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Communication, Sport, and Society
Covers the cultural influence of communication about sports on society. Explores how communication enables cultural meanings and values to become associated and established within sports.  Exposes students to the ways factors such as race, gender, and nationalism manifest and perpetuate via communication about sports (3 cr.).                                

Introduction to Sports Media
An introductory course that investigates global sport media landscape, including areas of print, broadcast, Internet and evolving social media platforms. Functions of media delivery, skills, and attributes required of industry professionals are discussed. Students become acquainted with career opportunities in the sport media field. Also covers ethical considerations in sports communications (3 cr.).

Sports Publications
Building off of “Introduction to Sports Media,” the operations and procedures behind the various arms of the print media. Students will learn about newspapers, magazines, and web publications by first analyzing their historical evolution and basic business models. The primary goal is to understand how these media outlets define their target audience, satisfy commercial obligations, and then create relevant and appealing material. Students will analyze the style and tone of the various media outlets by reading different publications and critiquing the presentation along with the substance of the words on the page. After the analytical work is completed, the second half of the semester will be based on students writing copy for newspapers, magazines, and web publications. (3 cr.).

Sports Media Relations
Deals with the workings and process behind executing the proper techniques of media relations in all facets of the sport industry. The media relations offices of college/university athletic departments or professional franchises act as liaisons between the school/team and the media. To better understand how both sides work to form this symbiotic relationship, sport organizations will be analyzed in terms of their organization and execution of promotion and marketing strategies.  Topics include the mechanics of creating press releases and other materials, as well as techniques in managing crises. (3 cr.).

Social Media and Sports Communication
Covers the influence of communication and social media in sports and how these technologies are changing the communicative infrastructure of sports. Students explore how social media is re-configuring sports media, how sports organizations are managing social media, and how social media affects fan behavior and athlete communication. (3 cr.).

Communication in Sports Organizations
Examines communication dynamics in sports organizations. Among others, topics may include identifying how sports organizations manage crisis communication, communication with stakeholders, sexual harassment, ethical issues, and dissent. (3 cr.).

Sports Media Criticism
Students gain in-depth understanding of sports communication issues through critically analyzing actual media coverage of sporting events, addressing social issues involved in college and professional sports, and developing an understanding of sports promotion and advertising. (3 cr.).

Narratives in Sports Documentaries
Investigates sporting narratives through the examination of contemporary documentaries. Emphasis on sporting influence on individualistic and societal levels through story, setting and various themes, including forgiveness, regret, pursuit of happiness and structured, calculated rebellion. (3 cr.).

The Business of Sports
Providing a broad and real-world overview of the sports business marketplace. This course will equip students with the financial and accounting acumen necessary for them to succeed as executives in sports organizations. The goal here is to provide students with hands-on experience and relate theory to current events in preparation for real-time business challenges. (3 cr.).

Sports Promotion
Every industry relies on the benefit of promotion — in all its various forms. This course will examine marketing communication concepts, strategies, methods, and issues as they relate to the sports industry. The roles of public relations, mass media, and social media in sports communication within the amateur, collegiate, and professional ranks will also be covered. Ultimately the goal of this course is to provide students with a conceptual and strategic understanding of sports promotion. (3 cr.).

Advanced Sports Communication
Combination seminar and primary research class that explores contemporary sports communication issues, sports communication and race/gender. Students write position papers on seminar topics and conduct primary research on sports communication topics of their choice. (3 cr.).