| COM201 |
Introduction to Communications |
DI/DIII |
3 cr. |
A study of the communications media from a variety of perspectives – historical, psychological, economic, political and social, as well as of the moral and legal issues raised by technological developments. Course will explore theories of communications with particular application to the analysis of contemporary media. Required in the Communications major and minor. Three lecture hours per week.
cr. |
| COM202 |
Writing for Media |
|
3 cr. |
This course will be an introduction to the research, planning, writing, and editing processes in media, emphasizing print, audio and visual mediums. Primary topics will include varieties of styles from objective to persuasive, combining verbal and visual communications, logical and psychological development and persuasion, and aesthetic and ethical considerations. Three lecture hours per week. Required for B.S. in Communications major.
cr. |
| COM205 |
Computer Production in Communications |
|
3 cr. |
This course will involve the application of computer programs to the design and development of communication materials. Students will be introduced to computer software for word processing, desktop publishing, web design and electronic information presentations. Students will produce such communication materials as flyers, brochures, web sites and other visual presentations. Limited to Communications majors and minors. Three lecture hours per week.
cr. |
| COM210 |
Technology for Communications |
|
3 cr. |
This skills-based course instructs students in the digital dissemination of communications materials for the Internet, Intranets, and on CD-ROM. The three tracks of journalism, advertising and public relations are used to provide context for understanding how and why these technologies are being applied in communications-related fields.
cr. |
| COM300 |
Communication Research Methods |
Q |
3 cr. |
| Q This course provides students with a foundation in the research methods commonly used in advertising, public relations and journalism. Students will be introduced to the attitude necessary for scientific inquiry in the social sciences, as well as the capability to read and understand research reports based upon quantitative and qualitative methods, including sampling, surveys, experiments, content analysis, focus groups and critical analysis. Students will design, administer and interpret several such research tools. Required for Communications majors. Three lecture hours per week. cr. |
| COM305 |
Communications: Problems of Law and Ethics in Media |
|
3 cr. |
| This course will deal with the moral and legal problems encountered by mass media since the invention of the printing press. Attention will be given to landmark events and to the historical, political and technological developments, which gave rise to them. Emphasis will be placed on: the concept of legal precedent; those assumptions about the nature of man on which moral judgments are made; the evolution of libertarian thought from the First Amendment to the present. The course will rely heavily on case studies. Three lecture hours per week. cr. |
| COM309 |
Editing |
|
3 cr. |
| This course will introduce students to the theory and practice of editing for various media. Practical editing assignments will include copy and text editing, editing for print and electronic media, layout, writing headlines and cutlines, placing art and photography, as well as consideration of legal and ethical issues. Three lecture hours per week. Required for Communications majors. Limited to Communications majors and minors. cr. |
| COM315 |
Communication Theory |
|
3 cr. |
| In this course we will examine ways of understanding human communication behavior from both scientific and humanistic perspectives, with applications to mass communications and social interaction. Major communication theories will be evaluated and debated. Three lecture hours per week. cr. |
| COM316 |
Communications in the Global Village |
V |
3 cr. |
| This course is about communicating with diverse audiences. It provides theoretical foundations for understanding diversities based in language, culture, and identity and demonstrates applications in the areas of journalism, advertising, and public relations. Students will study and participate in the process of multicultural and global communications through the development of web-based projects. cr. |
| COM320 |
Principles of Advertising Communications (Fall) |
|
3 cr. |
| This course will examine both the management and creative processes of communication techniques and issues in advertising. Discussed will be social, economic and ethical aspects of advertising; the creative processes of copywriting, of art and print design, and of broadcast advertising; and specialized applications in business, education, and politics. Three lecture hours per week. Limited to Communications majors and minors. cr. |
| COM321 |
Print Copywriting (Spring) |
W |
3 cr. |
| This course will deal with the planning, writing and editing of advertising copy for the print medium. Copy will be related to overall design, and assignments will be completed using desktop publishing. Three lecture hours per week. Required for Communications majors and minors in Advertising Communications. Limited to Communications majors and minors. cr. |
| COM325 |
Sports Writing |
|
3 cr. |
This discussion and writing course encourages students to develop contextual understanding of sporting activity and provides opportunities for students to practice writing about sports. Skills stressed in this course include determining newsworthiness of developments in the sports world, crafting stories with proper structure and style and editing one's work with an eye toward publication. Three lecture hours weekly.
