Foundations of communication theory and practice relevant to interpersonal and public oral communication. Surveys the skills necessary to articulate oneself effectively in a variety of communication settings such as the interpersonal relationship, formal and informal groups, and public forums. Three hours per week with enhancement. Meets General Education IIIA or IIIB (Prior to Fall 2008: IIB).
Introduces students to the basic principles of human communication. Explores elements of communication in various contexts such as interpersonal relationships, small groups, organizations and in public arenas. In each context students will come to understand how communication functions as well as the consequences of particular communication choices. Three hours per week with enhancement. Meets General Education IIIA and IIIC (Prior to Fall 2008: IB).
Theory, history, structure and functions of mass media (print, film, recording, radio, television, new media), advertising, journalism and public relations. Students may not receive credit for both CMAT 110 and CMAT 102. Three hours per week with enhancement. Meets General Education IIIA or IIIC (Prior to Fall 2008: IB).
Fundamentals of writing for media, including basic script formats and other forms of media content including public service announcements, advertisements, continuity, public relations materials, news and dramas. Prerequisite: C or better in ENGL 102 or 103. Three hours per week with enhancement. Meets General Education IIIA or IIIC (Prior to Fall 2008: IB).
Study of the factors that motivate and determine communication or non-communication among individuals, of the psychological barriers and inducements to open communication and of the effects of these factors upon the people involved. Three hours per week with enhancement. Meets General Education IIIA or IIIC (Prior to Fall 2008: IB).
Designed to provide extensive exposure to, and practice in, the preparation and presentation of messages. Emphasizes the nature, methods and principles of public address including persuasive, informative and special occasion presentations. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 101 for major. Non-majors may participate upon space availability and permission of the instructor. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Covers the basic skills and techniques required for audio production in media. Emphasis is on the aesthetics, principles and practices in producing and designing audio programs for media. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 131. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Introduction to the basics of journalism and public relations. Focuses on developing an understanding of the professional practices of journalism and public relations and developing journalism and public relations writing skills. Three hour per week with enhancement.
Introduction to the equipment and techniques of television studio production. Each student produces and directs a variety of live-to-tape productions. Outside class crew hours required. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 131 or permission of instructor. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Offers students experiences in a variety of on-campus activities. Students are allowed to gain credit for working with groups such as The Flyer newspaper, student activities, the Public Relations Office or on school-level newsletters or other journalism of public relations activities approved by the practicum director. May be repeated up to four credit hours. Communication arts majors in the Journalism/Public Relations Track must take this course four times in order to meet the track’s four-credit requirement Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 240 and permission of instructor. Four hours per week.
Study of the communicative factors involved in the teaching-learning process in classroom and corporate contexts. Emphasis is on the selecting, limiting organizing and presenting of content that needs to be conveyed from instructor to learner(s). Special focus is given to developing a supportive environment, effective questioning and positive interpersonal relationships. Three hours per week with enhancement. Meets General Education IIIA or IIIC (Prior to Fall 2008: IB).
Study of human communication systems in organizations. Students explore one-to-one, small group and one-to-many communication, and develop the skills needed in organizational communication. Three hours per week with enhancement. Meets General Education IIIA or IIIC (Prior to Fall 2008: IB).
Study of correctable communication problems caused by cultural differences. Analysis of problems from communication and cultural perspectives. Emphasis on ways to avoid and correct such problems. Does not satisfy General Education requirements. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 101 or CMAT 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Introduction to common communication research methods, including: literature reviews, surveys, experiments, content analysis, rhetorical criticism, ethnography, interviews and focus groups. Students learn essential research and writing skills through projects created in areas of interest such as relationships, business, media, or advertising/public relations. May not receive credit for both CMAT 297 and CMAT 301. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 101, 102. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Explores the relationships among communication, gender and culture. Illuminates the pivotal role of communication in sustaining and altering existing gender and cultural patterns. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 101 or CMAT 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
An examination of theories and concepts that highlight the role of communication in personal and intimate relationships. Additional emphasis is on the role of communication in the life cycle of a relationship. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 101 or CMAT 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Study of conversational goals and strategies. Focus on recognizing and understanding role of specific features (i.e. pronouns, sentence structure) in interpersonal contexts; individual communicative strategies and their effects on conversational patterns. Readings, data analyses, two or three exams. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 101 or 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Examines the role of communication in interpersonal contexts where there is a need to manage conflict. Explores how communication can reflect, create and transform conflict. Analyzes the role of power, climate, emotions and other factors that contribute to destructive or constructive conflict patterns. Emphasizes conceptual understanding and basic skills in diagnosing conflict, making recommendations, monitoring one’s own behavior and third party intervention. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 101 or 205. Three hours per week with enhancement
