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Courses in Communication (CMN)

Students must have satisfied the Subject A requirement before taking any course in Communication.

Lower Division Courses

1. Introduction to Public Speaking (4)

Lecture—1 hour; discussion—3 hours. Practice in the preparation and delivery of speeches based on contemporary principles and strategies of informing and persuading audiences. GE credit: Wrt (cannot be used to satisfy a college or university composition requirement and GE writing experience simultaneously).—I, II, III. (I, II, III.) Shubb

3. Interpersonal Communication Competence (4)

Lecture—2 hours; discussion—2 hours. Communication in interpersonal contexts. Sender, receiver, and message variables, and their interaction with communication competence. Participation in simulations and experiential exercises.—I, II, III. (I, II, III.) Hamilton

99. Special Study for Undergraduates (1-5)

Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)

Upper Division Courses

101. Communication Theories (4)

Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Examination of the forms, functions, development, and testing of theory in the social sciences. Survey and comparison of significant micro and macro theories and models of human communication. Application of theories to real world problems. Not open for credit to students who have completed course 114. GE credit: SocSci.—I, II, III. Feng, Puckering

102. Empirical Methods in Communication (4)

Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 101 or 114, Statistics 13 or the equivalent. Survey of social scientific research methods commonly employed in the communication discipline. Topics include research design, measurement, sampling, questionnaire construction, survey research, experimental research, content analysis, and interaction analysis. Not open for credit to students who have completed course 115.—I, II, III. Bell, Jenkins

103. Gender Differences in Communication (4)

Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: upper division standing in Communication. Examination of communication differences between men and women as sources of male/female stereotypes, misunderstandings, dilemmas, and difficulties (real and imagined). Treatment of genders as cultures. Topics include male/female differences in discursive practices and patterns, language attitudes, and relationship dynamics. GE credit: SocSci.—I, II. Palomares

105. Semantic and Pragmatic Functions of Language (4)

Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 115. The role of language in shaping attitudes and perceptions of self and others. The use and abuse of verbal symbols in communicative situations. Concepts of meaning in discourse. GE credit: SocSci.—II, III. Hamilton

134. Interpersonal Communication (4)

Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 1 or 3, or the equivalent. Communication between two individuals in social and task settings. One-to-one communication, verbal and nonverbal, in developing relationships. Consideration of theory and research on relevant variables such as shyness, self-disclosure, reciprocity, games, and conflict. GE credit: SocSci.—I, II, III. Berger, Puckering

135. Nonverbal Communication (4)

Lecture—4 hours. Examination of the interaction between nonverbal communication and verbal communication channels in influencing outcomes in interpersonal and mass mediated communication contexts. Underlying functions served by nonverbal communication will also be considered. GE credit: SocSci, Div.—I, II, III. Berger

136. Organizational Communication (4)

Lecture—4 hours. Examines communication in various organizational situations. Focuses on the use of effective communication strategies for achieving organizational and individual goals. Emphasis is placed on identifying and amending ineffective communication within organizations. GE credit: SocSci.—I, II. Hamilton

138. Communication and Cognition (4)

Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: upper division standing. Relationship between communication and cognition. Models of discourse comprehension and production, the influence of language attitudes on social judgments, and the effects of information processing on decision making are explored. GE credit: SocSci.—I, II, III. Yegiyan

140. The Media Industry (4)

Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Examines the economic, social, and political forces that shape media content. Topics include the historical evolution of the print and broadcast media; emerging technologies, including the Internet and interactive media; the globalization of the industry; patterns of media ownership. GE credit: SocSci—I, II, III. Theobald

141. Media Effects: Theory and Research (4)

Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 115 or the equivalent; course 140 recommended. Social scientific studies of the effects of mass media messages on audience members’ actions, attitudes, beliefs, and emotions. Topics include the cognitive processing of media messages, television violence, political socialization, cultivation of beliefs, agenda-setting, and the impact of new technologies. GE credit: SocSci.—I, II, III. Hwang, Taylor

142. News Policies, Practices and Effects (4)

Lecture—4 hours. Exploration of processes and constraints in the gathering, editing, and reporting of news. Examination of studies on the effects of news, contemporary challenges to news reporting presented by new technologies, and the relationship of news to other social institutions. GE credit: SocSci.—I, II, III. Theobald

143. Analysis of Media Messages (4)

Lecture—1 hour; discussion—2 hours; term paper. Prerequisite: courses 140 and 141 recommended. Examination of alternative approaches to the analysis, interpretation, and evaluation of media messages, including those disseminated through broadcasting, print, and new technologies. Both content analytic and interpretive approaches covered. GE credit: SocSci, Wrt.—I, II, III.

