Department of Communication Studies < Colorado State University

SPCM Home

Main office: Behavioral Sciences Building, Room A203
Phone: (970) 491-6140
communicationstudies.colostate.edu
Professor Elizabeth Williams, Chair

The Department of Communication Studies is a caring and supportive community of teachers, scholars, and students who are passionate about communication’s centrality to our lives. Our communication scholars infuse the classroom with teaching practices that honor multiple ways of knowing, and program a rich array of coursework directly engaging diversity in text, identity, culture, positionality, history, and more. Our undergraduate, graduate, and faculty research consistently addresses power, identity, and agency. These innovative practices routinely receive regional, national, and international recognition.

Our approach to the study of communication is limitless. Students who join us:

Study communication in interpersonal, organizational, and cultural contexts.
Explore the history, theory, and criticism of media and film.
Investigate the nature of public and political discourse.
Bring the intersecting powers of story and film from communities and individuals around the world to Northern Colorado and beyond.
Advocate for diversity, equity, and inclusion in public process.

SPCM UG

Major

Major in Communication Studies

Interdepartmental and Interdisciplinary Minors

Film Studies Interdisciplinary Minor

The Departments of Communication Studies, English, Ethnic Studies, Languages, Literatures and Cultures, and Journalism and Media Communication offer a Film Studies Interdisciplinary Minor.

Media Studies Minor

The Departments of Communication Studies and Journalism and Media Communication offer a Media Studies Minor.

Certificate

Certificate in STEM Communication

SPCM Grad

Graduate Programs in Communication Studies

Graduate studies in communication at CSU attract students from around the world who deeply value teaching, scholarship, community, and excellence. The Department of Communication Studies offers two Master of Arts in Communication Studies degrees (Plan A and Plan B - see below), and one Ph.D. in Communication degree. All programs provide a rigorous scholarly experience that offers maximum flexibility in study across three areas of emphasis:

Film and media studies
Relational and organizational communication
Rhetoric and civic engagement

Coursework in each of these areas, respectively, includes the following topics:

Contemporary issues in media, media theories, media audiences, media texts, and media industries.
Communication theories, communication and diversity, interpersonal theories, and discourse and organization.
Public address, rhetoric and public affairs, rhetorical theory, rhetorical criticism, rhetoric of everyday life, and anti-racist, queer, and feminist theory.

Students enrolled in the Ph.D. in Communication degree develop programs of study tailored to their unique professional goals. They also teach a variety of undergraduate courses and are mentored by acclaimed scholars engaged in leading-edge research.

Students enrolled in M.A. in Communication Studies programs receive an introduction to the field of Communication Studies and instruction in critical and social scientific research methods. Plan A Master's students augment the M.A. core with electives of their choosing and complete a master's thesis under the advisement of a faculty committee. Plan B Master's students augment the M.A. core and elective curriculum with coursework and research in public deliberation. They also complete an applied research project.

Students interested in graduate work should refer to the Graduate and Professional Bulletin and the Department of Communication Studies.

SPCM GRAD II

Master's Programs

Ph.D.

Ph.D in Communication

Communication Studies (SPCM)

SPCM 100 Communication and Popular Culture (GT-AH1) Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Survey of media studies approaches to understanding popular culture.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Sections may be offered: Online.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Arts & Humanities 3B, Arts & Expression (GT-AH1).

SPCM 130 Relational and Organizational Communication (GT-SS3) Credits: 3 (2-0-1)

Course Description: Basic communication processes and skills central to relating and organizing in interpersonal, small group, and organizational contexts.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and recitation. Sections may be offered: Online.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Social & Behavioral Sciences 3C, Human Behavior, Culture, or Social Frameworks (GT-SS3).

SPCM 178 New To The Major Seminar Credit: 1 (0-0-1)

Course Description: Serves as a building block for future communication studies courses. Explores how various identities show up in the classroom, how to can engage in difficult discussions, and how CSU’s principles of community are reflected in the major. Work to build community, introduce the various traditions represented in the department, explore different career paths, and examine departmental and campus resources.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Undergraduate.
Registration Information: Majors only. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 178 and SPCM 180A1.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 200 Public Speaking Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Fundamentals of public speaking emphasizing content, organization, delivery, audience response.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Sections may be offered: Online.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 201 History and Theory of Rhetoric (GT-AH3) Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Major concepts of rhetoric from ancient to modern times and their relationship to present-day approaches to communication.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Sections may be offered: Online.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.
Additional Information: Arts & Humanities 3B, Ways of Thinking (GT-AH3).

