The Visionary Course Pairing
Introduction to Communication (CM 203)
In this class we will focus primarily on the mass media communication through which a single person or organization communicates with many people at once. We will analyze mass communication from several different perspectives, including those of the creator, the critic, and the consumer. Part of the course focuses on four major content areas or "theme" in addition to the individual media genres. The first section will establish the context within which the communication experience can be understood. The second section will explore the relationship of communication to social life. The third section will focus on issues associated with the production of what scholars call "texts," i.e. content with specific intended meanings. The final section of the course will explore media industries and the professional roles involved in those industries. We will explore how media industries have evolved through different channels of mass communication and how such channels are continually evolving; how different kinds of "texts" are created and constrained by their media; how we consume specific kinds of "texts" and how consumption is linked to distribution; and, finally, what this all means to the ways we live together and understand the world. We will also explore professional opportunities available in the media industries.
Faculty biography
An award-winning business communications consultant and freelance writer, Professor David R. Belz has worked on corporate communications and professional writing training for such
firms as The Baltimore Sun Company, Baltimore Gas & Electric Company, Constellation
Energy Group, USF&G Corporation, The National Aquarium in Baltimore, the Maryland
Hospital Association, Deutsche Bank Alex. Brown, Network Media Partners, The U.S.
Department of Defense, and Becton Dickinson Diagnostics. He has been teaching communication
and writing courses at Loyola since 2002.
American Politics (PS 102)
PS102 introduces students to key concepts related to US political actors, institutions, processes, and historical development. The class encourages students to think critically about how different elements of the American political system, both endogenous and exogeneous, function together to shape the electoral and public policy landscape we live in today. Students will keep current with important political events and develop as lifelong informed consumers of matters of public concern, all while improving small group, oral, and written communication skills.
Faculty biography
Dr. Matt Beverlin has been a member of the political Science department faculty since 2020 and is Loyola’s Pre-Law Advisor. He received a PhD in political science from the University of Kansas and a JD from Gonzaga School of Law. Matt is currently a High-Impact Practice Faculty Fellow dedicated to helping students reach for their goals by maximizing their time at Loyola with active engagement.
Mentor biography
Eileen Simonson Hiebler, '95 is a proud Loyola alumna and currently works in Career Services as the Director for Partnerships and Recruiting. Her role involves connecting Greyhound students and alumni to companies and organizations. Eileen enjoys time outdoors, skiing, cooking, reading, and traveling. Most of all, Eileen loves spending time with her fellow Greyhound husband, Charlie, '95, who is a member of the Alumni Engagement team, and their three children - Julia LUM '24, Ryan LUM '26, and Colin age 14. Eileen loves getting to know her Messina students both inside and outside of the classroom!
Virtual Advisor
This course pairing is recommended for students considering a Communications major or minor. Students not majoring or minoring in Communications will receive elective credit for CM 203. For students considering a major in the Sellinger School of Business, Sociology, Global Studies, Economics or Psychology, Political Science will count as an elective. For all, other majors, Political Science will fulfill a core requirement.
