Communication and Media Studies Summer Courses

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COMC 1101 R21 - Communication and Culture: History, Theory, Methods
Summer Session II, July 5 - August 7, 2023
Rose Hill, Hybrid: TTh, 01:00PM - 04:00PM

An introduction to the history, theory, and methods of Communication Studies, Media Studies, and Cultural Studies. This serves as the required introductory course for the major in Communication and Culture. It provides students with a basic theoretical foundation for understanding the interdisciplinary traditions of our field, an historical examination of key paradigms and theorists, and an overview of the methodological approaches used by scholars of mediated communication. We will explore the ways in which theory and methodology are inextricably intertwined and how their relationship shapes both inquiry and analysis. Supplemental asynchronous online coursework will be required in this course.

CRN: 14933

Instructor: D’Aiello, Alan
4 credits

Prerequisites: COMM 1000 or COMM 1010
Fordham course attributes: ACUP, AMST, ASAM, ASHS, DISA, DTEM, DTMM

COMC 2117 PW1 - Language and Strategic Communication
Summer Session III, May 30 - August 7, 2023
Online, Asynchronous

Our use of language forms the basis of communication, whether the intent is to report or represent, persuade or promote, inform, instruct, or influence. Words and symbols serve as tools for thought and guides for action in communication to the public, within organizations, and among individuals. Understanding how we evaluate and respond to messages and information is essential to effective strategic communication. This course emphasizes pragmatic strategies for avoiding misevaluation and misunderstanding, resolving conflict, improving clarity of communication, and framing ideas and arguments, through analysis of the role of language and other codes in professional and personal environments.

CRN: 15037

Instructor: Strate, Lance
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: CCMS, LING

COMC 2277 V11 - Media and Sexuality
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Online: TWTh, 09:00AM - 12:00PM

By all accounts, we have witnessed an explosion of LGBTQ representation in the media over the last decade. This course critically examines the terms of this new visibility and inquires into the exclusions that accompany the recognition of certain queer and trans subjects. Through the study of media, film, and popular culture, we will explore how representations of sex and sexuality are also central to the construction of ideas about race, class, gender, and nation. Supplemental asynchronous online coursework will be required in this course.

CRN: 14886

Instructor: Moorman, Jennifer
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: CCUS, CELP, EP3, PJGS, PJST, WGSS

COMC 2329 L11 - Introduction to Media Industries
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Lincoln Center, Hybrid: TTh, 09:00AM - 12:00PM

This course presents an introduction to the critical study of media industries. Students will not only survey institutional, social, and technological histories of the media industries, they will be introduced to scholarly approaches to studying issues such as media organization, the political economy of media, and media governance and regulatory policy. By engaging with recent writing and debates in the field, students will develop the skills necessary to examine media institutions, analyze their operations, and assess their impact on society. Supplemental asynchronous online coursework will be required in this course.

CRN: 14799

Instructor: Hockenberry, Matthew
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: AMST, ASAM, CMT, JOUR, SSCI

COMC 4360 V11 - Communication Ethics and the Public Sphere
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Online: MTWTh, 06:00PM - 09:00PM

This course deals with the policy decisions and ethical issues facing society in the telecommunications age. Of special concern are the ethical issues raised by the melding together of heretofore discrete media into vertically integrated, profit-oriented, corporations.

CRN: 14883

Instructor: Kamin, Diana
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: AMST, APPI, ASAM, CCMS, CELP, CMST, EP4, HCWL, HUST, JETH, JOUR, PJMJ, PJST, URST, VAL

COMC 4380 L21 - Media and Moral Philosophy
Summer Session II, July 5 - August 7, 2023
Lincoln Center, Hybrid: MW, 01:00PM - 4:00PM

This seminar examines public discourse through the lens of moral philosophy. Debate in the public sphere often uses moral narratives to make sense of difficult issues or events. When something grips the national attention—such as a school shooting, a hotly contested election, or an environmental disaster—we don’t just need to know what happened, we also need to grapple with why. We want to understand whether and how this changes who we are as a society and our place in history. To this end, news and social media create diverse and often contradictory narratives about who is blameworthy and who is a victim, about what moral goods are at stake, and the best way to protect and promote them. Understanding these narratives in moral terms is crucial to becoming an ethically informed public citizen because it helps us grasp the deeply human stakes underlying what may often seem like endless newsfeed chatter. Each iteration of the course focuses on a different issue. In this version of the course, we will be looking at the moral narratives around gender. Supplemental asynchronous online coursework will be required in this course.

