ESC Course Catalog
The Elliott School of Communication offers an integrated major in communication leading to the Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree. Students can develop a special (open) emphasis which they can tailor to their background and experience and is consistent with their educational and professional goals, or choose a structured emphasis in strategic communication, broadcast journalism, electronic media, integrated marketing communications, or print journalism.
This comprehensive communication degree has three distinguishing characteristics:
1. Founded on the principle that communication specialists should also be communication generalists, the program is interdisciplinary in nature, reflecting the contemporary belief that all communication media are engaged in essentially the same functions— gathering information and creating and disseminating messages— and that the present-day communication professional must be schooled in the basics - writing, speaking, and visual communication - and must develop the ability to plan, organize, evaluate, and think strategically.
2. It is consistent with the mission of Wichita State University to offer programs that are responsive to the needs of the urban community that the University serves. The Kansas communication industry has its focus in Wichita, the major media center of the state.
3. Its location allows the program and its students to take full advantage of the communication opportunities afforded by the largest city in Kansas. The region served by WSU includes one public and four commercial television stations, more than 15 radio stations, over 40 newspapers, more than 25 advertising agencies, and a range of international, national, regional, and local industries, businesses, and public agencies, many with substantial communication operations. This setting allows students to combine academic and professional interests in a program that matches concept with example, education with experience.
Degree Requirements
STUDENTS MAJORING IN COMMUNICATION MUST:
- Complete at least 120 hours (Required for graduation)
- Maintain a 2.5 grade point average (Overall and in the major)
- Complete the required Communication Core requirements
- Complete all courses required for Liberal Arts and Sciences General Education
- Foreign Language courses (or equivalents) are required for all BA degrees in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences.
- Pass the Grammar Spelling Punctuation (GSP) test
- Complete a minimum of 40 credit hours in communication (Including 23 credit hours in the communication core)
Students who wish to major in Communication must officially declare the major and must complete the following before enrolling in COMM 301:
- ENGL 101 – (3) College English I with a grade of C or better
- ENGL 102 – (3) College English II with a grade of C or better
- COMM 111 – (3) Public Speaking with a grade of C or better
- COMM 130 – (3) Communication and Society with a grade of C or better
- Grammar, Spelling, and Punctuation Dept. Exam (GSP) with passing grade
- GSP Test is given in COMM 130 or you can contact the communication school: 102 Elliott Hall 978-3185
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Lower Division Courses
011 Reducing Fear of Speaking (2)
For students who feel an unwarranted degree of fear, nervousness, or stage fright
when confronting situations calling for oral communication, especially but not exclusively,
before groups of people. Goal is to reduce the fear of such situations through practice
in supportive settings and other specific methods developed in the fields of counseling
and speech communication that have been demonstrated effective in reducing communication
anxiety.
111 Public Speaking (3)
General education basic skills course. Studies basic concepts of speech communication
as applied to public speaking. For students wishing to enhance leadership potential
by improvement in traditional public speaking situations. (The University's requirement
in oral communication must be fulfilled by completion of Comm. 111. For especially
qualified students, an exemption or advanced standing examination is available. For
further information, contact the Elliott School of Communication.)
150 Debate Workshop (2)
Instruction in theory and techniques of debate and preparation for debating the national
high school debate topic. Not repeatable for credit.
Prerequisite: departmental consent.
190 Introduction to Human Communication (3)
General education introductory course. Explores several alternative frameworks by
which humans cope with and control the communication environment. Use observational
and experiential opportunities to discover the variety of patterns used by humans
to symbolically interact with themselves, each other, and entire cultures. Utilizes
multimedia instructional procedures.
202 Debate and Forensics (3)
Research and preparation for debate and individual speaking events, participation
in intercollegiate debate and/or forensics competition, and debate and forensics squad
meetings. Repeatable for a maximum of four hours credit. May not be counted toward
a major.
Prerequisite: departmental consent.
221 Oral Interpretation (3)
General education further studies course. Cross listed as Thea. 221. Develops the
mental, vocal and analytical techniques essential to the oral interpretation of literature.
222 Improving Voice and Diction (3)
Cross listed as Thea. 222. For students wishing to improve their speaking voices
and gain greater control over their pronunciation of spoken English. Course is performance
oriented; however, the anatomy of the vocal mechanism and the International Phonetic
Alphabet are studied for practical application in the improvement of voice and diction.
260 Seminar in Communication (1-3)
Special seminars dealing with current problems, issues, or interests in various areas
of communication. For the introductory student in communication. Repeatable for credit
in different topics only.
290 Listening Strategies (3)
Provides students with an understanding of the process of listening in a variety
of communication settings. Aids students in improving listening in the classroom,
interpersonally, and professionally. Examines listening myths and barriers to effective
listening, encourages growth in positive listening attitudes and behaviors. Prepares
students for professional as well as personal lives in which they will spend more
time listening than any other type of communication.
