This course provides an introduction to a broad range of strategic communication management topics, addressing the communication theories, dynamics, research, principles, and practices that are most prevalent in small groups, societies, and in all aspects of organizational life. The course takes time to build group relationships and creates a collaborative learning environment conducive for personal and professional growth that emphasizes problem solving and healthy decision-making throughout the program.

This course explores how emerging interactive communication technologies affect interpersonal and organizational communication. Students are introduced to different types of interactive media, while also researching and discussing issues related to cyberspace, virtual communities, collaborative teams, business on global networks, search engine optimization, search engine marketing, digital brand integration, Web analytics, blogs and podcasts, and wireless marketing.

This course emphasizes the way leadership depends on healthy communication skills that nurture a healthy organizational culture. Critical management techniques also rely on understanding those leadership skills that are essential to work with people in a dynamic interactive culture. Course elements include a focus on the research behind successful leadership and management strategies as part of human interaction, decision making, problem solving, mentoring, collaboration, team building, change management, facilitation, and core management skills.

This course presents a structured approach to understanding and managing internal and external communications. Students explore media relations, the research and creation of strategic public relations media plans, audience analysis, media characteristics, media and marketing decisions, and how to manage various communication technology functions and budgets. Special attention is given to the role of emerging media formats.

This course introduces communication research strategies like a communications audit and the role of marketing research, but especially focuses on the Action Research Project (ARP) that each student will complete through the remainder of the program. Students will identify an organizational challenge (problem) that provides a learning content for applying research and change management techniques in two contextual change management cycles. The first three of the five chapters of the ARP are completed in draft form during the course (the remainder of the project is completed independently and presented in COM695). The course teacher continues to coach the studentÕs independent work after the course is completed and is part of the final project presentation. The ARP becomes a lifelong tool for process improvement for a strategic communication manager.

This course increases student effectiveness in a variety of strategic communication management roles and functions by exploring resources and tools (software) that help manage major projects, analytic evaluations, information from a cross-platform interactive social media projects, or site-appropriate tools for monitoring metrics that project tracking systems for use in social media organizational applications.

This course provides an overview of the nature and functions of perspectives, viewpoints, and values on conflict, as well as the difficult elements and role of communication in human conflict. Students develop communication skills, such as listening and collaboration, which are necessary for managing conflict productively in interpersonal, organizational, and intercultural contexts. Professionals will gain an understanding of patterns, research strategies, and processes associated with conflict management styles with civility. This course addresses how language, perception, gender communication, generational differences, and context influence the conflict process.

This course addresses the basic types and elements of crises, and the importance of providing effective leadership and management in those times. Effective strategies include procedures for developing a crisis communication plan and identifying ways of reacting to crises when crises occur. Students develop tools for dealing with the media in less-than-optimal situations, learn how to develop plans for different critical audiences (both internal and external), and discover ways to utilize effective strategies for communicating the organizational message during a crisis.

Innovation is essential in organizations in the new millennium. Innovation can be learned, organized, and executed by professionals in organizations. This course researches the fundamentals of innovation, and looks at how innovation can create the future in organizations. Innovation and futurism are addressed from a strategic communication management context.

This course provides an overview of the major concepts, research, theories, and models that explore intercultural communication, with an emphasis on using these ideas in applied contexts. Important topics include: worldviews, communication styles, skills development in intercultural arenas, societal influences on stereotyping, ethnocentrism and racism, cultural value orientations, nonverbal dimensions of communication, language interaction, gender communication, intra-cultural issues, stereotypes, intercultural transitions, and adaptation.

This course covers the principles and practices of persuasion, advocacy, and marketing. Learners explore theories of motivation, attitude, and behavior that guide how an ethical communicator strives to gain compliance; properly advocate for people, values, and ideals; and change attitudes and behavior. Students learn about how research informs marketing and persuasion tactics, and apply key concepts and conceptual frameworks in marketing such as how to segment, reach target audiences, and influence others in a socially responsible way. Students work with a communications plan that addresses a real issue that draws upon the things you have learned in this course. Students also have an opportunity to develop presentation skills through in-class presentations.

This course explores foundations in personal values and mission statements, decision trees in ethical decision-making, and ethical theories and moral philosophies that relate ethics to organizational, mediated, mass media, and interpersonal communication contexts. The course examines the communication components and hindrances to good ethical decision-making. Students learn how to think critically, gain sensitivity in using appropriate language, express clear ethical reasoning in both written and verbal communication, and research the role of communication in the creation of an ethical corporate culture. Through case studies, readings, and other activities, students are exposed to ethical issues that arise in communication and are required to argue and analyze the ethical dilemmas they will encounter in the working world. Learners will gain skills in assessing ethical risk to organizations in the public sphere and develop insights into their personal philosophies.