CRN: 14931

Instructor: Schwartz, Margaret
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: ACUP, AMST, ASAM, ASRP, CCMS, CCUS, CMST, EP4, VAL, WGSS

COMM 3701 PW1 - Summer Internship Seminar
Summer Session III, May 30 - August 7, 2023
Online, Asynchronous

In this course, we explore the development of a life’s work in the context of broader issues in the contemporary media workplace, broadly defined. Through asynchronous discussion, exercises, readings, and reflections, we will examine students’ own experiences in contemporaneous internships, exploring subjects including finding meaning in your work, diversity in the workplace, connecting with mentors and role models, identifying your workplace values, and more. As much as possible, this course will cater to the particular needs and professional ideals of the students enrolled.

CRN: 15068

Instructor: Mowlabocus, Sharif
3 credits

Fordham course attributes: CMST, COMC, DTEM, FITV, JOUR

DTEM 2421 V11 - Digital Production for New Media
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Online: TWTh, 09:00AM - 01:00PM

This course focuses on analysis and practice of visual design concepts as they apply to a wide range of digital software programs. The course generally covers photo editing, audio editing, video editing, desktop publishing, and basic website design. Classes are structured around individual production assignments with a focus on project management, composition, and layout. Lab fee.

CRN: 14885

Instructor: Katsafouros, Catherine
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: JOUR, NMAC, NMAT, NMDD, NMMI, ZLB2

DTEM 2452 L11 - Game Culture: Theory and Practice
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Lincoln Center: MTWTh, 01:00PM - 04:00PM

Games are everywhere and over 155 million Americans play them regularly on tabletops and electronic devices across the county. Their prevalence has prompted the medium as a space for expression, art, and meaning-making. Moving beyond the notion of simple entertainment games are creating provocative experiences to promote change or understanding. This course emphasizes exploration and critical thinking as we discover how games are designed to address issues such as social justice, gender representation, behavioral change, and education. Through analyzing game artifacts and engaging in creative exercises, students will be able to think critically about games and how they are designed. Students will apply this literacy into their own game projects. This course is open to anyone who is interested in games and their possibilities.

CRN: 14803

Instructor: Vicari, Christopher
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: AMST, ASAM, NMAT, NMDD

DTEM 4440 V21 - Privacy and Surveillance
Summer Session II, July 5 - August 7, 2023
Online: MTWTh, 09:00AM - 12:00PM

New technologies, from closed-circuit television cameras to large databases, have shifted the information landscape in ways that call into question cultural assumptions and social norms about sharing, visibility, and the very essence of privacy. Can we have privacy in the digital age? Is mass surveillance justified? Whose interests are being served, and who is at risk? This course is designed to promote student awareness of and sensitivity to the ethics, values, and latest developments in global privacy and surveillance.

CRN: 15016

Instructor: Klang, Mathias
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: ACUP, AMST, APPI, ASAM, ASHS, CELP, NMAC, NMAT, NMDD, NMMI

DTEM 4480 R11 - Digital Media and Public Responsibility
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Rose Hill: TTh, 06:00PM - 09:00PM

An examination of the public cultures, goods, and problems that emerge from the ongoing integration of digital media into everyday life. This course goes beyond a traditional focus on personal problems and responsibilities to explore how publics have and can take collective responsibility to address structural inequities in a digital society.

