Environmental Communication Concentration

Students will learn to prepare and deliver informative and persuasive speeches, with an emphasis on researching topics, determining purposes and goals, and organizing content. They will also learn to construct well reasoned persuasive arguments, and how to improve aspects of delivery such as controlling nervousness and developing use of vocal variety.

This course is an introduction to the electronic, film and print media and their functions. It includes an examination of the background, organization, current influence and future trends of books, newspapers, radio, film, audio recordings, television and the internet. Contemporary problems of the media are covered such as the legal, social, economic and psychological implications of their relationships with society. Application of advertising and public relations and their use of the eight mass media outlets are addressed.

Sometimes what is effective is not always what’s right. In this course, students will explore moral philosophy and communication concepts and theories in order for them to develop clearer perspectives and ethical rationales for the communication choices they must make in their personal, academic and professional lives. The course covers issues surrounding privacy, public interest, freedom of expression, obligations to an audience, social justice, professional codes of conduct, stereotypes, diversity, plus individual, artistic and social responsibility.

This course examines persuasive communication in a variety of contexts (interpersonal, group, public) and media (face to face, computer mediated, traditional mass media). Topics will include classical rhetorical theory, social psychology theories, audience analysis, ethics, credibility and power. Contemporary applications of persuasion to be explored include political campaigns, media agendas, and sales promotion, and students can expect to produce a persuasive campaign of their own.

Communication tools can allow us to understand the complex dimensions of a given environmental problem, and to form an effective and ethical response to that problem. In this seminar, students will explore regional and global environmental challenges in the context of natural and human history, political and economic systems, and human and media communication framing. Students will select a specific, current topic in environmental policy to investigate, and formulate a strategic plan in response to the chosen problem.