Communication, Media and Theatre

CMTC-100. Introduction to Communication. 3 Hours.

The study of human communication with emphasis on how we communicate, the factors that influence the success of our communication interactions, and the areas in which communication take place.

CMTC-101. Public Speaking. 3 Hours.

The development of skills common to all forms of oral communication with emphasis on public speaking. Students will study organization, delivery, sources of materials and language usage.

CMTC-102. Public Speaking For STEM. 3 Hours.

In this course, students will study argumentation, organization, delivery, sources of evidence, and language usage when preparing informative and persuasive presentations in STEM. Students will apply their knowledge to present several speeches throughout the semester, possibly including an academic conference-style presentation.

CMTC-202. Voice and Diction. 3 Hours.

Emphasis on improving voice quality, volume, projection, rate, articulation, and pronunciation.

CMTC-210. Advanced Public Speaking. 3 Hours.

Concentrated study of public speaking and research for public speech, with attention to speech criticism and providing experience in various types of public speaking. Students will videotape selected talks for critique.

CMTC-213. Interpersonal Communication. 3 Hours.

This course studies how humans relate through the use of verbal and nonverbal symbols. Through participation and involvement, students explore how communication creates, maintains, and deteriorates relationships. Students also examine messages, meanings, feedback, nonverbal elements, listening, barriers and breakdowns as they affect relationships.

CMTC-214. Business And Professional Communication. 3 Hours.

This course focuses on the development of oral and written communication skills that are essential for professional life, including topics such as problem solving, listening, interviewing, and presentational skills.

CMTC-215. Small Group Communication. 3 Hours.

This course provides an in-depth study of small group communication processes. Students explore topics such as decision-making and problem solving, leadership, conflict, and diversity issues. Students are required to participate in group project.

CMTC-300. Mediated Communication. 3 Hours.

This is an investigation of the effects media and technologies have on social interaction and communication behaviors such as speaking, listening, understanding, and interpreting.

CMTC-301. Nonverbal Communication. 3 Hours.

This course explores the nature of non-verbal messages such as body language, facial expression, and artifacts in various communication contexts.

CMTC-305. Writing Intensive Program: Writing In Communication, Media & Theatre. 3 Hours.

This course is a writing intensive experience designed to introduce students to the functions and applications of various writing practices and theories in communication, media, and theatre. Students will gain an understanding of the foundations of these disciplines; recognize the broad categories of theoretical perspectives, such as humanistic, social scientific, and critical; and evaluate the contributions of various theories in interpersonal, rhetorical, organizational, media, dramatic, and intercultural contexts. This course includes formal (graded) and informal writing exercises of varying length and complexity, including but not limited to: free-writing, reading responses, and article critiques, as well as more advanced analysis and application papers.
Prerequisite: ENGL-101 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTC-306. Special Topics In Communication. 3 Hours.

This special topics course provides undergraduate students with the opportunity to study in depth a particular topic of communication. Topics will include, but are not limited to, the role and importance of communication in religion and science, politics, negotiation, intimacy and desire, and social difference.

CMTC-308. Independent Study in Communication. 3 Hours.

Individual investigation into a topic of the student's choice. Requires approval of instructor, chair and dean.

CMTC-310. Persuasion. 3 Hours.

This course examines contemporary theories and practices of persuasion through analysis and evaluation of persuasive messages in society from the used car lot to the presidential campaign.

CMTC-313. Communication, Gender & Identity. 3 Hours.

This course investigates some of the effects that gender and other identities have on communication behaviors, such as naming, language acquisition, professional orientation, conflict management, self-image, dress and social roles.

CMTC-314. Organizational Communication. 3 Hours.

This course examines organizational communication processes such as organizational culture, diversity, workplace participation and democracy. Students will assess (in)effective communication practices in organizations.

CMTC-315. Leadership Communication. 3 Hours.

This course examines the theory and practice of the social-emotional and task-related aspects of leadership processes. Students will explore standard works in classical leadership theory and contemporary frameworks related to motivation, emotional intelligence, and toxic leadership dynamics.

CMTC-316. Family Communication. 3 Hours.

This course studies the family system with a focus on the role communication plays in maintaining it. Students explore the functions of family roles, rules, and power and ways to increase or decrease communication effectiveness in this system.

CMTC-317. Intercultural Communication. 3 Hours.

