Spring 2019

Social scientific inquiry into human communication; core theories of message production and reception in interpersonal, group and organizational contexts.

Principles and practices of effective oral communication; analysis of the speaking-listening process; selection and organization of speech materials; use of new presentation technologies.

Students address communication issues in a field setting. They will evaluate communication practices using appropriate methodology. Projects are jointly evaluated by internship supervisor and professor. Sophomore standing. Graded: CR/NC. Not for major credit for Communication majors.

Examines cultural institutions, ideologies, artifacts, and productions; role of culture in everyday life; cultural studies as methodology; culture and power.

Economic and political economic principles for the analysis of communication and media industries including broadcasting, newspapers, motion pictures, music, video games, advertising and public relations. (Duplicates credit in former COMM 207 and COMM 208)

Theoretical foundation for understanding the construction, consumption, and consequences of entertainment from classical to contemporary times; situates entertainment within the ecology of information and communication.

Experimental and survey methods for communication study; basic statistical concepts, procedures, and tests.

Theories and research in social influence; strategies and tactics of persuasive communications in such settings as politics, public relations, advertising, business.

Analysis of face-to-face interaction; role of communication in the development, maintenance and destruction of relationships; communication processes in managing interpersonal conflict.

Students learn to be consumers rather than creators of social science research. Examines the challenges and opportunities of communicating research through mass media.

Explorations of innovation in the entertainment business. The effects of digital mobile media on TV, movies, music, advertising, social networks and art.

Cultural, social, political, and economic dynamics of communication technologies, including internet architecture, social media, participatory cultures, privacy, surveillance, networked journalism, big data, algorithms, online activism. (Duplicates credit in former COMM 202)

Interplay between media and society, including family and children's socialization, inter-group relations and community, pornography and violence, gender and race, media ethics, conduct of politics.

Humanistic approaches to inquiry in communication; qualitative research techniques; core theories of message production and reception in social, political, and mediated contexts. (Duplicates credit in former COMM 201)

Employs the concept of "celebrity" as an optic through which to view and assess some of the key aspects of the communication revolution.

Survey of mass communication research; history, content, effects, theories, and policy implications of various media. (Duplicates credit in former COMM 203)

Group process theories relevant to communicative behavior in small group/team settings, including information exchange, decision making, leadership, and meetings; student team projects testing theoretic propositions.

Social media within the broader social, political, and historical contexts; key themes include labor, Web 2.0, self-branding, celebrity, participation, privacy, online shaming, and activism.

Basic argumentation theory including analysis. Research and evidence, case construction, refutation; discursive and visual argument; diverse fields of advocacy including law, politics, organizations, interpersonal relations.

Cultural variables and social psychological processes that influence intercultural interaction; relationship between communication and culture in diverse settings including business, medicine, and education.

Communicating with partners, friends, parents and health care professionals about sexual behavior; interpersonal and mediated contexts; understanding of sexual scripts; current theory and research.

Cultural implications of computer-mediated communication and related media. Ideological responses to media innovation; debates over artificial intelligence, virtual communities, and virtual reality. Recommended preparation: COMM 339.

Advertising as a mode of communication; US advertising history and institutions; economic and policy contexts (domestic and global); critical analysis of advertising texts

Theoretical approaches to the study of media consumption and audiences; examines international media and consumption practices; explores new media's impact on consumption.

Cross-national approaches to the study of US and UK media; focuses on news and entertainment media products; examines content, industries, technologies and audiences.

Examination of the modern city as a communicative text with London as the case study.

Students explore the theoretical and practical issues involved in designing effective media and communication projects for social change in international contexts.

Students engage with a community partner, bridging classroom learning with "real world" experiences by working within the diverse community surrounding USC.

Introduces public diplomacy as a central feature of contemporary international relations and challenges students to locate themselves as both its target and practitioners.

The impact of conflicting images of reporters in movies and television on the American public's perception of newsgatherers in the 20th century. A decade-by-decade evaluation.

Oral and written communication skills demanded in the workplace including informative and persuasive speeches; interviewing; team communication; and training material preparation. Recommended preparation: COMM 204

Directed individual research studies of contemporary problems. Supervised laboratory experience. Open only to members of the University debate squad.

Explores social, political and ethical issues in elite sports and how issues are addressed through popular media; examination includes the relationship between sports and politics.

An inside look at the important stories, topical issues, trends and historical developments related to the growing influence of business and media on college and professional sports; identifying the key components and meeting the influencers in class that help shape the business side of sports, while recognizing the role the media plays in providing daily coverage across multiple platforms.

Rhetorical and critical approaches to sports and public discourse; application to sports organizations, the news and popular media; representations of gender and race in sports.

Popular culture as an indicator of cultural values, a producer and reflection of cultural meaning, and a means of communication; theory and case studies.

Application of critical, sociological and rhetorical theories to sports events and sport media; examination of the role of sports in enacting social change.

