Graduate Courses

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COMM 700/701: Research Methods in Communication (Fall Semester)

  • Catalog Description: Introduction to (700) or advanced (701) research planning and design, methods of research, and presentation of research results.
  • Faculty Description: In this course, students are introduced to the many approaches to Communication research. Professors focus on helping graduate students identify their interest areas, find other scholars investigating similar questions, and design a study on their chosen topic. The major assignments are an annotated bibliography and a research proposal, projects which are broken up into weekly tasks to make things more manageable.

COMM 702: Introduction to College Teaching in the Humanities and Social Sciences (Fall Semester)

  • Catalog Description: Techniques for effective teaching and assessing learning at the college level. Includes special issues and responsibilities related to college-level teaching.
  • Faculty Description: In COMM 702, students read and summarize scholarship related to teaching and learning and learn how to employ evidence-based strategies in their classrooms. Assignments include: a teaching philosophy, lesson plans, and a course syllabus. After taking COMM 702, many students decide to pursue the College Teaching Certificate.

COMM 704: Qualitative Research Methods in Communication (Spring Semester)

  • Catalog Description: Introduction to theory and practice of qualitative research in communication. Prereq: COMM 700 or COMM 701.
  • Faculty Description: In COMM 704, students build on the fundamentals of research design they learned in COMM 700/701 by designing question protocols for interviews and focus groups, collecting qualitative data, and practicing different forms of data analysis. Students also use our research skills to make evidence-based recommendations. The major assignments are usually a group presentation to the Department of Communication based on focus groups conducted with undergraduate students and an individual white paper that is often (but not always) based on the proposal developed in COMM 700/701.

COMM 707: Quantitative Research Methods in Communication (Spring Semester)

  • Catalog Description: Introduction to quantitative research planning and design, methods of research, and presentation of research results. Prereq: COMM 700.
  • Faculty Description: This course aims to equip students with a quantitative toolset. Students learn how to design a quantitative study, how to write questionnaire, design an experiment, and collect and analyze quantitative data. The statistics methods will be covered including descriptive statistics, Chi-square, T-test, ANOVA, and Regression with SPSS. Course assessments typically include an individual research project, homework, and final presentation.

COMM 711: Communication Theory (Spring Semester)

  • Catalog Description: Major theoretical approaches to the study of communication from social scientific and humanistic traditions.
  • Faculty Description: Description forthcoming.

COMM 712: Emerging Trends in Teaching and Learning Online (Summer Semester)

  • Catalog Description: Study of the theory, historical development, and practical applications of the distance / online education movement. Examination of learning theory and instructional design theory, as it relates to online course development.
  • Faculty Description: Critics often label online classes as inferior to face-to-face classes. While these concerns are worth examining, COMM 712 will explore how online classes can be engaging and a meaninful learning experience. In COMM 712, students will investigate and address concerns related to online learning and build a module that creates a positive online learning experiences for students.

COMM 750: Advanced Issues in Communication (Fall and Spring Semester)

  • Catalog Description: Advanced theory and philosophy of research issues in the field of communication. May be repeated.
  • Previous Course Topics:
    • Organizational Crisis Communication (Spring 2025)
    • The Art of Followership (Fall 2024)
    • Computational Communication (Fall 2023)
    • Account Planning for Strategic Communication (Spring 2023)
    • UX Research and Writing (Fall 2022)
    • Defining Work (Fall 2022)
    • Communication and Technology (Spring 2022)
    • Media Effects (Fall 2021)
    • Account Planning for Strategic Communication (Fall 2020)
    • Modern Propaganda (Spring 2020)  
    • Debating the Impact of Technology (Fall 2019)    
    • Small Group Communication (Fall 2019)
    • Rhetoric of Work (Spring 2018)
    • Media Literacy, Identity, and Pop Culture Texts (Fall 2017)
    • Relationships in Organizations (Spring 2017)
    • Strategic Communication: Theory, Research, and Planning (Spring 2017)
    • Public Relations Theory (Summer 2016)
    • Social Media and Participatory Culture (Spring 2016)
    • Communication and Technology (Spring 2016)
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