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Communication Studies (CMST)


CMST 195. INTERNSHIP. 1-5 Credits.

CMST 196. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-15 Credits.

CMST 199. DIRECTED STUDY. 1 Credit.

CMST 200. INTRODUCTION TO SPEECH COMMUNICATION. 4 Credits.

Notes: CMST 200 cannot be taken for credit towards the Communication Studies Majors.
Analyzes verbal interaction, barriers to communication, effective listening and the application of fundamental principles to one-to-one, small group and one-to-many experiences.

CMST 201. PUBLIC SPEAKING. 5 Credits.

This course is the study of the basic principles of public communication. This is a course in design, delivery, organization, and presentation of speeches for public groups with an emphasis on informative and persuasive speeches, message delivery, and presentation of visual aids.

CMST 203. INTRODUCTION TO LEADERSHIP. 3 Credits.

An introduction to basic leadership skills, this course will cover models in a variety of areas such as communication, decision making, problem solving, time management, conflict resolution and ethics.

CMST 207. COMMUNICATION, COMMUNITY AND CITIZENSHIP. 5 Credits.

Notes: the course will culminate with students creating a reasoned, ethical argument as a final project.
This course is designed to develop critical thinking skills as exhibited in reasoning and argumentation, with a further goal of examining how the power of an individual's voice can affect society. The course begins with a study of the rhetorical tradition of reasoning and argumentation, including elements of ethics. As the course progresses students will analyze, from historical to modern times, examples of individuals using their voice and the resulting impact upon society.

CMST 208. MASS MEDIA AND THE INFORMATION SOCIETY. 5 Credits.

Satisfies: a BACR for social sciences.
This course introduces students to the range of historical, cultural, economic and social issues affected by the development and continued evolution of mass media. Books, magazines, sound and video recording, the development of electronic media and of the internet provide the context for examinations of media uses and effects, media policy and law and social effects of media.

CMST 210. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

This course is an exploration of the human communication process. It includes the perceptual and attribution processes surrounding messages, the construction of verbal and nonverbal messages, the functions of messages in interaction, and the role of interpersonal communication processes on a variety of interpersonal relationship types.

CMST 212. ARGUMENTATION AND ADVOCACY. 5 Credits.

Satisfies: a BACR for humanities and arts.
This course seeks to cover the basic principles of argumentation as they are put into practice via oral and written communication. Students will learn the basic models of argument and demonstrate their ability to evaluate, construct, and articulate arguments in context and aligned with the audiences they are designed to address.

CMST 239. TOPICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS. 1-5 Credits.

Notes: may be repeated for credit with different topic titles.
This course is a variable topic course focusing on public relations. Areas which might be covered include new theories, specific techniques, and innovative trends.

CMST 241. EVENT PLANNING AND LOGISTICS. 3 Credits.

Students learn about the varying aspects of professional event planners, what it takes to be a successful event planner, as well as the processes used to design, plan and execute a variety of different events. This class provides instruction on the basic structure of event planning, design, marketing, execution and evaluation, as well as basic business and employment skills necessary to be successful in the event industry.

CMST 250. SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

This course focuses upon theories, concepts, and skills to improve small group communication with application to various task-oriented groups. This course emphasizes problem-solving communication and participant-leadership skills.

CMST 261. LISTENING SKILLS. 2 Credits.

Notes: this course is delivered online only.
This course is meant to teach you the knowledge by which to increase your communication listening skills and become a more effective listener. This course will open your minds for what others expect of you in regards to listening in communicative interaction.

CMST 296. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-15 Credits.

CMST 299. DIRECTED STUDY. 3-10 Credits.

CMST 301. POLITICAL COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

How Americans use oral and televisual communication to confront and change their environment. Emphasis on American speakers in American political contexts. Topics vary.

CMST 305. MESSAGE DELIVERY. 4 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Analysis and application of message delivery techniques, focusing on voice and articulation, modes of delivery and style, communication apprehension, situational factors and visual support.

CMST 309. COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION. 5 Credits.

An introduction to the history and development of communication theory. This is the first course in the communication major as well as the first course in communication theory. Topics include theory development, observation techniques, a survey of theories, and ethical questions.

