Communication Course Descriptions

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Communication Courses

Communication Course Descriptions

Isaacson- Coordinator
*Alternate year course

CM101 Human Communication (3 hours)
After an introduction on basic theories of human communication, students will survey the theory and practice of human communication in various contexts, including interpersonal, mass and intercultural.

CM110 Speaking and Listening (3 hours)
An introduction to speech communication with an emphasis upon preparing and delivering public speeches. The course also includes segments on developing listening and critical-thinking skills. Prerequisite: 2.50 grade point average in the High School Arts courses (guides 10/11/12 ) and an English Usage Score of 18 on the Enhanced ACT (English score of 15 on the older version of the ACT). Students who have not met this prerequisite will be required to complete AS003 Writing Skills prior to enrolling in CM110.

CM190 Communication Activities (1 hour)
This course allows students to explore and practice various communication skills through participation in various activities related to the communication field. Offered by arrangement. May be repeated with a different project. It is taken on a Pass/Fail basis.

CM193 Coaching Forensics Practicum (3 hours)
This course is a practicum in coaching high school forensics. Students will assist the Director of Forensics (DOF) at Smoky Valley High School (SVHS) for 14 weeks during the Kansas High School Forensics season. Students will assist in hosting competitive tournaments and coaching. Students will also travel with the SVHS team to at least three competitive tournaments during the practicum and will judge at the tournaments as needed. Students will also assist with day-to-day management of the team.

CM201* Small Group Communication (3 hours)
Every group has a unique dynamic that is more than the sum of its individual members. In this course, students will explore how a group uses communication to develop its own dynamic and maintain group status. Students will also learn how groups use communication to address problems and achieve goals. We will cover a wide range of small groups, including e-mail discussion, groups, families, and corporate teams. Students will explore research and theory on communication particular to small groups and will practice their own communication skills in a small group. Prerequisite: Completion of EN101 with a C average or higher.

CM205* Mass Media and Modern Society (3 hours)
A survey of development and current state of Mass Media industries with special emphasis upon books, news, film, broadcast television, and developing computer based media. The course will develop critical thought about Mass Media as students examine their own patterns of use, learn methods of research, and examine both domestic and international perspectives on the mass media in order to discover the impacts of Mass Media messages on contemporary culture. Prerequisite: Sophomore status or above, CM101 or CM110 or an equivalent course.

CM211 Argumentation (3 hours)
Students will gain the knowledge and skills needed to engage in and adjudicate reasoned public debates. Students will define terms such as argument and persuasion, critique inductive and deductive reasoning, identify common reasoning fallacies, prepare and adjudicate debate cases, and discuss basic philosophies of the role of argument in the search of truth. Assignments include in-class oral debates. Prerequisites: Sophomore standing and either CM110 or CM101 required.

CM212 Oral Interpretation (3 hours)
The steps in preparing a piece of literature for public presentation are introduced: selection of literature, analysis of literature, rehearsal and performance. Vocal and physical techniques of expression are developed and the student gains poise and confidence in the public presentation of self through oral readings of prose, poetry, drama, and other forms of literature.

CM215* Speaking and Writing Persuasively (3 hours)
Advertising, corporate image campaigns, political slogans, and public-health efforts: Persuasion is everywhere. In this course students will survey the theory and practice of communication designed to influence people's beliefs and actions. Theories of persuasion from Aristotle to modern psychology will be used to help students improve their practice and critique of persuasive messages. Anyone who must improve their own persuasive messages, written or spoken, or be able to recognize and evaluate persuasive appeals will benefit from this course. Prerequisites: Completion of EN101 and CM110 with a C average or higher.

CM219 Narrative Theatre (3 hours)
Building on solo oral interpretation techniques, Narrative Theatre explores the theatrical performance of characters from literature and history, multi-character staging of literature, and the creation of new stage pieces from a mix of literature. Special attention is paid to the narrator’s function in presenting literature. Oral interpretation is a recommended prerequisite. Prerequisite: Sophomore standing, or the completion of Oral Interpretation (CM212 or equivalent), or permission of the instructor.

CM222* Interpersonal Communication (3 hours)
A concentrated study of the principles and skills involved in one-on-one communication. Activities and research stress relational and persuasive skills. In addition to gaining research skills in Interpersonal Communication, students improve their interpersonal communication competence.

CM310*/TH310* Performance and Dramatic Theory (3 hours)
This course is a survey of dramatic theory from the ancient Greeks to the present and an examination of the nature of performance as a distinctive mode of human communication. As dramatic theory, the course has a special emphasis on the influence of theories upon playwriting and theatrical production. As performance theory, the study includes sociological, aesthetic, and critical theoretical approaches to performance. Prerequisites: TH110, CM212, CM/TH219, or CM222 Interpersonal Communication, or permission of the instructor.

CM330* Survey of Rhetoric (3 hours)
In this course, students will explore communication through the writings of ancient, renaissance, modern, and contemporary thinkers including Plato, Isocrates, Aristotle, St. Augustine, Campbell, Adam Smith, and Kenneth Burke. These diverse perspectives are unified by one question: What makes a communicator effective? The course will concentrate on the traditional canon of Western rhetorical thought but will explore the thinking of non-Western and oppressed groups as well. Students will gain a clear understanding of what rhetoric is and its central role in society throughout human history. Prerequisite: Completion of EN301 or instructor permission.

CM350* Communication Theory (3 hours)
This course provides an in-depth examination of the nature and uses of major theories of interpersonal and mass communication. Prerequisite: EN101 and one lower division CM course.

CM391 Senior Project (3 hours)
This course provides students with the opportunity to develop a culminating work that "pulls together" their course work. A public presentation of the project is required. Prerequisites: Senior standing or permission of the instructor required.