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Course Descriptions

CMA 265  Technology in Education*

The impact of computer technology on the instructional learning process is important for today's educators to acknowledge. This course is designed to familiarize the student with the necessary skill base required to meet the demands of effective integration of technology into daily instructional programs. The student will become aware of the technology benchmarks today's educators are expected to draw upon in order to facilitate the learning process and address the needs of a society in which information doubles rapidly. Students will come away from this course with a newly found confidence in the use of technology and a growing appreciation for the increased dimension technology can bring to the learning process.
3 credits

CMA 270  New Media and Society

This course provides an examination of new media technology and its influence on modern society. As new forms of media constantly emerge, the impact these technologies have on our society is constantly changing as well. In this course, students will study these changes in media and society and develop a clear understanding as to not only what is changing, but why these changes are taking place. A particular emphasis will be placed on the ways that advancing technology affects the way we access, distribute, and use information.
3 credits

CMA 280  Interpersonal Communication in the Digital Age

In recent years, technological advances have changed the way that we speak, interact, and how we classify our relationships. This course explores this changing world and how the evolving digital landscape has also changed the way we communicate with one another. Students will examine the dynamics of interpersonal communication with a particular focus on how these dynamics are changing with the advancement of technology. Topics include, but are not limited to, privacy, conflict, self, and creating and maintaining relationships.
3 credits

CMA 300  Emerging Media Applications I

The first of two emerging media applications courses, this course examines the wide range of emerging technologies and applications available in today's digital age. In an ever changing digital world, it is vitally important to maintain a familiarity with the most current technology. A particular emphasis will be placed on technologies that affect and enhance the way we communicate with each other, most notably in the areas of interpersonal communication and the transference of the written word. Students will be provided with an overview of available products as well as hands on experience. Topics include, but are not limited to, social networks, virtual worlds, web-based applications, blogs, RSS, and wikis.
3 credits

CMA 301  Emerging Media Applications II

The second of the two emerging media applications courses, students will continue to focus on the wide range of emerging technologies and applications available in today's digital age. In an ever changing digital world, it is vitally important to maintain a familiarity with the most current technology. In this course, a particular emphasis will be placed on multimedia technologies, focusing on those that incorporate photographs, audio, and video. This course will provide an overview of available products as well as hands on experience. Topics include, but are not limited to, web-based applications, integrating audio and video, photo sharing tools, slideshows, and audio/video podcasts.
3 credits

CMA 310 Advertising and Public Relations

This course provides students with a study of the relevant media strategies that are paramount in the fields of advertising and public relations. Students will examine the expanding role of media and how this expanding role is changing the nature of these fields in today's global society. A particular emphasis will be placed on the concept of audience and the ways messages are both created and delivered.
3 credits

CMA 320  New Media Literacies

In this course, students will examine how definitions and attitudes towards literacy have changed in recent years. In particular, students will focus on how changes in technology have expanded the horizon for what it means to be literate. Students will gain a base foundation in the traditional meaning of literacy while also looking ahead to how new media is affecting this definition. Students will explore these changes in learning and not only analyze these changes as they are happening today, but learn to anticipate what changes may be in store for the future.
3 credits

CMA 330  Digital Storytelling

This course examines the evolution of storytelling with a particular focus on digital media and the way it has changed the way stories are told. Students will focus on the use of different media and the ability to accentuate story through the use of digital pictures, sound, video, and various web based applications that incorporate some or all of the aforementioned qualities. This course is meant to not only enhance a student's ability to tell a story, but their ability to analyze and interpret stories as well.
3 credits

CMA 340  Business Communication

This course focuses on the theories, skills, and strategies needed to become effective communicators in business and professional settings. Topics include the responsibilities, expectations, and human interactions that take place in the professional world. Students will work to understand the foundation and benefits of professionalism while also learning effective communication strategies, both written and oral, to help them succeed in a wide range of business and professional environments.
3 credits

CMA 350  Gaming and Society

This course explores the cultural and technological evolution of interactive entertainment. Students will examine the history and evolution of gaming and game design, the psychological and sociological effects of gaming, and the impact of games on today's education. Digital games will also be studied from a critical perspective, focusing on structure, narrative, genre, and social connectedness.
3 credits

CMA 400  ePortfolio I

Part one of a two part course, students will work to gain the basic knowledge needed for creating and developing an effective electronic portfolio. Students will examine and evaluate professional portfolios and develop strategies for data collection, organization, and presentation. Topics will focus on creating portfolios that are exemplary in both content and appearance. A particular emphasis will be placed on learning how to effectively produce and collect artifacts which will be used in the creation of a portfolio during the student's final semester.
2 credits

CMA 401  ePortfolio II

The culminating course of the two electronic portfolio courses, this course will provide a practical application of the knowledge gained in the introductory course. Students will study the different media and applications that can be used in the construction of an electronic portfolio and will use those same devices to create a portfolio of work that they have completed throughout their program. The creation of an electronic portfolio will be required for the completion of this course.
2 credits

CMA 410  Media Law

This course is designed to introduce students to the major ethical and legal issues in the area of media. A particular emphasis will be placed on the areas of copyright, libel, freedom of the press, and the first amendment. Students will also be introduced to legal cases that have contributed to the establishment of the current media law.
3 credits

CMA 420  Communication Research Methods

This course provides students with a solid foundation in the process of conducting communications based research. In particular, students will focus on developing the skills used to analyze the works of others as well as the skills necessary for producing their own pieces of research writing. Students will also be exposed to methods of data collection and data analysis that will help to guide them in their research.
3 credits

CMA 430   Oral Communication and Presentation

This course is designed to give students practical experience in speaking situations. Students will work to combine a working knowledge of communication theory and the use of cutting edge technology to master the art of delivering advanced oral presentations. An emphasis will be placed on delivering words with grace and confidence. Students will also work to master the art of augmenting their speech through group discussion and speech analysis.
3 credits

CMA 440  Case Studies in New Media

In this course, students will take a case study approach to learning about past and current issues involving the advancement of new media technology. Students will analyze issues on a case by case basis to reinforce concepts in new media that have been presented to them throughout the previous semesters of study. In particular, students will focus on the many concerns that have been documented regarding advancing new media technology in today's digital age.
3 credits

CMA 450  Communication Capstone Project

A culminating project that will be completed under the advisement of the instructor, this project will be completed during the student's final semester of study and may be a substantial research based assignment or a technology based product created for practical use.
4 credits

CMA 451 - Communication Internship

During their final semester, students will have the option of electing to take a new media/communications based internship in lieu of completing the capstone project. This internship opportunity is designed to give students valuable experience in a professional working environment. Students will be required to keep weekly journals of their experiences as well as complete a final paper.
4 credits

ENG 402  Advanced Professional Writing

This course explores some of the emerging trends in today's language and how those trends intermesh with the current professional environment. Students will work to master various forms of professional writing including e-mail, letters, resumes, and academic articles. An emphasis will be placed on writing that is clear and concise. Students will also work to develop an understanding of how different audiences and social contexts shape the way we write and interact.
3 credits