COMT 101 Fundamentals of Communication
3 cr.  Provides instruction in oral competencies expected of university students.  Major topics presented include interaction skills, public speaking and mass media awareness.

* COMT 110 Interpersonal Communication
3 cr. (F, Sp)  Empowers students to understand and apply effective interpersonal skills to improve their communication and bolster relationships.  This course examines several vital areas of communication and relationships, including self-concept, perception, listening, language, nonverbal communication, conflict management, and culture.

* COMT 130 Introduction to Public Speaking
3 cr. (F, Sp, Su)  Develops the student’s speaking abilities.  Students acquire an understanding of basic rhetorical theory and its application in a variety of speech situations.  Listening, speaking and critiquing abilities are emphasized.  This course addresses the following topics: speech preparation and delivery, forming and fielding questions, audience analysis, listening skills, critiquing and speaker anxiety.

* COMT 155 Global Cinema
3 cr. (F)  Offers students an artistic appreciation of the diversity of cinema around the world.  Develops a broadened multicultural perspective through surveying films from Asia, Europe, North and South America.  Encourages students to view cinema as a means of interpreting culture.  (Special fee).

* COMT 160 Introduction to Intercultural Communication
3 cr. (F, Sp)  Examines communicative encounters among people of different cultural, ethnic, and minority groups.  Local, national, and global in scope, the course also analyzes identity, verbal and nonverbal communication, popular culture, intercultural relationships, and multicultural communication in applied settings.  Practical guidelines for enhancing intercultural interactions will be offered while noting the layers of complexity in communicating across cultural boundaries.

COMT 200 Exploring Communication Studies
3 cr. (F, Sp, Su)  Explores the major strands of study in the discipline of communication while exposing students to the various contexts, methods, and expectations for the academic study of communication.  The course is a prerequisite for all upper-level communication courses.

COMT 201 Technology for Communication
(TN) 3 cr. Offered ONLY Online. (F)  Provides instruction in computer-mediated communication competencies expected of Communication and Theatre Majors.  Topics presented include advanced word processing, multimedia presentations, desktop publishing, Internet, spreadsheet, database, etc.

COMT 210 Group Dynamics
3 cr. (F)  Increases the student’s awareness of communication processes in small group discussions.  The course should help the student to become more comfortable in group situations, to learn to observe discussions more capably, to listen carefully to the ideas of others, to develop techniques to facilitate group decision-making, and to become aware of the function of roles in communication situations.

COMT 222 Media Writing
3 cr. (F, Sp)  Introduces students to fundamentals of newsgathering in print and broadcast journalism.  The course covers basic skills necessary for newsgathering such as reporting techniques, story composition, and interviewing methods.

COMT 230 Advanced Public Speaking
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 130 or Consent of Instructor. (Sp)  Enhances the public skills of students who have already mastered the basic principles of oral communication.  Emphasizes audience analysis and adaptive speech behaviors with the goal of developing speakers with polished skills for a variety of real world situations.

COMT 290 Internship: Media
V1-3 cr. Prerequisites: COMT 222 and/or consent of instructor.  Provides on-site observational opportunities with related forms of mass media.

COMT 292 Seminar
V1-3 cr. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.  Provides students an opportunity to investigate intensively topics pertinent to the field of Communication and Theatre.
COMT 293 Workshop
V1-5 cr. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.  Provides an opportunity for experimental study in an area of Communication and Theatre.

COMT 296 Cooperative Education/Internship
V1-9 cr.  Provides university credit for a sophomore work experience in the area of Communication and Theatre supervised by faculty.  Learning agreement must be completed prior to registration (restricted).

COMT 310 Organizational Communication
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (F, Sp, Su)  Introduces material related to organizational socialization, structure, climate, leadership, power, and conflict management.

COMT 320 Introduction to Mass Communication
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (F, Su)  Introduces students to each of the major media of mass communication, focusing on historical development, commercial functions, societal impact, cultural contributions, and contemporary controversies surrounding each.  Media forms explored include television, radio, the Internet, magazines, newspapers, film, and recorded music.  Media support industries (advertising, public relations), media regulation, and media ethics are also surveyed.  For COMT majors concentrating in Mass Communication, this class serves as the introduction to the “inner core” sequence of media study courses.

COMT 321 Theories of Media and Society
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200, COMT 320 or consent of department chair. (alternating Sp)  Examines the role of mass media in modern societies and the effects and influences of media institutions and mediated messages on individuals, communities, societies, and culture.  Presents and critically examines a range of theories, scholarly opinions, and research approaches regarding media-society interrelationships.

COMT 322 Principles of Public Relations
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200, COMT 222 or consent of department chair. (F, Sp, Su)  Explores the fundamentals of the public relations field and develops the skills necessary for the public relations practitioner.  The course provides the student with practical experience in the development of public relations materials, such as brochures and press releases, as well as the skill for the implementation of communication programs within the organization.

