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Communications & Media Studies

Program Director:  Joel Nathan Rosen
Affiliated faculty:  C. Fodrey, G. Kaskowitz, M. Mikovits, S. Morelock, C. Murphy, D. Wetcher-Hendricks
Adjunct faculty:  T. Molchany

Communications is the study of how to effectively communicate different types of information in various fields such as journalism, media studies, business, politics, and law.  The  study of communications is, by nature, interdisciplinary. At Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ, students wishing to pursue a major in communications do so by completing a six-course core of courses in communication and media studies, paired with courses in another area to align with their specific interests.  Common combinations include communications with graphic design, management, psychology, sociology, and English, but any field of study can be effectively combined with communications.

Students who graduate from Ë¿¹ÏÊÓƵ with a degree in communications and media studies will be able to demonstrate: 1. a critical understanding of popular communication theories; 2. write and speak effectively; 3. familiarity with common practices in media organizations; 4. recognition of the role that mass media has played historically and is playing currently in a given society; 5. development of articulation skills through writing and speaking, technologies, and design deemed necessary to those considering a future in a communications or media-related field; 6. development of foundational technology and design skills necessary to those considering a future in a communications or media-related field; and 7. knowledge of and practitioner competence in the theories and practices of their respective area of focus, as defined by the complementary area of study (ex., marketing, English, psychology, etc.).

Students who earn a degree in communication and media studies often pursue jobs in areas such as writing and editing, publishing, journalism, event coordination, public relations, marketing, media, advertising in a variety of for-profit and not-for-profit organizations, as well as a number of evolving fields, including online-based communications, social media, and marketing.

Students are encouraged to use electives to enhance their achievement of these learning outcomes.

The Minor in Media Studies

The interdisciplinary Media Studies minor combines courses from a variety of disciplines to provide students with knowledge and familiarity about the public’s use of and responses to mass communication. Courses promote critical thought about the impact that media has upon culture, including aspects of individual and community behavior, law, economics, history, politics, technology, and public appeal. Students can focus their attention either on Mass Media or on Media Marketing. Regardless of the track that they choose, students must attain a minimum GPA of 2.00 in five designated courses to complete the minor.

Requirements and electives for each track are listed below.

Mass Media Track

Required courses:

• COMM 111 Human Communication
• One course in applied communications from the below list:
  • ART 155 Communicating with Social Media (Also COMM 155)
  • ENGL 211 Creative Nonfiction
  • ENGL 230 Public Speaking
  • ENGL 216 Professional Communication
  • ENGL 218 Digital Rhetoric & Writing
  • ENGL 224 Intro to Journalism
• COMM 376 Capstone in Communication and Media Studies

Elective courses:

Choice of two listed below.

• ART 125 Art in Public Spaces
  • ART 131 Intro to Graphic Design
  • ART 212 Artists as Activists
  • ART 220 History of Photography
  • COMM 240 Communication Theory and Research
  • COMM 259 Sport and Its Cultural Legacy (WI)
  • COMM 266 The Blues (U2)
  • COMM 355 Topics in Media Studies (WI)
  • COMM 358 Segregation in America: The Language of Jim Crow (U2)
  • ENGL 230 Public Speaking
  • ENGL 312 News and Feature Writing (or equivalent)
  • ENGL 316 Rhetorics of Everyday Life (WI)
  • HIST 114 United States Since 1865
  • HIST 267 Video Storytelling (Also COMM 267)
  • HIST 365 Oral History & Podcasting
  • IDIS 120: Filming Family Stories
  • IDIS 259 Sport and Its Cultural Legacy (Also COMM 259)
  • IDIS 350 Media Technology and Society. (Also SOCI 350)
  • POSC 130 The First Amendment
  • POSC 330 Politics and Popular Culture
  • REL 128 Asian Traditions through Film
  • REL 136 Seeing and Believing: Women, Religion, and Film. (Also WGSS136)
  • SOC 115 Introductory Sociology (M4)
  • SOC 350 Media Technology and Society (U1)
  • COMM Special Topics
  • COMM Independent Study
  • COMM Honors

Marketing Media Track

Required courses:

• COMM 111 Human Communication
• MGMT 251 Marketing Management
• COMM 376 Capstone in Communication and Media Studies

Elective courses:

Choice of two listed below. 

