Communication (COMM)

COMM 1000. Dean's Seminar. 3 Credits.

The Dean’s Seminars provide Columbian College first-year students focused scholarship on specific intellectual challenges. Topics vary by semester; see department for more details.

COMM 1025. Introduction to Communication Studies. 3 Credits.

Introduction to historical and intellectual development of the field. Students survey the origins of contemporary theory; learn about fundamental concepts, models, investigative tools, and contexts of communication; and explore a variety of professional opportunities awaiting communication graduates.

COMM 1040. Public Communication. 3 Credits.

Study and practice of the basic techniques of public speaking used to inform, to entertain, and to persuade audiences. Emphasis on the speech-building process: audience analysis, research, development, composition, organization, style, delivery, and criticism.

COMM 1041. Interpersonal Communication. 3 Credits.

Study and practice of verbal and nonverbal communication in ritual, information and perspective sharing, problem solving, and relationship formation, maintenance, and dissolution. Designed to raise awareness of the complexity and power of the communication process in daily life and to help students develop interpersonal skills cognitively, affectively, and behaviorally.

COMM 1042. Business and Professional Speaking. 3 Credits.

Study of the communication process in business and professional organizations; practice in interviewing, small group communication, and public presentations. For non-majors and non-minors only.

COMM 1099. Variable Topics. 1-36 Credits.

COMM 2000. Sophomore Colloquium. 3 Credits.

Topic vary by semester. See the Schedule of Classes for more detailed information. Restricted to CCAS students with sophomore standing.

COMM 2100. Communication Theory. 3 Credits.

The nature and function of communication theory as a framework for the study of communicative behavior; analysis of paradigmatic approaches in rhetorical, interpersonal, and mass communication theories and models. Restricted to students in the communication program. Prerequisite: COMM 1025.

COMM 2120. Small Group Communication. 3 Credits.

The study and practice of communication in small groups, focusing on problem solving, norms, roles, and leadership. Prerequisite: COMM 1025 or permission of the instructor.

COMM 2140. Nonverbal Behavior. 3 Credits.

Introduction to predominant theories, principles, and problems in the study of nonverbal behavior; application of research results to everyday life. Topics include facial expression, eye behavior, physical appearance, body movement and gestures, tactile messages, vocal characteristics, use of time, spatial dynamics, gender and life-stage differences.

COMM 2162. Sociology of the Family. 3 Credits.

Examination of the stages of family life: birth, childhood, premarital relationships, marriage and sex roles in marriage, retirement, and old age. Special emphasis on development and maintenance of interpersonal relations. Prerequisites: SOC 1001 or SOC 1002 or COMM 1025. (Same as SOC 2162)

COMM 3099. Variable Topics. 1-12 Credits.

COMM 3110. Research Methods in Communication. 3 Credits.

Processes of inquiry within interpersonal and public communication. Framing research questions, conducting literature reviews, developing a research design, using qualitative and quantitative research tools, and interpreting research results. Restricted to students in the communication program. Prerequisites: COMM 2100.

COMM 3170. Organizational Communication. 3 Credits.

Exploration of the philosophy, process, problems, and potential of human communication within organizational contexts. May involve experiential workshops and fieldwork.

COMM 3171. Professional Communication. 3 Credits.

Principles and theories of communication applied to situations encountered in organizational and professional environments. Development of knowledge and abilities for workplace tasks, such as interviewing, facilitating meetings, providing performance appraisals, designing and delivering instructional materials and other professional presentations.

COMM 3172. Health Communication. 3 Credits.

Exploration of the nature, functions, and impact of relational communication in the context of health care. Both formal (health care organizations) and informal (family communication) systems may be studied. Topics can include provider–patient interaction, media and health, confirmatory communication. Prerequisites: COMM 1041 or COMM 2100 or permission of the instructor.

COMM 3173. Communication in a Mediated World. 3 Credits.

An exploration of human-to-human communication mediated by computer technology. Traditional communication theories are applied and adapted to the computer-mediated realm; newer theories of computer-mediated communication are addressed.

COMM 3174. Intercultural Communication. 3 Credits.

Exploration of the process, trends, rewards, and difficulties of human communication in intercultural contexts, with an eye toward establishing guidelines for mitigating miscommunication across cultures. May involve fieldwork.

COMM 3175. Strategic Communication. 3 Credits.

Exploration of the strategies and techniques employed in successful communication in the face of obstacles such as shrinking budgets and technological expansion. Emphasis on the principles of communication planning through a strategic matrix in an evolving communication environment.

COMM 3176. Issues and Image Management. 3 Credits.

The issues and image management function in corporate, professional, and nonprofit organizations. Assignments may include in-class collaboration on case studies of communication campaigns and crisis communication strategies, interviews with professionals in the practice of communication management, and a communication audit of strategies and messages of a selected organization.

COMM 3177. Corporate Ethical Communication. 3 Credits.

How businesses analyze their communication methods in the context of internal ethical standards. General codes of ethics, marketing ethics, corporate social responsibility, consumer protection, environmental protection, and ethical issues that corporate decision makers face in developing policies that affect employees, customers, and society as a whole.

COMM 3179. Sexual Communication. 3 Credits.

Exploration of sexual communication addressing behaviors, attitudes, and knowledge; the formation of sexual norms, negotiating sexual intimacy and safer-sex, gender roles in sexual relationships, sexual health communication campaigns, and parent-child sexual communication. Same As: COMM 6179.

COMM 3180. Communication Criticism. 3 Credits.

