Communication Studies: CMS

Lower-Division Courses

CMS X01. Topics in Communication Studies.

CMS X06M. Professional Communication Skills.

Designed to help students develop skills in one-on-one interactions, small group communication, and presentation skills. Basic communication theories as they relate to skill development are explored.

CMS X07K. Internship.

Internship to be arranged by student and approved by instructor. Focuses on career goals of students in communication positions with public and private organizations.

CMS X09T. Introduction to Sports Communication.

Introduction to the study of sports as a communication phenomenon. Discuss sports across communication contexts, methods, and theories.

CMS X10. Forensics Workshop.

Training for participation in extracurricular speech activities, including intercollegiate debate.

CMS X10K. Team-Based Communication.

Analysis of small-group communication: cohesiveness, social climate, role structure, leadership, conformity, dynamics of interaction; participation in small-group communication situations.

CMS X13M. Organizational Communication.

Communication processes within government, private, and volunteer organizations.

CMS X14L. Language, Communication, and Culture.

The role of language in communication. Analysis of the complexity of human languages, languages in contact, language modality, and communication interaction.

CMS X15M. Interpersonal Communication Theory.

Introduction to the study of communication in relationships; topics include self-disclosure, conflict, long-distance relationships, stereotyping, and persuasion.

CMS X16L. Interviewing Principles and Practices.

Introduction to interviewing theory, emphasizing the acquisition and application of interviewing skills.

CMS X17C. Speech in American Culture.

The impact of public discourse on the ideas and issues of culture and history in the United States.

CMS X18L. Strategic and Risk Communication.

Introduction to the closely related areas of strategic communication, being purposeful and goal driven in messaging across various contexts, and risk communication, exchanging/assessing risk information to manage decisions across various contexts.

CMS X19S. Topics in Communication Studies.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the appropriate College of Communication department. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program.

CMS X29S. Topics in Communication Studies.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Communication Studies. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program.

CMS X77K. Faculty-Initiated Research.

Supervised research on a project designed by a faculty member.

Upper-Division Courses

CMS X19S. Topics in Communication Studies.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the appropriate College of Communication department. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program.

CMS X20. Advanced Presentation Skills.

Designed to help students develop skills in delivering informative and persuasive presentations and speeches. Study of major theories related to oral presentations. Focus on audience analysis and adaptation, building strong arguments, speech organization, and use of new technologies.

CMS X21D. Communicating for Development and Philanthropy.

An exploration of the special communicative dimensions of the development and philanthropy fields, including how to apply theories of building relationships and persuasion to the context of development and philanthropy for nonprofit organizations.

CMS X22E. Communication Ethics.

Examination of the ethical issues involved in communication. Subjects addressed include our role in interactions we are party to; media coverage of issues of a sensitive or potentially harmful nature; and how our interactions with others reflect and shape who we are.

CMS X23R. Rhetoric: East and West.

Examination of the ways people from different cultures communicate and argue, and how cultures use logic, stories, myth, images, and the spoken word to make their points.

CMS X27. Urban Communication.

Examines communication between and within cultures in urban communities, especially immigrants and marginalized groups. Special focus on understanding the role cross-cultural relations play in shaping the identity of community members.

CMS X29S. Topics in Communication Studies.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Communication Studies. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program.

CMS X30. Interpersonal Health Communication.

The fundamental interpersonal communication processes that are involved in managing physical and mental health. Includes stigma and illness identity, social support, patient-provider communication, end-of-life care, and health education.

CMS X30D. Health Decision Making.

Explore the connection between evidence-based health communication practices and evidence-based health decision making. Practice making sense of complicated and ambiguous health information, and examine theoretical concepts that describe and explain how people interact with such health information.

CMS X30P. Communicating with Patients.

Analyze the communicative work done by healthcare providers. Examine the provider-patient encounter and the ecology of related communication processes.

CMS X31K. Speech Writing and Criticism.

Composition and analysis of oral messages; emphasis on creating and arranging ideas, style, delivery, critical method.

CMS X32. Argumentation and Advocacy.

Nature of argumentative controversy; variables of form, method, and ethics; analysis of argumentative rhetorical works.

CMS X32D. Digital Ethics.

Explores the ethical issues inherent in the use of digital and online media. Discusses a range of current issues and subjects through the application of important moral theories, attending to how new technologies often challenge knowledge of morality, virtue, and the good life. Analyze case studies to encourage reflection and discussion over contemporary issues in digital ethics. Subjects include the ethics of hacking, Anonymous operations, online privacy, blogging ethics, online shaming and activism, revenge pornography, online free speech, social media and virtue, as well as other contemporary topics.

CMS X32K. Theories of Persuasion.

A study of motivational factors involved in persuasive speaking to secure belief and action.

CMS X33. Case Studies in Argumentation.

Study of argumentation theories. Includes analysis of case studies taken from areas of law, public policy, popular culture, and history.

CMS X34F. Fake News.

Examine the interplay of journalism, satire, and propaganda in their current and historic forms - from comedians on late-night television to active measures in international espionage. Consider the social and political forces that draw us to this type of information, how to deal with it when we encounter it, and what its implications are for geopolitics in the twenty-first century and within our own participatory democracy.

CMS X34K. Nonverbal Communication.

Survey of the effects of space, physical appearance, movement, eye behavior, and vocal behavior on interpersonal communication.

CMS X35. Strategic Sales and Event Planning.

Theory and practice related to the preparation of large-scale sales events and conferences. Designed to develop communication skills and planning techniques. May include client research, investigation of potential venues, telephone-based information interviews, individual or group sales presentations, and event overviews.

CMS X37. Building Sales Relationships.

Explores the theoretical and practical role of communication in the development of long-term client relationships. Explores the consultative sales process, including prospecting, assessing needs, handling objections, presenting, closing, and following up with clients. Focuses on how technology can help or hinder communication.