SPCM 207 Public Argumentation Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Key communication principles for democracy, including issue analysis, evidence, reasoning, decision-making, debate, dialogue, and deliberation.
Prerequisite: SPCM 200.
Registration Information: Sections may be offered: Online.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 232 Group Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Principles and methods of group communication emphasizing face-to-face and electronically mediated problem solving and decision making.
Prerequisite: SPCM 200.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 278A Communication Skills: Convention/Meeting Planning Credit: 1 (1-0-0)

Course Description: Applied communication skills in specific contexts.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: A maximum of 3 credits are allowed for SPCM 278A-I.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 278B Communication Skills: Interviewing Credit: 1 (1-0-0)

Course Description: Applied communication skills in specific contexts.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: A maximum of 3 credits are allowed for SPCM 278A-I.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 278C Communication Skills: Film Festivals Credit: 1 (1-0-0)

Course Description: Applied communication skills in specific contexts.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: A maximum of 3 credits are allowed for SPCM 278A-I.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 278D Communication Skills: Friendship Credit: 1 (1-0-0)

Course Description: Applied communication skills in specific contexts.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: A maximum of 3 credits are allowed for SPCM 278A-I.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 278E Communication Skills: Intercultural Competence Credit: 1 (1-0-0)

Course Description: Applied communication skills in specific contexts.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: A maximum of 3 credits are allowed for SPCM 278A-I.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 278G Communication Skills: Parliamentary Procedure Credit: 1 (1-0-0)

Course Description: Applied communication skills in specific contexts.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: A maximum of 3 credits are allowed for SPCM 278A-I.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 278H Communication Skills: Organizational Training Credit: 1 (1-0-0)

SPCM 278I Communication Skills: Social Media Credit: 1 (1-0-0)

SPCM 278J Communication Skills: Leadership Credit: 1 (1-0-0)

Course Description: Explores leadership through a communicative lens, by examining historical conceptualizations and various theories of leadership. Explore and develop skills to be an effective and ethical leader in diverse organizations and communities.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Undergraduate.
Registration Information: This is a partial semester course. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 278J and SPCM 280A2.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 278K Communication Skills: Mindful Communication Credit: 1 (1-0-0)

