Department of Communication and Language Studies 2023-2024 Edition

The Department of Communication and Language Studies offers diverse academic programs with the common focus on message design, critical thinking, and public discourse, as well as ethical, global, and digital competencies for professional and personal success. Our department provides students with an opportunity to study communication, digital communication, and language studies, while developing their individual talents, through research, application, and experiential learning. All this is done while preparing students to become impactful communicators, community influencers, and leaders of industry. 

Communication Courses

COM 202. Public Speaking. 3 Credit Hours.

This “soft skills” course is designed to help students learn how to communicate in public and digital contexts. By the completion of the course, students should be able to: research, outline, and organize public messages including those that are informative, persuasive, and entertaining; analyze an audience; understand how verbal and nonverbal components of delivery influence speaker credibility; develop strategies to reduce and manage fears about communicating in public contexts; create and use visual aids appropriate to the message; respond to questions effectively and substantively; utilize critical and creative thinking skills. Because speakers and audiences live and interact in a multicultural society, this course will also consider the composition of the audience in crafting ethical, empathetic speeches which consider both the speaker and audience as members of various co-cultures.
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 202A3239MWF12:00pm - 12:50pm(M. Gallo)
Spring 2024COM 202B3240MWF1:00pm - 1:50pm(M. Gallo)
Spring 2024COM 202CE3241T6:30pm - 9:10pm(T. Zammarelli)
Summer 2024COM 202A4005MTWThF9:00am - 10:30am(T. Zammarelli)

COM 203. Introduction to Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

The purpose of this course is to explore various topics related to communication. Students will learn how communication is defined and how research in the field is performed and evaluated. Furthermore, students will be introduced to various theories in communication as well as some of the common areas within the field (interpersonal, mass, health, intercultural, small group, etc.) Students taking this course can expect to apply the knowledge they gain to various aspects of their personal and professional lives, engage in critical thinking skills, and become familiar with the many options and career choices that study in communication can provide.
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 203A3242TTh9:30am - 10:45am(M. Robins)
Spring 2024COM 203C3243MWF9:00am - 9:50am(M. Gallo)
Spring 2024COM 203D3244MWF10:00am - 10:50am(M. Gallo)
Spring 2024COM 203E3245TTh11:00am - 12:15pm(C. Zdravkovic)
Spring 2024COM 203F3925MWF11:00am - 11:50am(C. Evans)

COM 204. Honors The Process of Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides students with an in-depth introduction to the fundamental philosophies underlying the field of communication. It is a sophisticated, seminar-structured class designed for students who have declared communication as a major or minor and for those considering pursuing a degree in communication. As an honors course, this class takes a deeper, more detailed look at communication as a process and at a number of important concepts (areas of study) in the discipline. Likewise, course expectations of student performance and output are high. Students who received credit for COM 203, Introduction to Communication cannot receive credit for COM 204.
Prerequisites: Honors Program
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 204HN3750MWF9:00am - 9:50am(C. Evans)

COM 205. Introduction to Digital Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

As an introduction course students will examine the evolution and evolving nature of digital communication. Through lecture and activities students will survey the technologies that have been adapted and reframed for industries, look at how digital culture has affected our human interactions and explore how we use mobile, web, streaming and browsing of audio and video in our everyday lives. Students focus on technologies as both the consumer and the creator and deciphering factors affecting both, including internet governance, ethics, free speech and privacy. The course will examine industries impacted by digital technologies and explore the current and future issues they face.
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 205A3246MWF12:00pm - 12:50pm(J. Rowlett)

COM 230. Introduction to Film Studies. 3 Credit Hours.

This course has three major aims: to introduce students to what might be called the language of film, to investigate the relationship between movies and culture, and to consider film as both an art form and a social practice. Students will examine the tools filmmakers employ to bring their works to the screen, including cinematography, production design, acting, editing, music, sound design, and narrative structure. Students will also focus on how the cinema both reflects and perpetuates aspects of culture, investigating images of masculinity, femininity, class, and race relations. By semester's end students should have a much clearer sense of what goes into the making of movies, and should have become more active, critical viewers of film. This course is cross-listed with LCS 230.
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Winter Session 2024COM 230B2004MTWThFS1:00pm - 4:00pm(T. Dooley)
Spring 2024COM 230A3755TTh9:30am - 10:45am(T. Hasseler)
Summer 2024COM 230SE4004MW6:30pm - 9:10pm(T. Dooley)

COM 242. Basic Studio Production. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is an introduction to television production in which, through basic studio exercises and productions, students become familiar with the tools of the medium and the processes involved in the creation of completed video content. Emphasis is placed on understanding the role played by software and hardware in the structuring of visual, auditory, and motion elements to communicate through television.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 242FE3247W6:30pm - 9:10pm(T. Dooley)
Spring 2024COM 242JE3248MF2:00pm - 3:15pm(T. Dooley)

COM 243. Digital Media Production. 3 Credit Hours.

This course offers an introduction to single-camera video production and editing. In a series of short film assignments, covering a variety of formats/styles, you will learn how to shoot digital media content (outside of the studio environment) and edit your video using Adobe Premiere. This is a hands-on, workshop style course, in which students share and discuss their ideas, raw footage and “rough cut” edits as they go. Technical training will be gradual, with a gently sloped learning curve, so the focus remains where it should be – on expressing your creativity while learning to use shot composition, camera movement, and editing techniques to inform and entertain the viewer.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 243A3249T2:00pm - 4:40pm(T. Dooley)

COM 265. Public Relations and Social Media. 3 Credit Hours.

This course introduces traditional public relations and social media concepts and tools, building students’ strategic ability to create communications plans that connect both concepts to meet an organization’s objectives effectively. Through instruction, hands-on exercises, a client project and guest speakers, students will learn how to create a communications plan, write for the most popular digital communication channels, manage an always-on environment, interview clients effectively, drive social engagement, curate content and finally, create, present, defend and critique a communications plan. Students will gain strategic and tactical proficiency for building and managing a communications program in today’s media/social media environment.
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 265CE3250M3:30pm - 6:10pm(S. Skiffington)

COM 270. Interpersonal Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is intended to be an introduction to interpersonal communication and examines concepts/contexts relevant to the study of communication in relationships e.g. language, perception, nonverbal signals, conflict, etc. The focus of the course will be on the various elements that impact relationships, as well as how these elements occur in the context of different types of social interactions. In addition, the course is designed to encourage students to increase their understanding of the research that is guided by these elements and the application that has to real-world experiences.
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 270A3251TTh12:30pm - 1:45pm(C. Zdravkovic)

COM 272. Mass Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course familiarizes students with mass media industries by developing an understanding of industry structures, trends, economics, organization, and the impact of these on content, culture, and agency. Media industries examined include television/cable/streaming services, radio/music, advertising, public relations, Internet, print media, and video games. Media literacy is a major theme embedded throughout the course as students navigate social responsibility by examining media content from a critical perspective. Finally, students will acquaint themselves with industry-related concepts including, but not limited to concentration of ownership, conglomeration, media literacy, synergy, mass communication theories, digitization, convergence, fragmentation, deregulation, media effects, hyper commercialism, deregulation, mass communication theory, globalization, agenda setting, First Amendment issues, censorship, cultivation, and media ethics.
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 272A3252MWF11:00am - 11:50am(K. Pearce)

COM 280. Introduction to Health Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides students with an introduction to the area of health communication, an area that is large and multifaceted. Students taking this course will learn about a variety of topics that provide the foundation for work in health and health communication. Topics include (but are not limited to): patient-provider interactions, social support, health literacy, health campaigns and promotion, the influence of technology on health, and the role of culture in health.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Varies.