CRN: 14846

Instructor: D'Aiello, Alan
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: ACUP, AMST, APPI, ASAM, ASHS, CELP, EP4, JETH, JOUR, NMDD, NMDE, VAL

DTEM 4480 L21 - Digital Media and Public Responsibility
Summer Session II, July 5 - August 7, 2023
Lincoln Center, Hybrid: MTWTh, 01:00PM - 04:00PM

CRN: 14930

Instructor: Donovan, Gregory
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: ACUP, AMST, APPI, ASAM, ASHS, CELP, EP4 JETH, JOUR, NMDD, NMDE, VAL

FITV 1501 V11 - Understanding Film
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Online: TWTh, 01:00PM - 05:00PM

Examination of the aesthetics of film, its formal language, and structure. Screening and analysis of representative films. Study of film theory and criticism. Strongly recommended that students complete this course before other film courses. Lab fee.

CRN: 14884

Instructor: Moorman, Jennifer
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: COLI

FITV 2601 L11 - History of Television
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Lincoln Center, Hybrid: MW, 06:00PM - 09:00PM

This course surveys the aesthetic, technological, and industrial developments of American television. Starting with the foundations of television in radio and in the global developments of television technologies, the course moves through the development of the network era up to the transitional stages between network and post-network eras. Four-credit courses that meet for 150 minutes per week require three additional hours of class preparation per week on the part of the student in lieu of an additional hour of formal instruction.

CRN: 15105

Instructor: Prettyman, Michele
4 credits

Prerequisites: FITV 1601 or COMM 3332 or COMM 2330

Fordham course attributes: ACUP, AMST, APPI, ASAM, ASHS

FITV 4570 L21 - Films of Moral Struggle
Summer Session II, July 5 - August 7, 2023
Lincoln Center: MTWTh, 01:00PM - 04:00PM

The course studies the portrayal of human values and moral choices both in the narrative content and the cinematic technique of outstanding films. Class discussion tends to explore ethical aspects of each film's issues, while numerous critical analyses of the films are offered to develop the student's appreciation of the film's artistic achievements. Lab fee.

CRN: 14952

Instructor: Foley, Ashar
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: ACUP, AMST, ASAM, ASRP, BEVL, CELP, COLI, EP4, PJMJ, PJST, REST, VAL

JOUR 3723 R11 - Interviews and Profiles
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Rose Hill, Hybrid: TWTh, 01:00PM - 05:00PM

This course includes intensive work in developing and writing profiles accompanied by readings from Boswell to Mailer. This course will help students develop a personal interview style that complements their individual strengths. Students will examine various interview strategies and learn how to compile their notes into a cohesive and compelling narrative. In-depth critiques of profiles will be provided. Supplemental asynchronous online coursework will be required in this course.

CRN: 14800

Instructor: Welby, Julianne
4 credits

Prerequisites: COMM 2083 or COMM 2082 or JOUR 1701 or JOUR 1702

Fordham course attributes: CWW, ENGL, JWRI

JOUR 4766 V11 - Television News Innovators
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Online: TWTh, 09:00AM - 01:00PM

This interdisciplinary capstone course bridges the disciplines of journalism studies, media studies, and history. It surveys the most prominent figures in the history of electronic journalism—producers, executives, anchors, correspondents—and explains how their work shaped the course of American history. Innovators whose work is studied include Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite, Ted Koppel, Barbara Walters, Mike Wallace, Ed Bradley, Roone Arledge, Ted Turner, and Roger Ailes. We discuss the historical episodes covered by these innovators including World War II, McCarthyism, the Civil Rights movement, the Vietnam War, the Iran Hostage Crisis, and the 1991 Gulf War. We will then investigate how the television news coverage of these events affected their outcomes.

CRN: 14801

Instructor: Knobel, Beth
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: ACUP, AMST, APPI, ASAM, ASHS, FITV, ICC, JPLH

NMDD 3150 L11 - Creative Coding
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Lincoln Center, Hybrid: TWTh, 01:00PM - 03:00PM

This course will develop programming skills used in the digital humanities, all in the context of critical and cultural media studies. Students will learn basic coding concepts such as variables, loops, graphics, and analyzing sound data, and will connect them to current debates in the culture of coding. No previous coding experience is required.