• • ART 125 Art in Public Spaces
  • ART 131 Intro to Graphic Design
  • ART 220 History of Photography
  • COMM 240 Communication Theory and Research
  • COMM 259 Sport and Its Cultural Legacy (WI)
  • COMM 355 Topics in Media Studies (WI)
  • COMM 358 Segregation in America: The Language of Jim Crow (U2)
  • ENGL 230 Public Speaking
  • HIST 114 United States Since 1865
  • HIST 237 Popular Culture in Medieval and Early Modern Europe
  • HIST 267 Video Storytelling (Also COMM 267)
  • HIST 365 Oral History & Podcasting
  • IDIS 358 Segregation in America: The Legacy of Jim Crow. (Also COMM 358)
  • MGMT 227 Consumer Behavior
  • MGMT 228 Telling and Selling Your Brand
  • MGMT 311 Marketing Research (WI)
  • REL 128 Asian Traditions through Film
  • REL 136 Seeing and Believing: Women, Religion, and Film. (Also WGSS136)
  • SOC 113 Cultural Anthropology (M4)
  • SOC 350 Media Technology and Society (U1)4
  • COMM Special Topics
  • COMM Independent Study
  • COMM Honors

Communications & Media Studies Major

Students who pursue Communications & Media Studies complete a major that includes the core courses below in communication & media studies and 6 courses from another field.  These pre-approved tracks are listed below. Tracks presently available are Graphic & Interactive Design, Photography & Media, Sociology, Marketing, and Writing for Public Audiences.  Students who wish to create a track that does not include one of these tracks must submit an interdepartmental major application to the Academic Standards Committee.

The six-course core in communication and media studies is composed of the following courses:

1) COMM 111 Human Communication

2) SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

ENGL 230  Public Speaking

ENGL 216. Professional Communication

3) COMM 240 Communication Theory and Research

4) COMM 155 Communicating with Social Media

5) SELECT ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

COMM 355.  WI: Topics in Media Studies

ENGL 316. Rhetorics of Everyday Life

6) COMM 376.  Capstone in Communication and Media Studies

Students then must complete one of the following tracks: 

A. Graphic and Interactive Design :

1. ART 142: Visual Foundations
2. ART 131: Introduction to Graphic Design 
3. ART 230: Typography 
4. ART 346: Interactive Design I 
5. Two of the following:

• ART 231: Publication Design
• ART 356: Interactive Design II 
• ART 358: User Experience and User Interface Design
• ART 374: Portfolio Seminar 
• ART 373: Graphic and Interactive Design Internship 

B) Photography/Digital Media:

1. ART 142: Visual Foundations

2. ART 268: Digital Photography I

3. ART 368:  Digital Photography II

4. ART 220: History of Photography

5. ART 254:  Digital Video

6. One of the following:

• ART 167: Black and White Photography I
• ART 265: Alternative Photographic Processes

C) Marketing 

1. ECON 156:  Economics and Business Statistics
2. MGMT 251:  Marketing Management
3. MGMT 227:  Consumer Behavior
4. MGMT 228:  Telling/Selling Your Brand
5. MGMT 311:  Marketing Research (WI)
6. MGMT 386:  Internship

D) Sociology 

1. SOC 113: Cultural Anthropology

2. SOC 115: Introductory Sociology

3. SOC 246: Basic Research Methods

4. One of the following:

• SOC 258: Power and Conflict (WI)
• SOC 355: Sociology of Gender (WI)
• SOC 357: Racial and Ethnic Inequality (WI)

5. SOC/IDIS 350: Socio-History of Media Technology

6. SOC 386: Internship

E) Writing for Public Audiences 

1. ENGL 216 Professional Communication OR
   ENGL 230 Public Speaking *whichever was not taken in Communication and Media Studies core
2. ENGL 218 Digital Rhetoric and Writing
3. ENGL 224 Introduction to Journalism
4. ENGL 312 News and Feature Writing in the Digital Age
5. One of the following:

• ENGL 211 Creative Nonfiction 
• ENGL 242 Environmental Writing 
• ENGL 263 Writing as Activism 
• other writing courses as deemed suitable (to be approved by the Director of Writing)

6. ENGL 386: Internship

Course descriptions:

COMM 111. Human Communication.  This course focuses upon the functions and processes of communication as well as the various communication techniques used in modern society. Students explore basic theories and examine the characteristics and social effects of verbal and non-verbal human interaction. Application of theoretical concepts include observation and analysis of communication methods used in interpersonal, group, and media forums. (M4)  

COMM 112. Intro to Media.  This course is an introductory survey of the role that media plays in everyday life. Focusing particularly on the evolutions of mass media forms, ranging from print to today’s uniquely digital environments, students will be introduced to the various media types and the socio-cultural implications and legacy of each. In addition, we will highlight those people and developments that have given rise to today’s industry while we engage some of media’s most storied achievements, catastrophic flops, panics, and controversies that remain at the forefront of media-based discussions, then as now. (M4)