This course explores issues in intercultural communication. Students will examine their own as well as other people’s cultures. Major topics include race and ethnicity, immigration, social class, intercultural conflict, and social justice and how these reflect and/or affect verbal and nonverbal communication processes.

CMTC-319. Conflict Communication. 3 Hours.

This course examines the communication processes in interpersonal, organizational, and intercultural conflict, with attention to theories, research and practice related to conflict management.

CMTC-329. Health Communication. 3 Hours.

This course is designed to provide an introduction to communication processes in various health care contexts. The course will integrate interpersonal, small group, organizational, and mass communication theory and research into a survey of areas such as communication between patients and caregivers, the role of culture in health practices, images of health in the mass media, and new directions in health communication technologies.

CMTC-330. Communication Research Methods. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the principles and methods of social scientific research as they relate to the antecedents, processes and outcomes of communication behaviors. This course is intended to cultivate skills necessary for interpreting and critically evaluating research results and for designing research projects. Topics include forming research questions and hypotheses, reviewing and critiquing literature, applying quantitative and qualitative research techniques, coding and analyzing observations and writing research reports.

CMTC-383. Professional Internship 1. 3 Hours.

Professional activities in a selected field of communication, performed and supervised at public or private facilities, corporate communication sites, businesses, agencies, etc.

CMTC-384. Professional Internship 2. 6 Hours.

(See CMTC-383 for description.).

CMTC-385. Professional Internship 3. 9 Hours.

(See CMTC-383 for description.).

CMTC-386. Professional Experience Seminar. 3 Hours.

The course will provide students with an opportunity to work in a professional communication, media or theatre position while examining the experience with a faculty member and their peers. For many students, a professional placement is a new, unfamiliar experience with a set of demands that are distinct from the academic world. This course will allow students to earn credit for an internship in their desired field, while enhancing their professionalism through discussion and reflection. Consent of the instructor is required.

CMTC-400. Special Topics In Communication. 3 Hours.

This special topics course provides graduate students with the opportunity to study in depth a particular area (e.g., intercultural, group, gender, family, organizational, interpersonal), topic (e.g., identity and difference, intimacy and desire, corporate consulting, political rhetoric), or method (e.g., rhetorical criticism, auto/ethnography, content analysis) of communication. The focus will be on critically examining foundational and contemporary works that advance the theory, research, and practice about this area, topic, or method.

CMTC-401. Introduction to Graduate Study. 3 Hours.

Problems, methods and resources involved in graduate study and research in all areas of communication, media and theatre.

CMTC-402. Seminar In Research Methods. 3 Hours.

An introduction to the principles and methods of Communication, Media and Theatre research. This course is intended to cultivate skills necessary for interpreting and critically evaluating research results and for designing research critiquing literature, applying quantitative and qualitative research techniques, coding and analyzing observations, and writing research reports.

CMTC-404. Communication Theory. 3 Hours.

An analysis of communication theories, including the nature of theories, message design and reception. Course covers a broad range of theories in the communication discipline, including both humanistic and social scientific approaches. Nonetheless, particular theories analyzed each semester will vary, depending on the instructor.

CMTC-414. Seminar In Organizational Communication. 3 Hours.

This course will provide an advanced look at the major elements of organizational theory that apply to organizational communication. This field, in a modern sense, began in the 1950's and since then has grown to be one of the biggest forces in communication today. We will examine what theories direct the reality of organizations and how much of that reality is managed for the purposes of controlling individuals, whether overtly or symbolically.

CMTC-416. Seminar In Interpersonal Communication. 3 Hours.

This is a seminar exploring the basic themes, concepts and debates in research on personal relationships. Students will learn to critically analyze theory and research about relationships. The course requires a major paper on one particular facet of communication in personal relationships.

CMTC-434. Independent Study In Communication. 3 Hours.

Individual investigation into selected topics in the theory and practice of communication. This course requires approval of the instructor, Department Chair and the appropriate College Dean(s).

CMTC-5901. Thesis Hours. 1 Hour.

Guidance of student work toward the completion of a thesis to fulfill the requirements for the Master of Arts degree in Communication, Media, and Theatre. Students may register for 1--‐3 credits per term with a total of 6 credits required to complete the thesis project. This course requires approval of the instructor, Department Chair, and the appropriate College Dean(s).
Requirement: Approval of the graduate advisor.

CMTC-5902. Thesis Hours. 2 Hours.

See course description for CMTC-5901.

CMTC-5903. Thesis Hours. 3 Hours.

See course description for CMTC-5901.

