COMM-200 Communication Foundations (3 credits)
Open to all majors. Communication Foundations introduces learning outcomes in the major/minor, core frameworks in the discipline, technology platforms, career prospects, and community resources. The instructor guides students in careful consideration of individual interests to identify a focus or specialization to pursue in future coursework. Foundational theories and contemporary practices support exploration of communication forms, creativity, and technology tools. The course includes an embedded hybrid lab that explores social media.
COMM-220 Listening and Mindfulness (3 credits)
Open as an elective to all majors. This course builds literacy in listening and mindfulness to support student efforts in academic, personal, and professional contexts while strengthening wellness and sense of purpose. The course includes an embedded hybrid lab in audio production.
COMM-230 Visual Communication (3 credits)
Students are introduced to the design thinking process of research, ideation, execution and revision that lead to quality communication of visual messages. They explore design fields, design history and frameworks of design that support a broad understanding of communicating diverse aesthetic or cultural content. Students practice compositional theories through conscious use of formal design and analysis of elements and principles of art. They explore the communicative complexities of multiple media in painting, collage, drawing, mixed media and digital art formats to build and refine expression and technical skills. Students develop a person design voice while they complete conceptual, aesthetic, technical and collaborative/team problems and have multiple opportunities and modes to discuss thinking, working and creative problem-solving processes in relationship to visual results.
COMM-297 Independent Study (3 credits)
COMM-298 Field Lab (1 credit)
In this course students will gain experience through a short-term community-based or service-learning project. Through experiential learning, a student will help solve a problem for an organization, augment her professional portfolio, and/or expand her professional network. Student must discuss topic ideas with Department Chair before registration is completed. Interview/Shadow a Professional under faculty supervision.
COMM-300 Collaboration Strategies (3 credits)
This project-based course builds on introductory communication theories, frameworks, and practices and engages students in experiential learning in effective interpersonal, small group, and organizational communication. Students practice core communication modalities (listening, speaking, writing, and media analysis and creation) in a variety of contexts to develop technical proficiency as well as rhetorical sensitivity and adaptability. Students work individually and collaboratively in class and online as they learn and practice with a variety of digital platforms selected to deepen their discipline understanding and increase their fluency as communication professionals. The course includes an embedded hybrid lab that explores digital collaboration platforms. Open to all majors. Spring 2023: Details on face-to-face course meetings will be provided by course instructor at the beginning of the semester.
COMM-320 Media Studies (3 credits)
Media Studies engages students in a topical investigation of contemporary media, including perspectives from theory, research, and practice. Students develop media literacy and conceptualize creative approaches to media production and interpretation. The course includes an embedded hybrid lab that explores video. Open to all majors. Spring 2023: Details on face-to-face course meetings will be provided by course instructor at the beginning of the semester.
COMM-325 Writing for Professions (3 credits)
In this project-based course, students work individually and in small groups to develop their professional voice as writers; to refine their ability to find, evaluate, select, and document resources; and to practice various genres of professional writing. COMM-325: Writing for Professions builds on writing, revision, and editing skills learned in COMM-200: Communication Foundations and COMM-300: Collaboration Strategies. Students will be introduced to a variety of writing genres used in the business and professional world. Assignments may vary from semester to semester. Genres are likely to include: . copy writing and/or content writing, two overlapping genres that are similar in terms of their basic theme, i.e., promote and educate. The elements that involve copy/content writing are advertisements, marketing and promotional materials, website write-ups, blogs, and writing for social media marketing, e.g., Twitter tweets, etc.) . proposals, reports, brand manifestos, business letters, and marketing campaigns. Students will work on process stages of writing, which will include sophisticated decision making about sentence structure, grammar, and punctuation, especially as these apply to writing for the web. In addition, students will intentionally produce work to be included in their professional portfolios.
Prerequisite(s): COMM-300
COMM-330 Emerging Technologies (3 credits)
Students explore trends using a changing array of communication and information technologies, such as mobile applications and data visualization. Students build critical thinking skills and apply communication and information technology research to practical problems. They develop their analytical abilities by considering the benefits and implications of technology as in problem-based situations.
COMM-340 Persuasion and Advocacy (3 credits)
Concise communication, audience and message analysis, and persuasion are powerful tools as we advocate for ideas, ideals, communities, products, and services. Through an exploration and application of persuasive theories and frameworks, students focus upon analytical reading, scholarly writing, digital presentation skills, and digital advocacy via social media in local and global communities. The course includes an embedded hybrid lab exploring digital photography.
Prerequisite(s): Open to all majors with COMM-200 or CM-225 completed.
COMM-350 Healthcare Communication (3 credits)
Health Communication is a foundational course for students who are interested in pursuing a career focused on influencing policy and advocating for effective change in different contexts related to public health. COMM-350 will provide an overarching understanding of the various aspects of communication about health, such as the sociohistorical, social, political, and cultural factors that affect health communication and healthcare, how different models of healthcare affect and reflect health communication, the role of narratives in sense-making processes about health, and the dynamics of interpersonal communication about health (e.g., patient-provider, patient-caregiver).
COMM-360 Logic & Argumentation (3 credits)
Students learn how to produce logical conclusions through the systematic formalization of information and reason, as well as the principles of argumentation and debate. With a focus upon writing, public speaking, problem solving and innovation, the course examines digital logic and its applications, as well as research, policy analysis, evidentiary quality, issue framing and storytelling. The course includes an embedded lab in which students are introduced to code.
