Course Descriptions

Students investigate the social, political, cultural, intellectual and economic impact of new media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Snapchat, Instagram, and Wordpress, among others. Students assess the way the Internet and its applications have influenced the way we see ourselves and others; the way we interact and govern ourselves formally and informally; the ways we do business, and even the way we think. Critical issues such as privacy, cyber-bullying and civility, identity theft and security, free speech and more are addressed.

3.0 credits, required course, runs every semester, regularly taught by Dr. Elliot King

Prerequisite: ME601

Addresses the question: What must one consider when creating content for digital media? To answer this question, a series of modules have been developed in which students learn to create and manage various forms of graphic/visual and multimedia content.

3.0 credits, required course, runs summer only, regularly taught by Prof. Bryan Babcock

Prerequisite: ME601

Ethical issues are examined, from the use of new media for sourcing in journalism to product and brand promotion. Students engage in discussions about their ethical beliefs as they relate to our ever-changing, technologically-based society. Students examine social media policies of corporations, government, and nonprofit organizations.

3.0 credits, required course, runs summer only, regularly taught by Prof. April Newton

The most important characteristic of emerging media is that it is new. Baseline concepts such as where good ideas come from, how innovation moves through society, and the relationship of emerging media to existing media are explored. Students develop a set of tools that enable them to assess the potential use and impact of emerging media.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the spring semester, regularly taught by Dr. Elliot King and Prof. April Newton

Students learn how new and emerging media technologies are being integrated into advertising and public relations campaigns, and how they are being used to deliver traditional messages in novel times and spaces. In an increasingly competitive and diversified media space, communicators are finding new ways to reach their intended audiences. This course fosters an understanding of the roles and limitations of new media for delivering messages and engaging with key audiences, the public, and markets while allowing students to critically analyze how to best utilize new media to connect with consumers.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the fall semester, regularly taught by Dr. Greg Hoplamazian and Dr. Tania Rosas-Moreno

Reviews the latest theories and research methods developed to better understand how and why people use new media technologies. Students cover a diverse range of perspectives on how users come to identify and make meaning from media, individual motivations and behavior, and the role of user communities. Students then review and apply the latest qualitative methods used by scholars and media companies to better understand target user groups, including usability studies, focus groups, interviews, and web-based surveys.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the fall semester, regularly taught by Dr. Mas Biswas

Explores best practices in the use of social networks, blogs, Facebook and Twitter, among other platforms in strategic communication campaigns. Students learn how to develop a mission-based social media campaign by exploring topics including setting goals, objectives, and key perfomance indicators (KPIs). Students create social media properties, and schedule content based on a content strategy employing best search engine optimization (SEO) practices. Students also learn to measure the degree of success of their social media campaigns in real-time.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the spring semester, regularly taught by Prof. Bryan Babcock

Students analyze and interpret the ways that race, class, gender, and ethnicity impact the access to, use of, and knowledge of technology, information, and communication. By looking at both in- and out-of-country usage, students also discuss the technological divide between countries, communities, neighborhoods, and people.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the summer semester, regularly taught by Dr. Sara Magee

Emerging media frequently test the existing legal and regulatory framework for speech. Key legal and regulatory issues raised by new media are explored, including copyright and piracy, net neutrality, free speech, privacy, and democratic governance.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the spring semester, regularly taught by Dr. Jonathan Lillie

Recommended Prerequisite: ME601

New and emerging media are changing the ways in which people around the world communicate. However, access to new media is subject to local laws, regulations, and customs. Therefore, it is important for communication professionals to think globally, but act locally. Students research the political economy, media ownership, regulations, and laws of various countries. Students also review social media policies of global organizations, and gain an understanding of new and emerging media strategies that are utilized by global organizations and brands.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the summer semester, regularly taught by Dr. Tania Rosas-Moreno

Students extensively practice writing for the different platforms associated with social media with a special emphasis on blogging and tweeting. This course explores the characteristics of the different channels associated with social media including audience, usage patterns and impact, and the particular challenges posed by writing for social media. Students also learn how to plan an effective calendar to guide the posting of social media content and receive certification in using a social media dashboard and management tool.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the fall semester, regularly taught by Dr. Elliot King

