This course examines theories and key research findings in the field of persuasion and social influence through the lens of communication. We will examine theories in social psychology to understand the underlying process of persuasion and apply this knowledge to explain how attitudes and behaviors are spread through interpersonal and mass communication.

Taking COMM 121 (Intro to Media & Culture) or COMM 122 (Intro the Media Programming & Institutions) prior to enrollment in this course is highly recommended.

Current approaches to communication theory. Emphasis on a comparative approach to communication problems, and on a critical analysis of theoretical foundations. Theories considered include: systems theory, 20th-century rhetorics, reductionism, ethnographic studies, critical indicators, and critical cultural studies. Prerequisite: COMM 118.

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As forms of communication contribute to the growing integration of the planet, the planet itself is threatened by unprecedented environmental and economic crises. This course will examine the way ecology and sustainability are mediated by communication technologies, institutions and texts within a wider context of geopolitics, political economy, social relations and subject formation. It draws on insights from allied fields like anthropology, geography, and sociology to develop an interdisciplinary approach to the social construction and political ecology of nature.

Introduction to the structure, process, and logic of quanitative empirical research in communication. Topics include research design, measurement, descriptive and inferential statistics, and basic multivariate analysis. Students acquire an ability to critique various methodological approaches and techniques. Preparation for more advanced courses. Required of all Communication graduate students.

Building on the introductory course, (COMM 493E: Seminar-Screenwriting), an intensive workshop where students receive continuing, in-depth feedback on their work in progress, as they strive for professional competence in feature-length theatrical screenwriting or writing for episodic television. Analysis of two professional screenplays and the films or shows produced from them as students delve into the writer's art and craft.

This course uses tools from the study of everyday interaction to explore one-on-one interactions in the electronic media. The course focuses on two genres in two different media: television news and call-in radio. Alongside theoretical studies, the course uses data sessions to analyze different television and radio segments. Satisfies the Integrative Experience requirement for BA-Comm majors.

Food matters. As the most material of substances, food literally matters for survival. While the need for food to satisfy hunger and strengthen the body is universally understood, what counts as food, its relative abundance or scarcity, and its relationship to the body, identity and culture are socially created and highly symbolic. Still for most people what we eat and why we choose to eat it seems the most common of ?common sense?. Meanings attached to what is edible or inedible, good or bad, nutritional or unhealthy, gourmet or junk food are highly subjective and deeply cultural.

This course examines the role of different kinds of nonverbal behaviors (i.e., body orientation and posture, gaze direction, gestures, space, etc. in establishing a joint focus of attention, coordinating turn-taking, conveying meaning, sustaining institutional realities, telling stories, and navigating interpersonal relationships. We will investigate nonverbal behaviors both in ordinary face-to-face conversations and in a variety of professional settings, including courtrooms, doctors' offices, and the workplace.

This course examines how the rise of new technologies is changing the landscape of politics. We will examine the social science literature on media and politics, and explore how the emergence of digital communication, including the Internet, mobile technology, social media, and big data, are transforming the nature of political communication.