CMST 312. NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

Notes: may be repeated for credit.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Topics that may be covered include the other-than-words side of human interaction within different cultures, genders, relationships, and situations. There will be an emphasis on the basic theories of nonverbal communication and the interaction between nonverbal and verbal communication.

CMST 314. GENDER AND COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: GWSS 314.
Pre-requisites: sophomore standing.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
This course examines current research on the interactions among language, gender and communication in contemporary social and cultural contexts.

CMST 319. INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This course introduces students to the various forms of public relations writing, working with the media and the public relations writing process.

CMST 326. DEBATE. 1-3 Credits.

Notes: this course may be repeated for a total of 6 credits applied toward the CMST major or minor.
The in-class portion of this course teaches how to create, analyze and critique ideas and how to build or defend a reasoned argument. The out-of-class competition portion of this course includes individual events, such as informative and persuasive speaking and oral interpretation.

CMST 330. INTEGRATED METHODS FOR COMMUNICATION RESEARCH. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
An introduction to the core group of scientific methods and analytic techniques used in communication research.

CMST 331. INTERVIEWING. 5 Credits.

This course is an introduction to the principles of interviewing theory and practice. The communication components of interviewing are examined from both the interviewer's and the interviewee's perspective. Topics include the process of planning, managing, and analyzing the interview. Then, a variety of topical interviews such as selection, performance review, counseling, discipline, termination, focus groups, research, media, sales, information gathering, and client intake are examined.

CMST 335. CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT. 1-5 Credits.

Notes: may be repeated up to 6 credits.
Focuses on the analytical and critical investigation of the communication process in the conference setting as a means of enhancing communication effectiveness. Provides hands-on experience in selecting a conference theme, designing a public conference, recruiting resource people, advertising the conference, registering participants, and conducting the conference.

CMST 337. FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA. 3 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Discover the paradigm shift that social media is creating at the juncture of communication and technology. Learn how to utilize online channels such as Twitter, Facebook, blogs, online ads, geo-based location and rating services, and other e-marketing tactics to engage your audience.

CMST 338. SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND PLANNING. 3 Credits.

Notes: DESN 216 is recommended, but not required.
Pre-requisites: CMST 337.
This course is designed to help you learn the differences between various social media platforms. You will learn how to take advantage of the different platforms' strengths and get hands-on experience planning, creating and posting content tailored to each individual channel. This course covers well-established platforms as well as new and emerging services.

CMST 339. TOPICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS. 1-5 Credits.

Notes: this course is repeatable with different topics.
Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
This course is a variable topic course focusing on public relations. Areas which might be covered include new theories, specific techniques, and innovative trends. This course is designed to include both theory and application.

CMST 340. INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

Notes: English and computer proficiency desired but not required.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–diversity.
This is a combination theory and application course on intercultural communication. The purpose of this course is to introduce students to some of the fundamental topics, theories, concepts, and principles that are at the center of the study of intercultural communication. The course follows a multi-media approach; students will see how media (newspapers, TV, film, and Internet) reveal patterns of cultural behavior and shape how we see and interact with people from other cultures.

CMST 342. GLOBAL COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

Notes: ENGL 201 or equivalent (proficiency) desired but not required.
Pre-requisites: sophomore standing.
Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–global studies.
The course provides a critical overview of the field of global communications and examines its main theoretical concepts and practical cases. The course introduces the students to the psychological, social, political and economic dimensions of global communications and their relationship with cultural and technological processes. The course will help the students to become more critical consumers of global news.

CMST 351. COMMUNICATIVE REASONING. 5 Credits.

Logical development and support of arguments, analysis of evidence, briefing of arguments, and practice in debate. In addition, this course is designed to prepare students to use practical reasoning applied to persuasive communication situations, to give students a general background on the basic principles of argumentation, and to engage critical and analytical thinking skills in order to identify, understand, and resolve communication problems.

CMST 360. BECOMING OTHER-CENTERED. 3 Credits.

Notes: Delivered online only. Please purchase books at the EWU bookstore or order any required readings using 2–day express mail, the digital version, or the audio version.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This course offers the opportunity for you to develop the understanding and appreciation for why and how a person becomes other-centered. You will progress in this course from understanding other-centeredness, and its importance to you becoming an effective communicator, to applying these newly developed skills in your own day-to-day communication.