CMS X37C. Selling in Healthcare Industries.

Examine opportunities related to professional sales and business development in the healthcare industry. Explore the theoretical and practical role of communication in the development of long-term client relationships. Investigate the consultative sales process, including prospecting, assessing needs, handling objections, presenting, closing, and following up with clients.

CMS X38. Leadership Stories.

Uses fictional and nonfictional stories, as well as examples taken from virtual reality, to explore the meaning of leadership. Designed to help students develop a conceptual, practical, and personal understanding of the meaning of leadership.

CMS X38L. Leadership and Public Memory.

Examines how public memory is created, shaped, and shared through processes and forms like commemorations, museum exhibits, historic sites, and monuments.

CMS X39K. Working Virtually.

Explore the dynamics of new work arrangements and the factors that shape communication when working in dispersed work arrangements. Examine important skills for navigating these new ways of working.

CMS X39L. Social Interaction in Virtual Environments.

Examines fundamental principles connected to the uses and effects of new technologies. Covers social networking sites, online dating, and virtual group collaboration.

CMS X40D. Expertise and Power in the Digital Commons.

Explore what it means to produce and/or possess knowledge in the digital era. Examine how the World Wide Web functions as an archive of information; how science enters public conversations in digital forums; how networked infrastructure facilitates the production of digital information; and how big data may be the future of expertise. Approach digital culture through the idea of the commons, assuming an interdisciplinary perspective, drawing insight from various literatures and methodologies.

CMS X40K. Communication and Social Change.

Analysis of how persuasion is used in mass movements: civil rights, consumerism, feminism, pacifism, religious sects.

CMS X40M. Social Media and Social Movement: Then and Now.

Explores the role media plays in documenting and shaping the successes and failures of contemporary causes. Considers how these movements use social media to their advantage and the responses from government and other institutions.

CMS X41. Digital Communications.

Uses communication and interdisciplinary perspectives to explore interactions involving technology. May include the study of impression formation, identity, surveillance, privacy, distributed teams, trust and deception, online gaming, social support, and uses and impacts of new information and communication technology.

CMS X42C. Communication and Civic Participation.

An exploration of the status of American democracy, particularly as it pertains to those born between 1960 and 1990. Subjects include the meaning of citizenship and democratic participation, and the strengths and limitations of marketing efforts targeted at getting youth involved in the democratic system.

CMS X42K. Political Communication.

A study of the role of symbols in political communication and the techniques and strategies employed by politicians; special attention is given to recent election campaigns.

CMS X44K. Lying and Deception.

Examines lying and deception as civil, strategic, and manipulative behavior. Secrets, privacy, disclosures, and confidentiality are examined in a variety of familiar contexts.

CMS X45. Media Effects and Politics.

The theoretical models and research methods used to study media effects. Emphasis on the political implications of media-effects research and on how media-effects theories can help clarify political issues. May include television violence, the political impact of the news, and the use of media for educational purposes.

CMS X45G. Communicating to Government.

Analyze confident, effective, and ethical communication in regards to policy makers, elected officials, legislative and governmental agencies. Discussion of legal and ethical considerations introduced by governmental communications, as well as strategies and materials for effective communication. Includes guest speakers, and interactive opportunities around the Texas legislature and/or local governmental bodies.

CMS X45K. Perspectives on Rhetoric.

Four different meanings of rhetoric; how these meanings contribute to the current understanding of communication studies.

CMS X45N. Political Narratives.

Examines stories and how they are told during political rituals, under campaign pressures, on the nightly news, and in the daily newspaper: visually, verbally, online, and in person.

CMS X45P. Communication and Public Opinion.

An investigation of the definition and measurement of public opinion. Explores the relationship between communication and public opinion, how changes to public opinion are affected, and the influence of perception of public opinion on personal opinion.

CMS X45V. American Voices.

Examines what is most distinctive about American speech, American film, American advertising, American politics, the American press.

CMS X46. Using Communication Technology at Work.

Examines how communication technologies affect workplace communication. Considers case studies involving the use of social networking, handheld devices, and e-mail by for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

CMS X46C. The Cutural Impact of Innovation.

Examine the fundamentals of humanistic thought for both critiquing and creating innovation.

CMS X47E. Arguing the End of the World.

Discussion of apocalyptic, millenarian, or millenialism way of thinking and how it affects religious, social, and other personal beliefs.

CMS X47K. Rhetoric of Popular Culture.

The ways that film, television, music, fashion, the Internet, and other discourses of popular culture influence public attitudes, perceptions, and social relations.

CMS X47S. Communicating with Stuff.

Examine how we use material objects and actions as a means of communication, especially objects found in popular culture.

CMS X48. Communication Research Methods.

A practical introduction to research methods, focusing on designing a study, conducting research, analyzing data, and presenting results. Studies survey design, interviews, focus groups, and experiments.

CMS X48K. Visual Media and Interaction.

The role of visual resources and symbols in social interaction and public life; the representation of interaction and human relationships in visual media (photography, advertising, fine arts, and film).

CMS X49M. Advanced Analysis of Popular Culture.

Advanced critique and analysis of rhetorical dimensions in texts of popular culture. Readings in theory and methods for understanding persuasive influence in television, film, music videos, and the Internet.

CMS X50C. Crowds, Clouds, and Community.

Explores the use of social network theory and analysis to understand the connectivity and complexity of teams, families, organizations, and communities. Consider examples of network analytic approaches to theorize, visualize, analyze, and understand, for example, criminal networks, professional service firms, government contracting, social media platforms, virtual worlds, interorganizational dynamics, post disaster recovery, and ad hoc organizational forms.

CMS X50M. Field Study in Organizational Communication.

Students acquire information through interviews and observation, devise appropriate coding schemes, and compose synoptic reports of their findings and recommendations.

