Students learn principles for effective written and oral communication in business and professional settings. Students analyze the needs of divergent audiences and craft messages using technology tools and media appropriate for effective professional communication. Coursework includes the construction of informative and persuasive presentations, business reports, resumes, memorandums, proposals, emails, evaluations and basic research reports. Students will learn the essentials of business etiquette, as well as communication strategies in writing, face-to-face interaction, group meetings, and public presentations.
Students learn principles for effective written and oral communication in professional settings, with significant in-class presentation and out-of-class topical research. Students analyze the needs of divergent audiences and craft messages using technology tools and media appropriate for effective professional communication. The course focuses on the structure and effective delivery of ideas, use of language, supporting evidence, reasoning and emotional appeals, diction, pronunciation and nonverbal communication, and listening.
This course will address a specific area of study in communication not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.
This course will provide students with an introduction to the study and practice of professional writing in business, technical and other contexts. Students will learn how to research, plan, draft and evaluate documents for a variety of communication situations. Careers for professional writers also will be covered.
Students will explore the nature of human relationships and interactions in interpersonal and group contexts. Special emphasis will be placed on the impact of communication in the personal, social and organizational relationships of individuals and on society at large. This course will provide an overview of the communication, psychological, and sociological literatures and theories that have been important in understanding how humans communicate with one another.
The last 50 years have brought an astonishing array of digital technologies and new media forms that have influenced nearly all societal institutions, from the economy to politics to journalism. Students will critically examine the central role digital media technologies play in culture and society through readings, documentaries and academic research. The functions of journalism in democratic society as well as ethical and legal issues in journalism will also be covered.
In this course, students will learn the basics of writing for communication contexts (as opposed to academic) including journalism, public relations, podcast, and online and social media environments. Interviewing techniques, writing leads, Associated Press style, and basic editing will be covered. This course will prepare students to write in the style of public relations, journalism and media.
This course will detail the ideas, skills and principles that underlie the public relations craft. Students will study the role and contributions of public relations practitioners in contemporary society; learn about potential legal and ethical aspects of the practice of public relations; study the communication process and how persuasion is used to shape public attitudes, beliefs and behaviors; and learn how to develop a strategic communication plan to achieve specific goals and objectives. The class will also introduce students to specialized practice areas within the public relations field, such as business and industry, government, non-profits and associations, and health care.
This course is an introduction to the genre of documentary film with an emphasis on films that address social and environmental issues. Students will view and analyze a series of documentary films that cover a range of relevant global and local issues. After completing a series of individual and collaborative writing and filmmaking projects and presentations, students will participate in the planning and production of a short documentary film on an area of interest.
This is survey course outlining some of the principle theories and aesthetic techniques associated with American feature films from their inception at the end of the 19th century to present-day blockbusters. Evaluation of the "art" of film will be combined with a focus on the historical, social, industrial and legislative contexts of the times in which the films appeared.
This course will address a specific area of study in communication not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.
This course is an introduction to the methods of analyzing and creating visual imagery. Students will also explore the role that visual imagery plays in constructing individual identity and societal ideologies. Special attention is given to modern visual media forms, such as contemporary art, advertising and comic books. Students will also gain skills in digital imaging, web development, and audio and video production through several media design projects. The class includes thorough practice with several widely used software applications. This is a useful course for students in all disciplines, many of whom will be expected to be competent with the basics of digital multimedia production in their careers.
Additional fee required
The purpose of the course is to give students skills and knowledge to help them understand the audiences that they encounter, better. The communication process is incomplete if the source does not take serious considerations of his/her audience. The course therefore attempts to bring into scrutiny the different types of audiences encountered by communicators whether in public address, media production and consumption, marketing, public relations, journalism, etc. The course seeks to give students skills that would enable them to understand their audiences well and hence communicate more effectively. This course combines both theory and practice of audience analysis with the research techniques and skills need for effective data-driven audience analysis.
This course emphasizes newsgathering, writing and media production skills for print, broadcast and online media. Students will learn by writing and producing news and feature stories, podcasts and video news pieces, which may be selected for publication on the campus digital media outlet. How journalism functions in a democratic society as well as ethical and legal issues in journalism will also be covered.
Additional fee required
This course will introduce and develop students' expertise in research, writing, and media production for multimedia stories. Students will learn by writing and producing news and feature stories, podcasts and video news pieces. The course will help students expand their set of storytelling tools by guiding them through the production of several multi-dimensional projects that integrate text, visuals and photos, audio, and video.
Additional fee required
This course explores theoretical and applied approaches to the ways attitudes are formed and changed, the relationship between attitudes and behavior, and how messages transmitted personally and through the mass media are shaped to influence attitudes and behavior. Students will critically examine media theories and practices from diverse ethical, economic and political perspectives to further appreciate the relationship between media messages and society. Students will also study the rhetoric of persuasion established by Aristotle, which is foundational to our modern persuasive practices and applications in areas such as public address, politics, propaganda, advertising and public relations.
This course introduces communication as an essential tool to marketing and content creation as a means of creating customer value. Rooted in the principles of oral and written communication, brands create content to engage audiences and induce loyalty through social, digital, and public relations efforts. Students will learn foundations of communications, curate and create customer-centric communications, and evaluate brands' communications efforts against best practices.
This course emphasizes the importance of writing in public relations, advertising and media relations. Informative and persuasive methods include news releases, backgrounders, speech writing, employee publications, annual reports, news conferences, multimedia, public service announcements, and oral presentations to a variety of audiences.
An introduction to theoretical approaches and practices used to analyze the content, structure and context of media in society. Students will explore factors shaping modern media texts, including politics, economics, technology and cultural traditions. The course will examine a wide spectrum of traditions, theories, and debates central to the field (including Marxism, political economy, semiotics, psychoanalysis, reception, feminism, critical race theory and postmodernism) in relation to a range of media texts (radio, film, television, popular music, print, advertising, music videos, sports and the Internet).
This course is an introduction to the design and use of interactive media. Students will explore the creation of narrative using digital programs and will analyze the communication process used in online digital formats. Additionally, students will discover effective use of message design. Activities in this course will focus on the creation of narratives, websites and virtual environments. Students will also gain skills in advanced digital design.
Additional fee required
The course focuses on effective communication of ideas, theories, and practices in a diverse, multicultural world. Differences in perception, worldviews and values will be explored, and both verbal and nonverbal messages will be examined. The course will encourage the discovery and analyses of experiences that occur when people from different cultures communicate different ideas, feelings and information.
This course is an introduction to program and event management. Students are introduced to strategies, tools, and techniques used by professionals to successfully plan, coordinate, manage, and evaluate programs and events. Students will learn how to align a program or event to organizational goals and leverage technology for participant engagement. Students will design their own program or event, evaluate its effectiveness toward achieving goals, and peer review one another on attention to detail, strategy, and resourcefulness in planning.
Students will learn the fundamentals of broadcast journalism and live multimedia production. A primary topic of the course is non-fiction storytelling, and students will engage in hosting and interviewing, as well as producing and directing news-style radio and video content. After completing a series of individual and collaborative writing and reporting projects, students will participate in the planning and production of an episodic news program. The course also features an introduction to the genre of documentary film as a primer to the techniques of multimedia news writing and editing.
Additional fee required
This course is built around the production of narrative or non-narrative video, with an emphasis on the integration of audiovisual elements with story components and character development. Students will gain extensive practice in screenwriting, digital cinematography and editing through the production of several individual and collaborative film projects. Students are involved in all stages of the film production process, from conception and scripting to shooting and editing.
Additional fee required
Students will learn the fundamentals of broadcast journalism and multimedia production. A primary topic of the course is non-fiction storytelling, and students will engage in hosting and interviewing, as well as producing and directing news-style radio and video content. After completing a series of individual and collaborative writing and reporting projects, students will participate in the planning and production of an episodic news program. The course also features an introduction to the genre of documentary film as a primer to the techniques of multimedia news writing and editing.
Additional fee required
This course will address a specific area of study in communication not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.
Critically examines ethical, cultural, political, legal and economic perspectives in a variety of communication contexts. Emphasis study of human and mass-mediated communication from theoretical vantage points such as rhetorical criticism, cultural studies, semiotics, and content analysis. Students will apply basic principles of quantitative and qualitative research.
This course offers the student supervised communication- or media-related practical or competitive experiences. Each practicum is designed to be tailored to student's specific goals after graduation or to support student leadership in co-curricular activities. Students may take no more than 2 semester hours per academic term. The course may be repeated, but no more than four hours may be taken for academic credit. Permission of the instructor required.
This course will address a specific area of study in communication not already covered by other course offerings. Prerequisites vary by topic.
The purpose of the Communication Studies Internship is to enable Aurora University students to acquire work experiences in the communication professional's business world. This experience is designed to expand on the learning experience and to integrate and reinforce skills and concepts learned in the classroom. The internship provides a practical experience in a structured employment environment. Students may repeat this course involving a different internship experience for a maximum of 12 semester hours. Letter grading applies. Open to communication majors only. Permission of the instructor required.
Grading Type: Credit/No Credit
Using a holistic approach, this course is designed to provide communication students with an understanding of what is necessary for successful communication project management. Students are introduced to all phases of the project management process, including planning, scheduling, organizing and controlling projects. The course includes major topics of strategy, priorities, organization, project tools and leadership. Students will gain experience in project management through the completion of an individual communication project plan. Open to adult degree completion program students only.
This capstone class is required of all communication majors in their senior year. Students will complete individual term projects that will demonstrate their ability to integrate theoretical and practical aspects of communication. The seminar will center on project development and career preparation. Open to communication majors only.
Students will complete the initial phases of planning and coordination of their own individual senior project. This course centers on project planning and development and includes student-led discussions of the issues and research indicative of their selected areas of study. The course also guides students through the first stages of career or graduate study preparation.
The Communication Project Management courses combine a practical experience as a member of the university's student media organization with a guided mentorship of an individual capstone project. The courses also prepare students for life after college with a series of career preparation activities. This course focuses more heavily on the processes of communication project planning, strategy, and implementation.
Students will complete individual senior projects planned in COM-4992 that will demonstrate their ability to integrate theoretical and practical aspects of their chosen area of study. The focus of this is the management and implementation of communication projects. Students will be required to demonstrate effective time management, problem-solving skills, and interpersonal leadership in order to orchestrate a significant, self-directed communication project.
The Media Project Management courses combine a practical experience as a member of the university's student media organization with a guided mentorship of an individual capstone project. The courses also prepare students for life after college with a series of career preparation activities. This course focuses more heavily on collaboration and leadership in media production teams.
Additional fee required