Courses
COMS 104/L. Literature in Performance and Lab (2/1)
Corequisite: COMS 104L. Introduction to principles, techniques and practices in solo performance of poetry, fiction and drama. 15 hours of communication experience outside of class are required. (Available for General Education, C1 Arts.)
COMS 150. Introduction to Communication Studies (3)
An introduction to Communication Studies with an emphasis on the history of the field and the various theories, contexts and perspectives that inform the study of human communication. (Available for General Education, E Lifelong Learning.)
COMS 151/L. Fundamentals of Public Speaking and Lab (2/1)
Prerequisite: Multiple Measures Placement in GE-level writing, or completion of 113A or 114A, or completion of the lower division writing requirement. Corequisite: COMS 151L. Introduction to the study of the human communication process, with an emphasis on effective public communication. Includes intensive practice in public speaking, reasoning and critical listening. 15 hours of communication experience outside the class are required. (Cross-listed with AAS 151, AFRS 151, CAS 151 and CHS 151.) (Available for General Education, Basic Skills A1 Oral Communication.) (IC)
COMS 195. Forensics (1-1-1-1)
Supervised activity in competitive intercollegiate forensics.
COMS 199. Performance Ensemble (1)
Supervised activity in group performance of literature. Participation in theatre programs before campus audiences. Course is repeatable for a maximum of four completions of credit.
COMS 225/L. Argumentation and Lab (2/1)
Prerequisite: Multiple Measures Placement in GE-level writing. Corequisite: 225L. Studies of the strategies used for rhetorical argument. Emphasis is given to ways of finding issues, using evidence and detecting fallacies in rhetorical communications. Practice is given in the formulation and critical analysis of argument in rhetorical communications. 15 hours of communication experience outside of class are required. (Available for General Education, Basic Skills A3 Critical Thinking.)
COMS 251. Introduction to Interpersonal Communication (3)
This course offers a relational view of communication and explores how relationships are created, negotiated, maintained, and terminated between two people. Students will work on improving communication skills and exploring the dynamics of interpersonal communication such as intimacy, communication climates and interpersonal conflict. Interpersonal communication includes-but is not limited to-communicating with friends, family, co-workers, fellow students and romantic partners. (Available for General Education, E Lifelong Learning.)
COMS 301. Performance, Language and Cultural Studies (3)
Study of the complex relationships among culture, language and performance in communication. Examination of theory, behavior, practice and criticism from aesthetic and sociocultural perspectives, with emphasis on contemporary research in language, culture and performance studies.
COMS 303. Narrative in Performance (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 301. Theory and practice in performing narrative fiction and nonfiction. Analysis of the role of narrative in the communicative life of the individual and society. Solo and group performances.
COMS 304. Poetry in Performance (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 301. Theory and practice in performing poetry. Analysis of the role of poetry and poetic language in the communicative life of the individual and society. Solo and group performances.
COMS 309. Advanced Public Speaking (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 151/L or COMS 225L; Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Application of the principles of audience analysis to the preparation, presentation and evaluation of persuasive messages. (Available for Communication Studies majors as General Education, Basic Skills A1 Oral Communication and Information Competence.)
COMS 312. Health Communication (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. This course explores the relationship between communication and health and well-being across a variety of contexts, including in interpersonal relationships, provider-patient interactions, and mediated contexts. Major topics include how people through different practices produce and process communication related to health and well-being, how messages impact specific health outcomes, and how people’s health and well-being are affected by public policy and health promotion. (Available for General Education, D1 Social Sciences.)
COMS 315. Communication and Agency (3)
An examination of the role of agency in human communication, with an emphasis on the relationship between purpose, choice and efficacy in communicative action.
COMS 320. Communicative Functions of Language (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 351. Study of the form and structure of the language of persuasive discourse, including semantics, syntax, usage, lexicography and style.
COMS 321. Rhetorical Discourse (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Study of the language and principles of human communication through the production, analysis and evaluation of rhetorical messages. Satisfies the teacher credential program requirement for competence in writing.
COMS 323. Group Communication (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Principles and methods of small group communication. Development of individual and group skills through application of theory to practice. Emphasis is on intra-group behavior. (Available for General Education, E Lifelong Learning.) (IC)
COMS 325. Legal Argumentation (3)
Study of courtroom argument, with emphasis on issues, evidence, forms of argument and language in lawyers’ pleadings and judicial opinions.