CMST 366. PROFESSIONAL IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT. 2 Credits.

Notes: This course is delivered online only. Please purchase books at the EWU bookstore or order any required readings using 2-day express mail, the digital version, or the audio version.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
The purpose of this course is to provide a basic understanding of the relevance of impression management along with exposure to employee behaviors and attitudes valued in the workplace. The expectation is that you will integrate these two sets of concepts so that you will be a valued employee who projects a professional image.

CMST 368. CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SKILLS. 3 Credits.

Notes: this course is delivered online only.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This course exposes students to concepts relevant to conflict management and to options to more effectively communicate in conflict situations (after analyzing patterns, identifying the multiple goals, and detaching emotionally). Students will offer detailed, nuanced responses to multiple conflict situations and also come to understand rapprochement and how to effectively communicate this to another in specific scenarios.

CMST 395. FIELD WORK. 1-5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Directed student participation in the communication processes or problems of an industry, a political campaign, or a non-profit organization.

CMST 396. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-15 Credits.

CMST 397. WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.

Training programs or workshops emphasizing practical knowledge and skills. Topics vary.

CMST 398. SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.

CMST 399. SPECIAL STUDIES. 1-5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Subjects reflect recent developments in the field of human communication.

CMST 400. MESSAGE DESIGN. 5 Credits.

An investigation of message construction for large, public audiences. Stress on invention, organization, and style. Includes speech writing and written message design.

CMST 410. LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION. 5 Credits.

A study of language and communication from two aspects: form and strategy. The formal study entails the examination of patterns, rules and structures of language, conversation, and discourse. The strategy study focuses on the use of language and communication for accomplishing identity goals, relational goals, and instrumental goals.

CMST 411. NEGOTIATION SKILLS AND STRATEGIES. 5 Credits.

The basic premise of this course is that one needs strong negotiation and analytical skills for effective communication. Hence, the goal of this course is to help the student to understand the theory of negotiation and to master its main strategies. The course will allow the student to develop negotiation skills experientially and to appreciate the nature and role of effective negotiation. The course is relevant to any student pursuing a career in a social science field since, as a working professional, the student will face many conflict problems that can be best resolved through effective negotiation.

CMST 413. COMMUNICATION AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
An advanced examination of the verbal and/or nonverbal communication processes in a variety of areas such as friendship, family, professional and romantic relationships.

CMST 416. GENDER AND MEDIA. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: GWSS 416.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This course examines some of the relationships between media in the U.S. and social constructions of gender and sexuality.

CMST 418. TOPICS IN SEMIOTICS. 5 Credits.

The basic premise of this course is that communication is a process whereby meanings are generated and interpreted through signs. Hence, the overall goal of the course is to show how the process of generation and interpretation of meaning can be studied from the perspective of semiotics, ie., the discipline that studies signs and their meanings. The course provides a general introduction to the nature, role, and kinds of signs in communication. The subject matter of semiotics, or sign theory, is illustrated in such areas as language, myth, media, etc.

CMST 419. SEX, SEXUALITY AND COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: GWSS 419.
Pre-requisites: one WMST course or CMST course.
This seminar examines the construction of sexuality and sexual identity through communication, with a focus on the relationship between public policy and private sexuality.

CMST 420. HEALTH COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

This course surveys theory, research and practice in health communication and health literacy. Topics include clinician-patient interaction, family communication, group and organizational communication, mass media and web-based campaigns.

CMST 430. COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATIONS. 5 Credits.

The study of communication systems, channels, networks, and barriers; the role of communication in organizational assessment and change; the relationship between communication practices and organizational effectiveness, corporate image, and credibility.

CMST 431. COMMUNICATION LAW AND ETHICS. 5 Credits.

This course examines the legal limitations on human communication, as well as the rights and responsibilities of professional communicators.

CMST 432. MEDIA SYSTEMS AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY. 5 Credits.

This course is designed to allow students to explore mass media systems and technology and their interaction with and upon society. Students will learn the historical perspective of media systems and technology along with issues of media convergence upon our lives, specifically upon our communication.