Spring 2024COM 280A3253TTh2:00pm - 3:15pm(J. Volkman)

COM 332. Writing and Reporting for Broadcast and Digital Media. 3 Credit Hours.

This course gives students hands-on learning and experience creating broadcast and digital news content. Course assignments are filmed in the television studio, but with an emphasis on the “nontechnical” aspects of electronic journalism. Specifically, students learn the communication skills that producers and reporters use when researching and writing news stories, conducting interviews, and delivering news live on the air or via the Internet. This course is also recommended for those with an interest in public relations, or for those who simply want to sharpen their writing and presentation skills.
Prerequisites: Sophomore Standing
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 332A3254TTh12:30pm - 1:45pm(M. Montecalvo)

COM 333. Public Health Communication: Advocacy and Action. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to familiarize students with the history and current issues in public health, the application of health communication theory and strategies to public health practice and research, and how to use knowledge in public health to advocate for policy changes. This course examines how to structure, develop and evaluate social marketing, media advocacy, risk communication and advocacy skills for change. In addition, systematic qualitative data collection processes such as interviewing skills, participant observation and focus groups will be developed. Emphasis is placed on critical thinking skills to help students analyze and utilize these skills in research and practice.
Session Cycle: Varies.

COM 343. Narrative Filmmaking. 3 Credit Hours.

Information that is embedded in a narrative (story) is more easily understood and remembered, and increases our interest by generating curiosity and anticipation. Narrative also elicits an emotional response that can motivate us to think, feel, or act differently. Thus, storytelling is a powerful tool for more effective communication in any professional environment. This hands-on course teaches fundamental skills that filmmakers use to tell fictional narratives (stories) in filmed media. Students learn what narrative is, how to create it, and how to shape it using camera and editing techniques. Other topics include how to direct actors, maintain continuity, and use the soundtrack more creatively. Students shoot and edit their own short films, which are then screened in class.
Prerequisites: Sophomore Standing
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

Spring 2024COM 343A3255Th2:00pm - 4:40pm(T. Dooley)

COM 344. Sports Media Production. 3 Credit Hours.

Covering a live sporting event is one of the most dynamic forms of video-mediated communication. The pace is fast, the narrative largely unscripted, and creative and editorial decisions must be made rapidly. This course uses sports broadcasting as a platform for confronting the challenges of live, remote production. Classroom instruction is reinforced by hands-on experience, as students work in production groups to create network-style, multi-camera broadcasts of Bryant athletic events. Rotating through various roles and responsibilities, students develop skills in multi-camera directing, field production, video editing, writing, reporting, announcing, and special effects. Also, students learn how to identify, shape and present the narrative (story) elements of public events as they unfold. (Note: Students must be available for the broadcast of three Saturday afternoon games during the semester).
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

Spring 2024COM 344A3556M3:30pm - 6:10pm(W. Franco)

COM 345. Documentary Filmmaking. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course students learn how to create films using nonfictional "real" content as source material. The course covers all the creative aspects of documentary production: choosing a topic, creating a quasi-narrative framework, directing, writing and editing. Lectures, screenings and film assignments also explore how the filmmaker's communicative goal and point of view are expressed in a variety of modern documentary styles. And on the most practical level, students learn how to meet the challenge of scheduling a production based on "real" events that are often beyond the filmmaker's control. This course is also recommended for those who have an interest in journalism (both TV and print) or public relations for the non-profit sector.
Prerequisites: Sophomore standing
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

COM 346. Talk Radio: Sports, Politics and Podcasting. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on the skills needed to become a talk radio or podcast host. Special attention is given to the main functions of talk radio or podcast host as a researcher, interviewer, and storyteller. This course focuses on developing and planning live or taped talk show and podcast segments including researching topics, setting up interviews, writing interview questions, interviewing guests, and interacting with guests and other hosts. This course will also focus on integrating developing technologies in the broadcast field utilized by the talk radio and podcast hosts.
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 346A3256TTh11:00am - 12:15pm(M. Montecalvo)

COM 352. Writing for Social Media. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will explore the relationship between audience, purpose, image, and text and assess the trends in writing for the major social media platforms. Students will focus on creating and curating content and increasing their level of engagement on social media through effective, active social media writing assignments across a variety of personal and professional platforms.
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 352A3257TTh3:30pm - 4:45pm(M. Robins)

COM 353. Writing for Digital Media. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to help students gain an understanding of how digital writing addresses multiple genres, tools, platforms, and audiences. Students will effectively create digital content, analyze, and compose digital texts, and learn the multimodal writing processes of digital communication for audiences across a variety of digital mediums.
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

COM 357. Digital Storytelling. 3 Credit Hours.

Digital storytelling has changed the way media is gathered and delivered to an audience across a broad range of industries. You may be asked to explain a concept, make an argument or profile an individual or event as a digital storyteller. This course focuses on the skills needed to become an effective digital storyteller no matter what your major or chosen career field. You will learn to plan and develop live and recorded content for a variety of purposes and platforms. Special attention is given to the four main functions of a digital storyteller including: producing, writing, capturing and editing.
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate.

COM 359. The Sociological Imagination: What We See When We Watch T.V.. 3 Credit Hours.

This course uses the Sociological Imagination as the lens through which to analyze of the content of television. We will apply "The sociological imagination" (C. Wright Mills famous concept) to episodes of "The Wire", an HBO series that ran for five years. We will examine the lives of the characters and "urban space" as chronicled in "The Wire" including the work, neighborhoods, the city, morality, sexuality, politics, "childhood," gender and gender expression, race and social justice. We will also consider the relationship between social structures, culture, structure and agency. This course is cross-listed with SOC 359.
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

COM 360. Crisis and Risk Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

The need to assess, understand and implement an effective communication strategy following a crisis or risk event is becoming increasingly important. Whether dealing with the fallout from an environmental disaster, warning the public about a health hazard, interacting with the public on issues of terrorism, dealing with fallout from a public scandal, or addressing an organizational crisis, the need for effective communication management and its successful implementation is high. This course will focus on examining the intricate parts to the crisis/risk communication process, risk/crisis plans and public implementation.
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate.

COM 361. Public Relations. 3 Credit Hours.