CMS X51. Communication for Cooperation and Competition.

Theoretical perspectives and experiential learning on the ways people reconcile the need to be individualistic (competitive) with the need to be community members (cooperative). Individual aggression and submission; the rewards of competition and cooperation; and organizational structures that lead to cooperation and competition.

CMS X52. Organizational Leadership.

Theories, styles, and components of organizational leadership; communication behaviors of leaders in organizations. History of the study of leadership; new theories and concepts related to leaders as managers of organizational culture and change.

CMS X52D. The Dark Side of Organizational Communication.

Examine key organizational processes that often operate in the shadows through a communication-based approach. Assess how individuals and organizations respond ethically to these processes. Survey hidden organizations and the ethical response to dark collectives in society.

CMS X53C. Communication for Innovation.

Examines the critical role that communication and communicative processes play in developing innovative ideas, products, and ways of approaching problems. Analyze behavioral theories and empirical studies to understand the challenges associated with facilitating innovation in organizations and learn strategies for improving work effectiveness. Subjects include motivation, decision making, organizational culture, information sharing, and idea generation.

CMS X53S. Social Media and Organizations.

Explores the relationship between social media use and organizational communication. Subjects include how organizations use social media for communication with external stakeholders and to facilitate internal communications processes.

CMS X54. Conflict Resolution.

Systematic analysis of conflict and communication to examine some of the effects of communication on conflict and of conflict on communication. Readings, analysis of conflicts, and practice with and evaluation of communication behaviors thought to be effective in conflict talk.

CMS X55K. Intercultural Communication.

Theories of speech and language that concern interaction between persons from different cultures who speak different languages or dialects.

CMS X55S. Communicating with Animals.

Introduction to research and writing about communication among animals and between animals and their human caretakers.

CMS X55T. Communication and Thought.

Integrates the emergence of collaborative thought from human communication. Analysis of language and communicative development, conversational pragmatics, perspective-taking, and social network analysis.

CMS X56C. Collective Action.

Examine how globalization and technology have impacted how people organize and communicate to achieve better collective outcomes about public good.

CMS X56T. Organizational Transparency.

Examine fundamental dynamics of transparency as a form of communication. Explore a range of problems related to organizational transparency and critically assess organizational transparency as an ethical practice.

CMS X57. Family Communication.

Some of the common issues that face those who live in, counsel, and conduct research with families. The development of traditional families in the United States, different family structures that make up modern society, current issues that affect families, and the impact of communication on family experiences.

CMS X58. Communication and Personal Relationships.

The nature of human interaction in various types of relationships (friends, dates, spouses, roommates), the nature of communication at different stages in a relationship, and the nature of communication at different life stages.

CMS X58C. Identity In Relationships.

Examine the influence of the unique combination of gender, ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, education, income, ability, and more as they relate to relationships with friends, families, partners, and selves.

CMS X59. Language, Culture, and Communication of Hip-Hop.

Uses hip-hop music as a model for understanding a speech community. Focuses on language innovation and the creation of new social networks, forms of communication, and cultural meaning and values.

CMS X59C. Inside the American Conversation.

A look at a handful of conversations in America, from phone calls between family members and dating couples in the 1980s, contemporary 'hybrid' face-to-face/cell-phone conversations to interviews with Donald Trump and 'The Wire'. Explores what these conversations tell us about social life and how it changes, about people's concerns, cultural difference, and the diversity of ways of using language that is a hallmark of American society.

CMS X59H. Honors Tutorial Course: Reading.

Intensive reading and research as planned by the departmental honors committee.

CMS X59T. How People Talk.

Explore how people creatively use, manipulate, and re-invent language when they talk to each other. Examine qualitative research methods, including conversation and discourse analysis, interactional sociolinguistics, ethnography of speaking, and microethnography.

CMS X60. Analyzing Social Interaction.

Introduction to concepts and research methods related to the study of how verbal and nonverbal communication is used in everyday situations. Includes collecting and analyzing sound and video data. Designed to help students develop skills in interpreting human social interactions.

CMS X60P. Expertise and Public Culture.

Introduction to the various functions that scientists and other experts serve in public discourse. Explore how scientists and experts influence public opinion, policy, and cultural attitudes. Examine how new media habits and digital networks offer platforms for experts and laypersons to communicate.

CMS X60R. Virtual Rhetoric.

Examine how the universal presence of visual imagery makes it difficult to critically evaluate the images we see. Practice evaluating visual arguments to become a more critical consumer of visual communication.

CMS X62D. Decolonizing Communication Studies.

Examine the intersections of race, ethnicity, nationality, language, gender, and other aspects of identity marginalization related to communication theories and practices. Survey theories of decolonization and how to apply those in communication studies.

CMS X62E. Environmental Communication.

Explore various environmental philosophies as they relate to communication contexts. Assess how communication plays a role in environmental issues such as journalism and news reporting, sustainability, consumerism, politics, environmental organizations, and ecotourism. Examine how environmental theories and communication contexts play out in local, national, and international debates and contexts.

CMS X63C. Communication and Sports.

Explore interpersonal, mediated, organizational, and public communication in sports. Examine foundational myths and metaphors that demonstrate the various ways in which sport is used to communicate in public life.

CMS X63P. Politics and Protest in Sports.

Examine history to understand how and why sports can be powerful for contemporary political communication and symbolism.

CMS X64K. Gender and Communication.

Focuses on how communication influences ideas about sex, gender, and identity, from interpersonal relationships to the mass media, and from legislative debates to social movements.

CMS X64M. Pre-Graduate School Mentorship.

Introduction for undergraduates to graduate study in a discipline of their choosing.

CMS X65K. Male-Female Communication.