CMST 433. LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: ENTP 433.
Notes: competent writing is necessary.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
In this class we focus on both culture and technique that help organizations: stay on the cutting edge; plan and forecast to remain sustainable and viable; create an organizational culture that fosters optimum motivation; utilize personal creativity in the ideation process and nurture ideas.

CMST 437. SPORTS AND LEADERSHIP. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This class focuses on developing leaders interested in sports from both a career perspective and as an avocation. Students will learn: to translate what they have done in sports to find career success; valuable leadership and networking skills to help you rise to the top; how to build an effective team; how to brand yourself over social media and LinkedIn.

CMST 439. TOPICS IN LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

This course is a variable topic course focusing on leadership and/or strategic communication. Areas which might be covered include skills training, readings in the knowledge and techniques of leadership, and the effective use of strategic communication. This course is designed to be both a theory and application course.

CMST 450. RHETORICAL THEORY AND CRITICISM. 5 Credits.

This course will survey contemporary theories of rhetorical communication and analyze areas of methodological controversy. We will discuss topics such as communication's role in defining humanity, power and communication, marginal groups and public discourse, gender/sex and rhetoric, evidence and public policy argument, and the impact of emerging communication technologies on methodological applications. We will operate from the assumption that language reflects, selects, and deflects reality in its construction of how we perceive the world.

CMST 451. PERSUASION. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This course is designed to introduce students to a variety of theoretical perspectives and views of effective persuasion in today's world. Students examine current texts and images to see how to create powerful persuasive messages. Students create and critique persuasive messages necessary for effective performance as a producer and consumer of persuasive communication.

CMST 452. CULTURAL STUDIES. 5 Credits.

This course is designed as an introduction to theoretical, historical developments, and current issues of cultural studies as an interdisciplinary subject. In this course key topics in culture and communication will be discussed, such as language, representation, subjectivity, power, ideology, identity, modernity and post-modernity, and globalization.

CMST 458. TOPICS IN IMAGE, MESSAGES AND MEANING. 5 Credits.

This course allows students to learn effective visual and written communication in the creation of meaning. Students will be offered the opportunity to gain knowledge and build on this information by evaluating others' efforts at message design, and then by creating their own effective image and/or message to convey meaning.

CMST 461. INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC RELATIONS THEORY. 5 Credits.

Notes: CMST 461, CMST 462 and JRNM 453 are the three core PR classes for the Communication Studies, Public Relations major and Journalism, Public Relations major.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Explores a broad range of concepts, elements, skills and impacts, including theory and applications; examines the role of public relations in business and society and as a profession.

CMST 462. ADVANCED PUBLIC RELATIONS THEORY. 5 Credits.

Notes: CMST 461, CMST 462 and JRNM 453 are the three core PR classes for the Communication Studies, Public Relations major and Journalism, Public Relations major.
Pre-requisites: CMST 461, JRNM 332; or permission of instructor.
Applies journalism, communications and public relations theories and skills to case study examples in organizations and communication environments.

CMST 463. ENTERTAINMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This course examines the public relations strategies and tactics used to promote TV, film, music and personal publicity clients through media relations, social media, talent relations, special events and crisis communications. Throughout the quarter, students review, analyze, discuss and evaluate entertainment-related public relations campaigns and their impact on organizations, audiences and society.

CMST 464. PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGNS. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior-standing, CMST 461 and JRNM 453.
This course introduces the student to the creative process of campaign creation and management to help them master the elements of a strategic communication campaign through direct experience as a practitioner.

CMST 465. MEDIA RELATIONS. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This course examines effective strategies and tools to help public relations professionals communicate effectively with the media. Students examine the latest techniques and trends in effective communications and develop media relations materials including press releases, pitch letters, media lists, statements and messaging guides.

CMST 466. PUBLIC RELATIONS IN BUSINESS AND FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: ENTP 466.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This course is designed to help students and industry professionals gain valuable PR, marketing, branding and social media skills necessary for successfully launching and expanding businesses and entrepreneurial start-up companies. Students will learn the art and craft of public relations through the examination of real-world case studies and the development of strategic PR materials.