CMTE-490. Instructional Communication. 3 Hours.

Selected topics in methods and materials related to speaking and listening; instructional problems relative to type of programs, trends in instruction, sources, resources and research. Individual projects will adapt resources and methodology to a particular type of school and classroom, such as the inner city.

CMTE-492. Teaching College Speech. 3 Hours.

This course examines the tasks of the communication teacher; philosophy, objectives, materials and methods of instruction, communication curricula and departmental operations; and professional relationships in the community.

CMTM-105. Introduction To Journalism. 3 Hours.

This survey course introduces students to the field of journalism, its basic concepts, processes and practices. It is intended as a guide to the workings of the journalism industry, including its various branches, the basis of news judgment, and the nature of journalism in the era of new media. Its hands-on approach is designed to provide a theoretical as well as "real world" understanding of the news and application of principles related to the production and dissemination of the news.

CMTM-109A. First Year Experience: Chicago On Video: One Pixel At A Time. 3 Hours.

In this course, the five foundations of the First-Year Experience (Future Planning, Integral Preparation, Research, Self-discovery and Transitions) are interwoven with the field-specific concepts and terminology of video production. Students in this dynamic, hands-on class will turn the lens on other students engaged in hands-on learning….producing children’s theatre, testing water samples, conducting fieldwork, examining issues of social justice…and get a taste of both documentary production and advanced undergraduate coursework at NEIU. Students will also get to explore uses of video at the community level - from high school students covering sports events, to local immigrants keeping their cultural ties alive.

CMTM-160. Introduction To Cinema. 3 Hours.

This course introduces students to the basic elements of cinema (editing, cinematography, sound, etc.) and explores how these elements contribute to our understanding of the themes and meanings of a particular film. After gaining a foundational understanding of these formal elements, students assess how topics such as genre, narrative, authorship, and ideology help to shape cinema.

CMTM-205. Fundamentals Of Media Writing. 3 Hours.

This course helps students solidify grammar and writing skills so they can enter the competitive field of media. It focuses on punctuation and spelling issues and introduces the"Bible" of print media, The Associated Press Stylebook. Fundamentals of Media Writing picks up where Introduction to Journalism, CMTM-105, leaves off by moving students from talking about and analyzing journalistic writing to learning the basic tools to begin practicing the profession. The course serves as a skill-building foundation and prerequisite for News Writing, CMTM-367.

CMTM-250. Introduction To Audio Production. 3 Hours.

This course introduces students to the process of audio production. The course also explores sound as an industry and an art form, as well as a tool of self-expression and of story telling. Through a series of production exercises, working individually and in groups, the student becomes familiar with the process of audio production from concept to field recordings, to scripting and editing, to producing and mixing and then to sharing the finished work with others.

CMTM-260. Introduction to Video Production. 3 Hours.

This class will introduce students to the principles and practices of digital video production, with an emphasis on single camera field production and digital, non-linear editing. Aesthetics and conventions of television programs, independent/ art videos, and documentaries will also be examined.

CMTM-265. Mass Media and Society. 3 Hours.

Development and problems of the media; the history, regulation, and social and economic implications of the media; American media systems and their relation to the media's cultural content and function.

CMTM-310. Independent Study In Media. 3 Hours.

Individual investigation into a topic of the student's choice. Must have approval of instructor, chair and dean.

CMTM-3111. Fieldwork in Video Production. 1 Hour.

Academic credit (1-6 cr.) for guided video production fieldwork. Reserved for students who have been invited to participate in documentary, narrative, experimental, commercial or other relevant and typically off-campus field production opportunities. Student enrolls with media faculty who directs project and oversees student performance. Students will utilize research skills, apply principles learned in classroom, contribute meaningfully to a long-strand production, earn credit in a broadcast or higher-profile production, and explore career options. May be taken more than once, for a maximum of six credit hours.
Prerequisite: CMTM-260 with a minimum grade of C or MASS-260 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-3112. Fieldwork in Video Production. 2 Hours.

See CMTM-311 for course description.
Prerequisite: CMTM-260 with a minimum grade of C or MASS-260 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-3113. Fieldwork in Video Production. 3 Hours.

See CMTM-311 for course description.
Prerequisite: CMTM-260 with a minimum grade of C or MASS-260 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-3114. Fieldwork in Video Production. 4 Hours.

See CMTM-311 for course description.
Prerequisite: CMTM-260 with a minimum grade of C or MASS-260 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-3115. Fieldwork in Video Production. 5 Hours.

