D3 COMMUNICATION APPLICATIONS Practical experience in speech and public relations. On demand.
3301 ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION Insight into traditional and modern concepts of channels of communication in simple and complex organizations. Emphasis on informal and formal group dynamics, interpersonal relationships, leadership, communication theory, and creativity. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, and 2313. Fall, spring.
3303 GENDER COMMUNICATION Focus on gender differences in communication. Elements of language, cultural perspective, gender attitudes, and communication process and outcomes in theory and practice. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor. Fall.
3307 INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Investigates major theories and research about communicating with others. Focus on choices and consequences in communication. Student will develop and improve interpersonal skills as applied to their personal and professional lives. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor. Spring, summer.
3308 ARGUMENTATION AND ADVOCACY This course is designed to introduce students to the basic theories and principles of argumentation and advocacy and the process of critical decision making. Students will learn to recognize and use the types of arguments available for critical decision making and to construct and defend well-reasoned arguments. Participation in this course will contribute to students' effectiveness in any situation in which critical decision making is involved. These situations include not only formal debate contexts but also interactions with family and friends, classmates, and co-workers. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor. On demand.
3311 EVOLUTION OF RHETORICAL THEORY Principal rhetorical theories from ancient to modern times. Application of these theories to the analysis of texts throughout history as well as modern social movements, mass communication, etc. Prerequisite: SPCH 1300. Fall, spring.
3312 PERSUASION Recent research on and techniques of persuasion in rhetoric, social psychology, advertising, public opinion, and evidence in relation to attitude change. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor. Fall, spring, summer.
3321 COMMUNICATIONS INTERNSHIP Emphasizes speech communication applied for agencies outside the university. Interns are supervised by department faculty. The internship also applies to students seeking on-the-job experience in public relations. Prerequisite: Consent of department chair. Fall, spring, summer.
3330 EVENT PLANNING This course familiarizes students with key conceptual, communicative, and practical components of the event-planning profession. Course content focuses on the analysis and application of organizational communication theory to practical event experiences. Prerequisite: SPCH 1300. On demand.
3341 SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION Learning how to work effectively in groups. The dynamics of cooperative communication situations and skills associated with interpersonal relations and group goal achievement. Special emphasis on critical thinking, decision making, and problem solving. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, and 2313. On demand.
3370 INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION This course introduces students to theory and research about the differences in communication between people from different cultures, including cultures within a single society. Emphasis is placed on how understanding different modes of verbal and nonverbal communication aids in learning how to live, socialize, and work effectively with a wide range of people. Prerequisite: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor. On demand.
4130 COMMUNICATION PRACTICUM This is the capstone course for speech communication majors. It provides students with the opportunity to integrate the knowledge and skills they have acquired as speech communication majors and provides opportunities for students to exhibit competent communication skills learned during their program of study in order to prepare for a career in communication. By working on a capstone project that draws on prior course work and that culminates in a speech and senior capstone paper, students use their critical-thinking skills in synthesizing previous course work and extend and develop their own original ideas. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308 and 4336. Spring.
4305 AFRICAN-AMERICAN RHETORIC This senior-level course explores the rhetorical practices of African-Americans from the 1700s to the present. This course highlights both the content and form of African-American rhetoric; therefore, topics may include traditional (speeches, essays) and nontraditional (hip-hop lyrics, protests, etc.) texts. Prerequisite: SPCH 2308 and SPCH 2313 or consent of instructor. Offered every other academic year.
4310 PRESIDENTIAL RHETORIC This senior-level course explores the rhetorical practices of the American presidency. This course highlights speechmaking and mediated presidential communication. Prerequisite: SPCH 2308 and 2313, or consent of instructor. Offered once every other year.
4315 COMMUNICATION AND LEADERSHIP This course explores leadership theory and research from a communication perspective. Topics include trait, style, situational, and contingency approaches to leadership, as well as integrative approaches such as charismatic and transformational leadership. Emphasis is placed on assessing student leadership potential and developing effective leadership skills. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor. On demand.
4316 SPECIAL TOPICS IN COMMUNICATION In-depth study of specialized areas of communication studies. Various topics offered on a rotating basis to cover important communication topics not part of the regular course offerings. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor.. On demand.
4318 CRISIS COMMUNICATION Provides students with a general understanding of the three stages of crisis communication: pre-crisis planning, crisis planning, and post-crisis recovery. Students will exam crisis communication practices in organizations of all types with emphasis on planning, emergency communication, image restoration, and organizational learning. This course will be offered once every other year. Prerequisites: SPCH 2308 and 2313, or consent of the instructor. Offered once every other year.
4320 NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION This course engages the ever unfolding research on nonverbal behavior in the communication discipline. Students in this course will explore the history of nonverbal communication research, contemporary research methods in nonverbal communication, the diverse nonverbal codes (space, touch, eye gaze, etc.) the many ways nonverbal communication functions in our personal and public lives. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, and 2313. On demand.
4325 HEALTH COMMUNICATION This course provides a broad introduction to human communication in a health-care context. Issues such as provider-client communication, provider-provider communication and education, intercultural health communication, alternative medicine, health ethics, and mass media health images will be explored. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor. Spring.
4330 FAMILY COMMUNICATION This course introduces students to communication phenomena in the setting of the family. The overall goal is to help students understand how, through communication, we develop, maintain, enhance, or disturb family relationships. Verbal and nonverbal skills which can help promote healthy family communication will be emphasized. Prerequisite: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor. On demand.
4334 POLITICAL COMMUNICATION This course sharpens students' critical skills in analyzing political discourse. Course content focuses on communication related to the American political system, with specific attention paid to the period from the start of a political campaign through an election. Using a variety of methods, students will examine the communicative behavior of politicians, candidates, and strategists as they engage various constituencies, opponents, and the media. Prerequisite: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor. On demand.
4336 ADVANCED COMMUNICATION THEORY A course in which the main concepts, approaches, and issues tied to the study of human communication are analyzed, debated, and evaluated. Prerequisite: SPCH 1300, 2308, or consent of instructor. Fall.
4180/4280/4380 DIRECTED STUDY IN COMMUNICATION This course provides opportunities for the student to undertake advanced study of specific topics in communication in a one-on-one setting with their instructor. It is designed for students who have completed basic and intermediate courses and who want to study specific topics that are not offered in the curriculum. Directed Study is especially useful to students who plan to go on to graduate study in communication and to students seeking professional careers in communication. Prerequisites: SPCH 1300, 2308, 2313, and consent of department chair. Fall, spring, summer.