Course Level: Undergraduate/Graduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Political Advertising

This course surveys the crucial and increasing role advertising plays in political campaigns. It includes analyzing classic case studies such as the 1964 Lyndon Johnson and 1984 Ronald Reagan campaigns as well as exploring trends and changes in the field. Students look at message, technique, voter targeting, and the overall approach of political advertising. Advertising in all media are examined, from broadcast to social media. Guests include political consultants, media buyers, and advertising creatives. During election cycles, students survey real-time campaigns and assess their effectiveness and creativity. The course includes writing and producing speculative radio and television messages for candidates and issues.

Course Level: Undergraduate/Graduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Travel and Tourism Public Relations

A study of travel and tourism public relations that examines specialized messaging for audiences, crises, and special events. Students learn how regional tourism offices, as well as hotel, restaurant, transportation, and attraction sectors target leisure and business markets. Guest lecturers, class discussion, and assignments focus on traditional and emerging influencers. Prerequisite: SOC major or permission of instructor.

Course Level: Undergraduate/Graduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Strategic Multicultural Communication

Through the examination of communication theories and case studies, this course covers how rapidly changing U.S. demographics are affecting strategic communication. Students develop intercultural awareness and learn conceptual and practical skills to effectively communicate with diverse publics. The course covers segmentation by race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic class, and sexual orientation.

Course Level: Undergraduate/Graduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Strategic Multicultural Communication

Through the examination of communication theories and case studies, this course covers how rapidly changing U.S. demographics are affecting strategic communication. Students develop intercultural awareness and learn conceptual and practical skills to effectively communicate with diverse publics. The course covers segmentation by race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic class, and sexual orientation.

Course Level: Undergraduate/Graduate

Selected Topics: Non-recurring (1-6)

Digital Storytelling for Strategic Communication

Digital-era strategic communication is characterized by the social, mobile, ubiquitous web, and, more than ever, it is focused around powerful video storytelling as the content that fills digital channels and captures an audience's attention and emotions. Videos of all kinds represent the most rapidly-growing content element on the web. While strategic communication has always been about telling stories and reaching people with those stories, the extent to which communication campaigns are utilizing digital video storytelling including documentaries, brand concept videos, and short web series, represents an enormous growth area in the evolving work of communication professionals and scholars. This course teaches students how to plan, conceptualize, and produce short digital video stories; how to build digital strategic communication campaigns around video storytelling; and how to produce basic digital campaign platform sites and house videos on existing platforms. The course is part production and part strategic communication, but all storytelling, designed to influence, inform, and/or inspire audiences to do something. Prerequisite: COMM-301 and COMM-337 or admission to the graduate Public Communication program.