Prerequisite: Comm. Ill or departmental consent.
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Upper Division Courses
302 Interpersonal Communication (3)
General education further studies course. Develops an awareness of the elements of
interpersonal communication and aids the student in establishing more meaningful and
effective interpersonal relationships, both personally and professionally.
303 Audio Production (3)
Production and direction of audio programs. Handson use of all standard audio production
equipment to learn techniques of sound blending and reproduction.
304 Studio Video Production (3) 211; 2L
Basic principles, procedures, and techniques of video production, including operation
of studio equipment and direction of television programs and other video productions.
Prerequisite: Comm. 303 or instructor's consent
310 Introductory Photojournalism (3) 2R; 3L
Lab fee. Basic photographic theory and technique emphasizing aspects of importance
to journalists, writers, and editors. Students take, develop, and prepare pictures
for publication.
Prerequisite: Comm. 301
311 Persuasion (3)
General education further studies course. Explores the history, development, and
manifestation of persuasive techniques through the study and/or creation of persuasive
messages in speeches, mass media, advertising, politics, and organizations. The student
becomes a better user and critic of persuasive messages and strategies.
Prerequisite: Comm. 111
312 Nonverbal Communication (3)
General education further studies course. A study of theory and research in nonverbal
communication. Students explore different aspects of nonverbal communication and engage
in original research and study in the field of nonverbal communication. Emphasizes
the application of nonverbal communication to the total human communication process.
Prerequisite: Comm. 111
313 Argumentation and Advocacy (3)
General education further studies course. Studies the principles of effective rational
discourse, oral and written, dealing with controversial issues in public deliberative,
forensic, and educational areas. Includes valid and fallacious reasoning as well as
tests of evidence.
321 Introduction to Film Studies (3)
Emphasizes the nature and function of film as a mode of communication with attention
to film theory and technical criticism. Selected films are shown in class.
324 Introduction to Integrated Marketing Communications (3)
Introduces the theory and practice of the integrated fields of advertising and public
relations viewed from the perspective of integrated marketing communications. Includes
audience research, the creation of specialized messages, and message delivery systems.
Prerequisite: Comm. 301 or departmental consent
328 Teamwork, Leadership, and Group Communication (3)
Studies the nature and functions of groups and the development of skills for identifying
and evaluating communication behavior in small group situations emphasizing the dynamics
of teamwork and group leadership.
332 Writing for Electronic Media (3)
Writing formats, commercials, continuity, and drama for the electronic media, including
audio and video programs and productions.
Prerequisite: Comm. 301 with a C or better or instructor's consent.
340 Applied Photojournalism (3). 3R; 3L
Lab fee. Covering photographic assignments for the campus newspaper and other publications,
under the overall supervision of a journalism instructor.
Prerequisite: Comm. 310.
398 Travel Seminar (14)
An interdisciplinary travel seminar that allows a student to gain credit for the
study of one of the following: culture, art, literature, architecture, politics, society,
science, and economics while visiting historic places of interest.
Prerequisite: departmental consent.
401 Beat Reporting (3)
Reporting and writing about events in the community. Stories assigned and handled
under the instructor's direction may be used in various publications.
Prerequisite: Comm. 301 with a C or better.
402 Debate and Forensics (2)
Research and preparation for debate and individual speaking events, participation
in intercollegiate debate and/or forensics competition, and debate and forensics squad
meetings. Repeatable for a maximum of four hours credit. May not be counted toward
a major.
Prerequisite: departmental consent.
422 Broadcast News (3)
Theory and techniques of preparing news for the electronic media, including preparation
of newscasts and news reports for radio and television.
Prerequisite: Comm. 401 or instructor's consent.
460 Seminar in Communication (1-3) Lab fee.
Advanced photographic theory and technique emphasizing the feature page photo essay,
advertising photography for daily news publications, and the photojournalists' personal
viewpoints and philosophies. Using their own camera equipment and the department's
laboratory facilities, students shoot, process, and print photographs for publications.
Prerequisite: Comm. 310.
481 Cooperative Education (14)
Credit for cooperative field placement that integrates theory with a planned and
supervised professional experience designed to complement and enhance the student's
academic program. Individualized programs must be formulated in consultation with
and approved by appropriate faculty sponsors. May by repeated, but limited to a total
of four credits in Comm. 481 and Comm.
690 Communication Internship
Graded Cr/NCr. Prerequisite: departmental consent.
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Courses for Graduate/Undergraduate Credit
500 Advanced Reporting (3) IR; 4L
For juniors and seniors; the techniques of reporting and writing the more complex
and important types of news stories. Covers police beat stories, sports and economic
reporting and includes the study and practice of journalistic interviewing.