Students in this course consider the public relations process with emphasis on how corporations and other institutions relate to their various publics. Readings and discussions center on methods of conducting effective public relations and on legal and ethical issues. Students plan programs and copy for various media.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

COM 363. Conflict Management and Negotiation. 3 Credit Hours.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the study of conflict and the role that communication plays in causing, escalating, and/or managing the conflict process. Additionally, the concept of negotiation and how it fits within this framework, will also be explored. After exploring basic elements of the conflict process (e.g., attributions, goals, power, tactics, etc.), the class will examine ways of altering negative conflict cycles, and the nature and effects of conflict in various situations such as intimate relationships, work relationships, public discourse, team settings, etc. This course is appropriate for anyone wishing to gain a better understanding of the complexities of conflict as well as better and worse ways of managing and or negotiating the process.

Spring 2024COM 363B3926M2:00pm - 4:40pm(C. Morse)

COM 367. Small Group Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to (a) give students a better understanding of the communicative practices that make a small group successful, and (b) provide students with the tools to diagnose and rectify potential obstacles to good group work. Students will accomplish these objectives by surveying theory and research in key areas of small group communication including cohesiveness, conflict, power, conformity and deviance, social influence, group roles and processes, group structures, leadership, and decision-making skills. In addition, students will have the opportunity to apply such theory and research by interacting in a small group environment to solve a problem, and then analyzing what their group did right and what their group did wrong.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Varies.

Spring 2024COM 367A3259TTh2:00pm - 3:15pm(M. Robins)

COM 368. Organizational Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an introduction to contemporary theory and intellectual traditions applied to the study of organizational communication, including the role of organizations in society and cultural practices. Whatever your career goals, the knowledge you gain from participating in this course will help you make sense of how communication is integral to the organizational experience. The focus will be on all forms of communication within the organization including small group, interpersonal, intercultural, and public. Other topics include superior-subordinate communication, communication and leadership, and the role of communication in developing organizational identity.
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

COM 370. Media Organizations. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to introduce students to major issues involved in the management, production, and distribution of the mass media. Topics include the technical side of media production, the history and development of media organizations, business aspects of broadcasting and cable, media regulation, societal effects and the impact of new technology on traditional broadcast media. The focus will be on the history and development of media organizations and how they have helped shape American culture. Students will also discuss the impact of new technology such as HDTV and internet television. This class will examine how the media are both products of social forces as well as social forces in their own right.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

Spring 2024COM 370A3260M2:00pm - 4:40pm(T. Zammarelli)

COM 380. Nonverbal Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an in-depth study of nonverbal communication, such as body language, eye contact, touch, vocalics, etc. It does so in two ways. The first will be to examine various theories and research about the codes and communicative functions of nonverbal behaviors. This will provide an understanding of the importance, persuasiveness, and effect of nonverbal communication, and the role it plays in the overall communication process. The second way that the course will examine nonverbal communication is to experience actively how people use it, and discover what happens when nonverbal rules are violated. This course will provide students with a subjective awareness of their own and others nonverbal messages.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

COM 390. Research Methods in Communication/Digital Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students in Communication and Digital Communication to research methods and concepts used in the field. During the semester, students will learn about ethical implications, sampling, variables, hypothesis testing and research design. They will also explore several different research techniques (e.g., surveys, experiments, content analysis, social network analysis, etc.). In addition, students will also be introduced to some basic statistical techniques used in the analysis of research data. The goal is to not only provide students with the groundwork for understanding and conducting research in these fields, but to also be able to be critical consumers of the research they will encounter in their future careers.
Prerequisites: COM 203 or COM 204 and MATH 201
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 390A3262MWF10:00am - 10:50am(J. Rowlett)

COM 391. Communication Internship. 3 Credit Hours.

Students engage in individually supervised work in communication and learn to apply communication skills, concepts, and theory to the work environment. Interns work at least ten hours per week on the job, meet periodically with a supervising faculty member, do research related to the employment field, and prepare a report on the work experience and studies involved.
Prerequisites: Approval of a supervising faculty member and the department chair and junior/senior standing.

COM 401. Advanced Intercultural Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores the complexity and uniqueness of intercultural communication by focusing on the various theoretical and practical aspects of how culture influences the way we communicate. By examining the various approaches to the study of intercultural communication, we will come to appreciate the complexity and dialectical tensions involved in intercultural interactions. We will examine the important role of context (social, cultural, and historical) in intercultural interactions and apply intercultural theories to practical situations such as education, healthcare, and business. This learning process will enhance self-reflection, flexibility, and sensitivity in intercultural interactions.

COM 442. Advanced Digital Media. 3 Credit Hours.

With the advent of digital platforms including web sites, streaming networks, and social media platforms, it is no longer sufficient to think solely in the context of traditional broadcast and streaming media. Platforms such as Youtube, Roku and Tik Tok have changed all manner of content creation. This course will give you an understanding of how all areas of digital media production, both behind the scenes and in front of the camera, come together and are practiced at various stages, from preproduction through distribution, to create programming for both traditional and digital platforms. You will create high-end content in a simulated, professional environment taking on the roles of production personnel, from showrunner to craft service, with the ultimate goal of seeing your programming “air” on the chosen distribution platform for the semester.
Prerequisites: Sophomore standing
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

Spring 2024COM 442A3263M6:30pm - 9:10pm(T. Zammarelli)

COM 443. Script to Screen. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course, students learn how content is shaped and reshaped (in a sense, rewritten) during each stage of production by developing an idea for a short video program and nurturing that concept through the production process from beginning to end. Students will write original scripts in a variety of formats, direct and edit their classmates' scripts, and devise ad copy to "sell" the completed projects to a target audience. Recommended for those who have an interest in media writing, producing, directing, editing, or marketing.
Prerequisites: COM 242 or COM 243 and junior standing
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

COM 444. The Newsroom. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to cover the broad spectrum of the actions required to make a live broadcast happen. The class will split into two teams responsible for a live weekly broadcast. We’ll examine exactly how everyone from the Producer to the Reporter to the Technical Crew directly impact the success or failure of a live broadcast. We’ll look at key job elements of those responsible for controlling the components that must come together for a successful broadcast. There are no second takes--there is only the controlled chaos and dynamic energy flowing as everyone does his or her job to make live television happen.
Prerequisites: COM 242 or COM 243
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

COM 450. Film Genre Studies. 3 Credit Hours.

A genre approach to film study (one which takes the way we might categorize a film as its point of departure) provides the most effective means for understanding, analyzing, and appreciating cinema because it sees moviemaking as a dynamic process of exchange between the film industry and its audience. This allows us to think about a movie not just as an aesthetic object, but also as a consumer item molded in part by the shifting demands of the mass market. A particular film, then, can tell us as much about the audience for which it's intended and the moment in history to which it belongs as it can about the institutions that produced it. This course examines the way this "dynamic process of exchange" works by looking critically at examples of genre filmmaking of the last several decades. This course is cross listed with LCS 450.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Varies.

COM 452. Personal Branding in Digital Media. 3 Credit Hours.

In digital communication, tools and methods are available for people to share ideas, thoughts, and content online, providing key opportunities for product and personal marketing to support a brand image. This course is a practical, hands-on class where students explore the history and concept of branding and how it applies to aspects of self-presentation and self-promotion in digital media. Students will focus on developing and strengthening their own brand with an emphasis on the use of creating content for use on digital platforms.
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

COM 461. Event Planning. 3 Credit Hours.