CMST 467. SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing.
Learn specialized public relations skills for effective fundraising. Students of communication studies and individuals considering, or just starting, fundraising careers will learn how to frame personal practice for professional frontline fundraising with relevant public relations, communications and leadership models.

CMST 472. DIGITAL & SOCIAL MEDIA. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: ENGL 201.
This course examines the pervasive impact social media is having on our society, with specific interest in the implications and applications of social media for strategic media professionals. Focus is given to investigating the theoretical and cultural aspects of social media with an aim toward understanding how this communication form has changed our relationship between individuals, organizations, and society.

CMST 475. ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY. 5 Credits.

The course examines the social implications of a world in which everyday life is increasingly subject to electronic surveillance. The course begins with a survey of the theoretical and policy approaches to understanding the growth of electronic surveillance and its consequences. As the course progresses, students will conduct in-depth analyses of various modes of surveillance. The course concludes with a critical assessment of regulatory approaches to surveillance.

CMST 480. PRE-INTERNSHIP WORKSHOP. 2 Credits.

Must be taken at least one quarter before internship. May be taken as early as the first quarter of the junior year.

CMST 481. INTERNSHIP WORKSHOP. 2 Credits.

Must be taken at the same time as the internship, CMST 495.

CMST 482. GENDER, COMMUNICATION AND POLITICS. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: GWSS 482.
Notes: may be stacked with CMST 582.
Pre-requisites: junior standing.
This seminar examines communication, sexuality, and gender dynamics at work in several domains of the American political system, including the mass public, electoral politics, the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, parties and social movements and the policy-making process. We also examine global trends for political participation. We analyze differences in conceptualizing politics and engaging in public discourse.

CMST 490. SENIOR CAPSTONE. 5 Credits.

Satisfies: a university graduation requirement–senior capstone.
This is a required course for all students graduating with degrees in Communication Studies. Communication topics integrated into course content will include diverse audiences, interaction, strategy, ethics, and messages. In a seminar format and focused on contemporary issues relating to communication, the course will focus on the professional development of communication studies students.

CMST 494. LEADERSHIP PORTFOLIO. 2 Credits.

Pre-requisites: senior standing.
Supervised by the certificate advisor, students will compile an assessment portfolio of significant assignments completed during the certificate program. In addition, students will enhance the portfolio by completing various exercises, including the development of a formal statement regarding their leadership philosophy. These statements will integrate various concepts and theories surveyed and critiqued during the certificate program.

CMST 495. INTERNSHIP/PRACTICUM. 3-15 Credits.

Pre-requisites: CMST 480; must be taken concurrently with CMST 481; permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Directly supervised student practicum in the internal and/or external communication processes of a business or professional organization.

CMST 496. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-5 Credits.

See EagleNET for current listings.

CMST 497. WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.

Training programs or workshops designed to give you practical knowledge and skills in specific areas of communication.

CMST 498. SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.

Notes: may be repeated for credit.
Major speech communication issues in the areas of public address, group communication, rhetorical theory, speech education, speech criticism, argumentation, persuasion or intercultural communication.

CMST 499. SPECIAL STUDIES. 1-5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: junior standing, permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Individual study projects in a selected area of human communication.

CMST 501. ADVANCED COMMUNICATION THEORY. 5 Credits.

This advanced course emphasizes the role of theory in the process of communication inquiry. The course covers a variety of communication theories, reflecting the diverse aspects of the field. In the course communication is analyzed from several theoretical standpoints: as message transfer, as practical art, as mediation by signs, as sharing of experiences, as socio-cultural order, and as arrangement of power. The course shows how advanced theory can be used in the analysis of traditional and emerging communication contexts.

CMST 502. CONTEMPORARY TRENDS IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: CMST 501.
A survey of the progress of research in communication theory and the exploration of the directions the research will take in the 21st century.

CMST 504. COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS. 4 Credits.

The course consolidates and extends existing knowledge of media and mass communications as institutions and sets of practices. The interlinkage of media forms, institutional constraints, ideologies, law and economics are explored as these affect the construction and interpretation of specific media messages.

CMST 520. COMMUNICATION INQUIRY. 5 Credits.

This course is designed to provide students with knowledge of the history and philosophy of science. This course is the first in a three part sequence on research methods. This course provides the theortical basis of research methodology.

