Communications
| CMNS 103 | Contemporary Communications and Culture | |
| 3.00 credits | (33,0,0) hrs | 02 wks |
| Creative process and the foundation of artistic experiences are the focal point of this course which uses field trips to provide material to which students respond with personal and other defined communications perspectives. Students develop ways to look at and reflect on events and places in the local arts environment. Short readings and classroom activities help students refine frameworks used in writing journals, short reports and presentation materials that are preparation for working in design and illustration. | ||
| CMNS 105 | International Interactions I | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: ESLF 060 with a minimum grade of B+ | ||
| This course develops students' ability to use appropriate communication tools for face-to-face business interaction in a North American setting. Students learn behaviours expected in interactive situations such as meetings, presentations, speeches, and information and employment related interviews, and use communication tools of analysis, problem solving and modeling in face-to-face communications. | ||
| CMNS 110 | Communications for the Medical Assistant | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| A course in grammar, spelling, punctuation, and diction. Students also gain experience in proofreading, correcting, and revising short written assignments. | ||
| Note: This course is restricted to Medical Assistant program students. | ||
| CMNS 112 | Introduction to Communication Studies | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| This course seeks to foster a spirit of critical inquiry as to how communication and meaning-making processes relate to the structures and experience of everyday life. The course introduces students to problems, issues, and debates in media, communication technologies, communication systems, symbolic exchange, interpersonal and intercultural communication. | ||
| CMNS 115 | Communications for Animation | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Students learn various communications skills necessary for success in the animation industry. Content includes presentation, writing and research skills, and scriptwriting for animation. | ||
| Note: This course is restricted to Animation program students. | ||
| CMNS 117 | Exploring Popular Culture Through the Media: An Interactive Course for International Students | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| An introductory course for international students that starts with the concept of cultural intelligence and goes on to explore communication and culture in business and academic life. The course encourages students to identify and reflect on vocabulary, cultural values, attitudes and behaviours as these are displayed in radio, television, popular music, cinema, the Internet, video games, books, magazines and newspapers, and uses these areas to assist with communications skill development. | ||
| CMNS 120 | Professional Writing for Artists | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| This course is designed to provide communications skills for practicing artists who need to write professional materials. It includes instruction in document organization and structure, a toolbox approach to grammar and usage, and an introduction to academic writing of essays and reports. The course includes instruction in writing proposals, grant applications and materials for workshop delivery, as well as practice in professional presentations. | ||
| CMNS 123 | Fundamentals of Communication for Artists and Designers | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| The objectives are to help students develop theoretical fundamentals of communications. Topics include interpersonal and group communications; mass media; basic research skills in selected communications topics related to imagery; and oral and written presentations that help students differentiate between description, analysis, critique and interpretation. The course also provides time for discussion of, and practice in, how to give and receive constructive criticism and positive feedback. | ||
| Note: This course is restricted to IDEA program students. | ||
| CMNS 131 | Business Writing for Documentary | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| This course introduces students to business writing for the documentary industry. Students will write correspondence, proposals, fact sheets, production notes, media releases, and résumés using business formats. | ||
| CMNS 132 | Explorations in Mass Media | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| This course examines the emergence and importance of mass media in society. It explores theoretical considerations and approaches in communication studies, including the role of mass media in democracy, political economy of media, critical studies and media structures. A number of media industries are examined, including print, broadcast, film and the Internet. This is a writing intensive course. | ||
| CMNS 133 | Business Communications for the Visual Effects Industry | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| This course will introduce students to business writing for the visual effects industry. Students will write correspondence, proposals, fact sheets, production notes, media releases, and resumes using business formats. | ||
| CMNS 152 | Communication Skills for Retail Marketing | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| This writing for the workplace course covers letters, memoranda, and reports as well as a review of English basics in the context of business writing. | ||