Studies of speech patterns related to the concepts of male and female, including sexism in speaking, patterns of male and female speaking, patterns of listening to males and females, speech in courtship and family, speech and sexual discrimination in careers.

CMS X65L. Communication, Controversy, and Citizenship.

Designed to help students develop the listening, speaking, and argumentation skills used to deliberate over controversial and sensitive subjects. Deliberations focus primarily on the meaning of citizenship.

CMS X66. Rhetoric, Love, and Democracy.

Covers ideas about human symbolism and discourse; focuses on the effects of rhetorical perspectives on how people make meaning of the world.

CMS X66C. Celebrity Culture.

Examines the importance of fame and celebrity throughout the nineteenth, twentieth, and twenty-first centuries, in relation to education, entertainment, and politics.

CMS X66D. Rhetoric of Horror.

A survey of horror studies keyed specifically to rhetorical issues, or the ways in which horror literature, cinema, and television influence people by rehearsing social problems in disguise.

CMS X66F. Rhetoric of Film.

Film theory and history taught from a rhetorical perspective. Covers the film industry, technology, and the elements of narrative, image, and sound. Emphasis on theory about film and film criticism.

CMS X66M. Rhetoric and Popular Music.

Explores music and its relation to identity; how gender, race, and sexual identity are constructed with and within musical texts; meanings and importance of authenticity; and the effectiveness of music as a political tool.

CMS X66R. Religious Communication and Paranormalism.

Explores secular and religious instances of ambivalence, and its uses and effects.

CMS X66S. Science Fiction and Communication.

Examine major concepts in science fiction, with an emphasis on science fiction film adaptation (from novel to screen). Explore theories of communication implied by science fiction.

CMS X67. Topics in Communication Studies.

CMS X67.1. Applied Interpersonal Communication.

CMS X67.10. Global Communication.

Explore a broad history of global connections, global policies, and legal frameworks. Develop global communication strategies and tactics. Examine intercultural communication, cultural humility, and cultural competence.

CMS X67.2. Campaign Communication.

CMS X67.3. Communication and Thought.

Investigates the emergence of collaborative thought from human communication.

CMS X67.5. Ethnography of Live Music in Austin.

Explores music and musicians in Austin, with a focus on ethnographic research through observation, interviews, analysis, and writing.

CMS X67.6. Pragmatism and Group Dynamics.

Explores how individual beliefs and expectations determine the quality of group communication.

CMS X67C. Topics in Corporate Communication.

CMS X67C.1. Corporate Identity, Image, and Reputation.

Examine the fundamental role that communication plays in corporate identity development, image creation, and reputation management, and how those interrelated constructs relate to various other organizational processes.

CMS X67C.2. Crafting Corporate Communication Messages.

Practice crafting a variety of professional messages that are clear, concise, audience-specific, and that effectively achieve their goal.

CMS X67C.3. Disaster and Crisis Communication.

Demonstrate how communicating and using appropriate technology make the difference in how people prepare, respond, and recover from disasters as well as how organizations manage crises.

CMS X67C.4. The Art of Meetings.

Discover how to participate in, plan, execute, and follow up to virtual and in-person meetings as a leader.

CMS X67G. Topics in Global Communication.

CMS X67I. Topics in Interpersonal Communication.

CMS X67I.1. Immigration and Communication.

Explore a range of immigration subjects and analyze literature from a social ecological framework to uncover the theoretical and practical implications of research on communication and immigration.

CMS X67I.2. Risk Communication.

Analyze areas such as risk assessment, risk perception, message design, media options, and barriers to effective risk communication. Consider how access to risk information, perceptions of risk, and reactions to risk messages vary depending on the audience.

CMS X67I.3. Dark Side of Interpersonal Communication.

Examine recent and noteworthy scholarship in the social scientific literature regarding the often-stigmatized processes of interpersonal/relational communication. Distinguish aspects of communication that are typically seen as dysfunctional, problematic, and destructive; aspects of communication that appear to be negative but also serve a function or produce desirable outcomes; and aspects of communication that are poorly understood or hidden in the shadows of other scholarly work.

CMS X67P. Topics in Political Communication.

CMS X67P.1. Social Media and Politics.

Explore how ordinary citizens, politicians, and activists engage with politics on social media platforms. Trace the effects such political engagement has on both the political landscape and the platforms themselves. Analyze how communication theories around self presentation, imagined audience, affordances, and identity shape political communication on social media.

CMS X67P.2. Social Media Analysis.

Analyze content on social media platforms using computational methods. Use the Python programming language to understand how individuals, companies, political campaigns, and social movements communicate using social media to advance their goals. Combine data collection, analysis, and visualization to develop insights using social media data.

CMS X67P.3. Dark Side of Political Rhetoric.

Survey the ways in which the figure of the devil has been invoked in cultural politics, beginning with Milton's Paradise Lost (1667) and concluding with the influence of QAnon conspiracy theory in present-day electoral politics.

CMS X67S. Topics in Strategic and Risk Communication.

CMS X67S.1. AI in Strategic Contexts.

Analyze the dynamic synergy between artificial intelligence (AI) and strategic communication; learn to harness AI technologies for more effective, forward-thinking messaging and story-telling initiatives.

CMS X67S.2. Sales Leadership and Technology.

Explore the core principles of sales leadership strategies and the vital role technology plays in driving sales success.

CMS X67S.3. Communicating Brands.

Introduce, advocate for, and build personal and professional brands.

CMS X67T. Topics in Sports Communication.

Examine sports communication through a focus on a specific athlete, case, era, issue, or problem.

CMS X70K. Internship in Communication Studies.

Internships to be arranged by student and approved by instructor. Focuses on career goals of students in communication positions with public and private organizations.

CMS X71D. Difficult Conversations.

Explores the interpersonal, social, and language factors that impact difficult conversations.

CMS X71K. Practicum in Conflict Mediation.