Examines case studies on important Italian companies, ranging from the transportation to the luxury goods industries from both an economical and business point of view.

Investigates the implications of the perceptual process of mass media generated immigration discourse in Europe.

Examination of the modern city as a communicative text with Rome as the case study.

Fashion as a form of communication and culture; fashion's role in identity, body politics, art, nationhood, celebrity and Hollywood culture, youth cultures and subversive practices.

Advanced readings in communication theory and research (broadly defined); specialized interest areas of individual faculty on the frontiers of knowledge; seminar topics change each semester.

Social and political movements as rhetorical phenomena; ideology, organization, and influence of such movements as civil rights, "New Left," feminism, "New Right," environmentalism.

Seminar examining the relationship between propaganda, ideology, critical thinking and rhetoric; application to contemporary controversies, both domestic and global; role of public argument. Duplicates credit in COMM-370.

Examines issues on the global political agenda and the tools and approaches that the Public Diplomacy practitioner might profitably employ to address them.

Analyzes the role and effectiveness of public diplomacy in different countries, examining a region's influence on global affairs and the development of diplomatic strategies.

How lawyers and judges communicate in the courtroom; how legal issues are discussed by lay people; how lawyers and judges are viewed in popular culture.

Examines laws and regulatory policies shaping new media, especially the Internet; impact of regulation on development and use of communication technology.

Selected current topics in the overlapping areas of media economics, law, and policy.

Examines the effects of the Internet on communication industries, the economy, economic policy, and on social, political, and cultural practices.

Survey of economic, political, and cultural dimensions of the global entertainment marketplace; focuses on the international production and distribution of media products and services.

Provides an overview of 2,000 years of Italian-style communications, from Julius Caesar to Machiavelli, Mussolini and the Mafia.

How communication -- interpersonal, mass media, information technologies -- shapes health behavior. Topics: doctor-patient consults; marketing campaigns; health in entertainment, news; internet; social media; mobile devices.

Focuses on critical theories that examine social and political roles of sport in society and how these roles play out in media and broadcast platforms.

Analysis of photographys evolution; new strategies for the photographic image, photo documentary work and global social issues; analysis of images on blogs and web sites.

Exploration of youth media and culture, including television, movies, video games, toys, magazines, music, social media. Examines representations of youth and youth as audience.

Gender and news media evolving images of women and men in print and electronic media. Impact of gender in content and style of news, television and cinema. Open to non-majors.

Communication about environmental controversies in the public sphere: history of environmentalism; forms of citizen participation; media coverage; advocacy campaigns and movements; scientific and industrial discourses.

Theory and research; examination of the influence of environmental factors, physical behavior, and vocal cues on human behavior.

The role of communication in global organizations; information, networks, and communication technologies for global organizing; computer-based collaborative work and virtual organizations. Recommended preparation: COMM 385

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduatecredit. Available to juniors and seniors only.

Students gain research experience in the design, implementation, analysis, and reporting of communication research. Students serve as research assistants to faculty members. Not available for graduate credit.

Writing of the honors thesis. Not available for graduate credit.

Examines social and political controversies over conflicting ethical standards for communication in a variety of media: mass-media, communication technology, and entertainment. Prerequisite: COMM 310.

Selected topics in communication.

Theories of rhetoric from the fifth century B.C. through the fifth century A.D.; emphasis on the Sophists, Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Quintilian, and St. Augustine. Not open to M.A. in Communication Management majors.

Overview of humanistic and social scientific approaches to the study of communication; emphasis on macro and micro social scientific, symbolic, and structural perspectives. Not open to M.A. in Communication Management majors,

Epistemological assumptions, design, and beginning methods of quantitative analysis in communication research.

Comparative analysis of social, cultural and political impacts of communication technology and media; emphasis given to communication's influence in the social dimensions of globalization.

Examines tools and practices enabling activists to exert voice and influence public policies; ways citizens are working to meet the information needs of their communities.

Research leading to the master's degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the school. Graded CR/NC.

Development and assessment of research into global communication; selection of appropriate research methodologies; production of scholarly research; and completion of an internship/practicum.

Finding the right grant; how to develop theory, optimize funding, write critial components of grants, form collaborations with experts; how review panels work.

Current problems in communication theory and research; advanced, specialized interest areas of individual faculty on the frontiers of knowledge.

Principles of survey construction and validation; format selection, sampling, question wording, adaptation for international audiences, response option formats, order, and avoiding acquiesence bias and breakoffs.

Examination of theoretical models and best practices of academic research and advocacy relationships; students conduct a community-based research project using a model of community-based participatory research.

A supervised course tailored to specific student interests. The professor and student develop a syllabus that permits exploration of advanced or specialized topics. Graded CR/NC.

Independent research designed to demonstrate the student's ability to conceptualize, conduct, and present scholarly research. Parallel to COMM 794. Graded CR/NC.

Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the department. Graded CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Credit on acceptance of Dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.