Investigates interviewing situations based on giving and/or getting information and influencing the behavior of others through persuasion. Includes exercises demonstrating most commonly used forms of the interview. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 100 or 101 or 250 or 260. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Participation in and analysis of small group discussion. Emphasizes communication within the small group setting and effective group decision making. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 101 or 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Study of human communicative behavior without the use of words. Ways of sending and receiving nonverbal messages are examined with the goal of awareness and understanding of their communicative value. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 101 or 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Studies the basic principles and procedures for the effective management of small- and large-scale conferences and meetings in a variety of contexts, including education, sales and marketing, professional associations and government. Will apply the knowledge gained through readings and lecture to actual and simulated conferences. Students will be involved in the actual planning and management of a conference. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 101 or 200, and CMAT 248 or 260, or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Introduction to the study of persuasion and argumentation. Focus on how changes in attitudes and behavior may generally result, and how various factors may contribute to persuasive outcomes. Examination of practical reasoning in the construction of persuasive argument. Course includes practice in oral and written argument. Students who have taken both CMAT 315 and 316 may not receive credit for CMAT 317. Prerequisites: C in CMAT 101 and CMAT 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Study of the concepts and techniques associated with dramatic fiction writing for media. Students acquire skills through analysis of sample screenplays, movies and TV programs and through developing short motion picture and television screenplays and treatments. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 131. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Development of critical viewing skills through analysis of program conventions, genres and media aesthetics, and through intensive writing. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 110 or 102 and CMAT 301. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Critical study of the persuasive elements generated through the mass media, and the resulting influence the media exert upon society. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 301 or CMAT 110 and 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Acquaints the student with the numerous and varied elements contained on the Internet. The course will enhance communication skills specifically for the networked environments and discuss how to reach specific audiences on the net. Instruction includes media writing, page design, site development and learning about hypertext markup language. Integral to the course is evaluating and analyzing Web based content. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 110 or 102, and CMAT 131. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Introduction and examination of the media systems of countries around the globe with emphasis on the effects geo-political and cultural forces have on the development of specific mass communication channels throughout the world. Prerequisite: Junior standing. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Study of problems facing today’s managers in an ever-changing media landscape. Topics include economics, ownership, leadership, conflict management, programming, advertising, community relations and Federal Communications Commission rules and regulations. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 301. Three hours per week with enhancement.
The study of writing techniques and formats for public relations applications, including radio and television public service announcements, video news releases, speech writing, media kit preparation , and print media news releases. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 246 and CMAT 248 or 240. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Focuses on the study and practice of planning and creating advertisements and advertising techniques such as campaign planning, copywriting and media placement. Explores the aesthetic dimensions of advertising expression and cultural dimensions of reading and interpreting advertisements. Overview of how the advertising industry operates, what ad people do, and the effects of advertising on society. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 131. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Study of the production of television and film programs using single camera and editing techniques. Prerequisite: CMAT 234, 243. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Comprehensive writing course that prepares students for print journalism and public relations careers. Requires weekly writing assignments, many of which are under stringent deadlines. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Places sports in a social perspective and teaches students to study and apply skills required of sportswriters, sportscasters, and sports information specialists. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 246. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Examines media coverage of public agencies and social issues while emphasizing civic journalism. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 246. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Instruction in the principles, theories and applications of typography, layout, design, editing, and production for newsletters, brochures, newspapers, magazines, and other publications. The course is designed to help dvelop desktop publishing skills. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 340 or 341 or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week with enhancement.
An intensive advanced level audio production course. Advances the student's broad audio knowledge and production abilities in creative sound recording/mixing/processing/editing and sound design. Emphasizes audio for media, applied media aesthetics, sound design and creative and artistic approaches to various types of sophisticated audio production including music recording, radio production and audio for other media (video, film, new media). Prerequisite: CMAT 234. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Study of the role of the manager as a communicator at various organizational levels. Students study various communication strategies available to managers. Topics include information processing; presenting, receiving and gathering information; goal setting; decision making and change. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 101 or 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Provides a solid foundation of theoretical and practical skills needed to tell nonfiction stories for the visual mass media. Students will produce a wide variety of news packages and documentary shorts. Prerequisite: CMAT 343 with a C or better. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Study in interpersonal, organizational or public communication process and messages. May be taken twice under different subtitles. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 101 or 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Study of various mass media concepts as they impact contemporary society. May be repeated a maximum of two times under different subtitles. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 102 or CMAT 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Study of various concepts, theories and/or practices in Journalism or Public Relations. May be repeated under different subtitles. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 240. Three hours per week with enhancement.