Prerequisites: junior standing, Comm. 301 with a C or better and either 401 or 422.
502 Public Information Writing (3)
Uses basic journalistic skills of clear, precise writing to communicate effectively
with various audiences. Students write press releases, speeches and popularization's
of complex documents. Techniques learned in this course are valuable in writing grant
proposals, committee reports, pamphlets and journal articles.
Prerequisite: Comm. 301 with a grade of C or better, junior standing or departmental
consent.
510 Editing for Print (3)
Selection, evaluation and preparation of copy and pictures for publication. Covers
copy editing, rewriting, headline and caption writing and page layout.
Prerequisites: junior standing and Comm. 301 with a grade of C or better.
511 Strategic Communication in Organizations (3)
Emphasizes the importance of effective face-to-face communication in building meaningful
relationships, grooming civic leadership, and producing marketable employees. Human
communication skills taught include: how to give effective presentations, facilitate
small group discussions, handle conflict, manage diverse constituencies, and cultivate
leadership and consulting skills in the workplace. Students are introduced to the
basic principles of strategic communication at various levels: organizational, interpersonal,
small group, public and contemporary topics and issues.
Prerequisite: Comm.130 or instructor's consent.
522 Advanced Broadcast News (3) 3R; 3L
Advanced techniques of preparing news for radio and television presentation emphasizing
actual work in radio and television newsrooms. Lab periods arranged with instructor.
Prerequisite: Comm. 422.
525 Advertising Copywriting (3)
Detailed practice at writing various kinds of advertising copy, including print and
broadcast forms. Emphasizes terse, precise writing that evokes response sought by
advertiser.
Prerequisites: Comm. 324 and Comm. 301 with a grade of C or better or departmental
consent.
526 Media Buying and Selling (3)
Principles, methods, and strategies of buying and selling media for advertising,
including such topics as study of reach and frequency of the various mass media and
specialized media, budgeting, research, rates, market share and other tools of current
buying and selling strategies.
Prerequisite: Comm. 324 or instructor's consent.
550 Opinion Writing (3)
Studies editorial judgment, including practice in the writing of print, broadcast,
and electronic opinion pieces, and the examination of traditional and new technology
research materials available to opinion writers.
Prerequisites: Comm. 301 with a C or better and junior standing.
570 Magazine Production (3)
Magazine production, including the choosing of subjects, approaches and illustrations;
the shooting and editing of photographic stories; layout; the handling of production
and management concerns.
Prerequisites: Comm. 301 and 510 or departmental consent.
571 Feature Writing (3)
Writing features for newspapers and magazines. Nonfiction topics may include personal
experience essays, consumer pieces, travel articles, and personality profiles.
Prerequisites: Comm. 301 with a C or better and junior standing.
581 Communication Practicum (13)
Application of theory, principles and practices to professional settings where students
work under instructor supervision to continue their professional preparation in various
areas of media and communication.
Prerequisite: Comm. 301 and instructor's consent.
604 Video Storytelling (3)
Application of video equipment and techniques for field productions. Execution of
visual and audio expression in relation to effective video productions in a field
setting.
Prerequisite: Comm. 304 or instructor's consent.
609 Interactive Media Production (3)
Investigation and application of production techniques for educational and instructional
broadcasting, emphasizing television.
Prerequisite: Comm. 304.
612 School Publications Advising (3)
Assists those who are preparing to advise and teachers who currently supervise a
student newspaper or yearbook. Emphasizes techniques for teaching various forms of
writing and design, duties relating to production and finance of school publications,
and methods to help students become better communicators.
Prerequisite: Comm. 301 with a C or better or instructor's consent.
622 Studio B: Alive Television News (3)
Reporting and writing about events in the University and community. Story assignment
and preparation under the instructor's guidance; story broadcast over WSU Cable Channel
13. May be repeated for credit with advisor's consent.
Prerequisite: Comm. 422 or instructor's consent.
626 Integrated Marketing Communications Campaigns (3)
Instruction and practice in planning and developing integrated advertising and public
relations campaigns. Teaches students to perform a situation analysis, identify objectives,
develop strategies and tactics, and write a plans book, as well as produce advertising
and public relations campaigns materials.
Prerequisite: Comm. 324 or instructor's consent.
636 Advanced Public Speaking (3)
Skills development in a variety of advanced presentational methods, including speaking
from a TelePrompTer, using PowerPoint technology, spokesperson/press conference speaking,
conducting a training session, formal manuscript speaking, after dinner speaking,
and writing a speech for another person.
Prerequisite: Comm. 325
640 Issues in Corporate Communication (3)
Examines how corporations craft messages that are persuasive to their various publics.
Special attention to how companies use communication strategies to cope with situations
that threaten their reputations.