| Note: This course is restricted to Retail Marketing program students. | ||
| CMNS 154 | Communications in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| This writing for Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management course covers reports, memoranda, press releases, articles, briefs and proposals. | ||
| Note: This course is restricted to WLP and REC program students. | ||
| CMNS 159 | Communications for the Legal Administrative Assistant | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| This course emphasizes English basics (grammar, spelling, punctuation, correct usage), proofreading skills, and business writing. | ||
| CMNS 164 | Advanced Communication and Interactions for Tourism Management International Students | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 154 | ||
| This course develops communication and academic skills needed for international students to continue their tourism education and understand the workplace environment. Topics will cover team, interpersonal, verbal and nonverbal, problem solving and critical thinking skills as well as notetaking, summarizing, outlining, and proposal writing skills. | ||
| CMNS 165 | Writing Skills for New Media | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Communications 165 is intended to foster writing and presentation skills for work in the new media industries. The course encourages students to explore techniques and career trends in technical and professional writing. | ||
| CMNS 174 | Wilderness Leadership Communications | |
| 3.00 credits | (6,0,2) hrs | 08 wks |
| This course in writing and speech for wilderness-leadership professionals covers business correspondence, spoken presentations, and proposals. | ||
| Note: This course is restricted to WLP and REC program students. | ||
| CMNS 185 | Presentation Skills for Public Speaking | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| This course focuses on the dynamics of organizing material, overcoming shyness and developing poise as a speaker in a variety of contexts. Attention to research, voice training, nonverbal communication, and strategies for timing presentations are key components of this course. In addition, this course uses video equipment, enabling students to see themselves on camera, as well as to benefit from feedback from others, as they refine their ability to project, to organize their thoughts, and to address audience needs. | ||
| CMNS 190 | Magazine Article Writing | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| This course covers researching and writing articles for publication in news media and magazines. In addition, this course emphasizes the analysis of magazine readership, techniques of researching and interviewing, the current market for articles, and development of an effective prose style. Students write three articles in suitable format and submit them for publication in established periodicals. | ||
| CMNS 191 | Writing for Magazines | |
| 3.00 credits | (8,0,0) hrs | 08 wks |
| Corequisite: CMNS 221, 351 and 371 | ||
| This course teaches students the fundamentals of magazine writing, starting with generating story ideas and pitching them to editors. Learn how to write short, front-of-the-book articles, profiles, first-person accounts and other magazine features. | ||
| CMNS 205 | International Interaction II | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 105 | ||
| This course provides students with an awareness of appropriate written communication tools for business interaction in a North American setting. Students completing the course will be familiar with selected business writing formats, citations, conventions, matters of style, on-line and print resources, and rhetorical frameworks in written and electronic interactions. | ||
| CMNS 209 | History of Media | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 and 132 | ||
| This course introduces students to a variety of perspectives on the history of media and guides them through a history of social and cultural development as seen from the perspective of transformations in communication, symbol systems, and media technologies from orality to networked digital media. | ||
| CMNS 220 | Advanced Business Writing and Editing | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: ENGL 100 | ||
| This course focuses on researching, organizing, writing and editing extensive business documents: reports, proposals, memoranda, and media releases. Emphasis is on clear style and logical organization. | ||
| CMNS 221 | Editing and Writing for the Business of Publishing | |
| 1.50 credits | (3.43,0,0) hrs | 07 wks |
| Corequisite: CMNS 241 and 351 | ||
| This course teaches business writing in a publishing context. The curriculum addresses issues involved with career preparation in publishing, prepares students for the internship, and includes a strong component of copy editing and proofreading. | ||
| CMNS 222 | Decoding Media Strategies | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 and 132 | ||
| This course offers a critical introduction to the study of popular culture and popular media. This course explores the development of contemporary popular culture as an expression of the tensions unleashed by the emergence of mass consumer society, post-industrialism and media. It explores critical issues in popular culture and media through an examination of key debates, historical trends, and ethical issues. | ||
| CMNS 223 | Communications Skills, Applications and Contexts for Design and Art Direction | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 123 | ||
