Class Type: MCCN - Page 2 - Communication Leadership

Classes

Classes are designed to challenge your thinking and develop your professional skills. You’ll leave each class with a unique set of tools to approach new communications challenges.

Tailor your experience to your career goals by focusing on one of eight areas of specialization. Use the search widget below to sort classes by quarter, specialization, instructor and degree track for each quarter. Get a comprehensive view of the full academic year in our Course Guide.

View the University of Washington Academic Calendar for important dates, including quarter start and end dates, registration dates and deadlines, and campus holidays.

Registration numbers (SLNs) are located on the Time Schedule. Please read the Department’s statement on internet resource requirements for access to courses.

COMMLD 525: Brand Values & Creativity

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- Current Quarter | 2026-2027 | Autumn 2026

Open Elective | 5 Credits
Wednesdays 9/30 – 12/9, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Room on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 12813

Course Description:

This course will take a close up look at corporate brand values in marketing communications today. Brand values should be timeless and unchanging, but in today’s constantly churning AI business environment, is this goal even possible? While generative AI, high volume video advertising, and A/B testing are exploding, paradoxically, messaging of corporate brand values is oftentimes minimized or sometimes eliminated. Marketing today is a sea of ever-changing algorithms, transactional communications, and confusing narratives. Should creativity be offloaded` to AI in today’s marketplace? Do customers even know what the companies they make purchases from actually stand for values-wise? Does it matter? How can companies still connect with consumers on a human level without completely outsourcing to AI?

Students will ideate a marketing film for a company or nonprofit of their choice. All the while, they’ll be considering deeply how emotion, story, and marketing message function in a project that resonates with the consumer while also reinforcing an organization’s belief system.

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COMMLD 520A: Principles of Marketing

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- Current Quarter | 2026-2027 | Autumn 2026

Open Elective | 5 Credits
Tuesdays 10/06 – 12/8, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Room on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 12809

Course Description

This course provides a foundational understanding of marketing principles and their application within business, nonprofit, and public-sector organizations. Students will learn through the lens of integrated marketing, a key skill in today’s marketing landscape. Our focus will be on understanding the key elements of a marketing strategy, including goal setting, audience identification, planning, and landscape analysis. Students will learn practical and commonly-used tools like SWOT analyses, stakeholder maps, brand positioning exercises, and messaging frameworks.

Building on this foundation, the course will also explore elements of brand and behavior change marketing, with real-world applications in areas such as public health, sustainability, and social impact. Students will complete the course with increased confidence in designing and executing strategies that work across public relations, creative, digital, and operational functions in complex organizations.

Through lectures, case studies, guest speakers, in-class activities, and group projects, students will connect theory with practice, based on their areas of interest and expertise. Students will develop portfolio-level plans to support their career goals. This class is a fit for students who plan to pursue more advanced coursework, and those with an interest in marketing, communications, public affairs, or brand strategy careers where cross-functional collaboration is essential.

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COMMLD 544 A/B: Professional Short-Form Writing

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- Current Quarter | 2026-2027 | Autumn 2026

Open Elective | Meets Professional Writing Requirement | 3 or 5 Credits
Wednesdays 9/30 – 12/9, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Room on Time Schedule
3-credit 544A Registration SLN: 12822
5-credit 544B Registration SLN: 12823

Course Description

This collaborative hands-on course explores the kind of short-form writing that dominates today’s rapidly evolving professional communications space — the digital space where lines between content and form increasingly blur and where always-on media feeds deliver a mix of advertising, marketing, public relations, human resources, personal brand-building and journalistic reporting and research. It’s a space that presents new writing challenges every day: professional emails, office memos, newsletters, website copy, funding proposals, executive summaries, op-eds, tweets, blurbs, blogs. Much of this material is badly done. Most of it is mediocre. The best of it, though, sings out and demands our attention, demonstrating mastery in the kind of critical thinking and dedicated practice that delivers copy sharply focused and sure in matching voice and material with form and audience. This course is part professional-communications criticism class and part writing workshop. It’s about learning how to identify good writing; it’s about understanding the process that produces good writing; and it’s about practicing that process yourself.

Students can choose between a 3-credit and 5 credit option:

• Section A will be 3 Credits and meet the Professional Writing Requirement. It meets 6-8:20.

• Section B will be 5 Credits and also meet the Professional Writing Requirement. It will meet for a longer period from 6-9:50 and include additional short form assignments over the course of the quarter.

Meets Professional Writing Requirement.