CMST 521. RESEARCH DESIGN AND ANALYSIS I. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: completion of a statistics course (undergraduate or graduate level) and CMST 520.
This course is designed to present experimental and survey methodologies, with a special emphasis upon knowing when to choose which method, how to apply the method and how to interpret the results. Computer statistical analyses are a requirement of this course. Information on how to write quantitative research reports will also be presented and students will be expected to write a quantitative research report.

CMST 522. RESEARCH DESIGN AND ANALYSIS II. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: completion of a statistics course (undergraduate or graduate level) and CMST 520.
This course is designed to present a minimum of three qualitative methods, with a special focus upon acquiring the ability to apply and understand the results from these methods. Computer programs and basic statistical analysis may be a requirement of this course. Information on how to write qualitative research reports will also be presented and students will be expected to write a qualitative research report.

CMST 530. COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATIONS. 5 Credits.

The focus is on communication systems, channels, networks, and barriers. Also included is a consideration of the role of communication in organizational change, auditing organizational communications, the relationship between communication and organizational effectiveness, and communication training programs.

CMST 539. SPECIAL TOPICS. 1-5 Credits.

CMST 550. PROBLEMS IN COMTEMPORARY PUBLIC COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

Problems inherent in adjusting ideas to people in the United States primarily during the last 15 years. Discussion of rhetorical strategy and tactics included in public apologia, demagoguery, conflict, public argument, and persuasion.

CMST 568. INTRODUCTION TO GRADUATE STUDIES. 2 Credits.

Pre-requisites: graduate standing or permission of the instructor.
The course is designed to introduce new students to the expectations of our graduate program. Students will learn to write a review of the literature, meet faculty members and learn of the various interdisciplinary concepts of study available in the program.

CMST 569. THESIS PREPARATION. 1 Credit.

Pre-requisites: 10 credit hours of graduate coursework.
The class is designed as a workshop to help MSC students develop a proposal for their master’s thesis or research project. Students in other programs may find it useful as well.

CMST 570. COMMUNICATION AND CULTURAL STUDIES. 5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: admission to a graduate program or the instructor’s permission.
This course examines the post-structuralist and interdisciplinary roots of cultural studies and explores the theoretical and methodological problems and issues central to cultural studies scholarship, including the construct of subcultures and the relationship of power to the cultural formations of identity and difference, institutions, ideologies, artifacts, consumption and production. Skills and methods: social change advocacy, critical analysis, writing, presentation, and the synthesis, conceptualization, and evaluation of how we theorize about, interpret, and critique cultural artifacts and practices.

CMST 578. SEMINAR IN CONSULTING PROCESSES. 2 Credits.

This course is designed to present the types of professional consulting and general approaches to consulting methodology. It outlines the basic knowledge, skills, and resources that are tools for consulting; introduces the nature and role of change; and helps students to evaluate their own consulting skills and to design a program to improve them.

CMST 582. GENDER, COMMUNICATION AND POLITICS. 5 Credits.

This seminar examines communication, sexuality, and gender dynamics at work in several domains of the American political system, including the mass public, electoral politics, the U.S. Congress, state legislatures, parties and social movements and the policy-making process. We also examine global trends for political participation. We analyze differences in conceptualizing politics and engaging in public discourse.

CMST 596. EXPERIMENTAL COURSE. 1-5 Credits.

CMST 597. WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.

Notes: only one workshop course for up to 3 credits may be used to fulfill graduate degree requirements.

CMST 598. SEMINAR. 1-5 Credits.

CMST 599. INDEPENDENT STUDY. 1-5 Credits.

Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Individual study projects in a selected area of human communication.

CMST 600. THESIS. 1-6 Credits.

Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Independent research study under the direction of a graduate advisory committee.

CMST 601. GRADUATE RESEARCH IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES. 1-6 Credits.

Pre-requisites: permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.

CMST 602. EXAM PREPARATION. 1-2 Credits.

Pre-requisites: submission and approval of candidacy form; permission of the instructor, department chair and college dean.
Directed course of reading and study under the direction of a faculty member serving on the student’s comprehensive examination committee (Option B).