| CMNS 223 is intended to familiarize students with the role of designers and illustrators in business, and to define a broad resource of opportunities as they acquire the vocabulary, conceptual skills, and writing competencies appropriate to a wide variety of professional contexts in illustration and design. | ||
| Note: This course is restricted to IDEA program students. | ||
| CMNS 231 | Cultural Industries in Canada | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 and 132 | ||
| This course introduces students to print, broadcasting, film, the Internet, and other cultural industries in Canada and internationally. It explores the business structure and economics of principal sectors, and key regulatory and policy issues in their social, political, cultural, and global contexts. It utilizes cultural theory and political economy approaches to study and critically analyze these industries and their role in society. | ||
| CMNS 235 | Understanding News | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 and 132 | ||
| This course introduces students to the institution and industry of making news in our society. It focuses on the social, political, professional, economic and technological forces which both shape and constrain news production in modern Canadian news organizations. Students are expected to monitor print, broadcast and online news on a regular basis throughout the course. | ||
| CMNS 236 | Understanding Television | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 and 132 | ||
| This course examines the historical development and the political-economic and cultural dynamics of television as one of the key media of the past 100 years. Using frameworks derived from cultural studies and television studies, the course will explore the world that television created and the ways in which this medium continues to shape contemporary culture. | ||
| CMNS 241 | Software for Magazine Publishing | |
| 1.50 credits | (6,0,0) hrs | 04 wks |
| This course introduces students to InDesign, a key software program used in the magazine publishing industry for text and page formatting and design. Familiarity with computers and knowledge of word processing programs are recommended. | ||
| CMNS 250 | Introduction to Technical Writing | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: ENGL 100 | ||
| The course includes the examination of technical reports and the study of the role of technical writing in corporate and scientific settings. It covers technical writing for science, engineering and the professions and emphasizes definitions, process analysis, writing instructions, resume preparation, and an extended formal report. | ||
| CMNS 253 | Society and New Media | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 and 132 | ||
| This course examines information technology as a new medium of communication. It traces the historical development of information technology in relation to a variety of social, political and economic forces and it explores the implications of the wide diffusion of digital media and social software in areas of social concern such as: surveillance, privacy, and power; dating and relationships, community and politics, education, and popular music. This is a writing intensive course. | ||
| CMNS 255 | Interpersonal Communications | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 and 132 | ||
| This course examines essential concepts and key debates around the study of human communication and considers a variety of models of human communication, including feminist, semiotic, information theory, speech act theory, intercultural communication and other perspectives. In addition, it fosters an understanding of language and culture that will contribute to improved communication skills in both learners' professional and personal lives. | ||
| CMNS 260 | Applied Communication Research Methods | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 and 132 | ||
| This course serves as an introduction to the practices and methods of applied quantitative research. Students will exercise their curiosity and intellects as they explore and apply scientific research methodology through readings, discussions, and lectures. The course provides for a deepening of students' understanding of theoretical and practical frameworks for conducting quantitative research using a variety of statistical methods as applied within communication studies. | ||
| CMNS 261 | Interpreting Communication Documents | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 and 132 | ||
| The purpose of this course is to help Communication students develop skills in finding and interpreting print and electronic documents. It is a course in which students learn by doing in practical research assignments. The course raises for discussion and analysis topics such as database research techniques, web page evaluation, documents and secondary sources, archives and libraries, and government executive and legislative documents. | ||
| CMNS 262 | Qualitative Research Methods in Communication Studies | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112, 132 plus one 200-level 3 credit Communication Studies course | ||
| The course introduces students to a variety of qualitative research methods utilized within Communication and Media Studies. It also explores the philosophical, ethical, and political backgrounds against which the social construction of knowledge in understandings of communication, media, and society takes place. We will approach qualitative research not only as a set of techniques for gathering and evaluating data, but as a nest of problems posed to responsible, ethical, politically aware knowledge-building practice. | ||