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COMMLD 570A: Building Successful Online Communities

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- Current Quarter | 2026-2027 | Autumn 2026

MCCN Elective | Meets Research Methods OR Ethics & Leadership Requirement | 5 Credits
Tuesdays 10/06 – 12/8, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Room on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 12830

Course Description:

Before Wikipedia was created, there were seven very similar attempts to build online collaborative encyclopedias. Before Facebook, there were dozens of very similar social networks. Why did Wikipedia and Facebook take off when so many similar sites struggled? Why do some attempts to build communities online lead to large thriving communities while most struggle to attract even a small group of users?

This class will begin with an introduction to several decades of research on computer-mediated communication and online communities to try and understand the building blocks of successful online communities. With this theoretical background in hand, every student will then apply this new understanding by helping to design, build, and improve a real online community.

Once per year, Comm Lead students have the lucky opportunity to learn from Benjamin Mako Hill, esteemed faculty in the Dept of Communications. Inevitably, his students reach out to me asking when he can teach again. Anyone interested in online communities personally or professionally should take this class if they can! –Gretchen Ludwig, Associate Director

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COMMLD 541A: Crisis Communication

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- Current Quarter | 2026-2027 | Autumn 2026

Open Elective | Meets Law & Ethics OR Law & Policy Requirement | 5 Credits
Wednesdays 9/30 – 12/9, 4:00pm – 7:50pm | Online
Registration SLN: 12821

Course Description:

The 24-hour news cycle, social media, and online reporting fundamentally changed how institutional leaders, executives, celebrities, politicians, and organizations address crises big and small. Effectively managing a crisis means not just employing PR strategies, but developing a comprehensive communications plan that disseminates actionable content and engages all stakeholders with equal focus across multiple and diverse networks.

This course will identify the key communication issues that must be addressed during an organizational crisis (real or imagined). We’ll examine implementation strategies to engage traditional and social media; digital networks; federal, state and local lawmakers; external and internal stakeholders; and consumers or constituents. As important, we’ll deconstruct and reinforce the personal ethics and behavior required by professionals in a crisis situation. This class uses current events, interactive discussions, real-time exercises, and engaging guest lectures to provide practical insight about effective techniques and lessons learned.

Meets Law and Ethics Requirement.

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COMMLD 535: Foundations of Audio Storytelling (Podcasting)

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- Current Quarter | 2026-2027 | Autumn 2026

Open Elective | 5 Credits
Wednesdays 9/30 – 12/9, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Room on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 12817

Course Description

The podcasting industry has surged in recent years, with podcasts also becoming an increasingly important part of marketing and communication campaigns. Since it is the only medium that audiences can consume while engaged in a multitude of other activities, audio storytelling has a unique advantage to inform, entertain and call to action.

This course will teach you how to use audio to tell a powerful story. You will learn how to create your own short sound-rich, nonfiction audio story driven by characters and scenes. You will move through the process of research, reporting, interviewing, writing, editing, and mixing an audio story, as well as pitching a story for radio or podcast. By the end of the class you will have a working knowledge of the basics of audio storytelling and production. You will feel more confident about how to support visual storytelling with audio, as well as how to work with a larger production team on audio projects.

This course is a good match for students who:

• Are seeking an individualized, project-based course

• Want foundational storytelling and editing skills that can translate into any medium

• Would like to learn how audio can elevate and transform storytelling

This class greatly elevated my ability to concisely tell stories!—Jacob Christensen, Foundations of Video and Advanced Video Practicum Instructor, and MCDM cohort ‘15 alumni

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COMMLD 531: Foundations of Video Storytelling: Marketing & Branding

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- Current Quarter | 2026-2027 | Autumn 2026

Open Elective | 5 Credits
Wednesdays 9/30 – 12/9, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Room on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 12815

Course Description

Approximately 183 hours of content is uploaded to YouTube every minute. Video isn’t the future of marketing, the revolution is already here and how brands leverage that storytelling capability sets them apart from the competition.

Whether you want to create video content as a full time job or you want to have the skill set in your back pocket as you navigate your communications career, this class will provide a strong foundation for maximizing video content in your marketing endeavors.

We will go over basics of how to use cameras but we will also talk about why content is successful and how we can best emulate those formulas. You are expected to exercise the craft of content creation while at the same time critically evaluating and deconstructing content you see in the marketplace.

Note: This is one of the two foundational courses covering video storytelling. The other class is the “Foundations of Video: Documentary Storytelling” class. Both will qualify you for taking Advanced Video Storytelling.

