Course Descriptions

This list does not include all of the current topics course listings.

CMS 102 Introduction to Communication
This course provides students with an overview and brief history of the field of communication, introduces them to theory development and the research process, and illustrates how communication theories can be applied to everyday life. Students will explore communication in a variety of contexts, including intrapersonal, organizational, intercultural, and mass communication.   Cr 3

CMS 103 Introduction to Media Studies
This course examines the historical, philosophical, technological, economic, political, and social aspects of print (book, magazine, and newspapers) and electronic media (radio, television, film, sound recordings, and the Internet). In addition, the effect of mass media will be explored. Prerequisite: media studies or communication major.   Cr 3

CMS 150 The Writing Process
This course provides students with professional writing skills through practice in techniques and strategies used in a variety of media writing applications. There is a strong emphasis on the utility of writing as a tool of communicating information,
interpreting media content, and constructing meaning. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, college writing, and communication or media studies majors. Cr  3

CMS 203 Introduction to Media Production This course will examine the phases of video production associated with field and studio productions.  Course content will also explore media aesthetics.  Prerequisites: College Writing and communication or media studies major.  Cr 3

CMS 204 Introduction to Media production Lab
 Various production exercises and assignments to illustrate the principles and theories presented in CMS 203. Prerequisite: concurrent enrollment in CMS 203.  Cr 1

CMS 200 Research Methods in Communication
This course introduces students to methods of inquiry found in the communication and media studies research literature. These methods include experimental design, survey research, textural analysis, and ethnography. The course examines the underlying philosophical assumptions associated with these methodologies as well as their unique strengths and limitations. Students’ conceptual understanding of these methodologies and their ability to become critical consumers of research findings are the major objectives of the course. Prerequisite:  communication or media studies major, CMS 102J.  Cr 3

CMS 202 Writing for Popular Print Media
This introduction to magazine writing provides students an opportunity to conceive, craft, and publish original work in different genres for different markets  There is a strong emphasis on the utility of writing as a means of organizing and communicating information, as in reporting, and also as a medium for more expressive and entertaining content.  Prerequisite:  ENG 100C. Cr. 3

CMS 205 Topics in Media Writing I
A selection of courses varying in content from term to term. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Students should consult their media studies advisor for detailed descriptions. Prerequisites: communication or media studies major, CMS 102J and CMS 103.  Cr. 3

CMS 210 Topics in Media Criticism I
A selection of courses varying in content from term to term. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Students should consult their media studies advisor for detailed descriptions. Prerequisites: communication or media studies major,  CMS 102J and CMS 103.  Cr 3

A few of the CMS 210 topic course descriptions are listed below:

<sub>Japanese Popular Culture (CMS 210 Topic)
This course thematically analyzes aspects of Japanese popular culture through media texts. It explores the genres of TV drama, pop music, and anime in order to understand their cultural values, growing global influence, and appeals to audiences/fans. Gender roles, environmental themes, and visual styles are emphasized.

Japanese Film and Society (CMS 210 Topic)
The course facilitates sociological interpretation and critical reflection on Japanese society through films. It focuses on how social forces affect individual consciousness, behavior, and patterns of thought. The films represent: society, collective frameworks, normative mores, and historical change. The works of Kurosawa, Ozu, and anime films are featured.

Film Styles (CMS 210 Topic)
This course will focus on the study of how cinematic style is created. Framing, lighting, shot selection, sound design, performance, scenic and narrative organization, and other visual, acoustic, and performative strategies all create cinematic meaning. We will consider what resources are available to the cinematic artist and the effect of stylistic decisions on the viewer's experience and understanding of the work. Students will seek to answer such questions as: What is style? What does style do? Where does style come from, how is it created and what forces affect it? How do directors develop a distinctive visual and acoustic style? How does a writer develop a narrative style? How does an actor develop a performative style? How does a critic or reviewer appreciate and understand cinematic style?</sub>

_{American Independent Film (CMS 210 Topic)
This course will focus on the off-Hollywood filmmaking movement from the 70s to the present with an emphasis on identifying the differences between independent and mainstream (commercial) moviemaking in content, style, and the way in which the director's personal artistic vision is realized. We will look at new, underground, or neglected films as well as classic independent works, their directors, and the themes and movements that have driven the style, aesthetics, and attitudes of independent film. In addition, we will look at the evolution of the production, distribution, and reception of non-mainstream films and the forces that continue to shape independent cinematic expression.}