This course emphasizes planning, researching, executing, and evaluating actual public relations campaigns. Students will work with various community based and non-profit clients and will conduct actual semester long event planning campaigns. At least one special event will be completed with each client. Public relations problem solving skills, as well as the fundamentals in news writing, public speaking, and media skills will be emphasized in this course.
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

COM 463. The Impact of Digital Addiction on Individuals and Social Interactions. 3 Credit Hours.

This course explores the impact that digital communication has on us as individuals as well as how it serves to create a digital culture. Students examine topics such as digital communication's impact on cognitive processes, digital addiction, and digital literacy. How does software programming and engineered behavior addiction lead us to spending massive amounts of time on the devices and online? Students also dive into the implications of spending so much time online as it relates to topics such as memes, online relationships, identity presentation via things such as selfies, online humor, mental health, linguistics, influencers, trolls and more.

COM 470. Persuasion and Social Influence. 3 Credit Hours.

Communicative efforts to influence us and our efforts to influence others are so common that we rarely give them a second thought--that is, until they do not work the way we intended. This course is designed to introduce you to theoretical and applied issues in the study of social influence. It presents a broad overview of the area with an emphasis on the creation and consumption of persuasive messages in a variety of contexts including advertising, politics, health, and even our own interpersonal relationships.
Prerequisites: COM 203 or COM 204
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

Spring 2024COM 470A3266TTh9:30am - 10:45am(J. Volkman)

COM 471. Advanced Interpersonal. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an in-depth look at a specific type of interpersonal relationship or interpersonal communication context. The specific topics for the course will rotate based on student and instructor interest. Students will extend what they have learned in COM 270 and apply interpersonal communication theories and research to specific situations. Examples of course topics include: marital and family communication, lifespan communication, and the impact of mood and emotion on communication.
Prerequisites: COM 203 or COM 204 or COM 270
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Varies.

Spring 2024COM 471A3782MWF11:00am - 11:50am(C. Morse)

COM 472. Media Effects. 3 Credit Hours.

This course examines the impact of mass media on individuals and contemporary culture. Areas of examination include media cultivation, desensitization, priming, violence, agenda-setting, media framing, hypersexualization, gender portrayals, commercialism content, persuasion, the empathetic audience, entertainment education, media discourse, numerous media theories, and digital communication, to name a few. Students in this course will complete semester-long research on a media effects topic of their choosing and will deliver presentations on a number of mass communication theories.
Prerequisites: COM 203 or COM 204
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 472A3267MWF10:00am - 10:50am(K. Pearce)

COM 473. Gender and Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This class is designed to explore the complex relationships among women, men, language, and communication from theoretical and practical perspectives. Students will be exposed to relevant gender and communication-related social and political issues, research findings, and theory in a wide variety of contexts. Some of the many specific questions to be addressed include (but are not limited to): What is gender? How do we become gendered? How do we display and perpetuate gender through our use of language and nonverbal codes? What are the effects of media on our experiences of gender? How do the popular media portray gender and sexuality? Additionally, we will explore differences and similarities in how men and women communicate and contrast research findings in these areas with those views espoused in popular literature.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

COM 474. The Dark Side of Human Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will investigate how individuals cope with social interaction that is difficult, problematic, challenging, distressing and disruptive. Specific topics to be covered may include jealousy, deception, infidelity, gossip, unrequited love, sexual coercion, stalking, breakups, and codependent relationships. In this seminar style course, students will study relevant research and theory and apply this research to real or hypothetical situations.
Prerequisites: COM 203 or COM 204 or COM 270
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Varies.

COM 478. Global Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on cross-national comparative approaches to the study of communication policy and practice. It illustrates the value of comparative study through discussions of broadcasting, cable, telecommunications, culture and new media policies and practices such as those surrounding the Internet. This course focuses on the history, development, implementation and effects of global communication systems. There is an emphasis on how culture is a shaping force in the development of communication policy and practices in each country.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

COM 480. Advanced Health Communication Health Campaigns. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides students with an in-depth look into the area of health communication and the specific context of health message design, health promotion, and health behavior change. Building upon knowledge gained in Introduction to Health Communication, students will be presented with various theories and models that are used in the field as well as strategies and campaigns that are currently being enacted in society. Students will gain practice in applying knowledge gained in this course as they select, research, and design a health campaign of their own.
Session Cycle: Varies
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

COM 491. Senior Capstone for Communication/Digital Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

In this capstone course, students will build on knowledge from prior classes to examine and apply the major theories used in the study of communication/digital communication. Through course discussion and application to real world situations, students will synthesize their understanding of communication and how it impacts human behavior and attitudes. Students will develop the ability to articulate opinions, translate concepts, and formulate solutions on current topics through the lens of both theory and ethics. Then, students will apply their knowledge of communication and/or digital communication to gain real world experience by solving problems that exist within a nonprofit organization and/or between its members and target audience.
Prerequisites: COM 203 or COM 204, senior standing, and Communication or Digital Communication major
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024COM 491A3268TTh11:00am - 12:15pm(J. Volkman)

COM 497. Directed Study in Communication. 3 Credit Hours.

This course permits the student to pursue a communication area of interest and relevancy. The work will be performed under the supervision of a faculty member who will help design the program of study and the requirements to be met by the student.
Prerequisites: This course requires departmental permission on the basis of the agreed - upon plan of study.

Language Studies Courses

LS 271. Understanding Contemporary China. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have little or no background in Chinese language and culture. Through a survey of various aspects of Contemporary China, it aims to increase students’ awareness of China, Chinese culture, and Chinese people; to understand some of the major characteristics of Chinese culture and civilization; to analyze the economic and social developments that led to China’s significant role in the current global community; and to probe the challenges and problems China faces after the economic reform in 1979. By the end of the course, students will have exhibited the awareness of the major events and developments in contemporary China, addressed and compared the issue of differences between China and the West, examined and analyzed the economic and social developments brought about by China’s economic reform as well as its challenges and problems after the reform, and demonstrated basic understanding of Chinese culture and civilization.

LS 275. How Language Works. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course you will explore the intuitive knowledge that a native speaker of a language possesses and acquire greater insight into the intricacies of human language. Topics include the origins of language, units of meaning, computer processing of human language, sentence structure, speech production, language in context, language in society, language and culture, native and non-native language development, shades of meaning, conversational norms, language change over time, artificial language, and writing systems.

Spring 2024LS 275A3752M3:30pm - 6:10pm(A. Houston)

LS 302. Language, Thought, and Society. 3 Credit Hours.

Language is a tool for creative expression, cognition, and social interaction. Philosophy of language, neurolinguistics, psycholinguistics, and sociolinguistics are all examples of highly successful and productive consilience of language study with the humanities, biology, psychology, and the social sciences. People are sentient beings, capable of experiencing a broad range of psychological states. This course draws on the unity of knowledge in an effort to account for the richness of our mental lives and the flexibility of our behavior.

LS 303. French Studies. 3 Credit Hours.