cr. |
| COM335 |
Writing for Corporations (Spring) |
|
3 cr. |
| Through workshop, lecture and discussion, this course is designed to help students develop the specialized skills needed to write on behalf of a business or non-profit organization: researching and writing the organization’s history; preparing grant proposals; creating formatted letters to be used by others; responding on behalf of the organization to individual inquiries. Three lecture hours per week. cr. |
| COM349 |
Principles of Public Relations (Fall) |
|
3 cr. |
| Introduction to the role, processes, and practices of public relations. The course will explore the overall role and techniques of public relations in general and then consider specific cases and such issues as demographics and psychographics. Three lecture hours per week. Required of Communications majors in the Public Relations concentration and minors in Public Relations. Limited to Communications majors and minors. cr. |
| COM351 |
Public Relations Writing (Spring) |
W |
3 cr. |
| Course will deal with the research and planning of a publicity program. Students will explore various writing techniques, styles and feedback evaluation techniques. Three lecture hours per week. Required of Communications majors in Public Relations or Journalism concentrations and minors in Public Relations. Limited to Communications majors or minors. cr. |
| COM370 |
Fundamentals of News Writing (Fall) |
W |
3 cr. |
| News Writing covers the fundamentals of writing news stories and covering news events. Emphasis will be upon writing a range of news leads, and developing and organizing news stories and obituaries. Three lecture hours weekly. Required for Communications majors in Journalism and Public Relations concentrations and the minor in Journalism. Not open to students who have received credits for COM 230. cr. |
| COM371 |
News Reporting and Writing (Spring) |
|
3 cr. |
| A continuation of COM 370, News Writing, this course stresses research, reporting principles and key formats. Students will conduct library and computer-oriented research, practice reportorial interviewing skills, and write articles on business, the courts, local government, sports and other beats. Three lecture hours per week. Required for B.S. Communications majors and minors in Journalism. Not open to students who have received credits for COM 231. cr. |
| COM410 |
Direct Response Writing (Fall) |
|
3 cr. |
| This course, involving lectures and workshop assignments, will examine the processes for successful direct marketing. Students will be involved in the research, planning, writing and development of direct response newspaper, magazine, radio, and television ads, and of direct mail and mail order packages. Three lecture hours per week. cr. |
| COM412 |
Advertising Case Studies (Spring) |
|
3 cr. |
| This lecture and research course will examine actual advertising cases in print and electronic media. Students will examine the creative process: how it is affected by marketing, media, management and creative considerations as well as legal and ethical issues. Cases will be based on text, video and printed examples and on library and media research. Required of Communications majors in the Advertising Communications concentration, junior or senior year. Limited to Communications majors and minors. Three lecture hours per week. cr. |
| COM421 |
Copywriting for Electronic Media (Fall) |
|
3 cr. |
| This course, using lectures and workshop experiences, involves students in the research, writing and editing of business-to-business, radio, television, and out of home advertising. Students will produce at least one audio and one video advertisement. Three lecture hours per week plus laboratory work outside of class. Required for communications majors in the Advertising Communications concentration. Limited to Communications majors and minors. Not open to students who have received credits for COM 491. cr. |
| COM450 |
Advanced Public Relations Writing (Fall) |
|
3 cr. |
| This course will develop writing, persuasive and design skills necessary for publications such as ads, flyers, brochures and newsletters. Students will develop projects using desktop publishing. Three lecture hours or computer workshops per week. Required of Communications majors in the Public Relations concentration. Limited to Communications majors and minors. cr. |
| COM455 |
Public Relations Case Studies (Spring) |
|
3 cr. |
| This course will examine how effective public relations campaigns are planned and implemented. It will cover such elements as management by objectives, selection of programs (publicity, publications, events, posters, advertising, press conferences, speeches, and others), selection of media, targeting audiences, and measurement and evaluation. Three lecture hours per week. Limited to Communications majors or minors, or others with permission of Department Chairperson. cr. |