COMT 325 Introduction to Visual Communication
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (every other Sp & Su)  Surveys the entire spectrum of visual media, and introduces students to the fundamentals of communication (theoretical models, the role of codes and conventions, etc.).  Addresses formal developments in visual communication.  Serves as a springboard to several of the more specialized offerings in the Mass Communication program.

COMT 328 Essentials of Video Production
(TN) 3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200, COMT 222 or consent of department chair.  Provides an introduction to video production through a focus on script writing, camera operation, and editing.  Students will have the opportunity to learn to produce their own videotapes.

COMT 330 Persuasion
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (F, Sp, Su)  Explores the history, literature, and theory of persuasive communication affording students the opportunity to examine the dynamics of change in a variety of contexts.

COMT 410 Advanced Interpersonal Communication
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (Sp)  Presents theoretical materials and case studies related to the communicational foundation of human relationships.  Issues considered include:  perceptual variances in cross-cultural and familial interactions, gender differences, elements of verbal/nonverbal communication, listening, developing/sustaining/struggling/ending relationships, conversing with friends, and interpersonal communication in the workplace.

COMT 414 Issues in Organizational Communication
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200, COMT 310 or consent of department chair. (F, Su)  Presents material related to the relationship between corporations and public decision-making, the nature of democracy in the workplace, a multiple stakeholder model of communication, diversity, negotiation, organizational politics, and dialogic communication.

COMT 416 Leadership and Communication (crosslisted with COMT 516)
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. Offered ONLY Online. (every other Sp & Su)  Presents material related to leadership theories, leader-participant relations, vision/mission/goals, structure and design, culture, capacity building, and social responsibility.

COMT 420 Advertising, Media, and Culture (crosslisted with COMT 520)
(TN) 3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (every other year)  Provides a critical look at the role(s) of advertising in a market economy, its contributions to and influences upon the mass media, and its powers as a mirror and a shaper of society and culture.  Students will acquire insights into the methods, policies, problems, opportunities, and ethical issues of advertising as a business, as a cornerstone of Western-world media systems, and as a socio-cultural force.  Assignments will include the development of original creative work as well as critical assessments of current advertising.

COMT 421 Communicating Online (crosslisted with COMT 521)
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. Offered ONLY Online. (every other year)  Examines the major principles influencing the construction and dissemination of online communication.  May address topics such as the conventions of web page design, effective utilization of the internet as a communication channel, differentiating useful messages from spam, and identifying the strengths and limitations of online communication.

COMT 422 Issues in Public Relations (crosslisted with COMT 522)
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200, COMT 322 or consent of department chair. (Su)  Explores advanced public relations strategies and the role of public relations in society.  Topics may include (but are not limited to) Corporations and their publics, Not-for-profit public relations, Socially responsible marketing, Public relations theory, Crisis communication, and Public Relations for Multicultural Audiences.

COMT 425 Media Criticism (crosslisted with COMT 525)
3 cr. Prerequisites: COMT 200, COMT 320, COMT 321 or consent of department chair. (every other year)  Engages students in the in-depth exploration, analysis, and criticism of the media as foundational components of democracies, as economic institutions, as producers of text (rhetoric), and as meaning-making
systems.  Students will learn a variety of critical methods and apply them to the analysis of pressing contemporary issues of media and society.

COMT 426 Case Studies in Public Relations (crosslisted with COMT 526)
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (alternating Sp)  Uses actual cases to assess strategic decisions concerning internal and external publics and appreciate the accompanying ethical, legal, economic, psychological, organizational, political, and media impact of such decisions.

COMT 427 Public Relations Ethics (crosslisted with COMT 527)
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (alternating Sp)  Explores ethical issues in public relations from a case study approach.  Students will critically examine the structures, work, and business of the public relations industry and discuss the implications of ethical standards applied to the field.

COMT 428 Advanced Video Production (crosslisted with COMT 528)
(TN) 3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 328.  Provides instruction in advanced video production techniques including camera operation, sound design, lighting, and scriptwriting.  Examines studio production systems and equipment.  Activities include the production of video projects including news packages and other short video programs designed by the instructor.  Graduate students will be required to present an extensive research paper/project.

COMT 429 The Law of Public Communication (crosslisted with COMT 529)
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (alternating F)  Examines major principles in communication law that influence media and public relations professionals.  Students will become familiar with landmark court decisions and contemporary issues in first amendment jurisprudence.

COMT 431 Political Communication (crosslisted with COMT 531)
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (even F)  Explores communication methods and strategies employed by political campaigns to influence voters.  Students will analyze political discourse produced by national, state, and local campaigns in order to understand the communication patterns and interactions that occur.