Biocultural theory posits the co-evolution of genes and culture. Language, culture, and imagination confer survival advantages to humans as a social species and have preserved evolved human complexity. This course takes biocultural approach to the works of French philosophers such as Montaigne, Descartes, Rousseau, Diderot, Voltaire, Saussure, Derrida, Beauvoir, Foucault, and Lacan. Students may take the course more than once, as different iterations. Topics of a given iteration may include humanism, skepticism, dualism, primitivism, language, textualism, indeterminacy, relativism, feminism, constructivism, historicism, and psychoanalysis. Materials and instruction are in English. This course is cross-listed with HIS 303.
Prerequisites: 200-level history course.

LS 304. Italian Studies. 3 Credit Hours.

This course focuses on the history, society, politics, culture, and economics of modern Italy and its predecessors on the Italian Peninsula. Students may take the course more than once, as different iterations. Topics of a given iteration may include humanism, science, philosophy, the Inquisition, fascism, and the Vatican. Materials and instruction are in English. This course is cross-listed with HIS 304.
Prerequisites: 200-level history course.

Winter Session 2024LS 304A2029MTWThFS8:30am - 11:30am(J. Pearson)

Modern Language Courses

ML 271. Understanding Contemporary China. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have little or no background in Chinese language and culture. Through a survey of various aspects of Contemporary China, it aims to increase students’ awareness of China, Chinese culture, and Chinese people; to understand some of the major characteristics of Chinese culture and civilization; to analyze the economic and social developments that led to China’s significant role in the current global community; and to probe the challenges and problems China faces after the economic reform in 1979. By the end of the course, students will have exhibited the awareness of the major events and developments in contemporary China, addressed and compared the issue of differences between China and the West, examined and analyzed the economic and social developments brought about by China’s economic reform as well as its challenges and problems after the reform, and demonstrated basic understanding of Chinese culture and civilization.
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML CH105. Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture I. 3 Credit Hours.

This is Part One of an introductory class in modern Mandarin Chinese designed for students with no significant background in the language. Its goal is to lay a good foundation for Chinese study and to strive for a well-rounded development of communicative skills in listening, speaking, reading, and writing in Mandarin Chinese. It provides basic training in pronunciation and tones, character recognition and production skills, high-frequency vocabulary words, and syntactic structures and usage. The teaching materials are culturally authentic, which introduce the culture norms and customs associated with real-life experience. It helps students understand the culture and society of the target language so that they can use the target language effectively and appropriately. Students who have previous knowledge of Chinese (including local dialects such as Cantonese or Taiwanese) are encouraged to consult the instructor before taking this course.
Prerequisites: Language Placement Exam.

ML CH106. Introduction to Chinese Language and Culture II. 3 Credit Hours.

This is part two of an introductory class in Mandarin Chinese. The emphasis continues to be on speaking, listening, comprehension, basic conversational skills and the Chinese writing system.
Prerequisites: ML CH105 or language placement exam.

Spring 2024ML CH106A3531MWF12:00pm - 12:50pm(Z. Williams)

ML CH205. Intermediate Chinese I. 3 Credit Hours.

Intermediate Chinese Language and Culture I course is designed for students who have successfully completed the beginning level of Mandarin Chinese in the first year. Students who wish to take part in this course without taking ML CH105 and ML CH106 must pass a required Mandarin Chinese Assessment Test or receive special permission by the instructor. Focus on grammatical structures and sentence patterns. Learning Chinese characters and reading comprehension become increasingly important in the second year.
Prerequisites: ML CH106 or language placement exam.

ML CH206. Intermediate Chinese II. 3 Credit Hours.

Intermediate Chinese Language and Culture II is a continuation of ML CH205 and is designed for students who have successfully completed the initial intermediate level of Mandarin Chinese. Students who wish to take part in this course without taking ML CH205 must pass a required Mandarin Chinese Assessment Test or receive special permission from the instructor. Focus is on grammatical structures and sentence patterns. Learning Chinese characters and reading comprehension become increasingly important in the second year.
Prerequisites: ML CH205 or language placement exam.

ML CH305. Reading and Writing I. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have completed ML CH205 and ML CH206 or who tested into ML CH305. The central objective of the course is to develop greater proficiency and skill in the reading and comprehension of Chinese texts in Chinese and oral presentation. Attention will also be given to enhancement of the students' cultural awareness.
Prerequisites: ML CH206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024ML CH305A3753MWF10:00am - 10:50am(Z. Williams)

ML CH306. Conversation and Listening Comprehension. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have completed ML CH206 or who demonstrate an equivalent level of proficiency. The focus of this course will be the development of oral proficiency and listening skills for a variety of culturally appropriate topics in both formal and informal contexts. Working with edited and authentic audio and video materials in Chinese, students are introduced to culturally and socially important differences between informal (baihua) and formal (shumianyu) registers in spoken Chinese. In-class activities include group discussion, interviewing, formal debate and oral presentation.
Prerequisites: ML CH206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML CH391. Chinese Internship. 3 Credit Hours.

Students in this course engage in individually supervised employment requiring applications of language skills. Job functions include tutoring, translation, interpretation, or any Chinese-related assignments. Students must work at least ten hours per week on the job, meet periodically with a supervising faculty member, and prepare a substantive report on the work experience involved.
Prerequisites: ML CH206 and junior standing.

ML CH397. Directed Study in Chinese. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an opportunity for advanced Chinese students to do independent, in depth study or research in Chinese. The student works under the direction of a member of the Chinese program. It requires the student to develop a substantial paper.
Prerequisites: ML CH305 and ML CH306 or permission of the instructor.

ML CH401. Chinese Reading and Writing II. 3 Credit Hours.

This is Part Two of the reading and writing course in Chinese, with an emphasis on further improving students' Chinese reading comprehension and writing abilities up to the advanced level. Students will develop Chinese reading strategies, build knowledge and appreciation of Chinese language and culture, understand Chinese social and historical contexts, and cultivate analytical thinking of Chinese literary texts.
Prerequisites: ML CH305 or equivalent or language placement exam and instructor permission
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML CH404. Chinese for Business I. 3 Credit Hours.

Chinese for Business I is intended for students who want to use Chinese in an international business and professional environment. It aims to develop students' Chinese proficiency in the context of international commerce that requires not only adequate language skills but also adequate awareness of socio-cultural and business customs.
Prerequisites: ML CH305 or equivalent or language placement exam and instructor permission
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML CH405. Chinese for Business II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a continuation of Chinese for Business I . It aims to expand students' Chinese proficiency in the context of international commerce that requires not only adequate language skills but also adequate awareness of socio-cultural and business customs.
Prerequisites: ML CH305 or equivalent or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML CH406. Chinese for Media. 3 Credit Hours.

This is an advanced course parallel to CH404, Chinese for Business. Its goal is to further develop students' listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills through the use of authentic materials from newspapers, Internet reports, and television programs. Students will improve their understanding of the format and style of journalistic Chinese; have a fair command of the vocabulary, expressions, and structures commonly used in Chinese newspapers and news broadcasts and be able to use them appropriately in both oral and written communications.
Prerequisites: ML CH305 or equivalent or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML CH407. Introduction to Chinese Linguistics. 3 Credit Hours.