_{Political Hotspot Cinema
Political crises often lead to powerful and provocative art. This course looks at cinema from and about some of the world's current political hotspots, including Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran and Israel/Palestine. Surveying contemporary fiction and documentary films, the course will examine the richness of these nations' indigenous cinemas as well as compare them to Hollywood's depictions of the regions and their conflicts. Topics covered include the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and their aftermath ("The Hurt Locker"; "My Country My Country"; "Hell and Back Again"); new Iranian films and Hollywood depictions of Persian culture ("The Circle"; "A Separation"; "300"); and movies from both sides of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict ("Paradise Now"; "Waltz with Bashir"; "Munich").}

CMS 215 Journalism Reporting & Writing
This course cultivates journalistic/public affairs research and writing. Students learn how to find and develop human and textual primary sources.  Likewise, they learn and practice journalistic form and concise, accessible written expression. And students learn to appreciate and model the liberal ideals of public dialogue, debate, and democratic engagement. Prerequisites: communication or media studies major, CMS 102J, CMS 103, and ENG 100C or equivalent.    Cr. 3

CMS 220 Topics in Media Production I
A selection of courses varying in content from term to term. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Students should consult their media studies advisor for detailed descriptions. Prerequisites: communication or media studies major, CMS 102J and CMS 103.  Cr 1-3.

CMS 225 Screenwriting I
In this course, students will learn the process of writing scripts for films. A variety of concept development strategies, writing exercises, script examples, and screenings will be used to encourage students to develop their creative writing skills. Emphasis will be placed throughout the class on the process of screenwriting, from idea formation through writing and revision. Each student will produce a script for a short film. Prerequisites: communication or media studies major, CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr 3.

CMS 255 Business and Professional Communication
Designed to provide students with essential communication skills for business and other professional settings, the course covers interpersonal, group, and public communication. These skills include listening actively, giving and receiving constructive feedback, interviewing others, leading groups, negotiating, and making effective public presentations. The course also includes discussions of gender, cultural diversity, and ethics in the workplace. Cr 3.

CMS 265 Intrapersonal Communication
This course examines our ability to use what we know and feel in order to send, receive, and store information. Whether stimuli come from an external source or from within the self, the focus of intrapersonal communication is on the ways in which we process those stimuli, our ability to make sense out of our experiences, to remember, to retrieve information from memory, and to create messages at whatever level of consciousness, and no matter how many people are involved, in face-to-face or mediated communication. Prerequisites: Communication or media studies major, CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr 3.

CMS 272 Persuasion
A course designed to help students understand the basic principles of persuasion. The course deals with persuasion as a social phenomenon. The perspective from which the course is offered is the analysis of persuasion as a behavioral process. As such, the course will investigate the social science research that relates to persuasion. Students will examine the attempts made by others to persuade them, as well as the attempts they make to persuade others. Further, the course will deal with the issue of ethics in persuasion. Prerequisites: Communication or media studies major, CMS 102J and CMS 103.   Cr 3.

CMS 274 Writing for the Media
This writing-intensive course is designed to provide students with an overview of media writing. Students will be introduced to radio and television commercial writing, broadcast journalism, and fiction and non-fiction scriptwriting. Prerequisites: communication or media studies major, CMS 102J and CMS 103.  Cr 3.

CMS 275 Theories of Language
The purpose of this course is to instigate thinking about the nature of language. The course is premised upon the conviction that, because language is such a central concern of so many disciplines and because various disciplines have made important contributions to our understanding of it, language can only be studied adequately via an interdisciplinary approach. The student will be introduced to some of the foremost efforts to comprehend language in the fields of psycholinguistics, philosophy, and linguistics. Through these disciplines, we intend to raise and pursue questions concerning the nature of language, its structure and function, its relation to people’s perception of reality, and its relation to the mind. Prerequisites:  Communication or Media Studies major,  CMS 102J and CMS 103.     Cr 3.

CMS 284 Film Appreciation
This course will introduce the student to film aesthetics and appreciation. It assumes that the student has no knowledge of cinema beyond the moviegoing experience. The aim of the course is to survey the fundamental aspects of cinema as an art form and communication vehicle. The power of moving images and their mass-mediated messages will be analyzed. Prerequisites: Communication or Media Studies major, CMS 102J and CMS 103.  Cr 3.

