The Department of Communication offers diverse course options to fulfill General Education Requirement (GER) as well as upper division electives and an undergraduate minor. Most GER and some upper division courses are offered fully online. Check the current listing in UAOnline or contact us for available online sections.

Course descriptions by semester are listed below. Click on a course title to view the description.  

Summer 2023 Course Offerings

• COMM A345 - Communication and Gender

  Provides a historical, theoretical, and contemporary view of how communication, culture, and gender interact and create meaning in interpersonal, professional and political settings.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A390 - Selected Topics: Social Media &  Communication

  Explores the relationship between society and social media using a critical approach. Examines the evolution of social media technologies, misconceptions surrounding these technologies, and how these technologies are used to impact various aspects of our lives, including our social relationships, identity, and privacy. Provides students with the knowledge and practical skills needed to effectively produce, consume, and assess multiple aspects of social media.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

 

Fall 2023 Course Offerings

• COMM A280 - Communication Theories in Action (Tier II GER)

  Explores the essential nature and experience of communication in organizations. Analyzes and synthesizes approaches, theories and research conceptions of organizations including metaphors for organizational communication, culture and climate within organizations, socialization/assimilation/membership negotiation, power, motivation/performance, and organizational innovation and change.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A300 - Health Communication

  Explores, examines and analyzes communication dynamics that exist between participants across a wide range of health contexts, including care providers, patients/clients, peers, friends and family members. Explores, examines and analyzes how health-related messages may be constructed and conveyed in social, cultural and organizational contexts. Explores health-related discourse in the public sphere, looking at the communicative dimensions of health-related campaigns and public policy.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A305 - Intercultural Communication (Diversity and Inclusion GER)

  Examines the processes of interpersonal communication when the effects of cultural differences create dissimilar interpretations and expectations for interpersonal interaction. Explores theories and experiences of communication in intercultural relationships.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A340 - Nonverbal Communication

  Examines and analyzes both theoretical and research literature pertinent to nonverbal communication behavior, including kinetics, touch, voice, appearance and territoriality; as well as the social functions of nonverbal communication, including impression formation and management, regulation of interaction, and social influence and power.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A350 - Communication in the Workplace

  Explores communication processes in working relationships. Examines and analyzes the role of communication in structural issues such as workplace culture, climate and group collaboration; and interpersonal issues, including communication styles, conflict, gossip, workplace risks and informal communication.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

 

Courses Offered Every Semester

• COMM A111 - Fundamentals of Oral Communication (Tier I GER)
  Introduction to oral communication focusing on interpersonal, small group and public speaking processes. Students develop oral communication skills for improving feedback, active listening, language usage, nonverbal behavior, audience analysis, and techniques for speech preparation, delivery and alleviating speaking anxiety.
  
  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.
• COMM A235 - Small Group Communication (Tier I GER)
  Practical application of the theories of interaction, information sharing, decision making, team building and problem solving to small group situations. Principles of conflict, leadership, group roles, self-evaluation, evidence and reasoning are explored through group observation, practice and analysis. Students develop oral communication skills by engaging in a variety of individual and group presentations.
  
  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.
• COMM A237 - Interpersonal Communication (Tier I GER)
  Understanding and building interpersonal communication skills. Students use experiential and oral performance approaches to explore nonverbal and verbal channels, emotions, empathetic listening, perception, self-disclosure, and conflict in significant personal and professional relationships.
  
  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.
• COMM A241 - Public Speaking (Tier I GER)
  Speaking skills for individual presentations. Preparation, delivery and analysis of speeches in various platform speaking situations. Includes verbal and nonverbal skills, critical thinking in selecting and organizing materials, audience analysis, informative and persuasive presentations.
  
  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

 

Other Communication Courses (will be offered in the future)

• COMM A255 - Organizational Communication (Tier II GER)

  Explores the essential nature and experience of communication in organizations. Analyzes and synthesizes approaches, theories and research conceptions of organizations including metaphors for organizational communication, culture and climate within organizations, socialization/assimilation/membership negotiation, power, motivation/performance, and organizational innovation and change.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

   

• COMM A320 - Argumentation and Debate

  Introduces students to debating as a practical application of argumentation theory. Reviews argumentation theory that serves as the foundation for skill development in inventing, researching, phrasing and articulating arguments in the context of academic debating. Develops students' ability to prepare for, participate in and appraise academic debates.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A330 - Collaboration and Group Decision-Making

  Explores, analyzes and applies group decision making theories and processes. Focuses on understanding the role communication plays in affecting and enhancing a group’s ability to engage in effective decision-making strategies. Examines both descriptive and prescriptive approaches to group decision making and includes practical application of group decision making theories.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A341 - Advanced Public Speaking

  Explores the theory and practice of public speaking. Builds on theories and skills relevant to informative, persuasive and special occasion speeches. Examines and analyzes the qualities of and prepares students to deliver well-organized, highly developed presentations in a polished, professional manner appropriate to the audience and occasion.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A360 - Competitive Debating

  Explores the theory and practice of competitive academic debating. Considers competitive debating from the perspective of debater, adjudicator and competition organizer.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A370 - Relational Communication

  Examines and analyzes communication processes in intimate personal relationships. Examines the role of communication in relationship processes and practices including relationship engagement, maintenance and disengagement.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A390 - Selected Topics: Destruction and Dysfunction in Communication

  Destruction and Dysfunction in Communication examines the difficult issues that we sometimes face in communication: distortions, dishonesty, and disconfirmation in interpersonal communication. It focuses on relational transgressions, such as deception and betrayals, purposefully hurtful messages, communication incompetence, and the unethical use of power and persuasion in interpersonal relationships.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A390 - Selected Topics: Health and Media

  Examines how media and communication influence individual and public health. Examines and analyzes health-related case studies, campaigns, and the dissemination of persuasive health messages in the media. 

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A390 - Selected Topics: Travel and Tourism
  Course information will be added soon.
• COMM A412 - Persuasion

  Explores history, modern theory, and practical application of persuasion theory. Reviews current literature and examines and analyzes persuasion in interpersonal, organizational, political and public contexts.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

• COMM A420 - Family Communication

  Explores interpersonal communication processes in the family. Examines the role of communication in family systems, roles and decision-making; and analyzes the role of communication in power, conflict and family stresses.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.

•  COMM A450 - Communication & Leadership

   Examines the study of leadership with an emphasis on the communication dimensions of the theories, processes and practices of leadership. Analyzes and evaluates leadership strategies and tactics, as well as the interaction of communication and leadership.

  View more information about this course in the Course Catalog.