This class is a good match for students who:

• want to work in marketing and a foundational knowledge of how compelling video content is created;

• want to specialize in video content creation long term;

• are prepared for a time-consuming and rigorous learning experience.

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COMMLD 520B: Principles of Marketing

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- Current Quarter | 2026-2027 | Autumn 2026

Open Elective | 5 Credits
Mondays 10/05 – 12/07, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Rooms on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 22780

Course Description

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COMMLD 513: Content Marketing

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- Current Quarter | 2026-2027 | Autumn 2026

Open Elective | Meets Research Methods Requirement | 5 Credits
Saturdays 10/10, 10/24, 11/07, 11/21, 12/05, 9:00am – 5:00pm | Online
Registration SLN: 12807

Course Description

This course focuses on the approach and implementation of marketing programs that encourage community building and engagement. Content marketing is a special kind of content that you can use to build relationships with audiences, drawing new audiences or rewarding loyal fans. Our focus will be on how to give freely of our knowledge. We will explore a research-backed method for how to make content that educates and supports audiences, that complements advertising, mission-driven, or task-based content.

To do so, we will learn the basics of a content strategy process. Our 6 part data-driven methodology includes working with secondary research: stakeholder goals and audiences. Conducting our own primary research in comparative and content review. Building from research, we’ll explore best practices and tactics for messaging, content planning, and delivering strategy concepts to clients or coworkers. Our final product focuses on building brand storytelling, effective messaging, and planning adaptable content for multichannel (physical or digital) environments. Final materials can be useful for portfolios.

Meets Research Methods Requirement.

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COMMLD 501: Leadership & Communities

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- Current Quarter | 2026-2027 | Autumn 2026

Required Core Course | 5 Credits
Thursdays 10/01 – 12/10, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Room on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 12802

Course Description

Our core class offers an interactive, community-focused learning experience where students define and express their values, shape their leadership practices, and create portfolio pieces. Through a blend of individual and group assignments, we explore the meaning of “communication leadership” while developing key skills like active listening, reflection, innovation, collaboration, and storytelling. We aim to foster an awareness of the communication practices our community can contribute to shaping the future of work.

During class sessions we articulate shared values and cultivate a community that understands our mindsets are not fixed. Along the way, students build professional connections and engage with key leaders in the field who review and discuss topics with them.

Credit/No Credit only

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COMMLD 560E: Inclusive Design & Product Equity

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Liu

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- 2025-2026 | Summer 2026

Open Elective | Meets Law and Ethics OR Law & Policy OR Ethics & Leadership Requirement | 5 Credits
Mondays 6/22- 8/17, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Room on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 10727

Course Description:

Technology shapes who gets seen, heard, and served – and who gets left behind. This course prepares students to design products, services, and communications that work for a broader range of people and experiences.
Through the study of accessibility, inclusive design, responsible AI, and product equity, students will examine how technology can unintentionally exclude, disadvantage, or harm individuals and communities – and learn practical, industry-informed frameworks for identifying barriers, mitigating risk, and creating more equitable user experiences. The course culminates in a hands-on consulting project with a real-world organization, where students apply what they’ve learned to improve the inclusivity of a product, service, or communication strategy. Graduates leave with a portfolio-ready project, a practical toolkit for inclusive innovation, and the skills to help shape technology that works better for everyone.

Meets Law & Ethics Requirement.

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COMMLD 541A: Crisis Communication

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Hennessey

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- 2025-2026 | Summer 2026

Open Elective | Meets Law and Ethics OR Law & Policy Requirement | 5 Credits
Tuesdays 6/23 – 8/18, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Online
Registration SLN: 10726

Course Description

Crisis communications is about much more than “spin.” Crises will happen – in government, in the corporate sector, in nonprofits and political campaigns. What will differentiate you as a communicator is your ability to plan for it, navigate it in real time, and learn something from it. There is opportunity in crisis. A crisis forces us to look inside ourselves, at our policies, at our practices, and at how we do our business.

Of course, crisis communications has always been tough; social media and the advent of generative AI have just made it tougher. We will navigate the latest cultural challenges, from “cancel culture” to messaging in our polarized society. In this course, we will look at before the crisis (including planning), how we respond during the crisis (this includes the critical crisis communications plan) and after (this is where we cover actions one must take afterwards, including how to repair the damage done). The class is designed to look at crises in various sectors and will include participation from professionals in the field.

Meets Law and Ethics Requirement.