See CMTM-311 for course description.
Prerequisite: CMTM-260 with a minimum grade of C or MASS-260 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-3116. Fieldwork in Video Production. 6 Hours.

See CMTM-311 for course description.
Prerequisite: CMTM-260 with a minimum grade of C or MASS-260 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-350. Podcasting And Audio Documentary. 3 Hours.

This course will focus on the production of podcasts from conception to completion. Students will analyze and understand the history of the growing medium. They will learn basic audio production skills such as recording and mixing and then create their own podcast episode using digital audio tools. Students will develop interviewing and storytelling skills to compose stories with dialogue, ambient sound, and music. Students will learn from professionals in the industry and examine how podcasts are promoted to reach niche and/or mass audiences.

CMTM-360. Advanced Video Production. 3 Hours.

This hands-on class will expand students' understanding and application of the tools of video production. Student projects will primarily be individually produced, single camera video programs. We will screen many examples of video works, of a variety of genres and with an eye for the impact of the mode of transmission on the product. We will pay critical attention to audio for video, focus on the development of one's own "voice," and emphasize constructive criticism and revision.
Prerequisite: CMTM-260 with a minimum grade of C or MASS-260 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-361. Digital Video Editing. 4 Hours.

This hands-on class introduces students to the principles and practices of digital, non-linear video editing, including the aesthetics and conventions of film and video cutting, history and theories of editing, and technical aspects of editing. Students will use sample footage to edit, present and critique several projects, and they will edit a final piece using footage of their own choosing.
Prerequisite: CMTM-260 with a minimum grade of C or MASS-260 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-362. Video Production Workshop. 3 Hours.

In this intensive, hands-on class students will produce short non-fiction video modules, linked to a specific theme each term. Students will work in small production teams, and will write, direct, shoot and edit their segments, rotating responsibilities. Students will screen, critique and revise modules, create finished shows, and organize and promote screenings.
Prerequisite: CMTM-260 with a minimum grade of C or MASS-260 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-363. Documentary Film. 3 Hours.

Historical survey of the international non-fiction film, including creative films, anthropological films, and television journalistic documentaries.

CMTM-364. Writing For Media - Revolving Topics. 3 Hours.

This revolving topics course provides exposure to a variety of writing topics and writing formats that will give students studying media the opportunity to develop in-depth written works in a workshop environment, with an emphasis on constructive criticism and revision. Consult the Schedule of Classes for specific topics.

CMTM-364A. Writing The Sitcom. 3 Hours.

This is a course devoted to writing the television half-hour situation comedy - a highly conventionalized television form. Students will discuss theories of comedy, analyze the structure of the sitcom, and learn industry standards for formatting and developing a script from initial idea to final script. Students will work in an approximation of a television “writers’ room” in which feedback and critique are part of the creative process.

CMTM-364B. Solutions Journalism. 3 Hours.

This version of Writing for Media will focus on a new way of covering the news called “Solutions Journalism.” Students will read, analyze, and write news stories that address problems but also focus on the solutions.

CMTM-365. Contemporary Issues in Mass Media. 3 Hours.

This course provides an advanced study of the socio-psychological impact of the media upon contemporary society.
Prerequisite: CMTM-265 with a minimum grade of C or MASS-265 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-366. Multimedia Storytelling. 3 Hours.

This course will involve writing for various media platforms with practice in the multimedia creation of original works; experience in writing forms and content typical of various media and criteria for evaluating written work; discussion of career opportunities.
Prerequisite: CMTM-260 with a minimum grade of C or CMTM-250 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-367. News Writing. 3 Hours.

This course will take students through the basics of news writing and reporting. The course will demand in-class writing assignments that will help students prioritize information and write with accuracy under deadline. Students will discuss and be tested on current affairs and evaluate a variety of news sources. Students will cover local events and generate story ideas.
Prerequisite: CMTM-205 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTM-368. Community Media. 3 Hours.

The course will familiarize students with the important journalistic function uniquely served by community-based media, a function increasingly important in today's media landscape of centrally produced content controlled by fewer and fewer owners focused primarily on the economic needs of those owners and the advertisers. The course will introduce students to different forms of community media - print, video, audio, and new technologies - and how these contribute to the building of community.

CMTM-369. Special Topics In Journalism. 3 Hours.