CMS 294 Visual Communication
The purpose of this course is to enhance understanding of TV processes by introducing students to several basic visual aspects of reality as mediated through a camera lens. Topics covered will include techniques of lighting, camera angles, perspective, shot distance, cutting to continuity, and montage. Students will use 35 mm cameras to produce assignments on color slides. These will be used in class discussion in conjunction with illustrations taken from magazines that demonstrate the same techniques. In addition to learning some rudiments of visual language, students will examine visual persuasive strategies. The course is open to all communication majors who have access to a 35 mm camera with manual controls. Automatic camera controls are optional. Prior experience with photographic procedures is helpful but not necessary since all students will receive instruction leading to a working knowledge of photographic techniques. Prerequisites: Communication or Media Studies major,  CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr 3.

CMS 298 Topics in Communication I
A selection of courses varying in content from term to term. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Students should consult MaineStreet for a listing of current topics courses and the CMS homepage for detailed course descriptions. CMS 298 will be listed under "Communication Theory". Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr. 3.

CMS 300 Topics in Media Writing II
A selection of courses varying in content from term to term. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Students should consult their media studies advisor for detailed descriptions. Prerequisites: Communication or Media Studies major, CMS 102J and CMS 103.  Cr 1-3.

_{Writing the Short Film
In this course, students will learn how to write short-form scripts with an eye toward producing them, whether independently or in subsequent production courses. Film is visual storytelling and in the making of shorts, economy is everything. Students will focus on mastering the unique structuring challenges of writing shorts as well as considerations of characterization, theme, and visual elements. Learning good writing practices as well as the study of short masterworks will help students develop their creative voice and the ability to express their vision in writing.}

CMS 302 Writing the Feature Story
Students generate story ideas according to their own interests and target them for publication inspecific markets.  Class time focuses on perfecting writing and editorial skills, developing style and a field of interest, building an accomplished portfolio, and examining the practical and philosophical challenges of writing professionally.  There is a strong emphasis on taking the initiative and working independently. Prerequisites:  CMS 202 or Instructor Permission.  Cr 3.

CMS 303 Media Effects
This course will examine the effects of mass media upon individuals and societies. It will explore such questions as who is affected, what effects occur and how much, which media content is involved, and what situations make effects more or less likely to take place. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, and a communication or media studies major.            Cr 3.

CMS 305 Writing Opinion: Editorials and Columns
This is a writing intensive course that provides students with the basic skills for writing editorials, columns, and journalistic essays. The emphasis is on economical, persuasive, and strongly argumentative styles of writing. Students will read, analyze, and discuss throughout the semester the work of a leading U.S. essayist/columnist. Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr 3.

CMS 310 Topics in Media Criticism II
A selection of courses varying in content from term to term. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Students should consult their media studies advisor for detailed descriptions. Prerequisites: Communication or Media Studies major, CMS 102J,  CMS 103, and CMS 200.  Cr 1-3 .

CMS 315 Broadcast Newswriting
This course introduces the basics of newswriting for television. It stresses brevity and conversational style of writing. Students will learn how to write TV news story scripts, beginning with simple news scripts (readers) and closing with complex scripts (packages). By providing the basics, the course prepares students for an internship with a broadcast news organization. It also offers practical advice on obtaining a job in broadcasting. Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr 3.

CMS 320 Topics in Media Production II
A selection of courses varying in content from term to term. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Students should consult their media studies advisor for detailed descriptions. Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr 1-3.

_{DOCUMENTARY STUDIES AND PRE-PRODUCTION
(formerly known as producing the documentary)
This course seeks to expose students to the wide range of contemporary documentary expression and to explore the conceptual and development process for creating original non-fiction films. Emphasis is placed on developing the student?s critical thinking skills in viewing non-fiction films, as well as developing his/her creative voice and collaborative skills (including learning the basics of non-fiction scriptwriting and location lighting, camera, and sound techniques). Utilizing various learning strategies in the classroom (including interactive discussion, readings, screenings, and practical application of concepts and techniques), by the end of the course, students will have prepared materials they can use to produce non-fiction works in future production classes.
Audio Production II
Students will explore elements of audio production and storytelling. Writing for radio, digital audio editing, field recording, interviewing, and ethics are some of the topics covered. Students will produce promotional and public service announcements, vox pop interviews, and a short, NPR-style documentary feature. No prior audio production experience is necessary.
Compositing & Special Effects}