Evaluation of communication paradigms along critical dimensions of analysis. Prerequisites: COMM 1040 or COMM 4150 or permission of the instructor.

COMM 3190. Selected Topics. 1-3 Credits.

Topic announced in the Schedule of Classes. May be repeated for credit provided the topic differs.

COMM 4150. Persuasion. 3 Credits.

In-depth study of the principles and techniques of persuasion from both production and consumption perspectives, in both personal and mediated contexts. Emphasis on the common-premise model, with consideration of such topic areas as pathos/ethos/logos, attitude and behavior change, effectiveness, ethics, and subconscious influence. Restricted to students in the communication program. Prerequisite: COMM 1025.

COMM 4196. Independent Study. 1-3 Credits.

Independent research and special projects. Before students are permitted to register, they must submit a written proposal of the plan of study and obtain approval of the faculty member who directs the study and of the program chair. Restricted to seniors and juniors in the communication program; juniors must receive permission of the department prior to enrollment.

COMM 4197. Internship. 3 Credits.

Student-secured internships in public or private communication-related organizations in the metropolitan area. Students spend at least 15 hours per week doing communication-related work. Meetings, reports, and/or analysis paper are required. Permission of the program required prior to enrollment. Graded on a Pass/No Pass basis. Restricted to students in the communication program.

COMM 4199W. Senior Seminar. 3 Credits.

Capstone course in which students work on an individually designed research project to be presented in a major paper. Includes a significant engagement in writing as a form of critical inquiry and scholarly expression to satisfy the WID requirement. Restricted to students in the BA in communication program. Prerequisites: COMM 2100 and COMM 3110.

COMM 5099. Variable Topics. 1-99 Credits.

COMM 6100. Communication Theory. 3 Credits.

Theories of human communication; interpersonal, small group, intercultural, and media communication. Additional work is required when taken for graduate credit. Restricted to students in the MA in communication management program.

COMM 6110. Research Methods in Communication. 3 Credits.

Graduate-level study of communication-based quantitative and qualitative research methods. Restricted to students in the MA in communication management program.

COMM 6150. Persuasion. 3 Credits.

Principles, techniques, and ethics of persuasion from both sender and receiver perspectives, and across both personal and mediated contexts; the common-premise model with special consideration of such topics as audience analysis; systems of ethics; persuasive claims; pathos/ethos/logos; attitude and behavior change; sender, message, channel, and receiver characteristics; subconscious influence. Restricted to students in the MA in communication management program.

COMM 6165. Organizational and Communication Networks. 3 Credits.

The application of tools of social network analysis to organizational settings and behavior as well as communication processes, both within and among organizations. Restricted to graduate students.

COMM 6171. Professional Communication. 3 Credits.

Principles and theories of advanced public communication used in organizational and professional environments; job interviewing, providing performance appraisals, designing and delivering instructional materials, facilitating and participating on panels, and other professional presentations. Restricted to graduate students.

COMM 6172. Health Communication. 3 Credits.

Health communication theory, methods of health communication research, and practices of effective health communication campaigns. Restricted to graduate students.

COMM 6173. Media and Health Communication Campaigns. 3 Credits.

Theories of media and health interventions and their application to critically evaluate public health campaigns, disseminated via mass media. Examination of applications and associations of theory, research, and practice.

COMM 6174. Intercultural Communication. 3 Credits.

A multidisciplinary examination of the conceptual foundations of culture, the effects of culture on communication in comparative and multicultural contexts, and the suggested guidelines for communication competence in intercultural communication settings. Restricted to graduate students.

COMM 6178. Health Communication and Culture. 3 Credits.

Communicating about health from cultural perspectives. Applied communication research in a variety of contexts, including family, interpersonal relationships, and social media.

COMM 6179. Sexual Communication. 3 Credits.

How public and private communication about sex reflects and affects sexual attitudes, behaviors, and knowledge; health communication, interpersonal communication, and mass communication theories, with consideration of topics such as sexual norms, negotiating sexual intimacy and safer sex, gender roles, and parent-child sexual communication. Restricted to graduate students. (Same as COMM 3179)

COMM 6189. Intercultural Negotiation. 3 Credits.

Introduction to negotiation and dispute resolution in intercultural contexts. Students hone their negotiation and conflict management skills through a series of simulation exercises. Theoretical and methodological issues related to the study of negotiation in intercultural contexts. Open to undergraduate students with permission of the instructor.

COMM 6190. Leadership Communication. 3 Credits.

Leadership as a function of human communication; theories of leadership and communication strategies employed by leaders in a variety of contexts; leadership​ ​as a form of social action​; effectiveness and social implications of the strategies employed in leadership communication. Open to undergraduate students with the permission of the instructor. Restricted to graduate students.

COMM 6196. Independent Study. 1-12 Credits.

Directed research and study in a specific area of communication management, which must be pre-approved by department faculty prior to registration. Restricted to graduate students.

COMM 6200. Special Topics. 3 Credits.

Topics vary by semester. May be repeated for credit if the topic differs. Consult the Schedule of Classes for more information.

COMM 6242. Organizational Communication and Conflict Management. 3 Credits.

Models for effective organizational communication and constructive conflict resolution; organizational communication principles and theoretical and practical approaches to conflict analysis, management, and resolution. Restricted to graduate students. (Same as ORSC 6242)

COMM 6999. Thesis Research. 3,6 Credits.

Development of a thesis project and accompanying research. Students must identify a member of the full-time faculty to serve as thesis adviser prior to enrollment. Restricted to students in the MA in communication management program.