Communications (COMM)
COMM-101 Rhetoric & Writing 4 Credits
Prerequisites: None
This course prepares novice students to succeed at Kettering by introducing them to the expectations of college-level and professional communication. The primary goal of this course is for students to develop transferable knowledge of rhetorical composing practices. To achieve this goal, the course focuses on helping students acquire strategies for reading and writing critically, composing across genres and media, choosing appropriate research methodologies, and engaging in informed reflective practice. Assignments will focus on familiarizing students with rhetorical concepts such as genre, audience, purpose, occasion, and persuasive appeals, and asking them to apply these concepts through analyzing or composing for a variety of rhetorical situations.
Lecture: 4, Lab 0, Other 0
COMM-311 Rhetorical Principles of Persuasion 4 Credits
Prerequisites: LA-201 or LS-201
Minimum Class Standing: Sophomore
Theories of persuasion, techniques of argumentation, and the analysis of persuasive texts are covered. Topics include political speeches and campaign messages, rhetorical interpretation of advertising and business communication, and persuasive elements of popular culture. Verbal and visual elements of persuasion will be addressed. Students will apply these concepts by written analyses of persuasive texts and by composing and delivering persuasive speeches.
Lecture: 4, Lab 0, Other 0
COMM-313 Rhetorical Principles of Public Speaking 4 Credits
Prerequisites: LA-201 or LS-201
Minimum Class Standing: Sophomore
Understanding the processes and contexts of public speaking, including audience adaptation, principles of clear organization, development of ideas, and techniques of effective persuasive and informative speaking. Although the focus of the course is on analysis of great speeches throughout history, the course provides an opportunity for students to practice speaking about topics of current interests.
Lecture: 4, Lab 0, Other 0
COMM-314 Superheroes in Media and Culture 4 Credits
Prerequisites: LA-201 or LS-201
The costumed superhero has been a distinctive icon of American culture. Although often regarded as frivolous, unintellectual, and even childish, the popularity and reach of comic books superhero narratives makes them a valuable site of social critique, through examination of the ways they reflect, reinforce, or challenge the ideological positions of the culture that produces them. Consequently, this course makes use of superheroes and superhero stories to ask questions like: What makes a hero a superhero and a story a superhero story? Why are superheroes so popular in America? What do superhero stories tell us about ourselves? These questions serve the two primary goals of the course. First, to become familiar with the characteristics of the superhero narrative by engaging with and writing about a variety of literary and popular texts, tracing the figure of the superhero in narratives across an array of genres, from the novels and pulp fiction of the early twentieth century to the transmedia empires of today. Second, to explore some of the cultural issues and rhetorical functions communicated through and served by superhero narratives, particularly with respect to what they reveal about ideas like justice, power, and identity and issues of race, class, and gender.
Lecture: 4, Lab 0, Other 0
COMM-391 Communications Special Topics 4 Credits
Prerequisites: LA-201 or LS-201
An interdisciplinary advanced course focusing on a specific topic. This course is a one-time offering whose content is determined by current faculty interest, and provides a comprehensive and coherent examination of the chosen topic. This course may be repeated for credit under different topics.
Lecture: 4, Lab 0, Other 0
COMM-397 Communications Free Elective 4 Credits
Prerequisites: None
Lecture: 4, Lab 0, Other 0
COMM-401 Communicating about Data 4 Credits
Prerequisites: LA-201 or LS-201
Visualizations are powerful. Theories of visual rhetoric and design teach us that good visualization is not only clear and accurate but appealing as well. When executed well, visualizations enhance oral or written communication, by supporting arguments and claims, b providing insight into complex issues, and by supporting recall and decision-making in audiences. This relationship goes both ways, however, even well-crafted visualizations must be supported by effective oral and written communication. In this course, students explore both sides of this relationship, becoming familiar with common genres of visualization and with techniques both for designing them effectively and ethically, and for presenting visualizations orally and in prose.
Lecture: 4, Lab 0, Other 0
COMM-435 Written & Oral Communication for Overseas Students 4 Credits
Prerequisites: None
This course, intended for overseas students, seeks to heighten their awareness of American business communication practices. It will help develop a systematic approach to written and oral communication in the workplace. Topics include the nature of organizational communication and business writing, including techniques for writing letters, memoranda, proposals, and reports. Electronic communication practices are examined. Emphasis is also placed on professional communication skills in multicultural environments and relevant current events. This course does not receive credit in any Kettering University degree program.
Lecture: 4, Lab 0, Other 0