COMM 128. Asian Traditions through Film. (Also REL 128) What can we learn about Asian religious-philosophical traditions through film? What can we learn about the form and content of this medium by watching others and creating our own film? This course exposes students to Hinduism, Yoga, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, Chinese divination and geomancy, and contemporary expressions of Asian religions. Students learn not just from the content and narrative of film, but also its meta-narrative, or narration in form and structure, including editing (shot composition), lighting, musical arrangement, and implicit ideologies (romanticization, Orientalism). Students will watch clips and short films in class, and feature-length films before class (through Ensemble Video). The final group project involves creation of a short film that will be screened to the rest of the class. Students will gain basic concepts of Asian religious-philosophical traditions and learn how to critically evaluate films that we will view. (M6)

COMM 155.  (also ART 155.) Communicating with Social Media.  An entry-level course where students will explore the history and role of social media in public relations, marketing, advertising and other related fields. Students will develop knowledge and skills relevant to digital communication with a focus on social media marketing. Students will investigate professional, theoretical, cultural and societal aspects of social media while gaining tactical skills to produce digital content for a semester-long social media campaign project.  

COMM 230.  (also ENGL 230)  Public Speaking.  Basic theory of public speaking with emphasis on developing skills essential to effective interpersonal communication in industrial, business, and academic settings. Fall. 

COMM 240.  Communication Theory and Research.   Students evaluate major theories and develop the skills to critically interpret data pertaining to communication.  Course topics include cognitive processes involved in communication, social standards of communication, systems of communications, and media environments. Through guided field interactions, students apply relevant principles and analyses to communication contexts. By focusing upon the interrelationship between communication theory and research, this course prepares students for courses in specialized areas of communication and media studies and for upper-level general communications courses. Prerequisite: COMM 111 with a grade of C or better and/or permission of instructor. 

COMM 259. (also IDIS 259) Sport and Its Cultural Legacy. A critical examination of the changing relationship between sport and culture, particularly as it pertains to Western sport. The course will include an historical overview of sport as cultural marker and its resultant industries before moving toward a range of specific socio-political dimensions, including issues of inequality, labor, marketing, and socialization schemes, paying particular attention to the narratives expressed through various media forms. Writing-intensive.

COMM  266. (also IDIS 266).  The Blues. Considers the social, political, and cultural record of black country music styles, i.e. ‘the blues,’ that initially takes shape in the years following the end of Reconstruction before it is commercialized and standardized through the efforts of a burgeoning recording industry in the early 1920s. We will look to analyze and demythologize many of the pre- and ill-conceived assumptions regarding its development, diffusion, and role as a chronicler of post-Reconstruction African American life by initially examining its place in the rural and agrarian American South before it pivots toward its more modern iterations in Chicago and other industrialized and urban northern and western settings resulting from The Great Migration. Open to juniors and seniors only. (U2)

COMM​​​​​​​ 267. Video Storytelling. (also HIST 267) This course explores the theories and methods of public history through the medium of video storytelling. We will examine how scholars and filmmakers have engaged in historical analysis and explored humanities topics through feature-length and short documentaries; study the major documentary modes and assess their potential applications for a range of public history and public humanities projects; and survey how museums, historic sites, and humanities organizations use video on their websites, social media accounts, interactive smartphone apps, and in-person tours. Finally, students will gain hands-on experience by completing semester-long group projects in collaboration with an on- or off-campus partner organization culminating in the production of a publicly shared short video. The instructor will provide in-class instruction in pre-production planning, interview techniques, shooting video on smartphones, and post-production editing. 

COMM 355.  WI: Topics in Media Studies. Topics will focus upon particular concepts and theories in media studies, important scholars, notable  developments and contributors to the various fields, as well as relevant debates and controversies.Prerequisite COMM 111 with a grade of C or better and/or permission of instructor. (Repeatable). (WI).

COMM 358. (also IDIS 358) Segregation in America: The Language of Jim Crow. A more grounded approach for tracing and interpreting the wide reach of legalized and enforced segregation in American life focusing primarily on the post-bellum period of the 19th century through the civil rights struggles of the 1960s and 1970s. Looks past many of the more commonly understood (and misinterpreted) elements of the so-called Jim Crow edifice by looking at all regions of the country during this period in a more comparative frame. Examines the social, historical, economic, and political forces that fueled the construction of segregation then while attempting to make sense of discussions relative to race, class, and power in America today. Open to juniors and seniors only. (U2)

COMM 376.  Capstone in Communication and Media Studies.  This course is designed to help students reflect and/or synthesize knowledge gained throughout the communication and media studies major. The underlying objective of the course is to get students thinking about reviewing and applying concepts covered in their previous classes through the construction of a senior project that demonstrates students’ mastery over the subject matter based on individual student interest.Required of all communication and media studies-related majors. Intended to be taken in the Spring semester of the senior year. Prerequisite(s): Completion of or concurrent enrollment in an internship in communication and media studies; senior standing; and/or permission of the instructor.