CRN: 14899

Instructor: Vacca, Ralph
4 credits

Fordham course attributes: DTEM

PMMA 5001 V21 - Public Interest Media Theory and Practice
Graduate Summer Session II, July 5 - August 8, 2023
Online: MW, 06:00PM - 09:00PM

Graduate course. Serving as a core introductory course for the Public Media MA program, this class examines central topics in the study and practice of media in the public interest. Students consider what is the role of media and communication in promoting (or constraining) positive social change, and what unique roles do journalists and strategic communication professionals play throughout this process? What do we mean, exactly, by concepts such as public media, the public interest, social justice, and civic engagement? How do historical and contemporary power dynamics, information technologies, and economic structures shape the types of stories that dominate the public sphere, and how do resistant voices find ways to disrupt those narratives over time? Course readings and multimedia materials are drawn from a wide variety of academic disciplines and professional sectors, while course assignments ask students to grapple with real-world topics, aiming to not only analyze social problems but also identify potential solutions.

CRN: 15052

Instructor: Levinson, Paul
3 credits

PMMA 5101 V11 - Freedom of Expression
Summer Session I, May 30 - June 29, 2023
Online: TTh, 06:00PM - 09:00PM

Graduate course. This course examines the history and theory of freedom of expression in the United States. We will trace the philosophical and political origins of free speech, examining key assumptions about human nature, individual liberty, and the role of government in a Democracy underlying the First Amendment. The Constitutional Framers gave us an incredible gift of freedom. But with that freedom comes responsibility. This class explores that tension. When, if ever, should expression be regulated in a Democratic society? When should the rights of the individual be curtailed to protect the group? Should all forms of media have the same degree of freedom? What special challenges are posed by the development of new communication technologies? Are there any types of speech that should be restricted? If so, which ones, and who should decide? Are there certain circumstances when free speech should be curtailed in order to support other interests, such as diversity, equality, or respect for differences in religious beliefs? Should limits on speech be allowed in the name of national security? Should certain forms of expression be prohibited during wartime? What kind of restrictions can be placed on public protests? Should propaganda be legal? An investigation of our nation’s history – and the major Supreme Court cases dealing with freedom of expression – suggests that despite often lofty rhetoric about liberty. Americans actually have a great deal of ambivalence about free speech. By studying the application of First Amendment theory to various situations, such as flag burning, hate speech, restrictions on public protests, leaks of classified material, and dissent during wartime, we will explore just how much freedom we actually have, and how much we really want to have.

CRN: 14977

Instructor: Levinson, Paul
3 credits

Fordham course attributes: CEED, CENS, PMTC, PSIC

PMMA 6216 L21 - Communicating Criminal Justice
Graduate Summer Session II, July 5 - August 8, 2023
Lincoln Center, Hybrid: TTh, 06:00PM - 09:00PM

Supplemental asynchronous online coursework will be required in this course.

Graduate course. This course helps students prepare for work involving advocacy or journalism by exploring the criminal justice system, with a focus on the role of communication. The course will present an overview of policing, justice, and incarceration and the information streams each part of the criminal justice system creates. Students will leave the course able to find and use the data created by police, courts, prisons, jails, government agencies, and other organizations involved in criminal justice. Students will also explore issues of ethics and equity in the criminal justice system, and will learn to be discerning consumers of criminal justice journalism, research, and data. Open to students in both the strategic communication and multi-platform journalism tracks of the public media M.A. program, as well as to other graduate students with interest in communicating about criminal justice.

CRN: 15079

Instructor: TBA
3 credits

Classes listed as either Lincoln Center or Rose Hill will meet on-campus only. Classes listed as "Online" during Session I or II will meet synchronously online during their scheduled meeting times. Students in different time zones should plan accordingly. Session III online courses are asynchronous (exceptions are noted in course descriptions).

Hybrid courses will meet in person on campus at the times indicated; additional online work will also be required.