_{This course explores current special effects techniques used in television and movie production. Students will learn a variety of effects that can be created via Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, After Effects and Motion. Topics covered will include compositing, matte painting, multiplane animation, chroma keying, and video tracking. As this course covers some fairly advanced, technical aspects of special effects students should have a working knowledge of Photoshop and Final Cut Pro.
Photojournalism
Photojournalism enables students to gain an appreciation and understanding of photojournalism and its practioners. Students will have the opportunity to master the basics of digital photography, lighting and photoshop. The Pulitzer Prize winning pictures and their authors are also studied. Part of the course grade comes from completing specific photo assignments. A digital camera is required for the course with the camera ideally having a minimum of four megapixels. Digital single lens reflex (slr) cameras with interchangeable lenses are encouraged over simpler 'point and shoot' digital cameras. Photo assignments, field trips, reading, presentations, demonstrations and discussions round out the course and contribute to an understanding of the subject. Cr. 3}

CMS 323 Understanding Technology
This course will examine the relationship between media, technology, and society from a variety of perspectives and disciplines. Through readings and discussions students will develop an understanding of a variety of frameworks and theories that explain technological change and the fundamental relationship between humankind and technology. Prerequisites: Communication or media studies major, CMS 102J and CMS 103.

CMS 325 Screenwriting II
Students will continue to build skills in dramatic story structure, visual storytelling, character, dialogue, conflict enhancement, effective description, and theme development. Each student will produce a draft of a feature length screenplay. Prerequisite: CMS 225. Cr 3

CMS 330 Theories of Interpersonal Communication
A study of the current thinking in interpersonal communication which emphasizes specific theories of human interaction. Students will be exposed to research in the interpersonal setting and will apply findings to their personal relationships. The course will help students foster effective traditional and nontraditional relationships with a variety of people. Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr 3

CMS 332 Communication in the Family
This course examines the role of communication in various family types. Students will be introduced to research and theory on the family and will apply findings to their own lives. Topics covered will include family satisfaction, communication rules, decision making, values, structures, autonomy, and conflict. Students will be asked to draw upon their family backgrounds for analysis and discussion. Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr 3

CMS 340 Field Video Production
This course is primarily concerned with the development of critical evaluation skills needed in assessing and analyzing the video medium as a communication vehicle. Students will engage in actual video production projects. Prerequisite: MES 190 and MES 191. Cr 3.

CMS 341 Field Video Production Lab
This lab will provide students with hands-on experience with digital video cameras, production equipment, and digital, non-linear editing software. Students must concurrently be enrolled in MES 340. Prerequisites: MES 190 and MES 191.  Cr 1.

CMS 345 Small Group Communication
This course is designed to familiarize students with the theories and techniques associated with group behavior. The course explores the topics of leadership, conflict resolution, group climate, and decision making. Through simulations and exercises students learn methods for analyzing group process and their own behavior. Students’ findings are reported in preliminary and final papers. Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr 3.

CMS 350 The Internet and Society
This course explores the worldwide network of computers linked to form a new medium of communication—the Internet. Course content will include the computer as a tool of communication, and how the Internet influences communication in such ordinary areas of life as work, interpersonal relations, and education. Students must have access to the Internet to participate in this course. Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103 or instructor permission. Cr 3

CMS 355 Consumer Culture
This course explores U.S. commercial culture from historical and theoretical perspectives that privilege media and advertising/marketing. It engages critical perspectives that question consumer culture. The course focuses on the historical development of consumer culture, and how identity, the environment and economy, are impacted and shaped by it.
Prerequisites:  CMS 102J AND CMS 103 and communication or media studies major. Cr 3

CMS 370 Media Social Change
This course analyzes how news media coverage affects social change. Students explore how and why the media cover social movements the way they do, and look closely at news coverage of the civil rights, black power, antiwar, women’s and men’s movements. Both print and TV news are examined through readings, discussion and original research. Prerequisites: Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103 and Communication or Media Studies major.  Cr 3