COMM-371 Advanced Audio & Podcasting Audio (3 credits)
Open to all majors. This course provides an opportunity for students to manage all aspects of Alverno Inferno Free Radio (AIFR) including production, marketing, and management of the College radio station. Students gain experience in digital audio production, including podcasting. Students independently produce weekly programming and live broadcasts, and contribute to the marketing and management needs as a team, fully responsible for the operation of AIFR. Course is open to all majors, undergraduate and graduate students.
COMM-372 Advanced Photography (3 credits)
In this three credit face-to-face course, students expand their understanding of and ability to apply image composition theory and technology in order to plan, create, display, and evaluate photographs. They are introduced to commercial and open source post-processing programs. They study different genres, formats, and purposes of photography. They also learn about historical aspects and the evolving ethical dimensions of photography. The course culminates in each student creating and displaying a portfolio of her original work.
COMM-374 Digital Publishing (3 credits)
This class provides client?-based experiences that expand and refine your repertoire of effective design. Operating as an emerging professional, you will develop your individual brand identity, manage time and resources, and interact effectively with service bureaus. Working within the client's budget and brand-identity constraints, you will ascertain the client's needs, determine the look and feel of desired materials, produce design pieces that meet client criteria, including budget, and pitch your ideas in a professional presentation.
COMM-376 Advanced Web Design (3 credits)
Students learn design principles and basic HTML to create effective web pages that include a variety of media. Students explore and analyze a variety of hardware, software, platforms and applications used to support webside development.
COMM-377 Public and Online Speaking (3 credits)
In this three-credit course, students learn strategies for effective face-to-face and online public speaking. Students learn how to research, prepare, organize, and deliver speeches for different purposes and audiences; engage in active listening; give and receive peer feedback; and assess their own and others' performance against Alverno's Criteria for Effective Speaking. In addition, students are introduced to and practice various online tools for developing and using compelling and appropriate visual support. Students learn and practice technology, such as Google docs voice typing, Moodle medial, Flipgrid, to write and record speeches for Internet use, and to speak online in real time using technology such as Zoom and GoToMeeting. Learning experiences may include informational, persuasive, and/or inspiring presentations, mock interviews, podcasts, webcasts, vlogs, and video conferencing.
COMM-378 Advanced Digital Video (3 credits)
In Advanced Digital Video you will continue the exploration of video as a communication and storytelling medium. You will gain hands-on experience working in and out of the studio with a variety of video cameras and other equipment, using advanced video editing software. The final project of this class will be working through all phases of the production process culminating in the production of a professional quality video.
COMM-379 Public Relations & Social Media (3 credits)
COMM-379 is an advanced-level elective course designed to provide you with an introduction to the purposes and practices of public relations, its role in organizations and society, and its potential as a career. Using case examples and a variety of other learning strategies, you will practice using a variety of communication tactics/strategies to develop effective communication practices for the purpose of engaging with various publics. In this class, you will be working to identify, design and pitch an actual public relations campaign with an external client augmenting your experience, skills, and professional portfolio.
COMM-380 Business Practicum (3 credits)
Students manage a semester-long project following Project Management Institute guidelines. Students investigate project organization and structures while working on financial issues in project management. Students become familiar with and use technological tools, and apply related terms, definitions, and common acronyms used in project management to the semester-long project of innovation. The course includes an embedded lab to develop proficiency with analytics.
COMM-397 Independent Study (3 credits)
COMM-398 Advanced Field Lab (1 credit)
This course provides students with the opportunity to gain experience through a specified short-term community-based or service-learning project pursued with faculty supervision. Through experiential learning, a student will help solve a problem for an organization, augment her professional portfolio, and/or expand her professional network. Student must discuss topic ideas with Department Chair before registration is completed. Short-term community-based or service-learning project under faculty supervision.
COMM-400 Intercultural Communication & Leadership (3 credits)
Short-term travel course. Contact Registrar's Office for current course description.
Prerequisite(s): Open to all majors, with pre-requisites of COMM-200 or CM-225. This short-term travel course is designed to introduce students to theories of intercultural communication and efficacy and to apply that knowledge in a cultural-immersion experience in another local or international context. Students learn to better understand their own cultural patterns and practices while studying the people, history, cultures, norms, and communication styles of another region or population. Students also take a leadership role in addressing communication challenges between and among cultures. This will take the form of a collaborative communication project between Alverno students and the host organization that addresses the communication needs, values, and goals of the host organization.
COMM-490 Communication Capstone (3 credits)
In this capstone course, students prepare to transition to career and/or graduate work and produce a culminating project that integrates and synthesizes their Communication studies and professional interests. Building upon reflection, analysis, and research conducted throughout their work in the Communication major, students revisit and refine their vision for the future, set goals, review personal branding and online presence, and generate their professional portfolio. Students also select a culminating project to conceptualize, develop, and produce. Examples might include a significantly refined product or project or a new product or project to enhance their professional portfolio, a comprehensive book review reflecting professional interests, or a research proposal that identifies a communication-related hypothesis or question and includes a literature review, methodological approach, and ethical considerations.
Prerequisite(s): COMM-380
COMM-497 Independent Study (1-3 credits)
Under the approval and direction of a faculty member, independent study is available to students.