COMS 327. Rhetorical Theory (3)
Theories of rhetoric from classical Greece and Rome to the present. Critical methodologies inherent in rhetorical theories of each period are applied to typical examples of public discourse of that period.
COMS 350. Nonverbal Communication (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 351. Discussion and examination of nonverbal communication and its effects upon the individual’s attitudes and verbal communication.
COMS 351. Communication Theory (3)
Survey of multiple theoretical perspectives on the study of human communication. Examination of the relationships among communication theory and other areas of study within the field of communication studies.
COMS 356. Intercultural Communication (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Cultural factors in interpersonal communication, such as perception, roles, language codes and nonverbal communication. Students will apply and evaluate theories of intercultural communication. (Available for General Education, F Comparative Cultural Studies.) (IC)
COMS 360. Communication and the Sexes (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. An examination of the communication styles of males and females in a variety of settings. Emphasis is given to gender-related communication behavior and its implications for the ability to maintain effective personal and professional relationships. Strategies for fostering communication competence will be discussed. (Available for General Education, E Lifelong Learning.) (IC)
COMS 395. Forensics (1-1-1-1)
Prerequisite: COMS 195 or instructor consent. Faculty mentored activity in competitive intercollegiate forensics.
COMS 396A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses in Communication Studies (3)
Experimental courses in Communication Studies with course content to be determined.
COMS 399. Performance Ensemble (1-1-1-1)
Prerequisite: COMS 301. Work in collaboration to generate, stage, and present original performances for a variety of audiences. These performances may include original scripts as well as adaptations of poetry, prose fiction, nonfiction, and oral histories. May be taken up to four times for credit.
COMS 400C. Directing Oral Performance (3)
Prerequisites: Available only to upper division students who have completed a minimum of two units of any of the following: COMS 195, COMS 198 or COMS 199; Consent of instructor. Faculty-supervised students direct other students’ oral performances. May be taken for a maximum of 6 units.
COMS 401. Performance and Social Change (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 301. Examination and application of contemporary theories of performance as a means of change in individual and communal life. Students employ performance methodologies to examine complexities of various communication contexts and situations and enact various strategies for working through these complexities. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 404. Theories of Interpretation (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 301. Examination of psychological, social, cultural, literary and hermeneutic theories of interpretation, with an emphasis on the interaction of text, context and audience. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 406. Performance Composition (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 301 or graduate standing in Communication Studies. Corequisite: COMS 399 or graduate status in Communication Studies. Study and application of contemporary theories of performance as a means of creating, directing, and presenting original performance works. Students will develop performance composition skills in collaboration with students enrolled in Performance Ensemble, with the goal of creating and presenting original performance works. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 410. Community-Based Performance (3)
This course examines a central premise in communication and performance studies that performance is integral to individual, communal and cultural processes, practices and institutions. Students will develop performances in collaboration with particular communities that express that community’s identity, experiences, issues and goals. We will employ theories and methods of performance that foster cultivating and sustaining dialogue within and with a community. Through participatory fieldwork, storytelling and performance ethnography, students will get a foundational sense of community building, communicative practices, performance ethnography and the performance of culture. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 420. Language and Symbolic Processes (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Study of the structural, psychological and semantic facets of language and their implications for the study of rhetorical communication. Regular written assignments will be required. Available for graduate credit. (Available for Section C of the Multicultural Requirement for credential candidates.)
