> Courses

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 501: Leadership Through Story and Communities: Creativity and the Digital Age

(

Crofts

)

- 2018-2019 | Autumn 2018

Required Core Course for MCDM and MCCN
Saturdays, 9/29, 10/13, 10/27, 11/10, 12/1 | 9:00am-5:00pm | NAN 181
Registration SLN: 23665

Course Description:

The Comm Lead core classes are designed to build off one another, with the Fall core class focused on personal narrative and leadership styles, with the Spring core class opening the aperture on narrative to include organizational storytelling and engagement. Both classes are also designed to set expectations and behaviors for a fruitful graduate school experience that encourages students to take accountability for their own learning, to see themselves as creatives, as leaders, and as entrepreneurial thinkers whose evolving expertise serves not just their own professional growth, but the wellbeing of their greater community at large.

This foundational class considers personal leadership development through the two lenses of story and community, with particular attention paid to contemporary research on creativity. In this digital age when the technology of communication is so pervasive and accessible, leadership and creativity go hand in hand to produce strong community engagement. Oneʼs personal history and cultural context influences oneʼs leadership style, so using cross-sector profiles and guest speakers, we will carefully consider a range of leaders, their personal narratives, communication styles, and how they connect meaningfully to customers, colleagues, and constituents. As part of the course applied learning, you will be asked to research and produce an original final project concerning a communication issue that you find compelling and that reflects your personal and professional interests, ambitions, and curiosity within the field of communicationStudent Testimonial.

Student Testimonial:

“This course is about being able to understand that leadership and creativity are main tools in developing authentic, real and strategic messages. The class enhances the understanding of communications patterns in current organizations where storytelling becomes a unique tool to reach audiences when messages are everywhere. I learned in this class that one of the main things to true leadership is about opening ourselves to others in order to connect with them. There needs to be an ability to listen to others and care. Online worlds created by the fast-changing digital media technologies go back to the essence of connection with others. This class is the best personal and professional learning experience I had since I started the program. It gave me the creative room to imagine that everything is possible if you open up to yourself and to others. Leadership is a trait you can develop by using storytelling as a tool but in the end it’s about being able to share who you are with others and connect by listening back. The best storyteller is one who knows how to listen. Anita Verna Crofts, the professor of the course, represents that ideal teacher who is not only academically and professionally experienced, but who also cares for the whole growth of the people around her. Having this class changed my perspective on leadership, creation of communities and storytelling, but most importantly on myself.”

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COMMLD 541: Crisis Communication

(

Schwartz

)

- 2018-2019 | Winter

Track Neutral | Meets Law and Ethics Core Requirement
Wednesdays, 1/9-3/13 | 6:00-9:50pm | MGH 295
Registration SLN: 22054

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; internal and external; local, national, and international. 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 address how the tools of communication influence crisis communication strategies. In addition, it will identify the key issues that must be addressed during an organizational crisis (real or imagined) from a communications perspective. It will 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, it will 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.

Student Testimonial: 

“This course is one of my favorites and Melissa is infectious. The variety of crisis cases that we looked at, presented each week and the readings that were required to be read were mind boggling. Not only did the course teach how to handle crisis, but also taught how to improve presentation skills, public speaking skills and more than anything, how to prevent crisis especially on social media when you have the option of preventing. Overall an amazing program and I have already recommended it to a lot of my classmates who started in Fall.”

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COMMLD 502: Narratives and Networks in Digital Media

(

Yasin

)

- 2019-2020 | Spring

Required Core Course for MCDM and MCCN
Thursdays, 3/30/20-6/5/20 | 6:00-9:50pm | Location TBD

Course Description:

This foundational course examines how organizations across different sectors tackle their challenges using tools of communication. Through case studies and guest speakers the course exposes students to common organizational problems and the potential of communication tools in solving them. The course also asks students to apply their learning by creating their own communication solutions for (1) an actual organizational challenge for class clients that they are matched with or (2) a cause/issue of their own choosing. In addition to the final project, students will write professionally-oriented articles aimed at developing their leadership in the communication fields about course readings and discussions. Credit/no-credit only.

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COMMLD 501: Leadership Through Story and Communities

(

Chang, Crofts

)

- 2019-2020 | Autumn

Required Core Course for MCDM and MCCN
Lecture: Saturdays, 9/28, 10/12, 10/26, 11/9, 12:00-1:50pm, SAV 260, and 11/23, 9:00-4:50pm, MGH 241
Sections: (By Assignment) Thursdays, 9/26, 10/10, 10/24, 11/7, 10:00-11:50am or 2:00-3:50pm, CMU 126
or Saturdays, 9/28, 10/12, 10/26, 11/9, 9:30-11:20am, SAV 162 or SAV 168, or 2:30-4:20pm, SAV 168

Course Description:

The Comm Lead core classes are designed to build off one another, with the Fall core class focused on personal narrative and leadership styles, with the Spring core class opening the aperture on narrative to include organizational storytelling and engagement. Both classes are also designed to set expectations and behaviors for a fruitful graduate school experience that encourages students to take accountability for their own learning, to see themselves as creatives, as leaders, and as entrepreneurial thinkers whose evolving expertise serves not just their own professional growth, but the wellbeing of their greater community at large.