| CMNS 270 | Visual Communication | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: ENGL 100 or CMNS 120 | ||
| Using photography as a focus, this course explores vision as a physiological and psychological phenomenon, examines the history and use of the camera and develops a number of perspectives for analyzing images. Students examine different aspects of visual media, including typography, newspapers, magazines, advertising, movies, television/video and computer images, analyzing the framed world in mass media representation. | ||
| CMNS 280 | Fiction Techniques for Professional Writers | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| This course has students preparing short stories and novels in commercial genres such as mysteries, romances, thrillers and science fiction. Discussion of the market for such fiction in Canada and the U.S. Students submit three assignments (such as three short stories or a novel synopsis and two chapters) in marketable form. Students should discuss their plans with the instructor before registering. | ||
| CMNS 285 | Advanced Presentation Skills | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 185 | ||
| This course provides students with the persuasive tools that experienced presenters employ to achieve their objectives. Students will learn to craft a strong delivery, even in difficult circumstances, and use storytelling skills to make their presentations more interesting and effective. Students will prepare presentations for special situations such as international conferences, convention exhibits, and collaborative projects. | ||
| CMNS 295 | The Culture of Advertising | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 and 132 | ||
| This course is an introduction to the study of advertising as social communication. Advertising will be examined as a system for social reproduction, rather than the psychological effects or marketing strategies of individual ads and campaigns. The key objective of the course is to provide a historical perspective on the development of consumer capitalism and its distinctiveness from other social and cultural formations. | ||
| CMNS 302 | Advanced International Interactions II | |
| 3.00 credits | (5,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 301 | ||
| This course is designed to help McCrae Institute students prepare for positions of responsibility and leadership in the international business community. The focus of the course is advanced written communication skills in a Canadian business context. The course builds on a base of rhetorical concepts and principles to address context, audience, and credibility in international communications. Assignments will include written correspondence, proposals, reports and associated business documentary forms. | ||
| CMNS 305 | Advanced International Interactions I | |
| 3.00 credits | (4,0,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 105 and 205 | ||
| Grounded in concepts in intercultural communication, this course challenges students to move intellectually towards intercultural competence as they develop and practise verbal and non-verbal communication skills appropriate to leadership roles in international business from a Canadian base. | ||
| CMNS 330 | Communication Ethics | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This course introduces students to ethical questions around communication at the interpersonal, intercultural, organizational and societal levels. It situates this exploration in the context of the role communication plays in fostering democratic societies and how the organization of communication relates to some of the key values of such societies - equality, autonomy, self-determination, mutual respect, and co-operation. | ||
| CMNS 331 | Communication Policy and Law | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This course introduces students to the development of legal and political frameworks around information and communication from the printing press to the Internet, with a focus on areas legal and policy development - censorship, security and privacy, intellectual property, and access to information. The course examines the contexts in which policy and legal frameworks develop, the various positions of stakeholder groups and the problems and challenges raised for legislators and policy-makers. | ||
| CMNS 333 | Negotiation & Mediation | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This course explores negotiation and mediation as modes of communication and areas of communication practice through which people negotiate terms, manage differences, and come to agreements, both in normal everyday situations and in situations of social tension or conflict. We approach these issues through a combination of theoretical and applied approaches. Topics covered include: understanding and management of difference, consensus-building, conflict resolution, dispute mediation, negotiating from stakeholder positions, and problem-solving in problematic situations. | ||
| CMNS 345 | Web Content Development | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 220 with a minimum C+ grade | ||
| This course helps develop content for Web pages intended for advocacy, marketing or self-promotion, both by writing new material and by revising existing text for hypertext formats. | ||
| Note: Prerequisites may be waived by permission of the instructor. | ||
| Note: The student is expected to have basic computer skills including word processing, e-mail, and web navigation, as well as access to e-mail and the web from a home computer. | ||
| CMNS 351 | Magazine Editing | |