| COM456 |
Media Relations and Publicity |
|
3 cr. |
| This course covers the essential principles and practices of media relations, which is the public relations specialty of creating, developing and maintaining successful professional, publicity-generating relationships with reporters, editors and producers of news across print and electronic media. Students will be required to write media relations-related documents, including pitch letters, media alerts and news releases; additional requirements include feature-story writing development and the ethical framing of problematic news. Limited to Communications majors and minors/Public Relations concentration. cr. |
| COM466 |
Crisis Communication in P.r. |
|
3 cr. |
| This course covers the essential principles and practices of media relations, which is the public relations specialty of creating, developing and maintaining successful professional, publicity-generating relationships with reporters, editors and producers of news across print and electronic media. Students will be required to write media relations-related documents, including pitch letters, media alerts and news releases; additional requirements include feature-story writing development and the ethical framing of problematic news. Limited to Communications majors and minors/Public Relations concentration. cr. |
| COM470 |
Feature Writing (Fall) |
|
3 cr. |
| Writing of non-fiction articles for newspapers and magazines. Problems of staff writers and free lancers; how to market articles. Three lecture hours per week. Required of Communications majors in the Journalism concentration. cr. |
| COM471 |
Public Affairs Reporting (Spring) |
|
3 cr. |
| This course will focus on major news stories, trends in reporting as well as on cultural changes and media innovations, which have increased the demand for investigative, culturally oriented reporting. Students will analyze issues and events, and develop in-depth pieces. Three lecture hours per week. Required of Communications majors in the Journalism concentration. cr. |
| COM495 |
Special Topics Seminar (Spring) |
|
3 cr. |
| This seminar will develop a campaign using integrated marketing approaches combining the methodologies from advertising, public relations, journalism and corporate communications. Limited to Communications majors and minors, or by the approval of the Department Chairperson. Three lecture hours per week. cr. |
| COM500 |
Directed Study in Communications |
|
3 cr. |
Independent projects for Communications majors under the supervision of a member of the Communications faculty. Open only to Junior or Senior Communications majors. Permission of the Department Chairperson is required. Communications 64 Salem State College Catalog 2006-2008
cr. |
| COM501 |
Practicum in Communications |
|
3 cr. |
| Students will be assigned to on-campus locations for practical experiences in communications under terms of a practicum contract with a supervising faculty member. Practicum locations will include The Log (college newspaper), The Clipper (college yearbook), WMWM-FM (college radio station), the Media Center, Public Relations Student Society of America and other sites where students assume responsibility for communication-related activities. cr. |
| COM502 |
Communications Laboratory Practicum |
|
3 cr. |
| This practicum will be limited to ten students, accepted upon approval of the instructor, who will arrange seminars to prepare participants for practical applications of public relations and advertising. Students will be assigned to actual projects from the College and from the community. Students will also provide tutorial assistance in advertising, journalism and public relations writing. Limited to Communications majors and minors. cr. |
| COM503 |
Seminar in Communications |
|
3 cr. |
| Students will connect their academic and experiential learning about communications with communications industries and careers. They will evaluate their internships and other professional experiences and prepare a portfolio. Required for B.S. in Communications. Limited to Communications majors. cr. |
| COM505 |
Internship in Communications |
|
3 cr. |
| A program designed to provide on-the-job experience and training in areas directly related to the student’s academic concentration in Communications. Time and services will be arranged by a contract between the student, training site, and the Department. The number of credits will vary with commitment, intern advisor’s recommendations, and Department Chairperson’s approval. Required of Communications majors. Limited to Communications majors. cr. |
