Special Topics
Check back each semester for new Special Topic courses.
Summer 2025
Cinematic Arts
The purpose of this course is to develop the student’s understanding and appreciation of film sound aesthetics. The course explores the tools/practices that are necessary to develop a filmmaker’s sonic identity and style.
Fall 2025
Cinematic Arts
The purpose of this course is to develop the student’s understanding and appreciation of film sound aesthetics. The course explores the tools/practices that are necessary to develop a filmmaker’s sonic identity and style.
Podcast Storytelling affords students the opportunity to develop a new wave of audio content, create virtual gathering spaces and has the potential to create new audiences. Students will produce projects as either stand-alone or episodic and will publish their projects on a hosting site.
Interactive Media
CIM 489/689 section 1T
Journalism & Media Management
Students will utilize state-of-the-art equipment to produce multi-platform sports-related content, including podcasts, photojournalism, and video storytelling. There are no pre-reqs and anyone interested in sports should register!
This is a hands- on course where students learn best practices for long form storytelling for broadcast magazine programs in the style of 60 Minutes or PBS. We will examine long- form work from some of the best in the business, talk with reporters and producers about the work they do and work on content creation of their own. The students will hone their storytelling skills by creating 3-10 minute, in-depth stories on a variety of topics sharing a variety of voices. These stories, from investigative to innovative, will air on the award-winning UMTV PrimeTime.
JMM 592 section 1K
Students will learn to create basic animations, special effects, and motion graphics using Adobe After Effects through project-based instruction relevant to both beginners and experienced users.
Covering injustice and historically marginalized groups requires advanced knowledge and courage. This reporting course is designed for students to learn the necessary skills to cover the most ethically and professionally complex stories in journalism, such as gentrification, food insecurity, and environmental injustice. Furthermore, the class will help students develop their ability to build sustainable relationships with communities that have been disproportionately impacted by such issues and often ignored in traditional journalistic practice. Contact Department Chair of Journalism and Media Management Sallie Hughes for more information.
Strategic Communication
This course introduces the principles and practices of sustainability, with a focus on their application in graphic design and advertising. Students will critically examine the full life cycle of design solutions—from creation to disposal—and assess their environmental, social, and economic impacts within the broader system. Students will explore how digital platforms can play a role in balancing the environmental footprint with design needs encouraging them to view sustainability as a key factor in both design and business.
This class will examine the extraordinary success of the Taylor Swift brand, as well as the advertising, PR, social media, and business-oriented tactics Taylor Swift has used to build and grow her multicultural, multigenerational, worldwide fanbase. We will look at Taylor’s music and lyrics, her methods of communication, her planting of Easter eggs, and other unique ways she engages with, communicates with, and teases(!) her fans. The class also will apply the Taylor Swift phenomenon to help students understand important tenets of mass communication and freedom of expression, including the limits of the First Amendment, the right to privacy for public figures versus ordinary citizens, media coverage of celebrities and the proliferation of fake news, intellectual property, and defamation. And finally, we will discuss how Taylor Swift continues to use the power of her brand to help others in need, as well as to promote social, economic, and political good. The class has no prerequisites and is open to all majors!
STC 494 section 1K
This innovative class delves into the practical implementation of project management techniques through captivating real-world case studies across diverse industries such as hospitality, construction, sports and music. Students will not only gain a comprehensive understanding of project management methodology but also develop self-exploration and self-awareness skills, enabling them to navigate personal challenges, relationships, and responsibilities while excelling as effective project managers.