Skip to main content

Communication (COMX)

COMX 102 - Interprsnl Skills in Workplace. 1 Credit.

Offered at Missoula College. This course will introduce students to interpersonal communication theory which can be applied to a workplace environment. Students will learn effective communication strategies that promote success in professional and personal relationships.

COMX 111A - Introduction to Public Speaking. 3 Credits.

Offered every term. Offered on Mountain Campus and at Missoula College. Preparation, presentation, and criticism of speeches. Emphasis on the development of public speaking techniques through constructive criticism. Credit not allowed for both COMM 111A and COM 160A.

Gen Ed Attributes: Expressive Arts Course (A)

COMX 115S - Introduction to Interpersonal Communications. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn and spring. Offered on Mountain Campus and at Missoula College. An overview of the process of human communication with special emphasis on analyzing communication patterns and improving interpersonal communication skills. Credit not allowed for both COMM 110S and COM 150S.

Gen Ed Attributes: Social Sciences Course (S)

COMX 140L - Introduction to Visual Rhetoric. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn and spring. Offered at Missoula College. An introduction to the persuasive nature of visual symbols as texts. Readings will include historical to contemporary rhetorical criticisms on advertising, billboards, bodies, cartoons, memorials, and photography.

Gen Ed Attributes: Lit & Artistic Studies (L)

COMX 191 - Special Topics. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently. Offered at Missoula College. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

COMX 191S - Special Topics. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

Gen Ed Attributes: Social Sciences Course (S)

COMX 192 - Independent Study. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently. Offered at Missoula College. Course material appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student.

COMX 198 - Internship. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered autumn and spring. Offered at Missoula College. Prerequisite, consent of instructor. Extended classroom experience that provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor and the Internship Services office. A maximum of 6 credits of Internship (398, 498) may count toward graduation.

COMX 202S - Nonverbal Communication. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. Nonverbal code systems and how they function in human communication including gestures, facial expressions, personal space, and others.

Gen Ed Attributes: Social Sciences Course (S)

COMX 204X - International and Development Communication. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. International Communication is concerned with information exchange across national borders while Development Communication focuses on the historical, current, and prospective role of communication technologies in social change, improving living conditions, and enhancing life prospects - mainly in developing countries.

Gen Ed Attributes: Cultural Intl Diversity (X)

COMX 205Y - Deliberative Democracy. 3 Credits.

Offered at Missoula College. This course introduces you to the theory and practice of deliberative democracy, in which citizens and other individuals actively participate to help society reach decisions that are just, sound and sustainable. You will learn how deliberative and other participatory democratic processes have been used around the globe to allocate limited resources, meet collective needs, and achieve common goals. You will build your capacities for inquiry, listening to understand, appreciation, reflection, considering multiple perspectives, and finding common ground, all of which are part of dialogue and deliberation. Case studies and hands-on practice will help you appreciate the challenges and opportunities of deliberative democracy. This course will build your capacities to be an informed, engaged and empowered global citizen. Level: Undergraduate

Gen Ed Attributes: Democracy and Citizenship (Y)

COMX 210 - Communication in Small Groups. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn and spring. Theory and research related to communication roles, collaboration, cohesion, leadership, and decision-making. Experiences provided in task oriented groups and field analyses of group processes.

COMX 212X - Introduction to Intercultural Communication. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn and spring. Offered at Missoula College. This course provides students with an introduction to communicating across cultures. Local and global case studies and theories will be explored. Students will explore the influence of immediate communication and social media on large scale social issues.

Gen Ed Attributes: Cultural Intl Diversity (X)

COMX 219S - Survey of Children's Comm. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn. Offered at Missoula College. Focus on communication processes and contemporary communication environments of children and adolescents. Topics include language development and the brain, nonverbal communication development, media, contracting, bullying, and gender.

Gen Ed Attributes: Social Sciences Course (S)

COMX 220S - Introduction to Organizational Communication. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. Theory and research on communication in organizations. Focus on topics such as productivity, power, culture, socialization, technology and globalization covering a wide range of organizations including corporations, government, educational institutions, non-profit agencies and media organizations.

Gen Ed Attributes: Social Sciences Course (S)

COMX 222 - Professional Communication. 3 Credits.

Offered intermittently. Explores communication skills needed in business and professional contexts. Focus on developing a working knowledge of theory and skills for interpersonal communication, group communication, and business writing. Concepts include communication processes, diversity in the workplace, nonverbal communication, technical communication, communication with customers, and employment communication.