650 Communication Training and Development (3)
An examination of communication concepts, processes, technologies and strategies
related to training and development. Course includes the application of these elements
to formal instruction across disciplines and at various educational levels as well
as in most professional training settings.
660 Seminar in Communication (13)
Special seminars dealing with current problems, issues or interests in various areas
of communication. Repeatable for credit in different topics only.
661 Directing the Forensics Program (3)
A study of the methods and procedures in coaching and directing the high school and
collegiate forensic programs (debate and individual events). The future teacher is
made aware of the literature and professional organizations in the field.
675 Directed Study (24)
Cross listed as Thea. 675. Individual study or projects. Repeatable for credit with
departmental consent.
Prerequisite: departmental consent.
690 Communication Internship (12)
Credit for professional experience that integrates theory with a planned and supervised
professional experience designed to complement and enhance academic program. Individualized
programs must be formulated in consultation with and approved by appropriate faculty
sponsors. May be repeated, but limited to a total of four credits in Comm. 690 and
Comm. 481. Graded Cr/NCr.
Prerequisite: departmental consent.
712 Advanced Interpersonal Communication (3)
Advanced exploration of concepts and variables in interpersonal communication through
the study of different theories as well as practical experiences in dyadic and small
group communication.
Prerequisite: Comm. 302 or instructor's consent.
720 Dimensions of Mass Communication (3)
A detailed study of mass media, their role as social institutions; their control,
support, content and audience; and their effects.
722 The Art of Conversation (3)
Conversation is the form of communication people engage in most naturally and frequently,
but about which they seldom think seriously. Helps participants enhance their understanding
and appreciation of, as well as their skill in, the art of conversation. Includes
the nature of conversation, principles of conversational communication, types of conversation,
conversation in the media and conversation analysis.
Prerequisites: Comm. 302 and junior standing or departmental consent.
750 Workshops in Communication (1-4)
770 The Audience (3)
Application of research techniques to the measurement of audience behavior emphasizing
mass media audiences. Includes focus group interviews, survey research and radio and
television ratings.
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Courses for Graduate Students Only
801 Introduction to Communication Research (3)
An integrative approach to an understanding of the nature and scope of communication
research and graduate studies in communication and theatre/drama. Provides an overview
of current research in the discipline. Instruction in the basic steps of research;
availability of library and other sources; bibliographic search; computer accessing
of source materials; organization, style, and format of a research report and citation
of sources in accordance with standard style guides. Course should be taken at the
beginning of the graduate program.
802 Historical and Qualitative Methodologies in Communication Research (3)
An introduction to historical, critical and observational methodologies in communication
research. Emphasizes historical, critical and observational research, particularly
those forms of research common to communication studies.
Prerequisite: COMM 801.
803 Empirical/Quantitative Research Methodology in Communication (3)
An introduction to empirical research methods in communication. Emphasizes both experimental
and non-experimental research, particularly those forms of research common to communication
studies. Studies research design, methods and reporting techniques.
Prerequisite: COMM 801
812 Contemporary Theories in Communication (3)
Study selected conceptual models useful in the academic study of human communication,
including theories involving such contexts as interpersonal communications, public
communication and mass communication.
820 Investigation and Conference (2-3) Cross-listed as THEA 820
Directed research and experimentation for graduate students in some phase of (a)
speech communication, (b) electronic media, or (c) speech education. Repeatable for
credit up to a total of six hours.
825 Group Communication (3)
Examination of communication processes that operate in groups in various contexts.
Provides an overview of relevant theory, as well as methodologies through which group
communication may be critically analyzed in applied settings.
830 Theories of Rhetoric: Classical. (3) Cross-listed as ENGL 825
An intensive study of the rhetorical theories of classical writers from 466 B.C.?to
the decline of Roman oratory. Principal emphasis on Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, Quintilian,
Cicero and Longinus.
831 Theories of Rhetoric: Renaissance to Early Modern (3) Cross-listed as ENGL 826
A study of emerging patterns of rhetoric from the Second Sophistic to modern times.
Analyzes the rhetorical systems associated with such figures as Augustine, Felenon,
Bulwer, Sheridan, Steale, Rush, John Quincy Adams, Blair, Campbell and Whately.
860 Seminar in Communication (1-3)
Special seminars dealing with currently problems, issues or interests in various
areas of communication. Repeatable for credit in different topics only.
865 Organizational Communication (3) Cross-listed as MGMT 865
An analysis of communication models emphasizing their applications to communication
problems in organizations. Explores social psychological processes underlying persuasion
in interpersonal relations and through the mass media. Critically analyzes communication
systems and techniques within formal organizations.
870 Directed Study (1-3)
Individual study or projects. Repeatable for credit with departmental consent. Prerequisite:
departmental consent.
875 Thesis (2) Prerequisite: departmental consent.
876 Thesis (2) Prerequisite: departmental consent.