COMS 425. Theories of Argument and Deliberation (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 327. Exploration of theories of argument and their application to decision making. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 428. Freedom of Speech (3)
Exploration of freedom of speech in American society. Emphasis given to a communication studies approach to issues in freedom of speech. Focus on contemporary problems of free speech in the U.S., including sedition, obscenity, advocacy of illegal action, libel, words of provocation, copyright, academic freedom and national security. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 430. Rhetorical Criticism (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Instruction in the methods and applications of rhetorical criticism, focusing upon the analysis and evaluation of rhetorical discourse. Regular written assignments are required. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 431. Persuasion (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 351. Logical and psychological principles used by writers and speakers to effect social control. Analysis and evaluation of recent research in attitude modification. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 435. Rhetoric of Women (3)
Prerequisites: COMS 327; Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Analysis and evaluation of the rhetoric of women involved in political, social and economic reforms. Regular written assignments are required. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 437. Communication for Youth Institute (3-3)
Prerequisites: COMS 151/L; Prior approval of the CYI Program Coordinator. Instruction is provided in communication education. Faculty-supervised students will teach communication skills to area youth in a community service-learning program. Students work closely with the instructor in course preparation, delivery of course content, oral and written assignment evaluation, and curricular assessment. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 440. Performance and Cultural Studies Criticism (3)
Recommended Preparatory: COMS 301. This course is an introduction to the critical methods in performance studies and cultural studies. It provides instruction on critical interpretation and analysis, as well as specific methods used in performance studies and cultural studies. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 442. Rhetoric of Peace and Conflict (3)
Prerequisites: COMS 327; Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Exploration of the rhetorical implications of conflict and struggle as performed in subcultural, national and international contexts. Regular written assignments are required. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 443. Rhetoric of Business (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Critical analysis of the rhetoric used in executive speaking, advertising and labor negotiations. Regular written assignments are required. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 444. Political Rhetoric (3)
Prerequisites: COMS 327; Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Study of rhetoric of recent U.S. political campaigns, both local and national, including persuasive techniques, ethical considerations and effectiveness. Practice in planning and developing rhetorical messages for political campaigns. Regular written assignments are required. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 445. Communication and Popular Cultures (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 301. A survey of theories of contemporary popular cultural forms as human communicative behavior. Students will learn to utilize theories of rhetoric, performance and critical/cultural studies to analyze popular cultural artifacts as symbolic forms. Regular written assignments are required. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 446. Rhetoric of Crime and Punishment (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Study of rhetoric of crime, criminal procedure, punishment and justice in different societies and cultures. Regular written assignments are required. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 448. Rhetoric of Extraordinary Claim (3)
Prerequisites: COMS 327; Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Examination of rhetorical strategies used to advance extraordinary claims and of rhetorical methods of analysis that may be used to identify irrational appeals. Specific consideration of rhetorical discourse dealing with the paranormal, pseudoscience, cryptozoology and conspiracy theories. Regular written assignments are required. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 450. Communication Research Methodology (3)
Prerequisite: Completion of the lower division writing requirement. Examination of the strategy and methodology of contemporary research in communication. Emphasis is on scientific process, the derivation and verification of hypotheses in communication and persuasion, and basic communication research design. Regular written assignments are required. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 451. Advanced Interpersonal Communication (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 351. This course examines the process of interpersonal communication as a focus of research and theory. Attention will be given to relationship messages, stages of interpersonal relationships, relationship rituals, intimate dialogue, the dialogue of distance, maintaining relationships through dialogue, and developing effective communication in relationships. The course takes a “social constructionist” approach to the study of communication, meaning that individuals, through various sign systems and mediums, create and re-create their social worlds through a dynamic web of relationships within various contexts. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 452. Communication Training and Development (3)
Recommended Preparatory: COMS 351, COMS 450. This course is an examination and analysis of the processes and challenges of communication training and development. Through discussion and fieldwork, students explore applications of communication theory and learn how to conduct organizational culture audits and communication competency assessments through observations, evaluations, analyses, interviews, focus groups and surveys of employees and other key audiences whose input and support is needed to improve communication. Students will write audit/assessment reports, and design, deliver and evaluate customized communication training packages and programs for a variety of organizational settings. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 453. Organizational Communication (3)
Prerequisite: COMS 351. Application of the principles of human communication in the formal organizational setting, including communication channels, networks, climate and relationships. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 454. Communication and Technology (3)
Prerequisites: Junior standing; Communication Studies students only. Historical and theoretical survey of the social, cultural, and cognitive impact of mediated human communication. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 464. Digital Rhetorics (3)
Prerequisite: Upper division standing. This course explores popular rhetorics of communication in the Digital Age, and offers an examination of the influence of modern digital technologies and environments on persuasion and communication. Available for graduate credit.