This is an introductory course in Chinese linguistics. It is designed for students to grasp some basic knowledge of Chinese linguistic structure, which includes the historical background of the language, phonetic, morphology, writing system, and syntax. It aims to prepare the students for a profession (i.e. Chinese teaching or translation) or more advanced studies in Chinese language, linguistics, or relevant fields from theoretical as well as pedagogical perspectives. For qualified students, this course may be taken as a 500 level graduate content course. Permission of the instructor is required.
Prerequisites: ML CH305 or equivalent or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML CH451. Advanced Chinese Through Contemporary Chinese Cinema. 3 Credit Hours.

This is an advanced Chinese language course. It is designed to improve students' Chinese language proficiency and develop an understanding of contemporary Chinese cinema. During the course of study, students will watch, discuss, and critique the selected films, read authentic Chinese materials, and create their own skits. The course will prepare them to pursue a China-related profession or live and work in China.
Prerequisites: ML CH305 or equivalent or language placement exam and instructor permission
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML CH497. Directed Study in Chinese. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an opportunity for advanced Chinese students to do independent, in depth study or research in Chinese. The student works under the direction of a member of the Chinese program. It requires the student to develop a substantial paper.
Prerequisites: ML CH305 and ML CH306 or permission of instructor.

ML FR105. Introduction to French Language and Culture I. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have little or no background in French language. By the end of the term, students will have gained a basic understanding of French, which will allow them to ask and answer questions on a variety of simple topics. Students will also gain knowledge of French culture and society.
Prerequisites: Language Placement Exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML FR106. Introduction to French Language and Culture II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a continuation of ML FR105. It is open to students who have successfully completed ML FR105 or who have scored the appropriate number of points on the French placement exam. The primary focus of the course is to develop elementary skills and cultural awareness.
Prerequisites: ML FR105 or language placement exam.

Spring 2024ML FR106A3536TTh2:00pm - 3:15pm(K. Soares)

ML FR205. Intermediate French I. 3 Credit Hours.

The focus of this course is the mastery of grammatical structures and development of communicative skills beyond the elementary level through in-class exercises and outside assignments and reading and analysis of short texts.
Prerequisites: ML FR106 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML FR206. Intermediate French II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a continuation of ML - FR205. The focus of this course is to complete the study of grammatical structures and continue to work on the communicative and writing skills through structured in-class exercises and discussions, as well as through a broad range of outside assignments.
Prerequisites: ML FR205 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024ML FR206A3538TTh5:00pm - 6:15pm(K. Soares)

ML FR305. Reading and Writing. 3 Credit Hours.

This course, taught in French, is designed to improve the student's written French. It reinforces the language skills presented in earlier level courses through analysis of different styles of reading materials, including poems, literature excerpts, newspapers, magazines and films. The emphasis is on texts and contexts of culture, whether in France or other Francophone areas.
Prerequisites: ML FR206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML FR307. Conversation and Composition. 3 Credit Hours.

Having already acquired the basics of French grammar and an intermediate competency in writing, students will deepen and solidify their knowledge of both written and oral skills. In-class activities will include role-plays, debates, interviews, exposes, discussions and weekly writing workshops.
Prerequisites: ML FR206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML FR308. Survey of French Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is an introduction to French literature and cultural studies. Cultural analysis will include discussion of French literature, history, art, politics, geography, immigration and gender issues. The media (newspapers, magazines, TV programs, films and popular music) will be an important part in the study of contemporary France, but students will also read excerpts of writers who represent the changing French identity in the European and Global perspective. Students will have the opportunity to improve their command of the language through discussion and analysis.
Prerequisites: ML FR305 or placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML FR391. French Internship. 3 Credit Hours.

Students in this course engage in individually supervised employment requiring applications of language skills. Job functions include tutoring, translation, interpretation, or any French-related assignments. Students must work at least ten hours per week on the job, meet periodically with a supervising faculty member, and prepare a substantive report on the work experience involved.
Prerequisites: ML FR206 and junior standing.

ML FR397. Directed Study in French. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an opportunity for advanced French students to do independent, in depth study or research in French. The student works under the direction of a member of the French program. The main requirement of the course is the development of a substantial paper or project.
Prerequisites: ML FR305 or the permission of the instructor.

ML FR403. Francophone Cultures. 3 Credit Hours.

In this course, students will explore questions of memory, migration, exile, gender and sexual identities in Francophone literature. The texts will be drawn from the early twentieth century to contemporary postcolonial authors. Students will read texts by authors from places such as Algeria, Morocco, Djibouti (East Africa), Madagascar, Haiti, Guadeloupe and Quebec.
Prerequisites: ML FR206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

Spring 2024ML FR403A3541TTh2:00pm - 3:15pm(C. Oliva)

ML FR404. French for Business. 3 Credit Hours.

French for Business is intended for students who will want to use French in an international business and professional environment. It aims to develop students' French proficiency in the context of international commerce that requires not only adequate language skills but also adequate awareness of socio-cultural and business customs.
Prerequisites: ML FR206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML FR410. French Philosophers and Moralizers. 3 Credit Hours.

If human nature is flawed or corruptible, what could be the cure? French philosophers and moralizers were deeply concerned with the issue. Enlightenment philosophers – Voltaire, Rousseau and Diderot among others - expressed their philosophical ideas and moral ideals explicitly and implicitly in the literary domain. Molière echoed Aristotle when he emphasized the importance for theatre to be “agréable et utile” – both pleasant and useful as he fused the medical and moral implications of catharsis. In addition to pleasure, literary texts are designed to cure our flaws and instruct us as they contain moral guidelines alongside a critique of human condition, character and society. In this course, we will examine both literary and ethical/ moral dimensions of French literature pertaining to various genres – including theatre, fable, philosophical tale, novel, essay, and confessions.
Prerequisites: ML FR305
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML FR411. Paris in French Literature and Cinema. 3 Credit Hours.

Beginning with Haussmann’s transformation of Paris, the spectacular reality of the city incites and proliferates artistic visions among numerous poets, novelists, painters, filmmakers and photographers. In this course, we will examine and critique various images of the city – both negative and positive– that underlie representations of Paris in French cinema and literature in the 19th-21st centuries. The “city of love,” certainly, becomes at times the city of deception, disillusionment and unrealizable dreams, yet remains, nonetheless, an inexhaustible source of inspiration, creativity and diverse artistic visions. The reality of urban life alongside its idealized representations will be examined throughout the course to demystify, on the one hand, and help perceive, on the other, the mystery and magic of “the city of love” – Paris.
Prerequisites: ML FR305
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML FR497. Directed Study in French. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an opportunity for advanced French students to do independent, in depth study or research in French. The student works under the direction of a member of the French program. The main requirement of the course is the development of a substantial paper or project.
Prerequisites: ML FR305 or permission of instructor.

ML IT105. Introduction to Italian Language and Culture I. 3 Credit Hours.