Course Description: Offers practical skills for improving communication effectiveness by applying mindfulness knowledge and strategies to communication practices.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Undergraduate.
Registration Information: This is a partial semester course.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 300 Advanced Public Speaking Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Advanced technique in public speaking; emphasis on argument construction and refutation, style, and manuscript delivery.
Prerequisite: SPCM 200.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 311 Historical Speeches on American Issues Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Significant speeches and speakers as they reflected and affected American issues from colonial period through early 20th century.
Prerequisite: CO 150.
Registration Information: Must have taken minimum of 30 credits.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 320 Communication and Human Trafficking Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Examines historical and contemporary anti human trafficking movements, assessing the communication strategies employed by anti-trafficking advocates and organizations. Assesses the role language plays in shaping societal attitudes toward victims, survivors, and perpetrators of human trafficking.
Prerequisite: SPCM 100 to 499 - at least 3 credits.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Must have completed 3 credits of AUCC Category 3B or at least 3 credits of SPCM 100-499.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 331 Nonverbal Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Non-language communication; systems and functions of nonverbal communication behaviors.
Prerequisite: None.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 333 Professional Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Technological, interpersonal, and ethical dimensions of professional communication, emphasizing interviews, teams, and presentations at work.
Prerequisite: SPCM 200.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 334 Co-Cultural Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Cultural concerns of communication among co-cultures of United States; diversity; self-awareness as cultural imperative for enhanced communication.
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Summer.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 335 Gender and Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Analysis and exploration of communication as it relates to gender and identity.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 200 or SPCM 201.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Sections may be offered: Online.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 337 Persuasion Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Rhetorical and behavioral theories of persuasion applied to persuasive practice in public and interpersonal arenas of social influence.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 200 or SPCM 201.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Sections may be offered: Online. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 337 and SPCM 437.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 341 Evaluating Contemporary Television Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Rhetorical standards applied to content, ethical, and artistic aspects of American televised discourse; emphasizing nonentertainment programming.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 200 or SPCM 201 or SPCM 207.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Sections may be offered: Online.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 342 Critical Media Studies Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Analysis of communication media; history; structure, regulation, policy, and impact upon society.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Sections may be offered: Online.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 346 Digital Media Cultures Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Critical-cultural analysis of the internet and computer-mediated communication.
Prerequisite: SPCM 100 or SPCM 342.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 347 Visual Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Media/visual aesthetics and literacy, the symbolic and affective dimensions of the codes, conventions, and formulas of media.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 200 or SPCM 201.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Sections may be offered: Online.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 349 Freedom of Speech Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Historical and philosophical precedents to freedom of speech; development of free speech principles in the U.S.; ethical obligations of speakers.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 200 or SPCM 201.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Sections may be offered: Online.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 350 Evaluating Contemporary Film Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: Theory and development of film criticism; application of critical approaches to modern fiction and nonfiction film.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 200 or SPCM 201 or SPCM 207.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Must register for lecture and laboratory. Sections may be offered: Online.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 352 Screenwriting as Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Study and practice of screenwriting as a form of creative, industrial, and mass communication. Emphasis on transitioning into a professional life that values artistic collaboration.
Prerequisite: CO 150.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 352 and SPCM 380A3.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 353 Race and Communication in the United States Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Critical study of race as it is discursively imposed and performed, experienced and perceived, in the United States.
Prerequisite: SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 200 or SPCM 201.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 353 and SPCM 380A4.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 354A Film History: International Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: An overview of major national or regional movements of international film history in Europe and non-Western countries in Asia, Middle East, Latin America, and Africa.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Sections may be offered: Online. Credit not allowed for SPCM 354 and SPCM 354A.
Term Offered: Fall (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 354B Film History: United States Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: A comprehensive survey of over one hundred years of American film history from the earliest screenings in vaudeville theaters through the birth of the feature-length motion picture to the rise of blockbusters and “indie” movies in the age of home video.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Sections may be offered: Online. Credit not allowed for SPCM 354 and SPCM 354B.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 356 Asians in the U.S. Media Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: Asian representations in the U.S. media from the 19th century to the present.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Must register for lecture and laboratory.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 357 Film and Social Change Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: Ways in which the medium of motion pictures has sparked significant social changes at home and abroad.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Must register for lecture and laboratory. Sections may be offered: Online.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 358A Gender and Genre in Film: Comedy Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: An in-depth study of classical and contemporary comedy films produced in the United States, with attention given to their representations of gender and intersectional identity.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Sections may be offered: Online. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 358 and SPCM 358A.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 358B Gender and Genre in Film: Horror Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: An in-depth study of classical and contemporary horror films produced in the United States and around the world, with attention given to their representations of gender and intersectional identity.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Sections may be offered: Online. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 358 and SPCM 358B.