COMX 240H - Introduction to Rhetorical Theory. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. An overview of rhetorical theory including an exploration of classical rhetoric, British and Continental rhetorical theory, and contemporary theories of language and persuasion.

Gen Ed Attributes: Historical Studies

COMX 241 - Persuasive Communication. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. The use of communication in attitude and behavior change as experienced in personal, organizational, and public contexts.

COMX 242 - Argumentation. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn and spring on the Mountain campus, offered intermittently on the Missoula College campus. Development of argumentation skills and critical judgment in decision-making and debate. Includes criticism, construction, presentation, and refutation of spoken and written arguments.

COMX 250 - Intro to Public Relations. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn and spring. Offered at Missoula College. Introduction to the origin, scope, and nature of public relations activities. Investigation of policies, strategies, and procedures available to an organization in establishing and controlling its communications. Course will explore the impact of public relations and media through case studies and writing exercises.

COMX 291 - Special Topics. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently. Offered at Missoula College. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

COMX 292 - Independent Study. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently. Offered at Missoula College. Course material appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student.

COMX 311 - Family Communication. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. An examination of communication in marriage/romantic partnership, parent-child, and extended family relationships. Topics include intimacy, power, decision-making, problem solving, identity formation, and interpersonal perception.

COMX 312 - Forensics/Honors. 1-3 Credits.

(R-12) Offered every term. Preparation and participation in competitive speech and debate, including Lincoln/Douglas and Parliamentary debate. The team travels to regional competitions and hosts on-campus and intramural debates and speaking events. Up to 6 credits may apply toward a major or minor in communication studies.

COMX 343 - Persuasive Speaking and Criticism. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. Prereq., COMM 111A or consent of instructor. The persuasive process through the criticism and creation of speeches and other rhetorical artifacts emphasizing the role persuasion plays in creating and shaping our culture.

COMX 347 - Rhetoric, Nature, and Environmentalism. 3 Credits.

Offered every other year. Prereq., WRIT 101 or equivalent, and one intermediate writing course. Survey of rhetorical texts that shape public understanding of nature and environmental issues. Analysis of a range of historical and contemporary environmental texts using theoretical concepts from the rhetorical tradition.

Gen Ed Attributes: Writing Course-Advanced

COMX 349 - Communication, Consumption, and Climate. 3 Credits.

Offered every other year. Analyzes consumption as a communication practice, investigates discourses that promote consumption, and illuminates environmental impacts on consumption.

COMX 351 - Principles of Public Relations. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. The many uses of communication in the endeavor of public relations. Communication theories and models including interpersonal communication, organizational communication, and mass communication are applied to explore the internal and external communication behavior associated with public relations.

COMX 352 - Public Relations Portfolio. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. Writing documents such as press releases, fact sheets, brochures and speeches to create relationships between organizations and their publics.

COMX 380 - Gender and Communication. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. The meaning of gender in our culture. Examines how gender is displayed and perpetuated through social institutions such as the media and through our private and public verbal and nonverbal interactions.

COMX 381 - Gender & Sports. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. COMX 380 is recommended. This class will examine how gender is communicated in sports. We will examine the role(s) sports play in creating and reinforcing our concepts of gender in a variety of contexts. We will look at such places like the locker room, media's coverage of sports, coaching and coaches, and the players themselves. Additionally, we will examine the actions of fans and the athletes and the roles they play on our understanding of gender. Finally, we will examine issues of race, sexuality, disability, class, and the language of sports to better understand the importance of those issues on gender.

COMX 391 - Special Topics. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

COMX 398 - Internship. 1-6 Credits.

(R-6) Offered autumn and spring. Preq., consent of instructor. Extended classroom experience that provides practical application of classroom learning during placements off campus. Prior approval must be obtained from the faculty supervisor and the Internship Services office. A maximum of 6 credits of Internship (398, 498) may count toward graduation. Offered CR/NCR only.

COMX 412 - Communication and Conflict. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn and spring. Conceptual and practical discussions of communication and conflict in interpersonal relationships, organizational settings and overall cultural milieu. Topics include culture, power, styles, negotiation and bargaining, mediation, dissent, dispute systems, and crisis communication. Credit is not allowed for both COMX 413 and COMX 412.

COMX 413 - Communication and Conflict-Writing. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. Prereq., WRIT 101 or equivalent, and one intermediate writing course. Conceptual and practical discussions of communication and conflict in interpersonal relationships, organizational settings and overall cultural milieu. Fulfills Upper-Division Writing requirement for Communication Studies majors. Credit is not allowed for both COMX 413 and COMX 412.