Students learn how information regarding health (promotion, risk, care, etc.) is communicated to individuals and communities by individuals (doctors, patients) and groups (hospitals, governmental and non-governmental organizations, media) within boundaries set by governmental regulations. The course highlights the use of new and emerging digital media on mobile and web platforms as a part of the health communication channel mix.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the fall semester, regularly taught by Dr. Greg Hoplamazian

Students explore the intersection between public communication, health care information, and culture. The complex relationship between patients and providers in multicultural heath care settings is studied, with particular emphasis on the ways in which various groups utilize new and emerging media to seek out health-related information to manage their own care or care of others. This course examines how culture affects health and health care decisions, including perceptions of health, disease, treatments, and values associated with these factors. The need for cultural sensitivity to various populations based on race and ethnicity, age and income, among other factors in health care, is stressed.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the spring semester, regularly taught by Dr. Greg Hoplamazian

Our world is fraught with health-related issues, from substance abuse to diabetes and beyond. Public awareness of health-related issues and behavior change can occur through the use of new and emerging media. This course seeks to apply strategic communication approaches to health-related issues. Students create health communication campaigns based on their employment, personal passion, or the desire for thought leadership on a given health issue. Students begin with a strategic mission and vision, develop goals and objectives, and designate KPIs for their campaigns. They identify target audiences through the development of personas and consider key messages directed toward each. A corresponding content strategy is carried out and analytics are used to determine the degree of success achieved.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the spring semester, regularly taught by Dr. Greg Hoplamazian

Restricted to Health Communication Graduate Certificate Students

Reviews a diverse range of research methods used by scholars, organizations, and companies working in the area of health communication. The course looks at traditional research methods such as surveys, interviews, focus groups, and ethnography, community-based methods such as participatory research and community assessment, and the impact of big data on health communication research. Students complete a literature review on a topic of their choice by the end of the semester.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the fall or summer semester

Reviews foundational concepts and applications of social network analysis in the field of communication. Students select an organization or group and craft an RFP for a social network analysis to better understand how fans, followers, or customers seek and share information on social media platforms. Students discover how relationships are formed into crowds, clusters, and networks on common social media applications. Students explore the use of sentiment analysis to analyze and interpret hashtags and related issues or topics. Students learn about and sample data visualization and social networking tools. Students study contemporary applications of social network analysis in the fields of politics, public health, and social movements. Students understand what data is needed to undertake a social network analysis of their organization, what tools to best use to capture, analyze, and effectively present that data.

3.0 credits, typically runs in the spring semester, regularly taught by Dr. Greg Hoplamazian

Students work closely with a subject matter expert to engage in original research on a subject relevant to new and emerging media, then present their findings through a formal research paper; or develop an applied project in which they demonstrate their proficiency using new and emerging media. The emerging media capstone project is completed under the tutelage of an instructor/practitioner in the department.

1.0 credit, runs every semester, regularly taught by Dr. Greg Hoplamazian and Dr. Jonathan Lillie

Students work closely with a subject matter expert to engage in original research on a subject relevant to new and emerging media, then present their findings through a formal research paper; or develop an applied project in which they demonstrate their proficiency using new and emerging media. The emerging media capstone project is completed under the tutelage of an instructor/practitioner in the department.

3.0 credits, runs every semester

Prerequisite: ME796

A continuation of ME 796. Students work closely with a subject matter expert to engage in original research on a subject relevant to new and emerging media, then present their findings through a formal research paper; or develop an applied project in which they demonstrate their proficiency using new and emerging media. The emerging media capstone project is completed under the tutelage of an instructor/practitioner within the department.

3.0 credits, runs every semester

An intensive one-semester capstone course in which students work closely with a subject matter expert to engage in original research on a subject relevant to new and emerging media, then present their findings through a formal research paper; or develop an applied project in which they demonstrate their proficiency using new and emerging media. The emerging media capstone project is completed under the tutelage of an instructor/practitioner in the department. 

6.0 credits, runs every semester

Prerequisite: ME796 and ME797; or ME798

Students work with their capstone advisor towards the completion of their capstone projects as needed.

0 credits, runs every semester