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 358C Gender and Genre in Film: Other Genres Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Course Description: An in-depth study of major Hollywood or international film genres, with attention given to their representations of gender and intersectional identity. Focus will be given to genres other than comedy and horror.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Sections may be offered: Online. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 358 and SPCM 358C.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 360 The Personal Lens – Making Media Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Harnessing smart phone technology to produce video; telling personal stories via video that engage local and global communities; exploring traditional and novel forms of storytelling, representation, documentary, media appropriation, and cultural jamming in the context of fair use; using the internet to distribute self-produced content and communicate with audiences.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 360 and SPCM 380A2.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 370A Study Abroad: Bridging Cultures-USA-Italy Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Theory, concepts, principles, research methods, and practical skills in the areas of intercultural and cross-cultural communication, construction and negotiation of Italian identity (italianità), and strategies of an effective dialogue with a global mindset. The aim of the course is to transform its participants into culturally aware and skilled global citizens, with the empirical experience of cultural bridging.
Prerequisite: SPCM 200.
Registration Information: Credit allowed for only one of the following: SPCM 370A, SPCM 382, or SPCM 382A.
Term Offered: Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 370C Study Abroad--South Korea: Cinema, Culture, and History Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Also Offered As: HIST 370C.
Course Description: A survey of post-1945 South Korean cinema from Golden Age classics of the 1950s and 1960s to the rise of new blockbuster hits and art-house films throughout the contemporary period. Cinematic texts are examined within various historical, sociopolitical, and cultural contexts of postcolonial South Korea, with attention to the issues of Japanese colonialism, national division, civil war, U.S. neocolonialism, military dictatorships, the democratic movement, and globalization.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Required field trips. Credit allowed for only one of the following: HIST 370C, SPCM 370C, HIST 382C, or SPCM 382C.
Term Offered: Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 378 Virtual Workplace Communication Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Interpersonal/organizational dimensions and communicative processes underpinning virtual/remote/distributed workers and workplaces.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 200 or SPCM 201 or SPCM 207.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Offered as an online course only.
Grade Mode: Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 384 Supervised College Teaching Credits: Var[1-3] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Open only to undergraduate students who are invited to assist in teaching selected courses. A maximum of 10 combined credits for all 384 and 484 courses are counted towards graduation requirements.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 386 Research Practicum Credits: Var[1-3] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: (CO 150) and (SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 201).
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Written consent of instructor.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 387 Communication Internship Credits: Var[1-3] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: (SPCM 100 or SPCM 342) and (SPCM 130 and SPCM 200 and SPCM 201).
Registration Information: 2.0 GPA.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 401 Rhetoric in Social Movements Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Case studies of campaigns and social movements; genesis, leadership, and use of traditional and electronically mediated rhetoric to achieve objectives.
Prerequisite: None.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 407 Public Deliberation Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Communication in collaborative decision-making and community problem-solving, examined through the lens of deliberative democracy.
Prerequisite: SPCM 200 and SPCM 207.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 408 Applied Deliberative Techniques Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Skills development and direct experience in convening, facilitating, and reporting public forums tied to Center for Public Deliberation activities.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Written consent of instructor.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 411 Contemporary Speeches on American Issues Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Significant speeches and speakers as they reflect and affect issues, 1930 to present.
Prerequisite: CO 150.
Registration Information: Must have taken minimum of 30 credits.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 412 Evaluating Contemporary Rhetoric Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Exploration and evaluation of contemporary persuasive communication in order to understand and assess a variety of forms of messages and symbols.
Prerequisite: CO 150.
Registration Information: Must have taken minimum of 30 credits.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 420 Political Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Rhetoric of political campaigns.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 200 or SPCM 201 or SPCM 207.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman, Sophomore.
Registration Information: Junior standing. Sections may be offered: Online.
Grade Mode: Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 431 Communication, Language, and Thought Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Influence of rhetoric, ranging from spoken language to electronically mediated communication, on human understanding and Western thought.
Prerequisite: None.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 432 Interpersonal Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Theoretical and conceptual foundations of the dynamics, dimensions, and functions of communication in interpersonal relationships.
Prerequisite: SPCM 130.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 332 and SPCM 432.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 433 Communication in Organizations Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Communication theory and strategy for empowerment of non-supervisory and supervisory personnel.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 100 or SPCM 130 or SPCM 200 or SPCM 201 or SPCM 207.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman, Sophomore.
Registration Information: Completion of AUCC category 2; minimum of 30 credits.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 434 Intercultural Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Cultural influences on communication between people of different nations; communication rules/norms in specific cultures, cultural adaptation.
Prerequisite: CO 150.
Registration Information: Must have taken minimum of 30 credits.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 435A Study Abroad--Spain: Social Support and Communication Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Theory and research regarding personal and community experiences of social support, its influences on interpersonal relationships and health, and its social functions within the context of study abroad and intercultural experiences in Spain.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Required field trips.
Term Offered: Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 436 Conflict Management and Communication Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Theories and principles of communication in conflict management; application to conflict resolution situations.
Prerequisite: None.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 438 Communicating Urban Identities Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Examines how people and the built environment interact. Critical and qualitative approaches to studying urban and associated rural communication. The importance of widely-varying communication practices in building personal, social, and cultural identities.
Prerequisite: SPCM 100 to 499 - at least 3 credits.
Registration Information: Junior standing. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 438 and SPCM 480A2.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 453 Global Media Cultures Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: How media and globalization influence each other.
Prerequisite: CO 150.
Registration Information: Junior Standing. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 380A1 and SPCM 453.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 454 Chicanx Film and Video Credits: 3 (2-2-0)