Provides hand on training and practice in conflict intervention techniques, including various forms of mediation, facilitation and dialogue.

CMS X71M. Communication Studies Internship.

CMS X72D. The Politics of National Memory.

Explores issues of power in our nation's capital. Students study Washington, DC via visits to sites around the city.

CMS X72K. Advanced Organizational Communication.

In-depth discussion and treatment of advanced organizational communication topics, including socialization and role development, workplace attachments, organizational culture, ethics, structure, conflict, power, decision making and empowerment, technology, and various forms of external communication with relevant organizational stakeholders.

CMS X72T. Time Matters.

An exploration of twentieth and twenty-first century time management issues resulting from the development of communication technologies. Subjects include the concept of twenty-four-hour, seven-day-a-week availability; information overload; increased work hours; sleep deprivation; hurry sickness; multitasking; the human experience of time across diverse social, cultural, and historical contexts; and other time-related issues that shape, and are shaped by, communication behaviors.

CMS X73D. Advocacy and Politics.

An introduction to the issues faced when advocating for an issue, idea, or one's self. The course aims to have students grasp concepts they will see and experience during their internship in Washington, DC.

CMS X77K. Faculty-Initiated Research.

Supervised research on a project designed by a faculty member.

CMS X78K. Student-Initiated Research.

Supervised independent research on a project initiated, designed, and implemented by the student. Student secures consent of a faculty member willing to supervise the project prior to registering.

CMS X79H. Honors Tutorial Course: Special Project.

The writing of a thesis or the presentation of a creative project; final comprehensive examination.

Graduate Courses

CMS X19S. Topics in Communication Studies.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the appropriate College of Communication department. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program.

CMS X29S. Topics in Communication Studies.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Communication Studies. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program.

CMS X77K. Faculty-Initiated Research.

Supervised research on a project designed by a faculty member.

CMS X80E. Conference Course in Communication Studies.

Readings in the literature of communication studies designed to expand the graduate student's opportunity for individual consultation both in research and in informational aspects of the work.

CMS X83K. Communication Theory.

Survey of philosophical and language-based approaches to communication; theory construction, research practices, scholarly writing.

CMS X84K. Topics in Communication and Ethnography.

CMS X84K.3. Microethnography of Interaction.

Introduction to the study of details of human interaction: the moment-by-moment organization of speech and embodied communication; the roles of different media of communication, such as language, gesture, and space; the construction of context; uses of the material environment; and the distribution of information in collaborative work settings.

CMS X84K.4. Communication and Ethnography.

Studies the use of language and communication in ethnographic methods, data collected, and in final reports in a broad range of approaches such as observation and participant-observation, field notes, surveys, interviews of various kinds, textual analysis, and experimental interventions.

CMS X86H. Topics in Seminar in Health Communication.

Theory and research in health communication.

CMS X86H.1. Managing Health Information.

Introduction to research and theories that examine why and how people exchange, conceal, and otherwise interact with health-related information. Explores the antecedents, processes, and outcomes of communicating about matters of health and illness, with a focus on implications for personal well-being, relational quality, and public health.

CMS X86H.2. Interdisciplinary Seminar in Health Communication.

Exploration of the interdisciplinary nature of health communication from an ecological perspective, ranging from intra-personal and interpersonal factors through the roles of populations and policies. Examination of the contributions to health communication from diverse disciplines including healthcare, public health, communication, and psychology. Explores issues related to research, practice, leadership, and partnerships.

CMS X86H.3. Communicating with Patients.

Examine communication research, theory, and skill development relevant to health provider and patient encounters of all kinds.

CMS X86K. Topics in Theories of Interpersonal Communication.

CMS X86K.1. Interpersonal Communication Theory.

Exploration of theoretical perspectives such as general systems theory; symbolic interactionism; rules theory; theories of language and nonverbal coding; theories of meaning; theories of information processing; and theories of persuasion. Theories pertinent to interpersonal, group, and mass interaction.

CMS X86K.4. Discourse Analysis.

Examines similarities and differences in the main kinds of discourse analysis and their basic assumptions and typical questions. Designed to develop skills at examining a piece of text or lecture to produce persuasive scholarly analysis.

CMS X86L. Topics in Group Communication.

CMS X86L.1. Group Communication Processes.

Study of theory and research in the dynamics of small groups, with emphasis on the interaction of message variables with other variables such as leadership, affiliation, cohesiveness, and social power.

CMS X86L.3. Communicating in Groups and Teams.

Focuses on the concepts and theories of communicative processes in task-oriented groups and work teams. Readings cover theory and research related to communication problems, dynamics, and practices in group and team settings. May also include the study of team development, decision making, and trends in group communication research.

CMS X86N. Topics in Research in Communication Studies.

CMS X86N.1. Quantitative Research Methods.

Broad coverage of social scientific techniques for collecting and analyzing communication data; includes measurement, design, and other areas. Some sections focus on organizational research.

CMS X86N.2. Qualitative Research Methods.

The use of observational and interviewing research techniques for studying human communication.

CMS X86P. Topics in Issues in Interpersonal Communication.

CMS X86P.1. Nonverbal Communication.

Current theory and research in such areas as involvement and intimacy, gender, touch, space, environment, nonverbal behavior in children, appearance, and lying. Various methods and measurement techniques for assessing eye gaze, body motion, facial actions, vocal signals, and multichannel events.

CMS X86P.10. Stress and Coping.

Exploration of how people interact with each other and with their environments during times of change and stress, including the emotions, cognitions, and behaviors that occur when people talk about upsetting or traumatic events and circumstances.

CMS X86P.11. Advocacy.

CMS X86P.12. Language, Persuasion, and Social Influence.

Examine how people employ and exploit linguistic precision, flexibility, and creativity in the service of influencing the beliefs and attitudes of others.

CMS X86P.5. Negative Interpersonal Communication.

An overview of negative features of communication in interpersonal relationships. Examines avoidance, secrets, conflict, relational transgressions, negative emotions, and aggression and abuse.

CMS X86P.6. Dark Side of Interpersonal Communication.

Provides an overview of issues related to the "dark side" of communication in interpersonal relationships. Subjects include undesired features of interpersonal relationships, seemingly productive communication patterns that are dysfunctional, as well as seemingly destructive patterns that are functional.

CMS X86P.7. Stereotyping and Prejudice in Interpersonal Communication.

Examines problems posed by stereotyping and prejudice in interpersonal communication, and the research and theory aimed at reducing their impact. Designed to provide opportunities to seek constructive ways of defining and addressing stereotyping and prejudice; emphasis on recent research in the formation, maintenance, and application of stereotypes.

CMS X86P.8. Metaphor in Communication.

Examines the conceptual structure and expressive forms of the metaphor. Includes the study of classical and contemporary treatment of metaphor in linguistics, philosophy, and rhetoric. Also includes recent social scientific research on the use of figurative devices, such as metaphor, analogy, idiom, hyperbole, and euphemism, in strategic communication, specifically in managerial communication, political speeches, and religious discourse.

CMS X86P.9. Perspective Taking.

Examines social scientific research and theories that illuminate human ability to understand or adopt the perspective of others.

CMS X86R. Topics in Issues in Relational Communication.

CMS X86R.1. Communication in Relationships.

Theories of development and change; research methods; relationship types; gender and roles; emotion; self-disclosure; secrets; lying; compliments; conflict; complaints; persuasion; dissolution processes; rejuvenating, repairing, and maintaining relationships.

CMS X86R.2. Family Communication.

Communication and attraction, courtship, marriage, the role of children in the marital relationship, sibling relationships, the effect of spouses' occupations on the family, and dysfunctional families.

CMS X86S. Communication, Cognition, and Emotion.

The cognitive elements involved in social interaction, such as memory, comprehension, plans, decision making, and schemas.

CMS X88C. Doctoral Comprehensive Examination Preparation.

Research and reading in preparation for doctoral comprehensive examinations in communication studies.

CMS X89C. Topics in Seminar in Peace and Conflict.

A survey of the literature and research in the communication of peace and conflict.

CMS X89C.1. Conflict and Communication.

Focus on the relationships between social structures and communication as they relate to conflict. Explores research on interpersonal conflict, theory and research on intercultural/-social communication, identity, and language. Analyze how gender, race, culture, region, age, class & sexual orientation, national identities, and so on are developed & reflected in communication.

CMS X90M. Topics in Seminar in Language, Culture, and Interaction.

CMS X90M.2. Intercultural Communication.

A selective and critical overview of current approaches to intercultural communication in disciplines such as communication studies, sociology, sociolinguistics, conversation analysis, and anthropology.

CMS X90M.3. The Body in Communication.

Exploration of embodied interaction as 'intercorporeality' and provides students with a methodology for research on bodily practices of communication and social action.

CMS X90M.4. Conversation Analysis.

The foundations of an interaction-based understanding of language. Texts reflect the evolution of the conversation-analytic paradigm of interaction and language study, and students explore the core organizations that conversation analysts have investigated: turn-taking, repair, turn-construction/action-design, recipient-design, and others.

CMS X90M.5. Language.

Introduction to the evolution, structure, and cultural foundations of human language, grounded in advanced contemporary work in anthropology, communication studies, and linguistics.

CMS X90M.6. Analyzing Embodied Communication.

Exploration of embodied interaction as 'intercorporeality' and provides students with a methodology for research on bodily practices of communication and social action.

CMS X90N. Topics in Political Discourse.

CMS X90N.2. Rhetoric of Social Movements.

Philosophies, strategies, and effects of modern sociopolitical and religious movements designed to produce change.

CMS X90N.3. Campaign Communication.

An introduction to research surrounding the actors and texts of political campaigns. Covers voters, candidates, consultants, new constituencies, advertisements, debates, speeches, news coverage, party conventions, and new media environments. Focuses on how political discourse affects political life in the United States.

CMS X90N.4. Politics, Media, and Society.

Examines political life in the United States in relation to television and new media.

CMS X90N.5. Politics, Media, and the Individual.

Current research and theory in the area of media and politics with particular emphasis on individual-level effects.

CMS X90N.6. Communication and Public Opinion.

Explores questions concerning communication, the media, and public opinion. Theoretical and empirical research from sociology, political science, social psychology, and mass communication may be discussed.

CMS X90N.7. Political Language.

Explore an overview of political language, including questions such as: What makes political language "political?" Has such language changed in character over time? Do political styles differ from culture to culture? Do the mass media change how politicians talk? How are social media affecting citizens' patterns of political engagement?

CMS X90N.8. Social Media Effects.

Examine the effects of social media on society, with a particular emphasis on social media's political effects, the empirical evidence, newer methodologies, and what we know and do not know.

CMS X90P. Topics in Rhetorical Theory.

CMS X90P.1. Contemporary Rhetorical Theory.

Investigation of recent definitions, issues, and trends in rhetorical theory, with emphasis on the philosophical bases of rhetoric and the relationship of rhetoric to other disciplines.

CMS X90P.10. History of Communicative Inquiry.

Explore the conceptual and disciplinary history of "the object" of a given academic field and the various ways in which subjects have conceived of the object, from the "reason" of philosophers to what counts as knowledge in the humanities and social sciences.

CMS X90P.11. Decolonizing Communication.

Explore advanced readings in rhetorical theories on decoloniality, postcolonial theory, globalization, modernity, race, ethnicity, gender, class, and sexuality.

CMS X90P.4. Burke and Symbolic Form.