144. Media Entertainment (4)

Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 102; course 141 recommended. Effects and appeal of media entertainment, emphasizing emotional reactions. Topics include key concepts of entertainment research such as mood management, and the respective features and emotional/social-psychological effects of genres such as comedy, mystery, thriller, sports, music, horror, and erotica.—III. (III.) Taylor

146. Communication Campaigns (4)

Lecture/discussion—3 hours; term paper. Strategic uses of media and interpersonal communication channels in health, environmental advocacy, and political campaigns. Emphasis is on general principles relevant to most campaign types, including public information, social marketing, and media advocacy campaigns. Not open for credit to students who have completed course 160. GE credit: SocSci.—I, III. Theobald

152. Theories of Persuasion (4)

Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 115. Survey of communication and social psychological theories of persuasion. Examination of influence tactics and message design. Contexts of application include product advertising, propaganda campaigns, and health promotion. GE credit: SocSci.—I, II, III. Bell, Jenkins

161. Health Communication (4)

Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 102 or equivalent course in research methods. Survey of health communication theories and research. Review of research on health literacy, social support and coping, doctor-patient interaction, health communication campaigns, and media influences on health. Examination of the application of new communication technologies in health promotion.—III. (III.) Bell

165. Media and Health (4)

Lecture/discussion—3 hours; term paper. Prerequisite: course 115 or the equivalent. Content and effects of messages in news, entertainment, and advertising. Topics include health news reporting; portrayals of disease, disability, death and health-related behaviors; representations of health professionals; promotion of drugs and other health products; tobacco and alcohol advertising. GE credit: SocSci.—I, III. Taylor

170. Communication, Technology, and Society (4)

Lecture/discussion—4 hours. Prerequisite: course 114, 115, and upper division standing. Survey of how communication technologies transform our lives at the individual and society levels. Topics include human-computer interaction; the effects of communication technologies in education, health and business; and social and political implications of technological development. GE credit: SocSci.—I. II. Theobald

172. Computer-Mediated Communication (4)

Lecture/discussion—3 hours; term paper. Prerequisite: course 101 and 102. Uses and impacts of computer-mediated communication. Theories and research findings pertaining to how computer-mediation affects various aspects of human interaction including impression formation, development of personal relationships, group decision making, collaborative work, and community building.—II, III.

180. Current Topics in Communication (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: upper division standing with a major in Communication or consent of instructor. Group study of a special topic in communication. May be repeated one time for credit. Enrollment limited.

189A. Proseminar in Social Interaction (4)

Seminar—3 hours; term paper. Prerequisite: course 114 and 115. Reading, discussion, research, and writing on a selected topic in the specialty of social interaction. Potential topics include relationship initiation, maintenance, and deterioration; communication failure; nonverbal communication; conversational management; semantics and pragmatics of language; and family/marital communication. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SocSci, Wrt.—III. Barnett, Palomares

189B. Proseminar in Mass Communication (4)

Seminar—3 hours; term paper. Prerequisite: course 114 and 115. Reading, discussion, research, and writing on a selected topic in the specialty of mass communication. Potential topics include, agenda-setting, the cultivation of beliefs, television violence, media portrayals of underprivileged groups, mediated political discourse, interactive technologies, and international/global communications. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SocSci, Wrt.—I. Hwang

189C. Proseminar in Health Communication (4)

Seminar—3 hours; term paper. Prerequisite: course 114 and 115. Reading, discussion, research, and writing on a selected topic in health communication. Potential topics include health communication design and evaluation, media advocacy, physician-patient interaction, uses of communication technologies in health settings, and health-related advertising. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SocSci, Wrt.

189D. Proseminar in Organizational Communication (4)

Seminar—3 hours; term paper. Prerequisite: course 114 and 115. Reading, discussion, research, and writing on a selected topic in the specialty of organizational communication. Potential topics include power and influence, organizational conflict and its resolution, mediation, bargaining and negotiation, superior-subordinate interaction, leadership styles, and inter-organizational communication. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. Offered in alternate years. GE credit: SocSci, Wrt

192. Internship in Communication (1-6)

Internship—3-18 hours. Prerequisite: communication major who has completed 20 units of upper division communication courses. Supervised work experience requiring the application of communication principles and strategies or the evaluation of communication practices in a professional setting. Relevant experiences include public relations, advertising, sales, human resources, health promotion, political campaigns, journalism, and broadcasting. May be repeated up to 6 units of credit. (P/NP grading only.)

194H. Senior Honors Thesis (4)

Seminar—1 hour; individual tutoring on research project—3 hours. Prerequisite: senior standing and approval by Honors Committee. Directed reading, research, and writing culminating in the preparation of honors thesis under direction of faculty adviser.

197T. Tutoring in Communication (2-4)

Seminar—1-2 hours; laboratory—1-2 hours. Prerequisite: upper division standing with major in Communication and consent of Department Chairperson. Tutoring in undergraduate Communication courses, including leadership of discussion groups affiliated with departmental courses. May be repeated for credit up to a total of six units. (P/NP grading only.)

198. Directed Group Study (1-5)

Prerequisite: consent of instructor. (P/NP grading only.)

199. Special Study for Advanced Undergraduates (1-5)

(P/NP grading only.)