Also Offered As: ETST 454.
Course Description: Emergence of Chicanx cinema from a place of displacement, resistance, and affirmation found in contemporary Chicanx film, video.
Prerequisite: ETST 100 to 299 - at least 3 credits or SPCM 100 to 299 - at least 3 credits.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman, Sophomore.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and laboratory. Credit not allowed for both ETST 454 and SPCM 454.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 455 Narrative Fiction Film as a Liberal Art Credits: 3 (2-3-0)

Also Offered As: LB 455.
Course Description: Narrative fiction film and its role in human history, culture, and social interaction.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: .
Registration Information: Junior standing. Must register for lecture and laboratory. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 455 and LB 455.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 470A Study Abroad: Cinematic Rome Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Evaluate and discuss ten primary films, along with excerpts from a number of others. Topics: Images of Ancient Rome; Italian Fascism and Its Memory; Italian Neorealism; Images of “Americans” in Rome, and Rome in America; Fellini’s Rome; and Urban Angst, Roman Style. Analyze how Rome functions as a “character” in the movies, the artistic representations of Roman monuments and streetscapes, and the rhetorical functions of Italian cinema.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Must have concurrent registration in SPCM 370A. Completion of AUCC Category 2. Credit allowed for only one of the following: SPCM 470A, SPCM 482, or SPCM 482A.
Term Offered: Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 479 Communication Studies Capstone Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Synthesis of central issues in Communication Studies; examination of their relevance to students' professional, personal, and civic endeavors.
Prerequisite: SPCM 100 and SPCM 201 and SPCM 207 and SPCM 130.
Restriction: Must be a: Senior, Senior - 5yr Bachelor, Senior - Post Bachelor, Senior - Second Bachelor.
Registration Information: Seniors in communication studies major only. Sections may be offered: Online.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 486A Practicum: General Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description: Directed experience of communication techniques and procedures in the community with periodic faculty consultation.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 200.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Sophomore standing. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 486 and SPCM 486A.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 486B Practicum: Film Festivals Credits: 3 (1-0-4)

Course Description: Provides a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in organizing a professional film festival. Involved in planning, promoting, and executing CSU's ACT Human Rights Film Festival.
Prerequisite: CO 150 or SPCM 200.
Restriction: Must not be a: Freshman.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and practicum. Credit not allowed for both SPCM 480A3 and SPCM 486B.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 486C Practicum: Civic Engagement Credits: 3 (1-0-4)

Also Offered As: POLS 486C.
Course Description: Participatory study of civic engagement in public education. Examination of civic engagement pedagogies and their role in public life. Evaluation of and participation in Public Achievement program in partnership with local K-12 schools.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Must register for lecture and practicum. POLS 486C and SPCM 486C may not be taken concurrently.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 495 Independent Study Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 496 Group Study Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 508 Deliberative Theory and Practice Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Survey of current theory and practice connected to deliberative democracy.
Prerequisite: SPCM 408.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate.
Registration Information: Graduate standing.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 511 Topics in Public Address Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Theoretical and methodological issues in public address research; analysis of public discourse of selected movements or periods in U.S. history.
Prerequisite: SPCM 311 or SPCM 411.
Registration Information: Graduate standing with 12 additional 300- and 400-level credits in communication studies, history, or English.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 538 Relating and Organizing for Health Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Organizational, interpersonal, and intercultural dimensions of communicating in health care organizations.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Graduate standing.
Term Offered: Fall (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 540 Rhetoric, Race, and Identity Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Critical race theory and its relevance to rhetorical studies.
Prerequisite: SPCM 434 and SPCM 300 to 481 - at least 12 credits.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 570 Instructional Communication Theory and Practice Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Communication theory and research in instructional contexts. Designed for current or prospective teachers.
Prerequisite: None.
Registration Information: Offered as an online course only.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 592 Seminar-Topics in Speech Communication Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: SPCM 3**** to 499 - at least 15 credits or E 3**** to 499 - at least 15 credits.
Registration Information: Graduate standing can substitute for 300-400 level credits.
Term Offered: Spring (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 601 History of Rhetorical Theory Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Rhetorical theories and theorists from the classical period to the present.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Fifteen 300- and 400-level credits in communication studies and/or English.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Modes: S/U within Student Option, Trad within Student Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 604 Rhetoric of Everyday Life Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Contemporary theories of rhetoric and of everyday life.
Prerequisite: SPCM 412 and SPCM 300 to 400 - at least 12 credits.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Graduate standing can substitute for 300-400 SPCM credits.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 611 Topics in Public Address Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Theoretical and methodological issues in public address research; analysis of public discourse of selected movements or periods in U.S. history.
Prerequisite: SPCM 311 or SPCM 411.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Graduate standing can substitute for SPCM 311 or SPCM 411; 12 additional credits of 300-400 level in Communication Studies, History, or English.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 612 Rhetorical Criticism Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Traditional and contemporary methods for analyzing persuasive discourse.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Fifteen credits of 300-400 level communication studies or journalism.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 620 Rhetoric and Public Affairs Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Rhetoric’s role in contemporary politics and civil society.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Admission to graduate school.
Term Offered: Fall (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 623 Feminist Theories of Discourse Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Exploration and evaluation of contemporary feminist theories of rhetoric and discourse.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Admission to graduate school.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 632 Theories of Interpersonal Communication Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Theories of communication in development, maintenance, and deterioration of friendship, couple, family, group, and business relationships.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Graduate cooperative program, Professional.
Registration Information: Admission to graduate school.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 633 Discourse, Work, and Organization Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: How organizing processes and discursive practices create, maintain, and destroy diverse forms of work in society.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Admission to graduate school.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 634 Communication and Cultural Diversity Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Ethnographic approach to communication issues and concerns in a global context.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Graduate cooperative program, Professional.
Registration Information: Admission to graduate school.
Term Offered: Spring (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 638 Communication Research Methods Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Historical and philosophical context of communication research; relationship between theory and method; dominant forms of communication research.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Term Offered: Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 639 Communication Theory Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Examination of communication philosophies and perspectives; analysis of modern theories of face-to-face communication.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Graduate cooperative program, Professional.
Registration Information: Graduate standing or 15 additional 300-400 level credits in Communication Studies and/or English.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 646 Media Theory Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Survey of the broad range of rhetorical/qualitative theories that inform media studies.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Graduate standing or fifteen 300- and 400-level credits in Communication Studies and/or English or JTC.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 647 Media Industries Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Political economy of the media both in the U.S. and globally, including how the media system operates and with what effects.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Graduate standing or fifteen 300- and 400-level credits in Communication Studies and/or English.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 648 Media Texts Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Practical and theoretical implications for criticism in treating media products as texts; various approaches to textual or discourse analysis.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Graduate standing or fifteen 300- and 400-level credits in Communication Studies and/or English.
Term Offered: Spring (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 649 Media Audiences Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Theoretical and methodological issues concerning how audiences use and interpret media.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Graduate standing or fifteen 300- and 400-level credits in Communication Studies and/or English.
Term Offered: Fall (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 650 Contemporary Issues in Media Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Ever-changing media culture and landscape and how it affects personal, professional, and public lives.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Admission to graduate school.
Term Offered: Spring (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 675 Speech Communication Pedagogy Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Instructional practices and theories in speech.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Admission to communication studies master's program.
Term Offered: Fall.
Grade Mode: S/U Sat/Unsat Only.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 684 Supervised College Teaching Credits: Var[1-3] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Instructor Option.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 686 Practicum Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description: Direction of communication studies fieldwork connected to the CSU Center for Public Deliberation under professional supervision.
Prerequisite: SPCM 408 and SPCM 508, may be taken concurrently.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Graduate standing.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 692 Seminar Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