CMS 380 Film Genres
This course will explore a genre found in film history. The genre selected for any given semester could be taken from such established ones as science fiction, horror, screwball comedies, musicals, or film noir. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, and  CMS 284 and Communication or Media Studies major. Cr 3
_{Combat War Film
This film genre course will examine the Hollywood combat war film as it emerged in the Second World War. During the post-war period, the war film became more narratively and thematically complex addressing pressing social issues and the competing ideologies in America's other wars - the Cold War, Korean War, Vietnam War, and Iraq Wars I and II.
Satire and Dark Comedy
With a focus on a small number of films by directors such as Robert Altman, Terry Gilliam, Bob Balaban, Bruce Robinson, Todd Solondz, and Carl Reiner, students will conduct an intensive analysis of what constitutes dark comedy, comparing the thematic as well as formal elements of one film with another in an attempt to understand the distinctive expressive characteristics of the genre.  In essence, it is an exploration of how movies make meanings and therefore students will seek to answer such essential questions as:  How do these films make us laugh at serious topics like death, suicide, and war?  How do such films teach us to understand ourselves better?  How do these movies use satire to defuse feelings and emotions? What different worlds of understanding do they create? What forms of truth do they make visible and audible?
Crime Cinema
With a focus on both American and international films, students will conduct an analysis of crime cinema (including film noir), comparing the thematic as well as formal elements of one film with another in an attempt to understand the distinctive expressive characteristics of the genre. In exploring how movies make meanings, students will seek to answer essential questions, such as: How do these films shape our definition of what is good and bad, strong and weak, lawful and unlawful? How do these films address such controversial issues as the distribution of social and political power and the definition of what constitutes deviance? How do the issues explored in crime cinema help us understand rebellion, punishment, and order? What different worlds of understanding do they create? What forms of truth do they make visible and audible?
The Road Film
This course examines the American road film as a trans-genre crossing over several genre boundaries such as musicals, comedies, outlaw couple films, suspense, biker, and post-apocalyptic films. We'll look at road films from It Happened One Night to Easy Rider and Thelma & Louise. The popularity of the road film is its capacity of using the road and its inhabitants as metaphors for a changing American society.
Classic Horror
This course focuses on American horror films from the 1930s-50s. It emphasizes the development and variation in the horror genre, from its roots in Universal's "monster pictures" of the 30s to the horror-science fiction hybrids of the 50s. The films and genre are also explored for their symptomatic significances - what they suggest about Americans in this period and their socio-cultural milieu.}

CMS 374 Media Criticism and Aesthetics
This course introduces students to the variety of critical approaches applied to the analysis of media. The content of this course will focus on traditional and contemporary analysis of media. The aim of this course is to provide a critical context for the consumption of media content. Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103 and Communication or Media Studies major. Cr 3.

CMS 375 Meaning and Communication
This course examines the assignment of meaning to verbal behavior, especially conversational exchange. Researchers have paid special attention to the ways in which words and actions take on meaning in context. We will focus on the full communicative event involving talk, i.e., context, pragmatics, grammatical structures, conversational structures, and types of meaning. A central question of the course is: How do people interpret what other people say? The course makes use of close reading and discussion of theory as well as the collection and analysis of naturally occurring spontaneous spoken and written discourse. Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103. Cr 3.

CMS 385 Intergenerational Communication and the Internet
There are three major components to this course: 1) mentoring a senior citizen who is learning to use the Internet; 2) learning about mentoring through hands-on experience, reading, writing, and discussion of the process; and 3) writing a research paper on a topic relevant to intergenerational communication. Students in this course will mentor students enrolled in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute course, Internet for Seniors (or other similar course). In addition, each student will read research on intergenerational communication and write a research paper. Prerequisites: CMS 102J and CMS 103.            Cr 3.

CMS 384 Film and Cultural Studies
This course will investigate how the discipline of cultural studies can be applied to the analysis and criticism of film. Students will read influential essays by writers such as Roland Barthes, Stuart Hall, and Teresa de Lauretis and discuss the implications of these writings for the study of the film medium. During the semester, students will view and critique films from a cultural studies perspective. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, COM 284 and Communication or Media Studies. Cr 3.

CMS 390 Theories of Organizational Communication
This course is designed to introduce students to organization theory and behavior through the medium of metaphor. Using different metaphors, the course draws attention to significant aspects of the process of organizing, and provides a means for understanding and managing organizational situations. Students are responsible for conducting on-site field studies and preparing written and oral presentations of their findings. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, and CMS 200. Cr 3.

