CCMS Course Descriptions

This course introduces doctoral students to the resources, expectations, and challenges of graduate study in the field of communication. Through an overview of the study of communication from various perspectives, with specific emphasis on media studies, health communication, and technology and policy, students will strengthen academic writing and research skills.

Quantitative research methods and design in communication. Includes the use of statistics in experiments, surveys, and content analysis. Relationship between theory and research will be examined. Assumes knowledge of intermediate statistics.

Qualitative research methods and design in communication. Includes the treatment of historical-critical, interpretive, ethnographic, and textual data. Relationship between theory and research will be examined.

An introduction to the goals of critical research, with a primary focus on enabling social change. The course includes a brief overview of the foundations of critical theory in the United States and Europe. An emphasis is placed on the development of skills in critical methodology and social critique, such as critical textual analysis, critical political economy, and critical ethnography.

This doctoral-level seminar critically examines the past, present and future of African American issues in mass communication and culture through a variety of theoretical and methodological approaches. Topics include the transition from colonial-era slave advertisements to the use of “symbolic slavery” to move markets; the racially segregated foundations of the American press, radio, music, television, and film; emerging questions at the intersection of race and digital media; and the persistence of racial stereotypes in popular culture and their implications for social justice.

Develops skill in researching, analyzing and solving a current issue/problem in communication research related to the student’s dissertation. May involve fieldwork in the communications industry

Examines gender concerns in media organizations, the ways these emerged in response to social movements, equality laws, and theories of gender in organizations.

Review and critical analysis of major theories and theoretical perspectives in communication. Metatheoretical issues will be examined.

Seminar explores the history, practices, tools, legal and ethical issues related to social media. Emphasis on students’ exploration of theories – public relations, communication and business – to help better understand and develop social media.

Overview of concepts of power, ideology, and discourse. Brief introduction to structuralist and post-structuralist perspectives on the study of language as social practice.  Focuses on the application of critical discourse methodologies to analyze various texts, with emphasis on media

This course focuses on sociology, human kinetics, and communication aspects of sport. It reviews theory and research pertaining to sport and media across the world.

The course provides an overview of major research on media psychology and explores current debates about the psychological significance of media. Both traditional and new media genres will be explored with respect to the ways that media shape cognitive processing, engagement, and behavior. Some attention will also be given to media and the shaping of social reality.

Focus on the social, economic, and political factors influencing African, Latino, Asian, and Native Americans’ beliefs and attitudes related to health and illness.

Advanced qualitative-interpretive design and analysis for communication research. Prereq.: CCMS 702 or permission of instructor.

Prepares students to become leading business owners in the field of communications as well as other professions of their choice. Covers developing a marketable business plan, learning strategies of successful entrepreneurship, and establishing personal and professional principles for success.

Survey of theoretical and research literature in negotiation and conflict resolution.

Communication in the political process. Emphasis on persuasive and propaganda devices used in political power and office seeking as well as the formulation and management of public policy.

Introduces public relations and other public communication theories that aid in managing communication and responding to and counseling organizational management and marketing challenges. Explores the relationship between public relations, advertising, marketing communications and management of organizations.

This course examines communication leadership scholarship within a context of diversity that includes culture, gender, race, ethnic, as well as additional diversity indices.

Considers rules, meaning, uncertainty reduction, development communication, and comparative approaches to intercultural communication. Examines methodological issues. Prereq.: COMC 727.

This course examines health and the role of health communication in the African American community.  Focus will be on   theories and strategies in the prevention and elimination of health disparities

This seminar will consider the philosophical underpinnings of critical theory and postmodernism. Specifically, this course will examine the major assumptions, choices, tensions, issues, and concerns that characterize critical theory and postmodernism. Students will be exposed to the ideas of philosophers such as Theodor Adorno, Max Horkheimer, Habermas, Baudrillard, Jameson, and Lyotard, among others.

Focus on the social, economic and political factors influencing African, Latino, Asian, and Native Americans’ beliefs and attitudes related to health and illness. Explores how topics such as folk illness, “personalismo”, face maintenance, home remedies and alternative medicine are related to health communication.

This seminar examines the significance of theory to the understanding of communication through the study of selected theories important to the discipline. The course examines the relationship between theory and research, the development and progression of theoretical debates, and the relationship of communication theories to culture.

The significance and impact of mass communication in contemporary society; critical review of the models and paradigms of media influence and influence processes.

Governmental, legal, regulatory and administrative policies, rules and procedures as they pertain to mass communication and public policy-making. Prereq.: CCMS 553 or permission of instructor.

Design and analysis applications in mass communication research. Emphasis on multivariate design and analysis. Prereq.: CCMS 701 and CCMS 702 or permission of instructor.

Overview of mass-culture debates. Study of mass media as forms of popular culture and communication practices as cultural institutions conditioned by historical, social, and political structures. Critical inquiry into how popular culture creates conditions for social change and social shifts.

Examination of the theories and applications of mass communications as a resource for social development. Critical review of the communication and development literature.

This course focuses on international interactions, information flows, and perceptions in communication, with an emphasis on the role of media.  It is an examination of the history of the field of international communication, current theories of and research on international communication processes and effects, and directions for future research. A comprehensive overview of the global communication landscape, it also addresses the development of the technological infrastructure of international communications. The course draws on case studies around the world, with a special emphasis on counter-terrorism laws and free expression.

Review of contemporary developments in the technology of communications and their impact on telecommunication, media and other communication systems.

Places new communication technology into historical, cultural, and theoretical perspective. Intended primarily to study the “people” side of electronic communication in general and the Internet in particular00

Comprehensive study of the literature on selected topics of contemporary interest and importance in communication studies. Prereq.: Consent of instructor.

Each. Independent program of study with readings of particular interest to the student. Prereq.: Approval of study outline by selected instructor and department chair.

Independent program of study with readings of particular interest to the student. Prereq.: Approval of study outline by selected instructor and department chair.

Focus on preparing for comprehensive exam and/or for tailoring an in-depth reading/research agenda in conjunction with dissertation topic.

Focus on preparing for comprehensive exam and/or for tailoring an in-depth reading/research agenda in conjunction with dissertation topic.

Each. Supervised execution of the doctoral dissertation. Prereq.: Successful completion of doctoral qualifying examination and admission to candidacy.

Supervised execution of the doctoral dissertation, taken only as needed. Prereqs.: CCMS 795-798.