COMT 440 Popular Culture and Cultural Studies (crosslisted with COMT 540)
3 cr. Prerequisites:  COMT 200, COMT 320, COMT 321 or consent of department chair. (every other year)  Provides an introduction to the history, theory, and practice of studying popular culture.  Explores a variety of theoretical approaches to pop culture, including classical Marxism, the Frankfurt School, structuralism, feminism, and postmodernism.  Throughout the course, theoretical methodologies will be illustrated through their ability to interpret and/or decode cultural objects ranging from HBO television to science fiction to hip hop.  Students will be encouraged to take these applications as models for their own work in choosing, reading, and analyzing specific instances of pop culture.

COMT 450 Performance Skills for Professionals
3 cr. Prerequisites: COMT 200, THTR 120 or consent of department chair. (Sp)  Trains students in the master application of performance studies techniques and the reification of theoretical principles.  Students incorporate voice, movement, kinesthetics, text analysis, oral interpretation, storytelling, and visual design techniques in performances designed to encourage audience awareness and interaction.  Course will focus on a dynamic interaction between performer and audience across a broad genre/discipline range, including education, performing arts, business, and communication.

COMT 461 Multicultural Mass Communication (crosslisted with COMT 561)
3 cr. Prerequisites: COMT 200, COMT 320, COMT 321 or consent of department chair. (every other year)  Explores and critically analyzes mass mediated communication in a multicultural world and the U.S. as a multicultural nation.  Provides an understanding of the roles of media corporations and media texts in the construction of cultural, subcultural, and individual identities.  Considers media as transnational businesses, as expressive forms, and as mirrors and shapers of culture.  Investigates theories, practices, and outcomes of mediated cultural imperialism and the unique role played by U.S. media organizations and U.S.-produced texts.

COMT 465 Communication Theory
(WR) 3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200, consent of department chair or junior standing. (F, Sp)  Provides the student with a theoretical/conceptual framework for understanding human communication.

COMT 470 Capstone Project
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 and consent of department chair. (F, Sp, Su)  Explores how people apply their knowledge of communication in practical contexts.  Addresses applied topics such as dealing with conflict, conducting meetings, leading effectively, managing rumors, advocacy, and political communication.

COMT 480 Health Communication (crosslisted with COMT 580)
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (every other year)  Explores key findings in health communication research and practice, focusing on a wide range of media (e.g., brochures, posters, radio, television, telephone hotlines, Internet) and a wide range of health objectives (e.g., STD/HIV prevention, smoking cessation, cardiovascular disease prevention).  We will examine the literature and key health communication campaigns to determine what are the key ingredients of successful or effective approaches in each medium, for different types of messages and target audiences.

COMT 481 Media for Social Change (crosslisted with COMT 581)
3 cr. Prerequisite: COMT 200 or consent of department chair. (every other year)  Examines the application of commercial campaign technologies to the analysis, planning, execution, and evaluation of programs designed to influence the voluntary behavior of target audiences in order to improve their personal welfare and that of their society.

COMT 482 Women, Media and Health (crosslisted with COMT 582, HADM 482, HADM 582, HHP 482, and HHP 582)
3 cr. Corequisites: COMT 480, COMT 481.  Analyzes gaps in basic health care needs for women, both domestically and abroad, emphasizing the role of mass media both in promoting and hindering basic reproductive health.  A special emphasis will be placed on women’s reproductive rights and the ways in which political movements have limited and advanced needs in this area.

COMT 488 Topics in Communication
3 cr. Prerequisite: Senior class standing or consent of instructor.  Provides Senior students with the opportunity to research, prepare, and present before the faculty a final project that exemplifies the culmination of their course of study as Communication and Theatre majors.

COMT 490 Internship
V1-3 cr. Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (F, Sp, Su)  Provides on-site observational opportunities.

COMT 490 Media Internship:  Senior Project
V1-3 cr. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.  Provides onsite observational opportunities with selected forms of mass media.

COMT 491 Independent Study
V1-3 cr. Prerequisites: consent of instructor and chairperson of department.  Provides an opportunity for students of outstanding ability to explore material not covered by regular Communication and Theatre courses.

COMT 492 Seminar
V1-3 cr. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.  Provides students an opportunity to investigate intensively topics pertinent to the field of Communication and Theatre.  This course may be offered ONLY Online.

COMT 493 Workshop
V1-5 cr. Prerequisite: consent of instructor.  Provides an opportunity for experimental study in areas Communication and Theatre.

COMT 496 Cooperative Education/Internship
V1-9 cr.  Provides university credit for a work experience in the area of Communication and Theatre, supervised by faculty.  Learning agreement must be completed prior to registration (restricted).