| 3.00 credits | (7.43,0,0) hrs | 07 wks |
| Corequisite: CMNS 191, 221 and 371 | ||
| This course introduces students to the major tasks of an editor employed by a trade or consumer magazine. Topics covered include assignment and fix letters, editing and fact checking, media ethics, manuscripts, editorial packaging, headlines and decks, pagination, and dealing with freelance writers and other magazine staff including art directors and publishers. | ||
| CMNS 352 | Organizational Communication | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This course examines theories and perspectives on leadership, teamwork, diversity, globalization, and ethics in organizational communication. In addition, this course provides opportunities for students to develop an increased understanding of; the communication process in organizations; an ability to sense accurately the meanings and feelings of oneself and others in the organization; improved skills in interacting, conflict management, and decision making; and a well-defined sense of organizational as well as interpersonal ethics. | ||
| CMNS 353 | Communication Technology in the Workplace and Everyday Life | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 30 University Transferable credits | ||
| This course explores the role of communication technologies in transformations in the workplace and everyday life. In particular we will focus on how such technologies relate to changes in the relationships between work and leisure, productivity and play, labour and management, office and home, control and creativity. | ||
| CMNS 354 | Advanced Communications Skills for Tourism Management | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 60 credits towards Bachelor of Tourism Management Degree including ENGL 100 or higher, plus either CMNS 154 or CMNS 174 or equivalent. | ||
| Intended for students registered in the Tourism Management degree program, CMNS 354 develops advanced skills in written and verbal communications, including technical writing, presentation skills, and information technology applications. | ||
| Note: Prerequisites may be waived by permission of the instructor. | ||
| Note: This course is restricted to Tourism and Communications program students. | ||
| CMNS 355 | Intercultural Communication | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post secondary at the 100 level or higher | ||
| This course examines communication in intercultural contexts, and explores how communication is affected by divergent value systems, differing levels of technological adaptation, and unequal power configurations. We will focus on how style and word choice affect the ways that audiences in different cultures respond to arguments, and the rhetorical strategies for collaborative problem-solving to bridge cultural differences. | ||
| CMNS 360 | Strategic Communication | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 112 or 132 or 220 | ||
| This course provides an overview of the range of skills and strategies required for working in corporate, community and government communication fields. It focuses on information and media design, and utilizes a case-study approach in which students work both alone and in groups in simulated communication projects. The course covers topics such as relations with the public, media and government, internal organizational communication, working with stakeholders/investors, crisis communication, corporate advertising and public branding. | ||
| CMNS 370 | Photography as Communication: Fact and Fiction | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 30 University Transferable credits | ||
| This course considers the role of photography as a central form of visual communication within the history of mass media, from its invention in the nineteenth century up to the present day. The questions guiding our study will be: what evidence does the photographic image provide when it comes to understanding the violent fabric of modern social life? Is photography a witness to truth, or an opportunity for fantasy? | ||
| CMNS 371 | Foundations of Design, Layout and Production for Magazines | |
| 3.00 credits | (7,0,0) hrs | 07 wks |
| Corequisite: CMNS 241 | ||
| This course covers magazine design from both theoretical and practical points of view. Topics include an historical overview of magazine design in North America, a survey of the various roles and tasks of art directors, photographers, photo editors and designers in magazines, and the four elements in publication design: images, typography, colour, and layout. | ||
| CMNS 380 | Applied Cultural Criticism | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This course provides an in depth analysis of a variety of expressive cultural forms - music, fashion, television, fine art, and film - and provides a context in which students can engage in the craft of evaluation, analysis and critique of such forms for diverse media outlets. Its aim is to bring a critical awareness of popular culture and a set of expressive, editorial and critical skills together in the production of works of cultural criticism. | ||
| CMNS 390 | Publishing for the 21st Century | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This course explores the structure, development and impacts of print, focusing on the consumer and trade publication industry. The course explores the history of publishing in connection with changes in technology, society, and politics. It examines the structure of the publishing industry and its influence over the publishing process, and the challenges posed by new media. In the second half of the semester, students are guided in the development of a business plan for a consumer publication. | ||