CMS 398 Topics in Communication II
A selection of courses varying in content from term to term. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Students should consult MaineStreet for a listing of current topics courses and the CMS homepage for detailed course descriptions. CMS 398 will be listed under "Communication Theory". Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103 and CMS 200. Cr 3.

_{Gender Communication
Gender is a central organizing principle in society and much of the way in which gender and ideas about gender in society operate is through communication. This course examines current work in the study of gender communication. Topics addressed include social movements and gender communication historically, biological, social, and cultural influences on gender identity development,gender and mass media, gendered language, gender and relationships, power abuses in human relationships, women and men in the workplace, gender communication in educational settings.}

CMS 394 Theories of Film
The emergence and evolution of the film medium are traced through the writings and teachings of both the classic and the modern theorists/film-makers, from several perspectives: humanistic, ideological, and technical. The course focuses on the contributions of historical trends, film genres, major schools of thought, and the works of selected individuals in shaping a concept of what the medium of film is, how it operates as a language, how it relates to reality and what functions it serves. Students will apply these notions in their examination of the often conflicting relationships among the various theories as well as between film theory and film criticism. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, COM 284 and major in Communication or Media Studies. Cr 3

CMS 400 Senior Project
This course offers graduating seniors in media studies an opportunity to complete a substantive piece of work in preparation for graduate work or professional placement. Students are also required to complete a media portfolio (résumé, personal narrative, and sample media-related work). Students will present their work to an audience of faculty and peers. Students will further develop career strategies by participating in professional development workshops. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103,  CMS 200, Media Studies major,  and senior standing. Cr 3

CMS 420 Communication and Cognition
A seminar designed to explore the relationship between communication and thought processes. The nature of consciousness is explored through a consideration of the acquisition, retention, and retrieval of information. Special attention is given to experimental analysis of thought processes. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, and CMS 200 and junior or senior standing. Cr 3

CMS 430 Communication Internship
An in-depth experience in specific areas of communication acquired in the field. Students will focus their efforts in an area related to their choice of communication expertise (i.e., organizational communication, mass communication, interpersonal communication). Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103. and a precise definition of the project and director’s consent. Pass/Fail only. Restricted to Communication majors, or permission of the instructor.  Cr variable( 1-15 cr)

CMS 432 Topics in Interpersonal Communication
This seminar is designed to investigate significant issues in interpersonal communication. The course will be theoretical in nature, exploring a particular topic in depth each semester. Topics vary from semester to semester. Such topics as conversational analysis, friendship, deception, relationship termination, and conflict may be selected for the course. A research project is required. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, CMS 200, and COM 330. Cr 3

CMS 440 Advanced Field Video Production
This course continues to explore the concepts introduced in MES 340 and MES 240. Students will investigate pre-production planning, production techniques, and post-production execution in order to communicate clearly in the video medium. More complex assignments will be given to hone skills in writing, directing, and producing. Prerequisites: MES 190, MES 191, MES 340, and MES 341. Cr 3

CMS 441 Advanced Field Production Lab
This lab will focus on advancing the skills and concepts taught in MES 340/341. This lab will consist of workshops and exercises in image and sound acquisition using digital video cameras and production equipment, as well as advanced video editing principles and techniques using editing software. Students must be concurrently enrolled in MES 440. Prerequisites: MES 190, MES 191, MES 340, and MES 341. Cr 1

CMS 450 Service Learning Practicum
This course gives students the opportunity to work with organizations outside the University in a professional context.  Students will be divided into groups and will work with nonprofit organizations to develop projects, such as a multimedia presentation, a video, or a research report.  Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, Media Studies major, and senior standing. Cr 3

CMS 455 Computer-Mediated Communication Research
This senior seminar makes use of the Internet for two main purposes: (1) to gather research findings, and (2) to present research findings as a home page. Students will learn how to use the Internet for its scholarly resources and how to express their research report as a home page. In essence, students will use a new medium to do an old job: to read and critically evaluate research, and to present a summary or final research report. Research found online and offline will be critiqued. Prerequisite: CMS 102J, CMS 103, and junior/senior standing. Cr 3

