Communication Arts at Union University

Functions, responsibilities, and influence of various mass communication media. Students review the economic, technical, historical, regulatory, and sociological aspects of radio, television, film, newspapers, magazines, books, advertising, and public relations and are offered opportunities for telephone conferences with significant media figures. Credit Hours: 3. Offered in the Fall and Spring.

 Introduction to news writing skills for the beginning media student to understand the differences and similarities of writing for print and broadcast media. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall and Spring.

 An introductory course to visual storytelling using a variety of digital media. Students will learn to create and deliver compelling and emotionally engaging narratives for a variety of purposes, combining video, still images, audio and interactivity. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall and Spring.

 The basics of seeing a story-telling photograph and learning to apply the basics of photography to help communicate a message. Emphasis will be placed on setting high standards of visual integrity and communication ethics and on developing an understanding of the role of photojournalism in shaping and reflecting contemporary society. The history of photojournalism, current trends, and the varied challenges found in this field will be explored. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall and Spring.

 Principles of editing copy for newspapers and magazines, writing headlines, and using type, photography, and graphics in layout and design for print news media. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall.

 This course is designed to improve and expand the news gathering and writing skills of the media student, further developing understanding of print news writing, news judgment and construction of print news stories, as well as social responsibility and an ethical framework for print journalists.  Prerequisite: COM 121 and 220. Credit hours: 4. Offered in the Fall.

 This course is designed to improve and expand the news gathering and writing skills of the media student, further developing understanding of broadcast news writing, news judgment and construction of broadcast news stories, as well as social responsibility and an ethical framework for broadcast journalists. Prerequisite: COM 121. Credit hours: 4. Offered in the Fall.

 Major theories, models, and conceptualizations of communication with emphasis on practical applications of research. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Spring.

 Application of journalism fundamentals to the Cardinal & Cream includes: writing, editing, layout, advertising, management and production. May be taken 3 times. Prerequisite: COM 121. Credit hours: 1. Offered in the Fall and Spring.

 Practical experience in mastering the craft of writing the special feature; each student is encouraged to prepare an article for publication. Prerequisite: COM 351 and Senior standing. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Spring.

 The legal controls and government regulations on mass media. Students will study case precedents involving the freedom and rights of the press and broadcasters. Prerequisite: Senior standing. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Spring.

 Students are provided with reportorial and analytical skills and techniques required by journalists who research and write nonfiction suitable for publication. This is the capstone experience for Journalism majors. Prerequisite: COM 351 or COM 352. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall.

 Organizational structure, communication networks, and employer-employee relationships. Emphasis: conducting interviews and performance appraisals, decision-making strategies, ethics, team-building, and the communication audit. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall.

 Introduction to principles, practices, context, and structure of public relations examining both the process and its implementation in business, industry, and institutions. Prerequisite: COM 121. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall.

Social documentary photojournalism is an attempt to bear witness, to bring attention, and to advocate. At its best, it tries also to communicate something a concerned and informed photographer felt when he/she released the camera’s shutter. Social documentary photojournalism communicates through a complex distillation of visual truth and interpretation. This course will take a close look at work that has made an impact on its audiences and at the photographers who produced it. Technical proficiency and visual awareness will continue to broaden. Prerequisite: COM 336. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Spring.

 Project-based approach toward developing skills in the creation of interactive media using industry standard software, interactive design theories, needs assessment, and project management procedures. Prerequisite: COM 220. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall.

Course will broaden proficiency and visual awareness in the articulation of ideas through learning how to “see” light, capturing the moment, documentary photography, portraiture, fashion, food, architecture, advertising, and sports. It will also stress exploring a fresh view of the commonplace, maintaining high standards of visual communication and understanding the relationship between words, photographs, and design.  Prerequisite: COM 236. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall and Winter.

 Practical application of public relations writing process for various media with focus on targeting publics using research, audience analysis, message design, and selection of communication channels. Prerequisite: COM 121; Corequisite: COM 323. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Spring.

 Management and producing theories and techniques for the newsroom learned from studying day-to-day decision making, personnel management, regulation, story decision, and ethical dilemmas faced by news directors and senior producers. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall.

 Using hands-on experiences to edit, design, layout, and develop camera-ready documents to provide practical knowledge of state-of-the-art publishing technology. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Spring.

Analysis and writing assignments in the shorter forms of journalism including editorials, columns, reviews, essays, opinion-page articles and profiles.  Prerequisite: COM 121. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall of odd years.

Selected students are assigned to obtain supervised practical work at a local newspaper professionally concerned with the print media.  Prerequisite: 2 required courses in the major; Permission of Chair. Credit hours: 3. Offered in the Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer.