Communication Studies

Spring 2010 TOPIC COURSES

(Seminars listed below)

• COM310.0001 Contemporary Oral Communication: Dynamics of Communication Marketing, 3 cr., Gail Alofsin
  CLASS#8070 W4-6:45PM TBA room
  Examines integrating marketing and advertising initiatives with public relations campaigns and projects. Emphasis will be placed on defining key channels of communication, examining the separate and united strengths of marketing, advertising and public relations, and developing the skills necessary to create communication (internally and externally.)
• COM310.0002 Contemporary Oral Communication: Strategic Media Communication for Public Relations, 3 cr., Regina Bell
  CLASS#5756 MWF11-11:50PM SWAN201
  Introduces strategic media relation tactics when responding to the media, specifically crisis communication situations. Gain practical experience in various writing and speaking opportunities to effectively work with media.
• COM310.0007 Contemporary Oral Communication: The Rhetoric of Music: Songs of Social Justice, 3 cr., Dr. Steve Wood
  CLASS#10910 R2-4:45PM SWAN304
  The Rhetoric of Music is an in-depth exploration of the ways music, particularly non-mainstream music, functions as a rhetorical agent. Specifically, the ways in which political and collective social experience are shaped, influenced, inspired, driven, reinforced or mobilized through music will be studied and illustrated through a series of lectures and screenings about key musical rhetorical agents. The class will feature readings on rhetorical theory as applied to music and audio/video recordings selected to challenge the student’s understanding and knowledge. Prereq: junior standing in a degree granting college or permission of instructor.
• COM310.0008&9 Contemporary Oral Communication: Rhetoric, Media, and the Way of the Lawyer, 3 cr., Rick Smith
  CLASS#12657=0008 MW3-4:15PM SWAN203
  CLASS#12658=0009 MW4:30-5:45PM SWAN203
  From the Duke case, to JO, to Bush vs. Gore, to President Clinton's mastery of legal parsing, is there any doubt we live in a land of laws, lawyers, and legalese? Legal communication concepts such as cross examination, framing the issues and relevancy, are now part of the public rhetoric. Can we even understand our leaders without a law degree? Students will examine and practice the oral communication skills and tactics of lawyers, especially trial lawyers. Using famous public trials, we will study the function and role of legal communication in our media culture. Students will examine legal communication skills, issues, and tactics in the media circus and in popular trials. Students will learn legal communication concepts such as cross examination, immateriality, summation, persuasion and participate in mock trials. Prereq: junior standing in a degree-granting college or permission of instructor.
• COM410.0001 Advanced Topics in Communication Studies—"Science and Communication in a Century of Limits," 3 cr., Dr. Patrick Logan
  CLASS#12332 TTh 3:30PM - 4:45PM RoomTBA
  There is abundant evidence for an unprecedented 21st Century struggle caused by limits to the planet's ability to both meet human resource demands and to absorb residuals of human society. Attention is directed to communications about global climate change, peak oil, soil and water depletion, over-harvesting of forests and fisheries, exhaustion of critical industrial ores and minerals, and pollution of the air and water on an unprecedented planetary scale. We will study how scientists reason about observations and uncertainties in contemplating what we must do to avoid possible global catastrophe during the Century of Limits and how scientific reasoning and awareness is either effectively communicated or systematically distorted, interfering with development of critical planetary social movements and public actions. Not for graduate credit. (syllabus)

Seminars

• COM530.0200 Seminar in Organizational Communication: Leadership and Communication, 3 cr., Dr. Geoffrey Leatham
  CLASS#5002 W7-9:45PM DAVS109
  Provides an overview of historical and contemporary leadership theories with an emphasis on communication processes. Case studies and written assignments will give the opportunity to apply theoretical principles.
• COM540.0200 Seminar in Public Discourse: Rhetoric, Medicine and Health, 3 cr., Dr. Adam Roth
  CLASS#8030 T7-9:45PM PROVIDENCE
  Description forthcoming.

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Department of Communication Studies

Dr. Lynne Derbyshire, Chairperson
202 Davis Hall
University of Rhode Island
Kingston, RI, 02881

Phone: 401-874-2552 | Fax: 401-874-4722