This special-topics course will cover a particular aspect of journalism each time it is offered. Example topics include: Journalism of Impact, News and Social Media, Sports Journalism, Health Reporting, and The Future of News. Students in each class will take a deep analytical dive into a topic within the field of journalism. Depending on the topic, students may be expected to do original reporting, produce news stories, or complete a research project. Students will also be encouraged to work with campus media outlets.

CMTM-370. Public Relations. 3 Hours.

Examination of the history, development and practice of the public relations field, with attention to the planning, implementation and execution of public relations campaigns and the survey techniques and strategies used by public relations practitioners.

CMTM-371. American Cinema (Origins-1950). 3 Hours.

This course is an investigation of the evolution of American film history from its origins to the end of World War II. Students are introduced to the creative, industrial, and technological developments of the given period using a variety of analytical approaches. Films are investigated according to their historical, technological, aesthetic, and ideological significance as well as their genre placement.

CMTM-372. American Cinema (1950-Present). 3 Hours.

This course is an investigation of the evolution of American film history from the end of World War II until the present. Students are introduced to the creative, industrial, and technological developments of the given period using a variety of analytical approaches. Films are investigated according to their historical, technological, aesthetic, and ideological significance as well as their genre placement.

CMTM-373. World Cinema. 3 Hours.

An examination of the major influential film movements and filmmakers from around the world and their impact on the language of cinema. This course is intended to develop an understanding of the evolution of narrative film history by analyzing films according to their historical, technological, aesthetic and ideological significance.

CMTM-374. Special Topics In Film. 3 Hours.

This revolving topics course provides exposure to a variety of topics that will give students studying film the opportunity to engage in broader as well as more in-depth investigations of the history, concepts and theoretical approaches to film studies and the body of scholarship in this field. Consult the Schedule of Classes for specific topics.

CMTM-374A. American Horror Film. 3 Hours.

As one of the revolving topics in the Studies in Film course, this class will introduce the history, evolution, and important themes of the American horror film, serving as an overview of the genre and locating it in American historical, cultural, and literary contexts. Approaches will include close readings of films as well as psychoanalytic, ideological, and feminist analyses. A number of films and clips will be screened and discussed in the context of course readings.

CMTM-375. Contemporary Hispanic Cinema. 3 Hours.

An introduction to some of the major contemporary films and filmmakers from Spain and Latin American countries. The course will not only analyze the artistic merits of the films, but also examine the social, economic, historical and political context within which they were created and how their themes are related to national identity, as well as international concerns.

CMTM-376. Television History. 3 Hours.

An overview of the cultural history of television from its origins in radio to cable and satellite communication, primarily in the U.S., but with some comparison to international contexts. Television programs are the primary focus and will be used to explore topics such as technology, regulation, audience measurement, commercial and educational/public broadcasting, advertising and programming strategies.

CMTM-377. Gender And Media. 3 Hours.

This course examines representations of gender and sexuality in popular media. Students will begin with feminist theories of representation and follow theoretical developments that include issues of race, ethnicity, masculinity, and queer theory as they relate to film, television, and new media.

CMTM-378. New Media Technologies. 3 Hours.

This course explores emerging media technologies, including descriptions of the technologies, how their implementation affects existing media institutions, and social implications of the technologies. Emphasis is on historical perspectives on emerging media technologies in the global information society including digital audio-visual media, computers and consumer electronics, and various networking technologies. The course provides students with an understanding of the background, structure, functions, and current status for each technology. Emerging convergent media revolutionizing the global knowledge system will also be covered, including deregulatory policies, corporate mergers, and industrial restructuring.

CMTM-379. Media Law & Ethics. 3 Hours.

This course introduces students to the study of legal and ethical issues affecting U.S. mass media from journalistic and business perspectives. Specifically, the course will explore the legal and ethical responsibilities and rights of communicators and media professionals across various issues, including the First Amendment, defamation, privacy, newsgathering, regulation over media content, intellectual property rights, and regulation of electronic media and advertising industry. It will also help students think through media issues from a moral reasoning perspective by taking a variety of cases through an ethical framework.

CMTM-380. Special Topics In Television. 3 Hours.

This special topics course provides exposure to a variety of topics in television studies. Students will investigate historical, industrial, theoretical, and critical approaches to television studies. Consult the Schedule of Classes for specific topics.

CMTM-380A. Television Genres. 3 Hours.