CMS 475 Discursive Practices
This is a senior seminar in which each student designs and carries out an empirical research project to study “talk activities that people do,” such as person-referencing practices, or narratives; it may focus on single features that may be named and pointed to (e.g., speech acts) or it may reference sets of features (dialect, perspective). Students will examine how identities are associated with talk activities. Discursive practices may focus on something done by an individual or they may refer to actions that require more than one party. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, Communication Major, and junior/senior standing. Cr 3

CMS 484 Topics in Film
This course is a senior seminar designed to explore a particular topic in film communication. The professor designated to teach the course during any given semester will select an area of interest to explore with students. Such topics as film and society, women in film, and the silent cinema are areas that could be selected. Class sizes are limited in order for students to participate in discussion and contribute to the group’s synergy. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, CMS 284 and junior or senior standing in the Communication or Media Studies major. Cr 3

CMS 485 Sex-Related Differences in Communication
This seminar on sex-related differences in communication is designed primarily to evaluate critically the research literature. It is concerned with whether or not males and females differ in their actions of sending, receiving, and interpreting messages. The course examines gender-role stereotyping, empirical findings on sex-related differences in communication behavior (e.g., talking, interpersonal style, touching, eye contact, etc.), and explanations for sex differences. Critiques of some major theoretical positions are discussed (e.g., sex differences in dominance, aggression, cognition, and brain organization). Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, and junior or senior standing.Cr 3

CMS 486 Women in Film
This course will explore the depiction of women in film. Films will be analyzed in the context of the political and ideological subtexts they contain. The purpose of the analysis is to understand a film and to be able to relate it to the society that it reflects and sometimes affects. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, and junior or senior standing.  Cr 3

CMS 490 Theories of Mass Communication
A discussion of significant factors related to communication theory. Contemporary theories of mass communication, the mass media, audience analysis, and the role of mass communication in society will be among the topics examined in the course. Students elect to examine an aspect of mass communication that is of interest to them, and present their findings in research papers and projects. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, and junior or senior standing. Cr 3

CMS 491 Independent Study
A concentrated program of research or study on a particular topic approved and guided by a Department faculty member. The student and faculty member will have periodic conferences throughout the semester to discuss the progress and outcomes of the student’s work.

Student independent studies involving the use of video equipment and editing facilities will be limited to no more than two per semester or summer term.  Students will have until the first week of classes each semester to submit their paperwork and proposals for approval. Students are urged to submit their proposals early.  

Each student will be limited to doing one independent study video project. The only exception will be a student who needs to do a follow-up independent study to complete an existing (not a new) video project.

The rationale for this new policy is to preserve and protect the existing video equipment and facilities for video and audio production courses, as well as upper-level courses, such as Advanced Field Production, Senior Project and Service Learning Practicum.   Production resources are limited and must be preserved for our regular courses.  Please note that this policy does not include students doing non-video related projects, such as audio production or scripting.  Prerequisites: Communication or Media Studies majors, junior or senior standing, and faculty approval.  Cr 3-6.

CMS 492 Internships in Media Studies
This course offers students the opportunity to develop media expertise by workingwith professionals in the field.  Typically, the intern will work closely with a mentor in a sponsoring organization to gain practical skills and to develop strategies for transitioning from college to professional placement.  An application process is required. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, Media Studies major, junior/senior standing. Cr. Variable (1-6 per internship; 15 total).

CMS 495 Theories of Communication
This course is designed for upperclass students who are majoring or minoring in communication studies. Based on a seminar format, students in this course will explore in depth several advanced theories of communication, mechanistic through interactive, with examples and application for each. Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103, CMS 200, COM 265 or COM 375, CMS 272, CMS 330 or CMS 332, CMS 390 and junior or senior standing.   Cr 3.

CMS 498 Topics in Communication III
A selection of courses varying in content from term to term. May be repeated for credit when topics vary. Students should consult MaineStreet for a listing of current topics courses and the CMS homepage for detailed course descriptions. CMS 498 will be listed under "Communication Theory". Prerequisites: CMS 102J, CMS 103 and CMS 200. Cr. 3.

_{Feminism and Film:
This course examines feminist film as an alternative form. What techniques of representation do feminist film directors employ as strategies for resisting social, political/economic, intellectual marginalizing and silencing of marginalized peoples typical of patriarchal cultures? How do feminist films frame topics such as race, ethnicity, nationality, class, disability, age, gender, sex and sexuality? What knowledge is produced?}