Gen Ed Attributes: Writing Course-Advanced

COMX 414 - Communication in Personal Relationshps. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. Prereq., WRIT 101 or equivalent, and one intermediate writing course and COMX 115S or consent of instructor. An examination of the functions, types, and historical context of close personal relationships with an in-depth study of the role of communication in friendships and romantic relationships.

Gen Ed Attributes: Writing Course-Advanced

COMX 415 - Intercultural Communication. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn and spring. Communication principles and processes in cross-cultural environments. Non-Western cultures are emphasized by contrasting them to Western communication norms.

COMX 421 - Communication in Nonprofit Organizations. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. Prereq., WRIT 101 or equivalent, and one intermediate writing course. Focuses on issues in nonprofit organizational communication at macro and micro levels. Topics include: organizational identity, change processes, public relations, fund-raising, advocacy, socialization, stress and burnout, board management and professionalization.

Gen Ed Attributes: Writing Course-Advanced

COMX 422 - Communication and Technology. 3 Credits.

Offered every other year. Prereq., WRIT 101 or equivalent, and one intermediate writing course. This course takes a critical look at the influence of communication technologies on organizational communication. Students will examine how the world of work is changing due to new technologies and explore the social and ethical implications of technical innovation, adoption and use.

Gen Ed Attributes: Writing Course-Advanced

COMX 423 - Organizational Communication Consulting and Training. 3 Credits.

Offered every year. Prerequisite, COMX 220S or consent of instructor. Not open to PCOM. Emphasis on the theoretical and practical issues involved in communication training and consultation. Overview of theoretical models followed by the "nuts and bolts" of communication training, development, and assessment. Students will carry out a training or consultation project (e.g., planning, execution, and evaluation) to sharpen the issues explored.

COMX 424 - Risk, Crisis, and Communication. 3 Credits.

Offered every other year. Prereq., WRIT 101 or equivalent, and one intermediate writing course. This course explores the communicative dynamics that both prevent and cause organizational crisis. Through case studies, the class examines how people plan, communicate and make good decisions in high-risk situations, as well as how to manage crisis public relations effectively.

Gen Ed Attributes: Writing Course-Advanced

COMX 425 - Communication in Health Organizations. 3 Credits.

Offered every other year. Not open to PCOM. This course explores the key issues at the intersection of health communication and organizational communication by considering communication processes that occur in a number of distinct contexts of health organizations. Through case studies and health campaigns students explore contemporary concerns and theory in the area of health communication.

COMX 445 - Rhetorical Criticism and Theory. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. Prereq., WRIT 101 or equivalent, and one intermediate writing course. Introduction to study of rhetorical criticism and theory. Current theoretical and methodological issues and approaches including traditional criticism, experiential criticism, dramatism, narrative criticism, feminist criticism, postmodern criticism.

Gen Ed Attributes: Writing Course-Advanced

COMX 447 - Rhetorical Construction of Women. 3 Credits.

Offered every other year. Prereq., WRIT 101 or equivalent, and one intermediate writing course. Explores the rhetoric surrounding contemporary women's social "activism" in the U.S. Topics include women's rights, women's liberation, consciousness raising as a rhetorical form, reproductive rights, sexuality, and intersections between gender, race, and class.

Gen Ed Attributes: Writing Course-Advanced

COMX 449 - Rhetoric of Women's Activism. 3 Credits.

Offered every other year. Explores the rhetoric surrounding contemporary women's social "activism" in the U.S. Topics include women's rights, women's liberation, consciousness raising as a rhetorical form, reproductive rights, sexuality, and intersections between gender, race, and class.

COMX 460 - Research Methods. 3 Credits.

Offered autumn and spring. Open only to majors in COMM. Prereq., Grade of C- or better in EDLD 486 or PSYX 222 or SOCI 202 or STAT 216. Introduction to the major types of communication research and the foundations of quantitative research methods.

COMX 461 - Communication Research Seminar. 1-3 Credits.

(R-9) Offered autumn and spring. Coreq., COMX 460. Application of quantitative and qualitative research methods to specialized contexts. Emphasis on direct student involvement in research activities.

COMX 480 - Health Communication. 3 Credits.

This course explores key findings in health communication research and practice, focusing on a wide range of media. As a survey course, it provides an overview of the field of health communication with attention to analysis and practice of health communication relationships and messages. It examines the literature and key health communication campaigns, messages and target audiences.

COMX 483 - Communication for Social and Behavior Change. 3 Credits.