Television Genres will cover a variety of scholarly approaches to the study of television programs. Genres can be studied for how they change over time, in response to cultural changes or economic exigencies. This course will take up theoretical questions of televisuality (the aesthetic conditions of the television text), and then focus on a number of particular genres. We will be primarily focusing on U.S. television, but there will be some attention to global questions, especially those of flow and format.

CMTM-381. Video Games & Interactive Media Studies. 3 Hours.

This course will cover a brief overview of the history of video games and then explores academic approaches to considering video games’ cultural values, analytical interpretations of games, and consideration about the evolving interactive media landscape. Students study the rich world of video games and interactive media through experiential and community learning and auto-ethnographic and academic research/writing lenses.
Prerequisite: (100 - 399 or 100A - 399Z).

CMTM-383. Professional Internship 1. 3 Hours.

Professional activities in a selected field of media, performed and supervised at public or private facilites, corporations, business agencies, etc.

CMTM-384. Professional Internship 2. 6 Hours.

(See CMTM-383 for description).

CMTM-385. Professional Internship 3. 9 Hours.

(See CMTM-383 for description).

CMTM-390. NEIU Cinémathèque. 1 Hour.

A “cinémathèque” is a small, specialized theater where important films are screened, discussed, archived, preserved, and loved. Drawing upon the tradition of cinémathèques across the world, this course will provide an opportunity for students to screen, discuss, and research important works of cinema here at Northeastern Illinois University. With on-campus resources such as 35mm prints screened by the Chicago Film Society and our extensive holdings of the Criterion Collection in the Ronald Williams Library, students will learn about the material practices surrounding film such as archival collection, preservation, and restoration as well as distribution, exhibition, criticism, and reception.

CMTM-410. Independent Study In Media. 3 Hours.

Individual investigation into selected topics in theory and practice of media. Independent studies require the approval of the instructor, Department Chair and appropriate College Dean (s).

CMTM-465. Mass Communication Theory. 3 Hours.

This course is designed to investigate the concepts, ideologies, and resulting scholarship that are relevant to the study of mass communication. Students will study a variety of mass communication theories and will critically evaluate the merits of these perspectives. Students will develop research projects to further interpret and utilize mass communication theories.

CMTM-466. Media And Cultural Studies. 3 Hours.

This graduate seminar is designed to expose students to a “cultural studies” approach to media. Cultural studies scholars are primarily concerned with issues of power, and this approach has long informed the discipline of critical media studies. The focus on media will explore structures of power and inequality as they relate to the politics of identity and experience. Drawing upon foundational readings in the field as well as current media and cultural studies scholarship, students will spend the semester exploring the way in which these structures of power materialize in media texts and industrial formations.

CMTM-467. Special Topics In Film & Television. 3 Hours.

This special topics course provides graduate students an opportunity to explore historical and theoretical approaches specific to studies of film and television. Special topics may include film history and theory, television history, national cinemas, genres, industrial technologies and trends, and issues of representation such as race, class, and gender. Required: Graduate standing.

CMTM-468. Seminar In New Media. 3 Hours.

This course will explore critical approaches to “new media” by considering the dual meaning of the term. On one hand it describes the sense of “newness” often accompanying emerging media technologies throughout history, but it also describes the important contemporary shift from analog to digital media. Students will examine the history of several media technologies at critical moments of development, change, or rupture as well as analyze issues relevant to digital media such as file sharing, social networking, identity theft, surveillance, and cyberwarfare.

CMTT-109. First Year Experience: Staging Chicago:Performances In, For, & About Chicago. 3 Hours.

In Staging Chicago students will read, watch, write, and perform plays about Chicago. Special attention will be paid to plays that premiered in Chicago and were produced by Chicago artists. In addition to reading plays, students will have an opportunity to stage scenes and present their own theatrical interpretation of the Second City.

CMTT-130. Introduction to Theatre. 3 Hours.

Survey of the components of theatrical experience and the function of the various contributors to theatrical production. Attendance at selected theatrical productions is required.

CMTT-203. Voice For The Performer. 3 Hours.

This course offers an intensive exploration of spoken vocal performance technique for the actor. Students will examine the function and usage of breath, create healthy connection between breath and sound, build resonance, and improve articulation skills leading to dynamic performances in a variety of texts and forms.

CMTT-220. Improvisation. 3 Hours.

Emphasis on mastering improvisational theatre games for both actor training and performance.

CMTT-221. Acting 1. 3 Hours.

The basic skills of acting including the actor's internal preparation for playing a role and the development of his/her external technique for projecting the role to the audience.