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to Italian language and culture. This course is designed for students who have little or no background in Italian. The course will be taught with a communicative approach: hence, class time will focus on utilizing the materials being studied in a conversational and contextualized atmosphere in Italian.
Prerequisites: Language Placement Exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML IT106. Introduction to Italian Language and Culture II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed ML IT105 or placed into ML IT106. The primary focus of the course is to develop further elementary-level communication skills and cultural awareness.
Prerequisites: ML IT105 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024ML IT106A3542TTh3:30pm - 4:45pm(K. Soares)

ML IT205. Intermediate Italian I. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed ML IT106 or were placed in the ML IT205 course by examination. The primary focus of the course is the mastery of grammatical structures and development of communication skills beyond the elementary level through in-class exercises and outside assignments of reading and analysis of short texts.
Prerequisites: ML IT106 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML IT206. Intermediate Italian II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a continuation of ML IT205. Students will continue to improve their comprehension of Italian through readings and conversation, and by expressing themselves in writing. They will complete the study of grammatical structures and will continue to develop a greater awareness of Italian culture and society.
Prerequisites: ML IT205 or language placement exam.

ML IT305. Reading and Writing. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to reinforce the language skills presented in earlier level courses. Extensive reading and numerous writing assignments will improve students' level of proficiency. The emphasis is on texts and contexts of modern Italian culture (poems, literature excerpts, newspapers, magazine articles and films).
Prerequisites: ML IT206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML IT307. Conversation and Composition. 3 Credit Hours.

Engaging reading and writing assignments will assist students in gaining fluency and accuracy, advance their communicative competence in Italian, and increase their cultural awareness. Class time will be spent discussing the readings and contextual ideas in Italian.
Prerequisites: ML IT206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML IT308. Italian Literature. 3 Credit Hours.

The course provides students with a deeper look into Italian authors, their works as well as their time periods. All material will derive from the author's works studied, as well as additional class handouts. In-class activities will include role-plays, debates, discussions and weekly writing workshops. These challenging reading and writing assignments will assist students in gaining fluency in grammar and advance competency in Italian, as well as increase their cultural awareness. This course is taught with a communicative approach; therefore, class time will be spent discussing the readings and contextual ideas in Italian.
Prerequisites: ML IT206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML IT391. Italian Internship. 3 Credit Hours.

Students in this course engage in individually supervised employment requiring applications of language skills. Job functions include tutoring, translation, interpretation, or any Italian-related assignments. Students must work at least ten hours per week on the job, meet periodically with a supervising faculty member, and prepare a substantive report on the work experience involved.
Prerequisites: ML IT206 and junior standing.

ML IT397. Directed Study in Italian. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for advanced students to complete an independent, in depth study or research in Italian. The student is under the direction of an Italian faculty member in the Italian program. A substantial paper or project is the main requirement for this course.
Prerequisites: ML IT305 or higher or the permission of the instructor.

ML IT403. Italian Language and Culture. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have completed ML IT305. The primary focus of the course is to study a variety of cultural products including television, film and periodicals.
Prerequisites: ML IT305 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML IT404. Italian for Business. 3 Credit Hours.

Italian for Business is intended for students who will want to use Italian in an international business and professional environment. It aims to develop students' Italian proficiency in the context of international commerce that requires not only adequate language skills but also adequate awareness of socio-cultural and business customs.
Prerequisites: ML IT206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

Spring 2024ML IT404A3754TTh3:30pm - 4:45pm(C. Oliva)

ML IT497. Directed Study in Italian. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for advanced students to complete an independent, in depth study or research in Italian. The student is under the direction of an Italian faculty member in the Italian program. A substantial paper or project is the main requirement for this course.
Prerequisites: ML IT305 or higher or the permission of the instructor.

ML SP105. Introduction to Spanish and Hispanic Language and Culture I. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have less than two years of high school Spanish or who were placed into SP105. The course concentrates on developing communicative and intercultural competence in Spanish. Cultural topics include daily life and cuisine in the Spanish-speaking world, Spanish as a world language, and mestizo heritage.
Prerequisites: Language Placement Exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Variesl.

ML SP106. Introduction to Spanish and Hispanic Language and Culture II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed ML SP105 or placed into ML- SP106. The primary focus of the course is to develop further elementary-level communication skills and cultural awareness.
Prerequisites: ML SP105 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024ML SP106A3545MWF9:00am - 9:50am(P. Gomez)

ML SP107. Introduction to Spanish for Health Sciences I. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for health science students and working professionals who have successfully completed SP105 or its equivalent or placed into SP107. The course concentrates on developing communicative and intercultural competence in Spanish for use in a medical context.
Prerequisites: Placement Exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Varies.

ML SP108. Introduction to Spanish for Health Sciences II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for health science students who have successfully completed SP107 or placed into SP108 and for working professionals who have successfully completed SP106 or its equivalent. The course concentrates on developing communicative and intercultural competence in Spanish for use in a medical context.
Prerequisites: SP105, SP107, or Language Placement Exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Varies.

ML SP110. Accelerated Beginning Spanish. 6 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have less than two years of High School Spanish or who were placed in ML SP105 or ML SP106. The course concentrates on developing communicative and intercultural competence in Spanish.
Prerequisites: Language Placement Exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML SP205. Intermediate Spanish I. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed ML SP106 or were placed in the ML SP205 course by examination. The primary focus of the course is to develop intermediate-level communication skills and cultural awareness.
Prerequisites: ML SP106 or SP 110 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024ML SP205A3547MWF12:00pm - 12:50pm(P. Gomez)

ML SP206. Intermediate Spanish II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is a continuation of ML SP205. It is designed for students who have successfully completed Introduction to Spanish I and II and Intermediate Spanish I, or were placed into ML SP206 by examination. The primary focus of this course is to develop further intermediate- level skills and cultural awareness. This course includes a laboratory component.
Prerequisites: ML SP205 or language placement exam.

Spring 2024ML SP206A3549MWF1:00pm - 1:50pm(P. Gomez)

ML SP207. Intermediate Spanish for Health Sciences I. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for health science students who have successfully completed SP108 or were placed into SP207 and for working professionals who have successfully completed SP205 or its equivalent. The primary focus of this course is to develop intermediate-level communicative and intercultural competence as applied to a medical context.
Prerequisites: SP108, SP106, or Language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML SP208. Intermediate Spanish for Health Sciences II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for health science students who have successfully completed SP207 or were placed into SP208 and for working professionals who have successfully completed SP206 or its equivalent. The primary focus of this course is to develop intermediate-level communicative and intercultural competence as applied to a medical context.
Prerequisites: SP205, SP207 or Language placement exam
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML SP305. Reading and Writing. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have completed ML SP206 or were placed into ML SP305. The primary focus of the course is to develop reading and writing skills beyond the intermediate level while expanding students' cultural awareness. This course is a requirement for the minor.
Prerequisites: ML SP206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024ML SP305A3550TTh12:30pm - 1:45pm(A. Houston)

ML SP306. Spanish for Heritage Speakers. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed to address the specific linguistic needs of students who have had extensive exposure to Spanish at home and/or in their US-Latino community. It focuses on development of grammatical and writing skills through the examination of topics of interest to the Latino communities.
Prerequisites: Language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML SP307. Conversation and Composition. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have completed ML SP206. The primary focus of the course is to develop conversation and writing skills at the advanced level while expanding students' cultural awareness.
Prerequisites: ML SP206 or language placement
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML SP308. Survey of Literature in Spanish. 3 Credit Hours.