Aims to equip students with skills for using the power of communication to bring about positive change locally and globally in areas such as public health, sustainable development, and social justice. The course connects theory to practice in social and behavior change communication and introduces a wide array of implementation models and tool kits. Level: Undergraduate-Graduate

COMX 485 - Interaction and Well-being. 3 Credits.

Offered yearly. Theory and research on the health correlates of human interaction.

COMX 491 - Special Topics. 1-3 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently. Not open to PCOM. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics.

COMX 492 - Independent Study. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered every term. Prereq., consent of instructor. Offered CR/NCR only.

COMX 493 - Study Abroad/Tours. 1-12 Credits.

COMX 495 - Practicum. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. Organized field experience.

COMX 510 - Sem Personal Relationships. 3 Credits.

(R-6) Offered yearly. Examines theory and research on the process and functions of communication in personal relationship contexts. Interdisciplinary readings illuminates the dynamics of communication in the development, maintenance, and deterioration of romantic relationships, friendships, and family relationships. Discussion and assignments center around theoretical, methodological, and practical issues in research on communicative activities and events in personal relationships. Level: Graduate

COMX 511 - Survey Interpersonal Comm. 3 Credits.

Offered every other year. Survey of theories and research in interpersonal communication including definitions of interpersonal communication, its place in the field of communication, and methodological issues. Overall emphasis on foundational readings and recent research developments. Level: Graduate

COMX 512 - Sem Comm Conflict. 3 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently. A review and discussion of current research regarding conflict in different levels and contexts of communication. Level: Graduate

COMX 515 - Enviro Negotiation Mediation. 3 Credits.

Same as ENST 515, LAW 519 and NRSM 515. This course prepares students to effectively engage in multiparty negotiation on natural resource and environmental issues. It is grounded in theory and provides an opportunity to develop practical skills in both negotiation and facilitation/mediation. Guest speakers, case studies, and simulations allow students to develop, test, and refine best practices. The course is face-paced, highly interactive, and serves as the second of three required courses in the Natural Resources Conflict Resolution Program. Level: Graduate

COMX 520 - Sem in Organiz Communication. 3 Credits.

(R-6) Offered every other year. Introduction to theories and research in organizational communication. Topics include culture, networks, structure, technology, identity, power, resistance, gender, and globalization. Overall emphasis on foundational readings and recent research developments. Level: Graduate

COMX 540 - Sem Instructional Comm. 3 Credits.

Offered every other year. Instruction in the theories, concepts, principles, and skills employed university level classroom communication and instruction. Level: Graduate

COMX 541 - COMM Teaching Methods. 2 Credits.

(R-8) Offered autumn and spring. Prereq., consent of instr. Restricted to Communication majors only. Offered CR/NCR only. Level: Graduate

COMX 555 - Sem Rhet Crit & Theory. 3 Credits.

Offered annually. Introduction to contemporary issues in rhetorical criticism and theory. Methods reviewed include classical criticism, dramatism, close textual analysis, ideographic criticism, narrative criticism, feminist criticism, and postmodern criticism. Level: Graduate

COMX 561 - Qual Research Methods. 3 Credits.

Offered every year. An emphasis on the philosophy and practice of qualitative inquiry, the development and use of descriptive frameworks, and gathering and testing qualitative data to develop human communication theory. Level: Graduate

COMX 575 - Sem:Rhet&Env'l Controversy. 3 Credits.

Offered every other year. Same as ENST 575. The study of how advocates use symbols to influence meaning and action in environmental controversies. Rhetorical theory is used to identify, analyze, and evaluate persuasive strategies and tactics. Level: Graduate

COMX 591 - Special Topics. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics. Level: Graduate

COMX 593 - Professional Paper. 1-3 Credits.

(R-6) Offered every term. Prereq., consent of instr. Preparation of a professional paper appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student. Level: Graduate

COMX 594 - Topical Seminar. 1-2 Credits.

(R-6) Offered intermittently. Prereq., consent of instr. A review and discussion of current research. Topics vary. Level: Graduate

COMX 595 - Special Topics. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered intermittently. Experimental offerings of visiting professors, experimental offerings of new courses, or one-time offerings of current topics. Level: Graduate

COMX 596 - Independent Study. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered every term. Prereq., consent of instr. Course material appropriate to the needs and objectives of the individual student. Level: Graduate

COMX 599 - Thesis. 1-9 Credits.

(R-9) Offered every term. Prereq., consent of instr. Preparation of a thesis or manuscript based on research for presentation and/or publication. Level: Graduate