CMTT-240. Foundations Of Theatrical Design. 3 Hours.

This course introduces the elements of art and principles of visual design as they relate to the theatrical design areas of scenery, costumes and lighting. Students will learn how to analyze a play for design and apply this foundational knowledge to a dramatic text by creating the scenery, costumes and lighting design ideas based on text analysis, point of view, and research in the form of a production notebook.

CMTT-242. Costume Construction. 3 Hours.

Students will learn theatrical costume construction techniques through the study of basic fabric handling, pattern cutting, hand and machine sewing, and fabric dying. Students will also learn costume care and storage.

CMTT-249. Makeup. 3 Hours.

Fundamentals of stage and television makeup for straight and character roles; emphasis on the application of makeup, historical periods and uses of masks.

CMTT-309. Independent Study in Theatre. 3 Hours.

Individual investigation into a topic of the student's choice. Approval of instructor, department chair and dean.

CMTT-321. Acting 2. 3 Hours.

Building on the skills developed in Acting 1, this course deepens the student’s exploration of the professional craft and demands of acting. Class sessions will take a rigorous approach to theatrical movement, character analysis, safe emotional connection, and the embodiment of action, intention, and point of view necessary for impactful storytelling. Course materials will focus on current plays and playwrights driving the national and global theatrical conversations of today.
Prerequisite: CMTT-221 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTT-331. Western Theatre History. 3 Hours.

This course charts the history and development of theatre and drama of the "West" from the approaches of the ancient Greeks through the early twenty-first century. Students will engage in active study of the societal conditions that sparked theatrical response as well as the evolution of civic and artistic approaches that have been synthesized into the Western branch of today's common theatrical forms.

CMTT-332. History Of Theatre 2. 3 Hours.

Chronological survey of the development of theatre and drama of the Western World from the Renaissance period to the twentieth century.

CMTT-333. Contemporary Theatre. 3 Hours.

This course is an intensive survey of contemporary theatre from the twentieth century to the present with an emphasis on the past five years of theatrical culture and global contributors to the field. Students will learn about dramatic structure and characters. They will read, analyze and discuss a variety of dramatic works that are in dialogue with the emerging socio-political climate around the globe. As a capstone of this course, students will research a given topic and write an original ten-minute play, and submit it to the Nuevas Voces: A Ten-Minute Playwriting Contest.

CMTT-334. Special Topics In Theatre. 3 Hours.

In-depth study of the major works of a single dramatist or movement, the relationship of those works to the period in which they were produced, and their place in the history of dramatic literature. Consult the Schedule of Classes for specific topics.

CMTT-337. Women In Playwriting. 3 Hours.

This course examines the work of the dynamic women who have shaped theatre through their words and stories. The class will investigate the lens of women playwrights and the diverse range of art created through that lens.

CMTT-339. Technical Theatre Production. 3 Hours.

The study and practice of technical theatre production in the areas of scenery, lighting, costumes, and props. Students collaborate and execute the designs for the Stage Center Theatre Mainstage Season.

CMTT-340. Scenic Design. 3 Hours.

This course offers a comprehensive study of the principles of scenic design theory and practice. Students will analyze dramatic text, conduct visual research, execute renderings, write design concept statements, and design and build a scaled, color model of their concept.
Prerequisite: CMTT-130 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTT-341. Lighting Design. 3 Hours.

This course is a comprehensive study of the principles of lighting design theory and practical application.
Prerequisite: CMTT-130 minimum grade of C or PERF-130 minimum grade of C.

CMTT-342. Costume Design. 3 Hours.

In-depth study of the basic design skills, identification of textiles, as well as analysis of dramatic texts for costuming and coordinating designs with a theatre production team.
Prerequisite: CMTT-130 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTT-343. Stage Management. 3 Hours.

In-depth study of the job of the Stage Manager, including production planning, prompt book design, scheduling and managing rehearsal time, and actually stage managing and calling a show.
Prerequisite: CMTT-130 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTT-345. Directing. 3 Hours.

Principles and techniques of the director's art.
Prerequisite: CMTT-130 with a minimum grade of C or CMTT-221 with a minimum grade of C or CMTT-350 with a minimum grade of C or CMTT-351 with a minimum grade of C or CMTT-359 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTT-346. American Musical Theatre. 3 Hours.

Survey of the history and evolution of American musical theatre, particularly focusing on the “Broadway musical”, within the context of the political, economic, social and cultural events.

