COM 200: Media and Society

Spring
This course examines the effects of mass media on attitudes and behavior that are observed and experienced. A historical and student experiential perspective for current issues, developed from an examination of the business and profession of mass communication are examined. The functions, interrelationships and responsibilities of print, electronic, cinema and communication, journalism, marketing, public relations, business, management and the general college student or professional who would benefit from a conceptual/analytical examination of mass communication and seek to understand this important part of their culture. Students should leave the course with an understanding of the fundamentals of communication theory; how mass media systems evolved; how organizations, which make up the systems, operate; the effects of mass media on individuals, groups and institutions; and the influence of information technology on media systems and society.