Graduate Courses

201. Theoretical Perspectives on Strategic Communication (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Explores the intentional use of discourse and nonverbal behavior to reach goals. Explores theories and models that elucidate the processes that enable the realization of intentions in message plans and discourse.—I. (I.) Berger

202. Communication Theory Construction (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: consent of instructor; graduate standing. Alternative meta-theoretical perspectives for theory generation in communication inquiry. Processes of construct explication, operationalization and theory construction. Emphasis on the critique of extant communication theories and the development of theory construction skills. Not offered every year.—III.

210. Experimental Methods and Analysis in Communication (4)

Lecture—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; one course in inferential statistics; consent of instructor. Experimental designs in communication. Topics include: causation; threats to validity; conceptualization, operationalization, and measurement; hypothesis testing; ethics; data analysis software focusing on the analysis of variance and planned contrasts; and the practical and effective implementation and writing of experiments.—I. (I.) Palomares

211. Survey Research Methods in Communication (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; one course in inferential statistics; consent of instructor. Methods for designing personal interview, phone, mail, and web-based surveys in communication. Topics include: sampling strategies, sources of error and bias in survey designs, questionnaire construction, cognitive interviewing, interviewer behavior, and analysis of complex survey data using standard software packages.—II. (II.) Bell

220. Persuasion Theories and Message Design (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Major social scientific theories and perspectives on attitude change and persuasion. Application of persuasion theories and principles to persuasive message design in applied contexts.—III. (III.) Hughes

221. Communication and Cognition (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Explores the cognitive structures and processes that enable the production, comprehension and interpretation of messages in face-to-face and mediated communication contexts. Explores the communication outcomes associated with these processes. Offered in alternate years.—(II.)

222. Risk Communication (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Theories and models of individual risk information processing. Media depictions of threats and risk-related information and their potential effects on audiences. Implications for the design and implementation of messages concerning threat and risk. Not offered every year.

230. Social Interaction Theory and Research (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Survey of theories and research on social interaction and interpersonal communication. Covers communication codes, individual differences in communication, communication and relationship development, family communication, conflict, cognitive and emotional processes underlying social interaction, social influence, intercultural communication, and nonverbal behavior.—II. (II.) Feng

231. Tactics of Interpersonal Influence (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Achievement of interpersonal goals in social interaction. Topics include message production; tactics, strategies and planning; anticipating potential obstacles; resisting and thwarting goals; plan recognition; and goal detection. Examined goals include compliance gaining, attitude change, ingratiation, information seeking, comforting, and deception. Offered in alternate years.—(III.)

244. Organizational Communication (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing and consent of instructor. Theory and research on communication processes in organizations.

250. Mediated Communication Theory and Research (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Survey of major theories on the intended and unintended effects of mediated communication. Topics include media's effects on learning, political behavior, interpersonal violence, sexual socialization, consumer behavior, race relations, gender socialization, and cultural processes.—II. (II.) Taylor

251. Communication, Technology, and Society (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Transformation of life at the individual and societal levels by communication technologies. Topics include the digital divide, media convergence in news and entertainment, human-computer interaction, distance learning, electronic commerce, distributed work and e-democracy. Offered in alternate years.—(II.) Taylor

252. Computer-Mediated Communication (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. The effects of computer-mediated communication on the ways in which people express themselves, form impressions about strangers, develop and maintain relationships, collaborate on group work, and expand social network, especially in comparison to face-to-face communication. Offered in alternate years.—(III.)

253. Negotiation (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing and consent of instructor. Theory and research on negotiating.

254. Communication Campaigns (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Strategic uses of media and interpersonal channels to promote social change through social marketing, information, and media advocacy campaigns. Focus on theory-based interventions in a variety of applied contexts. Offered in alternate years.—(II.)

260. Communication Applications (2-4)

Discussion—1 hour; supervised field work—3-9 hours. Prerequisite: course 220. Fieldwork in communication. Organization and implementation of a research project for a specific application of a communication program. May be repeated one time for credit. (S/U grading only.)

280. Special Topics in Social Interaction (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Reading, discussion, research, and writing on a selected topic in the specialty of social interaction. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. Not offered every year.

281. Special Topics in Mediated Communication (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Reading, discussion, research, and writing on a selected topic in the speciality of mediated communication. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. Not offered every year.—Yegiyan

282. Special Topics in Health Communication (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Reading, discussion, research and writing on a focused topic in health communication. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. (Same course as Epidemiology and Preventive Medicine 282). Not offered every year.—III.

283. Special Topics in Organizational Communication (4)

Seminar—4 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing; consent of instructor. Reading, discussion, research, and writing on a selected topic in the specialty of organizational communication. May be repeated for credit when topic differs. Not offered every year.—Barnett

298. Group Study (1-5)

Lecture—3 hours. (S/U grading only.)

299. Individual Study (1-12)

(S/U grading only.)

299R. Thesis Research (1-12)

Independent study—3-36 hours. Prerequisite: graduate standing in Communication. (S/U grading only.)

Professional Course

396. Teaching Assistant Training Practicum
(1-4)

Prerequisite: graduate standing. May be repeated for credit. (S/U grading only.)