SPCM 695 Independent Study Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

SPCM 696 Group Study Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

SPCM 699 Thesis Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

SPCM 701 Seminar in Academic Writing Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Best practices of academic writing for publication in communication studies.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Term Offered: Fall (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 702 Professional Writing and Public Scholarship Credits: 3 (3-0-0)

Course Description: Writing in specialized professional contexts. Adapting scholarly information for extra-disciplinary and lay audiences.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 712 Critical/Cultural Analysis in Communication Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Advanced instruction in critical/cultural analysis as understood by the field of Communication Studies.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Term Offered: Fall (odd years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 784 Supervised College Teaching Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: S/U Sat/Unsat Only.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 792A Seminar: Rhetoric and Civic Engagement Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Advanced readings in particular themes, questions, and topics pertaining to rhetoric and/or civic engagement.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 792B Seminar: Relational/Organizational Communication Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Advanced readings in particular themes, questions, and topics pertaining to relational and/or organizational communication.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 792C Seminar: Film and Media Studies Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Advanced readings in particular themes, questions, and topics pertaining to film and media studies.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring.
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 793 Seminar: Communications Research Methods Credits: 3 (0-0-3)

Course Description: Advanced research method(s) in the field of Communication Studies.
Prerequisite: SPCM 638.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Term Offered: Spring (even years).
Grade Mode: Traditional.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 798 Research Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description: PhD students in Communication will work on Qualifying Exam/Portfolio.
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Written consent of advisor.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: S/U Sat/Unsat Only.
Special Course Fee: No.

SPCM 799 Dissertation Credits: Var[1-18] (0-0-0)

Course Description:
Prerequisite: None.
Restriction: Must be a: Graduate, Professional.
Registration Information: Written consent of advisor.
Terms Offered: Fall, Spring, Summer.
Grade Mode: S/U Sat/Unsat Only.
Special Course Fee: No.