| CMNS 395 | Public and Media Relations | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This course examines the way in which communication mediates the relationship between organizations in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors and the publics that they serve. It differentiates between the basic communication goals of organizations in each of these sectors, guides students in the critical analysis of public and media relations campaigns, and raises questions of ethics in the communications processes conducted by organizations to promote their activities or agendas. | ||
| CMNS 400 | Magazine Internship | |
| 6.00 credits | (0,0,35) hrs | 06 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 191, 221, 241, 351, and 371 as prerequisites or co-requisites | ||
| This course is an industry internship arranged by the student with faculty assistance. Classroom sessions prepare the student for the internship, and further preparation is provided in co-requisite courses. | ||
| CMNS 412 | Special Topics in Communication Studies | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This course will be offered to provide students with the opportunity to examine in depth some aspect of the field of communication or some specialized area of concern not otherwise offered in our core curriculum. Normally such courses will take advantage of the short-term availability of some specific expertise, such as faculty exchange or overseas offering. | ||
| CMNS 431 | Project Group Communication Policy and Law | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,1,0) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| In this course engages students in an extended case analysis of an area of communication policy and/or law. Such cases could include Canadian content regulations, digital copyright (or copyleft), open license or open source, the impacts of changing national security policies on access to and collection of information, or privacy legislation in the digital era. Each group will be guided in and responsible for the production of a report and presentation highlighting their findings. | ||
| CMNS 433 | Project Group in Risk and Crisis Communication | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This course engages students in a project-based, case study approach to the analysis of crisis situations from the standpoint of communication factors and information flows. It asks students to develop a communication plan around a crisis situation; to analyse documentation in order to understand the nature of the crisis; and to suggest solutions to mitigate future crises. | ||
| CMNS 453 | Project Group in Communication and New Media | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This course introduces students to techniques of context-based technology assessment and asks them to produce a formal report and presentation that explores the impacts of a digital media device or information technology application in some sphere of working or social life. | ||
| CMNS 462 | Design Practice in Communication Research | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 262 | ||
| This course engages introduces students to the practical processes of research design and practice through an exploration of case studies in audience research, media impacts and the symbolic dimensions of everyday life. The case studies will give students the opportunity to engage critically in evaluating research design, methodology and ethical issues in particular areas of communication study, with an eye to developing a proposal for their own original theses (in CMNS 499). | ||
| CMNS 490 | Project Group in Publishing | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 390 | ||
| This course facilitates the production of a prototype magazine intended to showcase the writing, editing and production skills to which students were introduced in CMNS 390. Working in small groups, using the business plans completed in the prerequisite course, students plan, write and edit the content for the proposed consumer, trade or contract title of their choice. | ||
| CMNS 495 | Project Group in Media Campaigns | |
| 3.00 credits | (3,0,1) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 45 credits of post-secondary education at the 100-level or higher | ||
| This asks students to research and liaise with a non-profit organization, political party or public advocacy group to identify its key message and to define its target audience and stakeholders. Project groups will design strategies to give the message "top of mind" presence through appropriate and widespread publicity. Groups will plan and simulate a news conference, including a prepared statements and media training for the speaker. | ||
| CMNS 498 | Communication Internship | |
| 6.00 credits | (1.6,0,16) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: 3 credits of 400-level CMNS | ||
| Under the supervision of an instructor, students engage in a work placement in some area of professional communication practice. Students will keep an ongoing journal of their work experience, produce a brief mid-term site report, and present a final report linking their work experience to their program-based learning. | ||
| CMNS 499 | Undergraduate Thesis | |
| 3.00 credits | (1,0,3) hrs | 15 wks |
| Prerequisite: CMNS 462 | ||
| Under the supervision of a faculty member, students conduct and present original research in an area of communication studies in the form of a short thesis. Students will present and defend their theses for completion of their degree. | ||