Communication Division

Communication Core Descriptions

Descriptions of the core courses for students seeking either a Master of Arts or a Master of Science in Communication are as follows.

COM 610. Proseminar and Communication Theory (4)
This course is an introduction to the discipline of communication, the nature of graduate studies, communication theory development, critique and uses, the creation of scholarly and scientific knowledge, and the relationship between scholarly and social-scientific research and theories of human communication. Designed for first-semester graduate students, it is the recommended first course in the graduate program.

COM 620. Quantitative Communication Research Methods (4)
An advanced study of the nature, assumptions, forms, procedures, and strategies for conducting communication research utilizing social-scientific approaches. Experimental and non-experimental designs are studied. Data gathering procedures involve the use of questionnaires and physiological and behavioral measures. Prerequisite: a course in statistics or instructor approval.

COM 630. Qualitative Communication Research Methods (4)
An advanced study of qualitative research methods, including participant observation, in-depth interviews, focus groups, life histories, and textual methods such as textual analysis, discourse analysis, and narrative analysis. Provides perspective on these diverse methods and examines the philosophical and theoretical assumptions underlying them. Examines research issues such as the self as research instrument, research design, and sampling methods.

COM 640. Communication Ethics and Values (4)
An examination of current issues in communication ethics and values. Philosophical and theoretical approaches to understanding and analyzing such issues are examined.

 

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Although the above are excerpted from the 2003-2004 Seaver catalog this is not an official binding document. To view the actual catalog visit http://seaver.pepperdine.edu/academics/catalog/