Covers a selection of books by rhetorical theorist Kenneth Burke, as well as books and articles by recent scholars that use his ideas.

CMS X90P.5. Foundations of Rhetorical Theory.

Examines historical writings about rhetoric in the Western tradition, up through the Enlightenment. Covers various important figures in the history of rhetoric, including Plato, the sophists, Aristotle, Cicero, Quintilian, Augustine, Christine de Pizan, Vico, and Ramus.

CMS X90P.6. Rhetoric of Style.

A consideration of social style, including dress, entertainment, vehicles, and living arrangements as a system of communication. Special emphasis on the expressive and practical functions of such symbolic displays.

CMS X90P.7. Rhetoric and Ideology.

Explores Marxist contributions to rhetorical theory and criticism, with emphasis on ideology and hegemony.

CMS X90P.8. Rhetoric of Publics and Counterpublics.

Investigation of the role of rhetoric in public life in capitalism in history and today. Covers the roles of rhetoric and rhetorical criticism in the production and maintenance of publics, and discusses the formation and activities of social movements.

CMS X90P.9. Narrative, Myth, and Rhetoric.

Engages two important and interrelated areas of study in rhetoric: narrative and myth. Explores the psychological foundations of myths, how mythic criticism might proceed, as well as critiques of mythic criticism from a variety of disciplines.

CMS X90R. Topics in Seminar in Rhetorical Criticism.

CMS X90R.1. Basic Rhetorical Criticism.

Elementary methods of analyzing public discourse, including the ways and the reasons that rhetorical analysis is attempted.

CMS X90R.10. Theories of Subjectivity.

Survey of contemporary theory with attention to subjectivity. Authors may include Alain Badiou, Judith Butler, Jodi Dean, Gilles Deleuze, Rene Descartes, Michel Foucault, Immanuel Levinas, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Slavoj Zizek.

CMS X90R.2. Advanced Rhetorical Criticism.

Survey of six popular schools of thought, including dramatism, Marxism, and structuralism, and their implications for textual analysis.

CMS X90R.3. Feminist Theory and Rhetorical Criticism.

In-depth consideration of the premises underlying American and European feminism and the effects of such premises on critical experience. Special attention to the ways contemporary texts become gendered.

CMS X90R.4. Rhetoric and Popular Culture.

Survey of the ways film, television, popular literature, and consumer culture influence our attitudes and values. Consideration of a wide variety of contemporary theorists as well as experience in analyzing contemporary textual artifacts.

CMS X90R.6. The Object.

Investigation of conceptual and disciplinary anxieties about the object of speech in relation to the history of communication studies, and the deliberate jettisoning of the object in relationship to the history of cultural studies.

CMS X90R.7. The Subject.

Survey of contemporary theory with attention to subjectivity. Authors may include Alain Badiou, Judith Butler, Jodi Dean, Gilles Deleuze, Rene Descartes, Michel Foucault, Immanuel Levinas, Karl Marx, Friedrich Nietzsche, and Slavoj Zizek.

CMS X90R.8. Idiom of Haunting.

Examines haunting as a central experience of modern subjectivity rooted in the ontotheological concept of communication. Explores, through the idiom of haunting and ghosts, how the arrival of postmodernity (particularly in respect to mass media technology) has altered how we think about communication and subjectivity in both popular and scholarly ways.

CMS X90R.9. Rhetoric and Psychoanalysis.

A survey of the various schools of psychoanalysis, and the ways scholars have related psychoanalysis to the object of rhetoric.

CMS X90S. Topics in Seminar in Organizational Communication.

CMS X90S.1. Narrative Communication in Organizations.

Current theories of narrative and their applications to organizations. Topics include gossip, day-to-day news, and dramatic enactments of organizational communication.

CMS X90S.10. Survey of Organizational Communication.

Explores contemporary issues and processes in organizational communication. Graduate students summarize research and conduct original research in an organization.

CMS X90S.11. Measurement Workshop: Scale Development and Instrument Design.

Provides in-depth instruction on issues related to scale development and questionnaire design, ranging from establishing validity to increasing response rate.

CMS X90S.12. Engaged Communication Scholarship.

Explore the theories and methods helpful during engaged research projects. Includes practical theory (e.g., action research, communication design, grounded practical theory) and research methods common to consulting and engaged scholarship (e.g., ethnographic interviewing, survey design, organizational shadowing, and natural experiments).

CMS X90S.13. Disaster Communication and the Future.

Examine foundational interdisciplinary theories and meaningful community involvement to reveal the pivotal role communication, organizing, and technologies play in disasters, crises, and emergencies.

CMS X90S.2. Power and Politics in Organizational Communication.

The communication implications of sociological and managerial approaches to the study of power and politics, with emphasis on ideas about structure, culture, ideology, information, conformity, voice, and dissent.

CMS X90S.6. Social Network Analysis.

Focus on quantitatively and qualitatively mapping and measuring the connections, relationships, and flows between entities, such as individuals, teams, groups, organizations, and other information sources.

CMS X90S.7. On Time.

Introduction to the field of chronemics, the study of time as it is bound with communication, via a broad survey of literature across several disciplines. A range of contemporary communication challenges, as well as opportunities for positive communication and organizational scholarship will be interrogated.

CMS X90S.8. Communicating Knowledge.

A broad range of theoretical approaches and empirical research related to the communication of knowledge, including the study of both organizations and processes of organizing among workers. Subjects include: communities of practice, boundary objects, innovation, knowledge management, transactive memory, expertise, and ICT use.

CMS X90S.9. Health, Safety, and Technology in Organizations.

Examination of the theoretical and empirical research that bridges between organizational, health, and emergency communication with a focus on the role technology plays in these contexts.

CMS X90T. Topics in Organizational Communication Theory.

CMS X90T.2. Organizational Communication: Macro.

