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Course Information

Understanding Media (COM 150)

Term: 2026-2027 Academic Year Spring

Faculty

Charles W EcenbargerShow MyInfo popup for Charles W Ecenbarger
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Schedule

Tue-Fri, 12:30 PM - 1:45 PM (1/11/2027 - 5/5/2027) Location: MAIN MG 113

Description

This survey course explores the evolution, current landscapes, and influence of media, including print, broadcast, film, digital, social, advertising and public relations. Students will examine historical contexts, ethical issues, global perspectives, and media’s relationship with culture, politics, law, and
technology. Key frameworks provide tools to analyze media’s societal roles in shaping norms, identities, and power dynamics. Students will develop critical personal perspectives on media’s advantages and problems, grounded in theory and contemporary research. Meets General Education Distribution Area I.C and III.A. (pre-2025) Meets General Education Distribution Area Analytical Thinking and Historical Thinking; Information Literacy, Culture, Rhetoric, and Media Focus Areas.