Fall 2020

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.

Experiential learning and structured practice to build skills in communication effectiveness, problem solving, decision making and self-awareness. Not for major credit for Communication majors.

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

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.

Music as inter-cultural communication and method for exploring race and ethnicity in the constitution of American culture and American self; role of music industry.

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.

Humanistic approaches to inquiry in communication; qualitative research techniques; core theories of message production and reception in social, political, and mediated contexts.

Survey of mass communication research; history, content, effects, theories, and policy implications of various media.

Behavioral approaches to health communication; communication competencies in health care settings, theories of risky behaviors and behavioral change programs.

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.

This course examines philosophies and popular representations of technology from the origins of western culture to the present and identifies the complex attitudes toward technology.

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

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 study of current and historical battles over the limits of free expression from press and public parks to television, movies, music, online and social media.

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.

How communication processes both create organizations and are constrained by them. Theory and research into topics such as culture, technology, power, leadership and decision-making in a variety of organizational contexts.

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

Issues of gender in communication, including: mediarepresentations of femininity and masculinity; and gender's rolein communication at the interpersonal, public, and cultural levels.

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.

Theory and research in public health communication campaigns; design, implementation, and evaluation; extensive discussion of historical case studies and reasons for success or failure.

Explores food communication as a facilitator of human interaction and cultural diplomacy; controversies regarding food production/consumption; and evolution of food entertainment programming.

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

Examines how the City of Los Angeles and other local actors use public diplomacy tools to strengthen ties between themselves and foreign audiences.

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

This course addresses the practical and theoretical aspects of the international economy that are most relevant to management strategy in the communications industry.

Examines the history, technology, regulations, and business practices of American broadcast and entertainment industries.

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.

Examines issues of visual images in communication related to history, modernity, cityscapes, news media, advertising, evidence, science, digital technology, and globalization.

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.

Money as communication; social scientific analysis of money and financial markets; money and popular culture; the business press; representations of Wall Street in Hollywood cinema.

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

Examines how race and ethnicity as social categories are shaped by communication media; focuses on how race and ethnicity sustain entertainment and media industries.

Examination of the effect of gender stratification in media industries upon the cultural products they create, especially gender and gender/race role portrayals.

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

Problems in political communication: creating an informed electorate, use of mass media, factors in voter persuasion. Guest experts in political analysis, opinion polling, communication evaluation.

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.

Advanced study of issues in communication; recent developments in communication and rhetorical theories. Open only to students in COMM honors program; recommended for seniors. Recommended preparation: COMM 301L.

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

Selected topics in communication.

Focuses on theories and research in communication and social sciences to bridge disciplines to produce a proposal, business plan, publication, or a research project.

Students follow the ongoing presidential campaign and consider topics such as gender, race, new media, polling, religion, and advertising on election outcomes.

Overview of humanistic and social scientific approaches to the study of communication; emphasis on rhetorical/critical and macro social scientific perspectives. Not open to M.A. in Communication Management majors.

Developing expertise in qualitative methods, including participant-observation, ethnography, discourse analysis and historiography in communication research.

Explores cybersecurity, privacy, network neutrality and other critical issues in internet governance through the lenses of international political economy and media theories.

Learn to harness the power of data science and computational techniques to study social and communication networks and extract value, knowledge and insights from big data.

Mass media in American political life, including political reporting, election campaigns, non-electoral politics, and the media as a political issue.

Theory and research; field experience in analyzing and solving communication problems in organizations. Not open to M.A. in Communication Management majors.

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.

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

Conceptual and analytic issues in network perspectives; emphasis on communication patterns, processes, content, influences and impacts.

An exploration of theoretical, technical, and political implications of cross-disciplinary scholarship rooted in cultural studies.

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.

Cultural and temporal differences in defining arts, artists and audiences; transmitting cultural beliefs through art; understanding aesthetic responses; experiences of alienation and incomprehension with art.

Intersection of communication and culture; focus on race, ethnicity, interracial and intraracial relations in shaping political, social dynamics of U.S. in late 20th and early 21st centuries.

History and content, motivation and selection, reception and reaction processes, and effects of video games; students conduct original research into video game usage and effects. Not open to Master of Communication Management students.

Explores alternative genres of public-facing writing (blog posts, interviews, op-eds, policy statements, multimedia publishing); considers exemplars of academics engaging with the public.

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.