The primary focus of the course is to introduce a variety of literary works written in Spanish, and study these within their social, political and historical contexts.
Prerequisites: ML SP305 or ML SP306 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML SP309. Spanish and Latin American Film. 3 Credit Hours.

Film is not merely a form of entertainment, rather it reflects, and influences the values of the societies and cultures which it portrays. Students will study social and historical topics through the lens of cinema from Spain, Argentina, Mexico and other Spanish-speaking countries.
Prerequisites: ML SP206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML SP310. Spanish Speaking Cultures. 3 Credit Hours.

ML SP310 is a multi-media course designed to provide you with the background you will need to understand the cultures of Spain, Spanish America, and those of the growing Latino population of the United States.
Prerequisites: ML SP206 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML SP311. Advanced Spanish Grammar. 3 Credit Hours.

The purpose of this course is to describe the intuitive knowledge that a native speaker of Spanish possesses, providing advanced level students the opportunity to develop greater insight into the intricacies of Spanish grammar and improved accuracy and fluency in speaking and writing. Students will (1) compare and contrast grammatical distinctions, (2) apply contrasts to consciously-controlled grammar choices, (3) work autonomously with interactive online tutorials, processing target forms in meaningful language, and (4) work collaboratively on meaningful tasks encoded by target forms.
Prerequisites: ML SP305 or ML SP306
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate.

ML SP312. Phonetics and Phonology of Spanish. 3 Credit Hours.

This course, for advanced non-native speakers of Spanish, takes a theoretical and practical approach to the phonetics and phonology of Spanish from the dual perspective of the mental representation of the sounds and their pronunciation within syllables, words and phrases. Students will engage in comprehension and sound discrimination practice, with transcription exercises and attention to correct pronunciation. Practical benefits will include improved comprehension, fluency, and pronunciation.
Prerequisites: ML SP305 or ML SP306
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML SP313. Advanced Spanish for Health Sciences I. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for health science students and working professionals who have successfully completed SP305 or its equivalent. The primary focus of this course is to develop advanced-level communicative and intercultural competence as applied to a medical context.
Prerequisites: SP305
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML SP391. Spanish Internship. 3 Credit Hours.

Students in this course engage in individually supervised employment requiring applications of language skills. Job functions include tutoring, translation, interpretation, or any Spanish-related assignments. Students must work at least ten hours per week on the job, meet periodically with a supervising faculty member, and prepare a substantive report on the work experience involved.
Prerequisites: ML SP206 and junior standing.

ML SP397. Directed Study in Spanish. 3 Credit Hours.

The course provides an opportunity for advanced Spanish students to do independent, in depth study or research in Spanish. The student works under the direction of a member of the Spanish program. The main requirement of the course is the development of a substantial paper or project.
Prerequisites: ML SP305 or ML SP306 or permission of instructor.

ML SP403. Cultures of Spanish Speaking Societies. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have completed ML SP305 or ML SP306. The primary focus of the course is to study a variety of cultural products including film, painting, textile, religion, literature, music and ceramics and their social, political and historical contexts.
Prerequisites: ML SP305 or ML SP306 or permission of instructor
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024ML SP403A3551TTh9:30am - 10:45am(J. Perry)

ML SP404. Spanish for Business. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have completed ML SP305 or ML SP306. The primary focus of the course is to introduce students to the specific vocabulary in Business, increase students' awareness - particularly in a business environment and provide practical information designed for business professionals to conduct business in Spanish speaking societies.
Prerequisites: ML SP305 or ML SP306 or language placement exam
Session Cycle: Fall, Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

Spring 2024ML SP404A3552MWF10:00am - 10:50am(P. Gomez)

ML SP407. Contemporary Female Writers and Filmmakers of the Spanish-Speaking World. 3 Credit Hours.

This course will explore contemporary social issues in the Spanish-speaking world through the lens of literature and film. Each unit will explore a different topic such as immigration, minority groups, race, religion, social status, ecology and gender identity, and will include literary selections and films by prominent women writers and filmmakers of the Spanish-speaking world.
Prerequisites: ML SP305 or ML SP306 or permission of the instructor
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML SP408. Spanish for Business II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for students who have successfully completed ML SP404. It builds on business topics of general interest from Spanish for Business I, with specialized material for management, marketing, and finance. Students apply their areas of expertise to collaborative projects, such as case studies and business plans, grouped with students of different areas of expertise. It is designed to build a solid foundation in business vocabulary and basic business concepts. The objective is to promote active language use that will help prepare students for success in the Spanish-speaking business world.
Prerequisites: ML SP404
Session Cycle: Fall
Yearly Cycle: Alternate Years.

ML SP410. Understanding Cuba: History and Culture. 3 Credit Hours.

Through selected literature and film, students will explore Cuban historical and cultural influences associated with the island nation, including Spanish colonialism, the independence movement, U.S. neocolonialism, the Cuban Revolution, Cuban society today including U.S. immigration. Readings will include works by both Cuban writers and non-Cuban writers, with all works read in Spanish by students seeking ML SP410 credit, or in English by students seeking History credit. These readings will serve as a base of information prior to an 8-day visit to Cuba over Spring Break. While in country, students will visit a number of museums, performances, and other locations in greater Havana that will bring these themes to life. Once back at Bryant, students will use their observations of daily life and culture to reflect upon all that they have learned through a collaborative research project and presentation. This course is cross-listed with HIS 410.
Prerequisites: ML SP304, ML SP305 or ML SP306 and sophomore standing
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Varies.

ML SP411. Advanced Spanish for Health Sciences II. 3 Credit Hours.

This course is designed for health science students and working professionals who have successfully completed SP313. The primary focus of this course is to develop advanced-level communicative and intercultural competence as applied to a medical context.
Prerequisites: SP313
Session Cycle: Spring
Yearly Cycle: Annual.

ML SP497. Directed Study in Spanish. 3 Credit Hours.

This course provides an opportunity for advanced Spanish students to do independent, in depth study or research in Spanish. The student works under the direction of a member of the Spanish program. The main requirement of the course is the development of a substantial paper or project.
Prerequisites: ML SP305 or ML SP306 or permission of the instructor.

Faculty

Department Chair

Dr. Christopher R. Morse

Professor

Christopher R. Morse

Associate Professor

Kristen Berkos
Communication/Digital Communication

Associate Professor

Tony Houston
Language Studies

Associate Professor

Cedric Oliva

Associate Professor

Kevin Pearce

Associate Professor

Julie Volkman

Senior Lecturer

Patricia Gomez

Senior Lecturer

Thomas Zammarelli

Lecturer

Thomas Dooley

Lecturer

Mary Robins

Lecturer

Zhongyuan Williams