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COMMLD 520A: Principles of Marketing

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Ninivaggi

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- 2025-2026 | Spring 2026

Open Elective | 5 Credits
Tuesdays 3/31 – 6/2, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Room on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 21665

Course Description

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COMMLD 570D: Online Community Data Research

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Kiene

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- 2025-2026 | Spring 2026

Open Elective | Meets Research Methods Requirement | 5 Credits
Thursdays 4/2 – 6/4, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Room on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 12422

Course Description:

Navigating online communities constitutes a large portion of what we experience as “the internet,” and yet understanding these communities is not always a straightforward or easy task. This course will explore the nature of online communities, different ways we can come to learn about them, and how we should think about handling the data we collect (and indeed, whether to collect it at all). Students will gain a basic social scientific foundation for thinking about communities and the affordances of computer mediated communication before surveying several established approaches to collecting and analyzing data produced by and about specific communities, including surveys, web scraping, and social listening/monitoring.

Throughout, we will consider the ethical implications and demands of our work as researchers and professionals, emphasizing such values as respect for persons, prevention of harm, and beneficence. Students will conclude the course by developing group research projects using one or more of the methods we’ve learned together to answer a clearly defined research question and presenting their findings within a professional context.

Meets Research Methods Requirement.

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COMMLD 581: Communications in the Age of AI

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Schiller

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- 2025-2026 | Spring 2026

Open Elective | Meets Ethics & Leadership Requirement | 5 Credits
Sundays, 4/12, 4/19, 4/26, 5/3, 5/17, 9:00am – 5:00pm | Room on Time Schedule
Registration SLN: 21461

Course Description:

AI is transforming how organizations communicate, and the skill gap is real. The 2025 World Economic Forum’s Future of Jobs Report states that “On average, workers can expect that two-fifths (39%) of their existing skill sets will be transformed or become outdated over the 2025-2030 period.” AI and information processing technologies tops the list as the core drivers of this change.

This intensive class is about getting out in front. We’ll dive into the questions communication leaders are wrestling with right now: When should you use AI for comms and who should be empowered to use it? What are the risks if your team is unprepared, if you are too slow in adapting, or if you use it in inappropriate or ineffective ways? And how do you build policies and strategies that allow AI to accelerate work responsibly and ethically?

Students should come prepared for an intensive experience, with a full quarter’s work conducted over a 6-week time period. Class sessions will be fast-paced, hands-on, and grounded in real-world challenges. You’ll use multiple AI tools in class and for homework, debate outputs and scenarios, discuss best practices for decision-making, and hear from industry experts already implementing AI inside their organizations. The goal is to give you the tools and judgment to help you and your future employer navigate fast-evolving AI with confidence.

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COMMLD 541: Crisis Communication

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Visneski

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- 2025-2026 | Spring 2026

Open Elective | Meets Law and Ethics OR Law & Policy Requirement | 5 Credits
Mondays 3/30 – 6/8, 6:00pm – 9:50pm | Online
Registration SLN: 21442

Course Description:

Nothing is more dramatic than a crisis. When an organization, company, industry, or individual in the public eye is in a crisis, communication is one of the crucial routes back to normalcy. Oftentimes, organizations find themselves unprepared when a crisis hits and only then think “Oh goodness, we should get a crisis communications plan in place!” Trying to “spin” a bad situation can both be unethical, and ineffective, damaging reputation, and subsequently business.

This course will teach you how to be rapidly responsive, responsible, and to avoid common pitfalls in crisis comms. We will examine how organizations attempt to anticipate and recover from crises, how the broadcast and print media cover different types of crises, how crisis communications fails, and how it succeeds.

Meets Law and Ethics Requirement.

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COMMLD 525: Brand Values & Creativity

COMMLD 520A: Principles of Marketing

COMMLD 544 A/B: Professional Short-Form Writing

COMMLD 570A: Building Successful Online Communities

COMMLD 541A: Crisis Communication

COMMLD 535: Foundations of Audio Storytelling (Podcasting)

COMMLD 531: Foundations of Video Storytelling: Marketing & Branding

COMMLD 520B: Principles of Marketing

COMMLD 513: Content Marketing

COMMLD 501: Leadership & Communities

COMMLD 560E: Inclusive Design & Product Equity

COMMLD 541A: Crisis Communication

COMMLD 520A: Principles of Marketing

COMMLD 570D: Online Community Data Research

COMMLD 581: Communications in the Age of AI

COMMLD 541: Crisis Communication

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