CMST 330 - 001: Political Communication
Instructor: Dr. Zachary Hart & Dr. Cady Short-Thompson
Prerequisite: CMST 101 or CMST 110 or HNR 102
Communication strategies and tactics employed by candidates seeking public office; political audiences, campaign phases, political debates, political language, advertising campaigns, media coverage, and campaign speeches.
Offered: Mondays, 6:15-7:30 PM with hybrid online content for 50 percent of the class.
CMST 394 - 001: Communication and Social Justice
Instructor: Dr. Mark Leeman
Prerequisite: Sophomore standing and CMST 101 or CMST 110 or HNR 102 or instructor permission
In a nutshell, this course is “Paulo Freire and communication for justice” together with “how-to Paulo Freire” to create realities via communication that are just.”We will dig deep in Freirean theory and communication and then put legs on that by delving into topics such as “Narrative and justice,” “Dialogue and Justice,” “(Post)Modernity and Justice” and “tactics for communicating for justice.” Communication holds incredible power to liberate, and to oppress. Often the greatest inhibitors and censors of human achievement and of the human spirit are not explicit, nor even obliquely intentional, but instead are powerful forces of language that cause us to limit possibilities. Our discipline holds that we socially construct realities via interaction, and this course assumes that there are practical ways that we can “construct” more justly. Thus, Communication Studies is uniquely positioned to bring freedom from symbol-induced oppression. In this course we will investigate Communication and Social Justice by exploring the work of some of the world’s greatest thinkers and social change agents, and by examining powerful tools such as dialogue and narrative. We will also seek to peek behind the curtain of our own cultural and communicative “grand narratives” in order to find ways of being better practitioners of justice in our lives, relationships, work, and society. We will seek to “examine the workings of our language in such a way as to make us recognize those workings” (Wittgenstein, Philosophical Investigations, 1958, p. 47) and make them do more justice!
Offered: Monday and Wednesday, 10 – 10:50 a.m. with hybrid online content for 33 percent of the class. The course will be taught “seminar” style – meaning participants will read and then come together for dialogue over the readings, in hopes of “stimulating others to name their world” (Paulo Freire).
EMB 394 - 001*/ DFX 394 - 001: Stop Motion
Instructor: Professor John Gibson
Prerequisite: EMB 140 or instructor permission
An introduction to basic principles of stop motion animation. This will include a discussion of the history of stop motion; uses in film, television, and music videos; and viewing/discussion of stop motion feature films. Students will also work to create models, sets, and props for original projects that they will produce throughout the semester.
Offered: Mondays 6:15-9 PM
*EMB 394 001 cross listed with DFX 394 001 and ARTA 394 001. Course seats will be split 10-5-5.
JOU 394 - 001: Information Framing
Instructor: Dr. Stacie Jankowski
Prerequisite: CMST 101 or CMST 110 (or HNR 102)
There’s more than one way to tell the same story. The choices made in telling it can impact how people understand it and feel about it. This course examines the ways media (for example: journalism, entertainment, broadcast, print) construct stories and how those stories impact audiences. These narratives are powerful; they provide us with the context about the world around us. Story framing can influence the way we vote, how we stigmatize or accept others, the names we give things — our beliefs, habits, and culture. The ways we are told stories can become the ways we picture the world. In this class, we’ll examine the research about media framing and apply the lessons we learn to analyze and evaluate media examples. We will think about what common themes or frames we are taking in from our favorite media and how those frames might influence us. We’ll discuss how frames come to be, examining, for example, the professional values and norms that sometimes dictate how narratives are conveyed. This is a course focused on studying the media rather than producing journalism.
Offered: Tuesday and Thursday, 9:25-10:40 a.m.
POP 394 - 001: Popular Culture, Ideology, and Power
Instructor: Dr. LaVette Burnett
Prerequisite: CMST 101 or CMST 110 or HNR 102 or POP 205 or POP 250 or instructor permission
This course aims to equip students with the tools to apply fundamental concepts and theories to analyze popular culture through an interdisciplinary approach. Students will develop analytical skills to articulate the intricate connection between culture and power dynamics. Students will examine a range of texts from American mass culture, including popular fiction, advertising, television, popular music, popular magazines, and cyber culture.
Offered: Online Asynchronous 16-weeks
EMB 397: Projects - SMC Client Productions
Instructor: Prof. Tracy Songer
PREREQ or COREQ: EMB 201 or Consent of instructor
In this course, you will work as part of the “SMC Creative”, a student led production group that partners with the Underground Agency from the Haile School of Business. You are the creatives that work with the marketing and branding team to produce high quality work for regional clients. This real-world experience shows you the partnerships and work flow you can expect when working in the commercial production field.
Offered: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9:25-10:40 AM
EMB 495 – Study Abroad England/France
Instructor: Prof. John Gibson
PREREQ: Consent of instructor
Our topic is “Historical Narrative and Media,” and we will be looking at a variety of films, tv shows, video games and music / music videos prior to (and after) travel, related to fictional narratives in media. Prior to travel, we will focus specifically on WWII narrative, as we will be visiting London, Paris, and Normandy/Bayeux. This course does require travel abroad over Spring Break.
Offered: Mondays, 6:15-9:00 PM
JOU 394 – Special Topics, Sports Media
Instructor: Prof. Butch Maier
PREREQ: CMST 101 or CMST 110 or (HNR 101 and HNR 102) or JOU 110 or instructor approval
This course teaches the fundamentals of gathering, organizing, evaluating and writing sports news in accepted professional style across media platforms.By the conclusion of the course, students will learn:
1. To produce sports news accurately, fairly and under deadline situations acrossmultiple media platforms.
2. To collect, comprehend, analyze, synthesize and critically incorporate source materialsgathered from research, observation and interviews.
3. To comprehend and apply mobile journalism strategies in order to deliver sports newsthrough social, video, audio and digital applications for websites, phones, apps and otheremerging media.
4. To create sports reports that are well-organized, focused and cohesive, and that applyproper use of Associated Press Style, grammar, spelling and word usage.
5. To comprehend legal and ethical issues affecting sports media professionals.
6. To comprehend strategies, rules, terminology and practices for covering multiple sports.
Offered: Online Asynchronous 16-weeks