CMTT-347. Playwriting. 3 Hours.

Study of dramatic art with practice in the writing of plays for dramatic production. An attempt will be made to provide laboratory productions of outstanding student works.

CMTT-349. Summer Theatre. 3 Hours.

A laboratory class covering all phases of theatre production in conjuction with the production of a play script. Includes acting, directing, set and costume design, choreography, lighting, props publicity and theatre management as related to the production of a play script.

CMTT-350. Children's Theatre Workshop:Elementary. 4 Hours.

This course offers a comprehensive look at all facets of creating and producing theatre for Elementary school aged youth. Students research professional approaches to theatre for young audiences, rehearse, design, market, create youth engagement experiences, and build education strategies in order to generate critical storytelling experiences for young people. The course culminates in a class mounted production of a play for Chicago Public School student audiences in Stage Center Theatre.

CMTT-351. Children's Theatre Workshop:Middle and High School. 4 Hours.

This course offers a comprehensive look at all facets of creating and producing theatre for Middle and High School aged youth. Students research professional approaches to theatre for young audiences, rehearse, design, market, create youth engagement experiences, and build education strategies in order to generate critical storytelling experiences for young people. The course culminates in a class mounted production of a play for Chicago Public School student audiences in Stage Center Theatre.

CMTT-357. Interpretation Of Shakespeare. 3 Hours.

This course will offer an in-depth examination of the life, legacy, and theatrical craft of William Shakespeare. Through an interactive exploration of selected works, performance techniques, and global productions of the bard's work, we will seek to humanize Shakespeare the playwright, and examine the artistic voice that has resonated across centuries and continues to impact every aspect of our lives and every stage on which we perform.

CMTT-358. Acting 3. 3 Hours.

This course will serve as a professional preparatory laboratory for advanced acting students. Students will engage in a rigorous, practice-based study of professional acting practices, audition technique training, audition repertoire building, the business and industry of theatre, and career preparation. Actors in the course will work to cultivate a body of work that truly represents their true artistic self and then share that body of work with the profession. The course arc leads directly to a professional showcase of student work for invited leading members of the professional Chicago theatre community including directors, producers, casting directors, and management reps.
Prerequisite: CMTT-321 with a minimum grade of C.

CMTT-359. Experimental Theatre. 3 Hours.

In this course, students will study and perform experimental modes of theatre. Methods may include collaborative devising, verbatim theatre, playback theatre, physical theatre, relational performance, solo storytelling, game theatre, and live art techniques.

CMTT-383. Professional Internship 1. 3 Hours.

Professional activities in a selected field of theatre, performed and supervised at public or private facilities, theatres, organizations, schools, etc.

CMTT-384. Professional Internship 2. 6 Hours.

(See CMTT-383 for description.).

CMTT-385. Professional Internship 3. 9 Hours.

(See CMTT-383 for description.).

CMTT-393. Drama For Teaching And Learning. 3 Hours.

CMTT-393 is a practical, process-oriented course designed to introduce students to techniques for using drama as a teaching tool. From 20th century techniques for using drama as a teaching tool in elementary and middle schools, to contemporary approaches to drama as a means of community engagement and social intervention with youth and adults, students will explore multiple methods for applying drama and theatre in a variety of pedagogical settings. Course assignments are hands-on and emphasize various techniques in a space conducive to developing increased proficiency, both individually and in groups.

CMTT-423. Independent Study in Theatre. 3 Hours.

Individual investigation into selected topics in methods and materials for dramatic activities. Permission of instructor, chair, dean & graduate director.

CMTT-430. Performance Theory. 3 Hours.

This graduate level course will examine the theory and study of performance creation and interpretation through the lenses of narrative and aesthetic. Students will explore a variety of theoretical, philosophical, and performative approaches to understanding diverse performance narratives and the visual interpretation, composition, and storytelling that render such narratives meaningful to artist and audience alike.

CMTT-446. Arts Administration. 3 Hours.

This course will examine best practices in arts administration including institutional approach, mission development, structures, strategies, policies, and success assessment in the not-for-profit, commercial, and educational arts sectors. Students will investigate active and current "real world" case studies in an exploration of the competitive landscape of artistic producing and presenting.

CMTT-473. Special Topics In Theatre. 3 Hours.

This revolving topics course allows graduate students the opportunity to study in-depth, specific theatre methods, movements and motivators. Consult the Schedule of Classes for specific topics.