An introduction to selected macro-level or systemic variables in organizations, such as structure, technology, and environments, and to the ways these variables relate to organizational communication processes.

CMS X90T.3. Postmodern Organizational Communication Theory.

An attempt to integrate the concern in cultural studies for structure with the stream of organizational theory that focuses on chaos. Readings include Clifford and Markus, Clifford, Deleuze and Guattari, March and Olsen, Weick.

CMS X90T.4. Foundations of Organizational Communication Theory.

Introduction to the major approaches of understanding organizational communication. Examines the theoretical background and analytic skills to navigate tensions among varied approaches at micro-and-macro-levels; explores contemporary scholarship in organizational communication research in a historical context.

CMS X90T.5. Careers: Theory and Practice.

Examination of the current interdisciplinary definitions, theories, and practices regarding careers and work in contemporary society. Addresses subjects such as employability and/or entrepreneurship, the effect of contemporary technologies, internal/subjective v external/objective success, and work/life balance.

CMS X90U. Consultation in Organizations.

A review of social science literature and its application to problem solving and organizational development in field settings.

CMS X92P. Topics in Seminar in Communication Technology.

CMS X92P.3. Communication in Virtual Groups.

Examines how people think, feel, and communicate in geographically distributed groups using new technologies. Covers impression formation, impression management, anonymity and social identity, group norms, liking, conformity, trust, conflict, building common ground, and social influence processes.

CMS X92P.4. Communication Technology Use in Organizations.

Examines the theoretical and empirical work on the communicative functions of technology in the workplace.

CMS X92P.5. Computer-Mediated Communication Models and Methods.

Examines the theoretical and methodological assumptions of computer-mediated communication research. Topics include online impression formation and impression management, online romantic relationships, digital deception, online identity shift effects, and the effects of perceived anonymity when using new communication technologies.

CMS X92P.6. Grant Writing in Communication.

Discussion of the grant writing process, including reviewing actual grant proposals for analysis and critique.

CMS X95C. Topics in Strategic Communication.

Analyze strategic communication issues.

CMS X95C.1. Persuasion, Advocacy, and Social Influence.

Examine research and theory on interpersonal influence--what it takes to successfully persuade others in personal and organizational environments.

CMS X95C.10. Crisis Communication.

Examine frameworks through which crises may be addressed by leaders and members of groups, organizations, and communities by using past crises as case studies.

CMS X95C.11. Conflict and Negotiation.

Explore conflict, negotiation, and mediation with respect to interpersonal, group, organizational, and community contexts, with a focus on political conflict, its systemic causes, and possible solutions.

CMS X95C.12. Leadership in the Social World.

Examine how to lead in the social media age. Explore creating compelling content, developing a distribution strategy, using social media to guide decision making, driving social media use, and enabling a supportive infrastructure.

CMS X95C.13. Media, Messaging, and Perceptions.

Explore how communication and media contribute to representations and assumptions about social groups. Analyze messaging, power dynamics, and identity to develop more accurate and responsible communication practices.

CMS X95C.2. The Art and Science of Social Media.

Examine how to effectively engage with social media as both a consumer and an individual producer or creator. Explore personal brand identity, theories of human behavior and media consumption, and the rapidly changing media environment.

CMS X95C.3. Communicating for Careers.

Examine the current theories and practices regarding careers in communication. Create content for a portfolio in areas of interest as a resource for future employment.

CMS X95C.4. Team Building.

Explore how to foster effective teams through communication interventions.

CMS X95C.5. Resisting Stereotyping and Prejudice.

Examine problems posed by stereotyping and prejudice in communication and evidence-based research aimed at reducing their impact. Explore opportunities to seek constructive ways of identifying, defining, and addressing stereotyping and prejudice while engaging in communities.

CMS X95C.6. Personal Identity Branding.

Examine the skills and content involved in positioning individuals as experts or leaders in their field, increasing their credibility, distinguishing them from others, and expanding their circle of influence.

CMS X95C.7. Social Media Strategies.

Examine content creation, management of followers, and critical consumption of messages on social networks.

CMS X95C.8. Managing Change through Communication.

Explore strategies for creating, controlling, and adapting to change in organizations and groups. Examine how to deal with transformations in an organization's or group's goals, processes, or members.

CMS X95C.9. Communication and Leadership.

Examine leadership styles, predictors of effective leadership, and outcomes related to leadership in different contexts. Explore how to generate clear, persuasive messages and connect with audiences.

CMS X95M. Capstone in Strategic Communication.

Pursue the research interests and skills developed in other communication classes in-depth.

CMS X95S. Topics in Sport Communication.

Analyze issues in sports communication.

CMS X95S.1. Sports Audio and Video Storytelling.

Examine the skills needed to produce audio and video packages used on radio, long-form podcasting, and broadcast and digital sports journalism. Explore techniques used to tell a story with an audio or video narrative.

CMS X95S.2. Political and Crisis Communication in Sports Media.

Examine frameworks through which crises may be addressed by athletes, coaches, teams, and leagues by using past crises as case studies. Explore the role of athlete activism.

CMS X95S.3. Negotiation in Sports.

Explore negotiating philosophies, strategies, and tactics while developing negotiating skills during role-playing negotiations.

CMS X98. Thesis.

CMS X98R. Master's Report.

Preparation of a report to fulfill the requirement for the master's degree under the report option.

CMS X98T. Supervised Teaching in Communication Studies.

Teaching communication studies under supervision.

CMS X99W. Dissertation.

Professional Courses

CMS X19S. Topics in Communication Studies.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the appropriate College of Communication department. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program.

CMS X29S. Topics in Communication Studies.

This course is used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Communication Studies. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. Transfer credit is awarded for work in an affiliated studies program.

CMS X77K. Faculty-Initiated Research.

Supervised research on a project designed by a faculty member.