COURSES: Department of Communication Arts

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CMA 100 Public Speaking
Study and practice in the art of public communication. Preparation and delivery of speeches designed to inform,persuade, inspire and entertain. Concentration on the development of speech skills needed in aspects of life.

CMA 200 Introduction to Communication Arts
Explorations in advertising, broadcasting, film, and journalism; a comparison of past, present, and future modes of communication; the interrelationships of the various media, their social, economic, and legal issues.

CMA 210 Advertising
A survey of the field of advertising, emphasizing the concepts of creation, coordination, and control of campaigns for print and broadcast media.

CMA 213 Public Relations
An overview of the public relations field, examining the techniques of communication, publicity activities, media contacts and their development.

CMA 255 Broadcasting
History, technology, structure, and regulation of broadcasting in the United States, including a discussion of issues, trends, and the impact of new technology on the radio/TV industry.

CMA 250 Film
How film works as communication, as art/entertainment, and as an industry. Developing styles and types of film, and various approaches to criticism will be discussed. Viewing, discussion, and written analysis of feature films, shorts and excerpts from the origins of film to the present.

CMA 254 Melodrama in Film and Television
This class explores the genre of melodrama from both an aesthetic and a historical dimension. Melodrama will be positioned as an aesthetic category distinct from drama and comedy by investigating the form and structure of key texts. It will be placed into various cultural contexts to analyze its impact on gender and national identity.

CMA 256 Feminism and Media
This course will be an examination of three main areas of feminist thought about the media. It will emphasize the representation of women in film, television, advertising, and the Internet, but will also explore how gender must be analyzed through lenses of class, ethnicity, sexuality, and other identities. We will utilize three primary techniques to study the media: psychoanalysis, sociology/cultural studies, and quantitative/media effects. Students will write a paper utilizing each technique as well as analyze their effectiveness in discussing women’s relationships with society and media.

CMA 270Z Storytelling across the Media
Design projects in print, video, and on the web in this workshop course. Basic skills in video production, digital editing, and web design will be developed.

CMA 300 Junior Colloquium
Examination of cross-media concerns such as access, narrowcasting, gender images, and globalization. Emphasis on interpretation and analysis. Required of juniors.

CMA 345 Mass Media in the Digital Era
An analysis of the impact of digital technology on all industries of the mass media, with emphasis on the ways the industries are being drawn together because of the digital influence.

CMA 351 Film History I: The American Cinema
The development of cinema in the United States from its origins to the present.

CMA 352 Film History II: International Cinemas
The development of international cinemas from their origins to the present.

CMA 361 Multi Image Workshop
An advanced workshop for refining TV studio production skills, video production, web development and digital editing. Prerequisite: CMA 438z or 428z.

CMA 401 Advertising Writing
An in-depth approach to creating advertising copy for newspapers, magazines, trade publications, radio, television, film and specialty media. Prerequisite: CMA 210 or equivalent.

CMA 403 Advertising Strategy and Techniques
A presentation of the skills necessary to design, implement, and manage advertising campaigns, with an emphasis on planning and decision-making procedures applied to specific advertising problems. Prerequisite: CMA 210 or equivalent.

CMA 413 Mounting Publicity Campaigns
A
n examination of the ways of the ways in which communications channels can be utilized effectively to motivate target audiences. Emphasis on designing materials.Prerequisite: CMA 213 or permission of instructor.

CMA 428Z Video Production Workshop
Remote video production techniques, from storyboarding to editing short videos. Learn digital video camera operation, lighting, script writing, and non linear video editing with Final Cut Pro.

CMA 430 Broadcast Journalism
An in-depth approach to writing news for radio and television. Emphasis on basic scripts, the interview, and actualities for television news programs; studio production.

CMA 438Z Television Studio Production
Broadcast studio production techniques, from crew work to directing; elements of production design, lighting, graphics, digital editing and program planning will be practiced in workshop setting.

CMA 453 Film Theory and Criticism
An analysis of major critical and theoretical approaches to cinema studies. Students will write reviews and analyses of contemporary and classic films. Prerequisite: CMA 250 or equivalent.

CMA 461 Major Filmmakers
An analysis of the style, concepts, and narrative design in key works of selected major filmmakers.

CMA 476 Feature Writing
A writer's workshop in the preparation of feature stories for print and broadcast media. Emphasis on interviewing, research, and getting published.

CMA 477 News Writing
Expertise in news writing for print media - the techniques of backgrounding a basic news story, style and organization of new stories, news channels, interviewing; specialty news writing, and investigative and interpretive reporting.

CMA 485 Independent Study in Communication Arts
The student will undertake a project directly related to an area of specialization in Communication Arts. Meetings, and either a research paper or a completed project, are required. Permission of the program advisor. Minimum 3.2 GPA required. May be taken a second time for an additional one, two, or three credits.

CMA 487 Specialty Publications
Application of journalism and public relations writing skills in producing print projects. Desktop publishing programs include Pagemaker and QuarkXpress for designing camera-ready copy. No prior Macintosh experience required.

CMA 489 Special Topics in Communication Arts
Designed to offer an intensive study opportunity in an area of specialization not covered by existing courses. Possible course topics include television station operations, scriptwriting, media law, broadcast management, or advanced research methods. See the program advisor for further information and topics. Permission of program advisor. May be taken a second time for an additional three credits.

CMA 490 Senior Seminar in Communication Arts
A capstone to undergraduate study through a comparative analysis of current media trends. Emphasis placed on writing, interviewing, and research skills, as well as developing professional contacts and a student portfolio. Required of seniors.

CMA 491 Senior Project in Communication Arts
Students will work one-on-one with faculty mentors in the preparation of a semester-long project. The emphasis will be on producing a project that can be taken as the capstone of the student’s work in Communication Arts. The course will also include material on career and portfolio preparation.

CMA 495 Internship in Communication Arts
Professional experience gained through participation at a major media organization in the metropolitan area. An excellent opportunity to develop contacts while gaining hands-on expertise. Course schedule developed to accommodate off-campus training. May be taken four times for a total of 12 credits. Permission of the intern advisor required.

CMA 499 Cooperative Education
This course offers opportunities for students to earn income and college credit while furthering their professional development. Open to juniors and seniors, 2.5 index required. Permission of program advisor.

 

Courses which the department offers in response to student interests include the following:

CMA 402 Advertising Media
CMA 410 Public Relations Case Problems

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