On site study of human communication, media, journalism and culture of selected countries. Field study is preceded by pre-tour lectures. Better understand the culture and communication of a foreign country through immersion and experiential learning. May be taken twice under different subtitles. May be used only once in the CMAT major. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Selected philosophies and theories of human communication, encompassing structures, forms and contexts of communication, which include cultural contexts, assumptive bases and world views of theories and theorists. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 200 and junior standing. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Characterization of family styles of communication as they reflect values, attitudes and perceptions of family members as a group. Examination of effects of individual communication strategies on development of family patterns of interaction. Selected readings, field research, two exams. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 200, 205. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Studies the role of media and rhetoric in political campaigns and the political process. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 101 or CMAT 200 and junior standing; or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Investigates documentary styles and techniques while emphasizing the documentary production process. Each student will develop their own documentary project. Over the course of the semester they will turn in the various components (proposal, treatment, rushes, etc.), culminating in a completed 24-30 minute documentary. May not receive credit for both CMAT 333 and 433. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 373 or permission of instructor. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Attain practical, real-world experience by producing a bi-weekly program for SU’s campus and community access channels. Create seven bi-weekly, half-hour programs (in the “soft news” genre) that highlight campus-related achievements, events and interests of students choosing. All on-camera and behind-the-scene crew positions are filled by students. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 373. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Consideration of the legal and regulatory context of mass communication. Topics include constitutional, first amendment and statutory issues and the study of regulatory agencies and processes. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 332 or CMAT 334. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Course enhancing the understanding of the media-criminal justice relationship as media coverage corresponds with heightened public demand for accountability in law enforcement, corrections, legal and judicial agencies. Study news coverage and entertainment portrayals of institutional and source-reporter interaction in criminal justice agencies, which are developing sophisticated public information and media relations strategies. Evaluate whether the public can be better informed without sacrificing the integrity of media and criminal justice agencies. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 248 or 332 or 334. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Focuses on the reporting and dissemination of environmental policy, information and education, environmental reporting and environmental public relations. Also discusses risk and crisis communication management. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 200, 248 or permission of the instructor. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Explores the art of filmmaking using digital technology. Requires procuding a short film from script to the screen. Students write, produce, direct, cast, shoot and edit a short film in a genre of their choice. Film theory and techniques qre explored and applied in the production. HD equipment is used for acquisition and finishing. Prerequisite: CMAT 343. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Examines public relations cases while developing strategies and scenarios for response. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 248. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Advanced level production course designed for experience in writing, designing and producing programs in television studio environment. Emphasis on program proposals, writing, producing, directing and use of digital technology in production. May not receive credit for both CMAT 336 and 456. Prerequisites: CMAT 343. Four hours per week.
Examines the process of communication from the perspective of the whole organization and studies various structures in business, education, the arts, etc. in order to analyze and improve communication. Prerequisite: C or better in CMAT 101 or 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Examines innovations in communication techniques and applications. Topics include satellite and terrestrial based technology, conferencing, decision support systems, computer mediated communication and the impact of technology on the communication process and communicators. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 102 or 110 and CMAT 101 or 200. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Intensive study in speech or communication studies. Students should choose a seminar in their track. Substantial research paper/academic project and class presentation are required. May be taken twice under different subtitles, but only four credits may be applied to the communication arts major. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 101, 102 and senior standing. Three hours per week with enhancement.
Student selects a topic for investigation with the advice of an instructor prior to registration. Student submits a proposal including a letter of intent, an outline of the proposed study and an abstract of the intended topic area. Prior familiarity and work with the topic are recommended. Students opting for CMAT 492 as an elective requirement must take a minimum of four credits. May be taken twice for a total of eight credit hours, and only four credits may count toward the major. Prerequisite: Permission of department chair. Hours arranged.
Provides practical experience in the application of theoretical concepts including broadcasting, theatre, journalism, organizational communication, public relations, training, etc. Only four hours may be counted toward the major. Students opting for CMAT 495 as a core requirement must take a minimum of four credits. May be taken twice for a total of eight credit hours. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 101, 102, junior standing, track core courses, 2.5 overall G.P.A., 3.0 G.P.A. in CMAT and permission of the department. Variable.
Designed to encourage students to pursue an important area of research in communication. Allows a student to study a subject area in more depth than possible in the traditional classroom setting. With the advice of an instructor, the student submits a proposal including a letter of intent, an outline of the proposed study with bibliography and an abstract of the intended topic area. The project should ideally be new research as an addendum to an earlier project. A public presentation of research is required. Prerequisites: C or better in CMAT 301, minimum of 3.0 GPA in CMAT courses, permission of department chair and approval/cooperation of supervising instructor. Four hours per week.
Designed to lead the student to an awareness of literature through the performing self to reinforce the concept that one’s physiological and psychological processes are bound together in the act of understanding what stories and poems mean. Three hours per week.
Selected philosophies and theories of human communication, encompassing structures, forms and contexts of communication, which include cultural contexts, assumptive bases and world views of theories and theorists. Prerequisite: Graduate status. Three hours per week.
The investigation of speech-communication from the point of view of conflict, manipulation, barriers and breakdowns--factors which undermine human potential for optimum reciprocal social intercourse. Three hours per week.
Intensive study of a selected topic in speech, communication studies or theatre. May be repeated under different subtitles. Prerequisite: Graduate status. Three hours per week.
Student must choose a topic for investigation with the advice of an instructor prior to registration. Variable credit; may be taken twice. Prerequisites: Graduate status, permission of department chair. Hours arranged.
Designed to improve a manager’s effectiveness in communicating on both an interpersonal and systems level. Topics include dissemination of information, writing style and format. Includes theories and models in communication. Emphasis on solving business communication problems. Prerequisite: Admission to M.B.A. program. Three hours per week.