COMS 494/L. Internship in Communication Studies and Lab (1/2)
Prerequisites: Communication Studies major; approval through application and instructor consent; COMS 323 or COMS 351 or COMS 452 or COMS 453. Upon approval by the instructor, a student may earn up to 3 units credit per semester and up to 6 units total for practical experience dealing with communication problems and concerns in public or private organizations. Academic Internship course. (Credit/No Credit only)
COMS 495. Internship in Organizational Communication (3-3)
Prerequisite: COMS 453. Upon prior approval by the program coordinator, a student may earn up to 3 units credit per semester and up to 6 units total for practical experience in public or private formal organizations in dealing with communication problems and concerns. Academic Internship course. (Credit/No Credit only)
COMS 496A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses in Communication Studies (3)
Experimental courses in Communication Studies with course content to be determined.
COMS 499A-C. Independent Study (1-3)
Independent Study
COMS 600. Core Seminar in Communication (3)
Introduction to graduate study in communication theory, rhetorical theory, performance, language and cultural studies.
COMS 601. Core Seminar in Communication Research Methods (3)
This course is an introduction to the epistemological assumptions, design and methods of analysis in communication research. It provides a broad overview of humanistic, social scientific, rhetorical and critical approaches to studying communication.
COMS 603. Seminar in Performance Studies (3)
Study of performance as communication. Examination of theory, practice and criticism from aesthetic and sociocultural perspectives, with emphasis on contemporary research in performance, language and cultural studies.
COMS 604. Seminar in Textual Studies (3)
Study of performance implications of varying critical approaches to text.
COMS 610. Current Research in Performance Studies (3-3)
Corequisite: COMS 600. Advanced study of new and current developments in performance studies. May be repeated once for credit.
COMS 620. Seminar in Communication and Language (3)
Study of contemporary theories of language and linguistics as applied to principles of communication. Emphasis on language and social interaction, linguistic pragmatics and systems of symbolic representation.
COMS 631. Studies in Classical Rhetoric (3)
Advanced study in rhetorical theory, from ancient Greece through the Renaissance.
COMS 632. Studies in Contemporary Rhetoric (3)
Advanced study in contemporary rhetorical theory.
COMS 633. Studies in Postmodern Rhetoric (3)
Advanced study in postmodern rhetorical theory.
COMS 634. Applied Rhetorical Studies (3)
Advanced study of the application of rhetorical theories to situated discourse. Topics include rhetorical criticism, argumentation analysis and/or the application of critical and social theory.
COMS 635. Feminist Perspectives on Communication (3)
Study of contemporary feminist theories applied to communication research.
COMS 640. Current Research in Rhetorical Studies (3-3)
Corequisite: COMS 600. Advanced study of new and current developments in Rhetorical Studies. May be repeated once for credit.
COMS 650. Seminar in Communication Theory (3)
Study of historical and contemporary trends in theory and research on communication and communication processes.
COMS 651. Seminar in Interpersonal Communication (3)
Study of advanced principles of communication as applied to interpersonal communication theory. Special emphasis on research in the area of interpersonal communication.
COMS 652. Seminar in Group Communication (3)
Study of advanced principles of communication as applied to small-group communication theory and research.
COMS 653. Seminar in Organizational Communication Research (3)
Study of advanced principles of communication as applied to the organizational setting, with special emphasis on research in organizational communication.
COMS 654. Seminar in Communication and Technology (3)
Advanced study of the principles of communication technology, with emphasis on theory and research.
COMS 656. Seminar in Intercultural Communication (3)
Study of advanced principles of communication as applied to intercultural communication. Special emphasis on research in the area of intercultural communication.
COMS 660. Current Research in Communication Theory (3-3)
Corequisite: COMS 600. Advanced study of new and current developments in communication theory. May be repeated once for credit.
COMS 680. Communication Education (3)
Exploration of the communication dimensions of adult education and critical pedagogy. Application of theory in a wide range of instructional settings, including teaching college and university classrooms, training in nonprofit and for-profit business environments and facilitating educational programs for community organizations.
COMS 695A-Z. Experimental Topics Courses (1-3)
Experimental Topics
COMS 696. Directed Graduate Research (3)
Application of knowledge to a project in a practical setting or in preparation for the completion of a thesis.
COMS 697. Directed Comprehensive Studies (3)
Enrollment is required in the semester in which the comprehensive examination is taken.
COMS 698C. Thesis or Graduate Project (3-3)
Prerequisites: COMS 601; Classified graduate status; Consent of graduate coordinator. Open by special permission to students electing to do a thesis or graduate project in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Master of Arts degree.
COMS 699A-C. Independent Study (1-3)
Independent Study