COMM 1101 - Cases in Communication

(SBA-AG)

Fall. 3 credits. Student option grading.

P. McLeod, N. Porticella.

Serves as an introduction to the department and to the field of Communication, by familiarizing students with a range of questions, perspectives, and ideas that inform our research. The course has a broad reach, from understanding the intricate dynamics of face-to-face interactions to examining the most profound changes in modern society. Always, the practices, processes, and implications of communication serve as the lens for understanding human sociality. The course uses a case studies approach, drawing on real and pressing issues and controversies from the world around us, as examples and excuses for thinking through elements of Communication study and research.

Outcome 1: Students will be able to introduce students to the aims of social science, with communication as a lens; recognize why one would approach real world problems through theory and inquiry; understand the Communication major as a process.

Outcome 2: Students will be able to recognize that there are vital, real world issues worth thinking about, and that communication theory can offer insight into (and recognize that theory can never be a complete explanation of all things).

Outcome 3: Students will be able to sample the range of communication scholarship, comprehend the different but complementary approaches to communication.

Outcome 4: Students will be able to develop critical thinking skills, begin to recognize ways of seeking answers around communication phenomenon, introduce the need to evaluate evidence, recognize the ethical imperatives of knowledge production around these issues.

Outcome 5: Students will be able to look forward to directions and possibilities in the major, help each student identify their own areas of interest for future classes, lines of research, mentors, etc…. be able to articulate the core concerns of the focus.

Outcome 6: Students will be able to explain the philosophical foundations of communication theories.

Outcome 7: Students will learn how communication theories can lead to greater understanding of a broad range of social situations and topics.

Outcome 8: Student will receive an introduction to theories and topics that will prepare them for more advanced coursework in communication.