Courses

This course is designed to develop a critical managerial perspective on key financial management issues confronting firms operating in a global environment. Through developing an understanding of financial markets, systems, and institutions, students will address a wide range of topics including equity, debt, foreign exchange, and credit instruments, as well as the principal derivative products. In a step-by-step fashion, making extensive use of real-world cases and examples, students will engage in such topics as: money markets, foreign exchange, bond markets, cash equity markets, equity valuation techniques, swaps, forwards, futures, credit derivatives, options, option risk management and convertible bonds.

The course focuses on competitive strategy at the corporate and business unit level. Strategy development is highly complex and this course helps students develop skills that identify and properly address issues. The format of the class is designed for thought and practice on the part of each student. Key topics include: learning curve, relative market share, value chain; Porter's 5 Forces, BCG, GE, PIMS, EVA, and other such concepts; mission statement, competitive positioning, SWOT and other aspects of analyzing one's own organization; forecasting ' sources of information, trends, and analysis; critically analyzing situations and persuasively presenting solutions to various audiences; ethics and corporate responsibilities; and implementation strategies.

An investigation into the nature and impact of mass media and popular culture. Students will explore a wide range technological, historical, economic, theological, and other social factors and issues so they will be equipped to answer the central question of the course: how can media users faithfully and critically engage the popular narratives and other media experiences of today's culture?

An intelligent, playful course in which students will apply the history, theory and practice of game design to the creation of games. While the material of this course is relevant to video game design, students will primarily focus on board and card games.

This course is designed to introduce students to key questions in the field of communication studies regarding human interconnectedness. Beginning with social scientific and humanistic models of inquiry it proceeds to survey theories and research, and requires students to investigate questions and formulate answers to personal, social, and global issues.

An introduction to basic self-awareness and interpersonal communication skills. Students learn about the nature of the communication process. The emphasis is on developing and practising the ability to communicate effectively with others. As part of the course requirements, students are expected to share personal (but not necessarily private) experiences with others.

This course gathers the entire department together on a weekly basis to talk about important issues facing communication students and professionals, and to help prepare students for finding and building their careers after graduating, which is accomplished by bringing in guest speakers from a variety of professions. These sessions also give an opportunity for students to consider the integration of faith and career. Another goal is to build connections and community within the department and the School of the Arts, Media and Culture.

This writing-intensive course orients students to the demands of academic research and writing within the Media + Communication major. By course completion, the diligent student should be able to write lucid, academic, and researched prose in the genres of cultural critique, scientific reporting, and term papers. Central to the course are the twin emphases of critical thinking strategies and research methods in the information age.