This foundational class considers personal leadership development through the two lenses of story and community, with particular attention paid to the Declaration of Communication Leadership. In this digital age when the technology of communication is so pervasive and accessible for many, leadership and story go hand in hand to produce strong community engagement in the service a more equitable and just world. One’s personal history and cultural context influence one’s leadership style, so using cross-sector profiles and guest speakers, we will carefully consider a range of leaders, their personal narratives, communication styles, and how they connect meaningfully to customers, colleagues, and constituents. As part of the course applied learning, you will be asked to produce a portfolio with a section for each of the seven tenets of the declaration: storytelling, technology, values, responsibility, community, advocacy, and leadership. Credit/no-credit only.

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COMMLD 520: Brand Values and Creativity in Marketing Communications

(

Howard

)

- 2018-2019 | Summer

Track Neutral
Mondays, 6/24-8/19 | 6:00-9:50pm | DEN 113
Registration SLN: 10906

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 a constantly fluctuating business environment, is this goal even possible? While high volume video advertising and A/B testing is exploding, paradoxically, messaging of corporate brand values is oftentimes minimized. Marketing today is comprised of ever-changing algorithms, transactional communications, and confusing narratives.Should creativity play a bigger role in storytelling 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 emotionally with consumers? Students will conceive of, research, shoot, edit, and create a marketing film for a company 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 a company’s belief system.

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COMMLD 541: Crisis Communication

(

Schwartz

)

- 2018-2019 | Summer

Track Neutral | Meets Law and Ethics Core Requirement
Tuesdays, 6/25-8/20 | 6:00-9:50pm | DEN 213
Registration SLN: 14498

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; internal and external; local, national, and international. 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 address how the tools of communication influence crisis communication strategies. In addition, it will identify the key issues that must be addressed during an organizational crisis (real or imagined) from a communications perspective. It will 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, it will 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.

Student Testimonial: 

“This course is one of my favorites and Melissa is infectious. The variety of crisis cases that we looked at, presented each week and the readings that were required to be read were mind boggling. Not only did the course teach how to handle crisis, but also taught how to improve presentation skills, public speaking skills and more than anything, how to prevent crisis especially on social media when you have the option of preventing. Overall an amazing program and I have already recommended it to a lot of my classmates who started in Fall.”

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COMMLD 510: Decision Science and Content Strategy

(

Kabiri

)

- 2019-2020 | Winter

Track Neutral Elective
Thursdays, 1/9-3/12 | 6:00-9:50pm | CMU 232

Course Description:

This course introduces students to content strategy through the lens of Decision Science. Successful content requires solid decision-making by the professionals who create it. But it also relies on a firm understanding of audience decision-making, so that communications can effectively sway audience decisions. This course will explore the audience half of this equation. Students will be introduced to behavioral and social science principles that apply to decision-making, including heuristics, game theoretic models, network effects, institutional constraints, and cultural and social norms. The course will also include a market research component, to teach students how to uncover drivers of decision-making among their target audience. Finally, the course will pull it all together, guiding students as they apply these learnings in the creation of a content strategy proposal.

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COMMLD 502: Narratives and Networks in Digital Media

(

Yasin

)

- 2018-2019 | Spring

Track Neutral | 5 Credits
Thursdays, 4/4-6/6 | 6:00-9:50pm | PCAR 291

Course Description:

This foundational course examines how organizations across all sectors successfully craft their story and message it internally and externally. The course looks at various theories and case studies of organizational storytelling and communication, which provide important context for how organizations map their values, identities and image to the story they convey to employees and the broader public. The course also asks students to apply these theories, create solutions and draft a plan concerning an actual organizational challenge for class clients that they are matched with in the class. In working with real clients, the class hopes to facilitate the pursuit of professional networks for students whilst also building strategic thinking and planning skills, which will be reflected in students’ in-class group projects. In addition to the group projects, students also write professionally oriented articles aimed at developing their leadership in the communication fields. 

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COMMLD 536: Intensive Video Storytelling: Conceptualizing, Shooting, and Editing

(

Keller

)

- 2019-2020 | Summer

Track Neutral Elective | 3 Credits
Wednesday-Sunday, 8/5-8/9 | 9:00am-5:00pm

Course Description:

Producing a video is a multi-step effort, with thoughtful decision-making involved throughout the process. How do the choices you make in the creation and delivery of your story affect the reception of your message? This course explores how engaging online video relies on effective storytelling. This skills-based course is designed to familiarize you with video tools associated with storytelling: specifically, how to develop, shoot, and edit video.

Storytelling has been part of the human experience since the formation of language. Today, the technology that surrounds the “tell” of a story (the modes and channels of communication) directly shapes a viewer’s experience. This course focuses on the practical decisions you make as you craft a narrative.

Given the compressed five-day timeline of this course, we will emphasize skills development. Because this class will be taught virtually you will practice these skills using devices you currently have available. This can be as simple as a phone or as advanced as a DSLR. The skills you will be demonstrating (including pre-production, videography, and video editing) are not dependent on the technology on hand.

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COMMLD 501: Leadership and Communities

(

Crofts

)

- 2020-2021 | Autumn

Track Neutral | Core Requirement | 2 Credits
Thursdays 10/1-12/10, 6:00pm – 7:50pm | Online

Course Description:

This foundational class considers leadership development through the two lenses of story and community. Sustained community engagement in the service of a more equitable and just world requires strong leadership models. Personal history and cultural context influence leadership styles, so using cross-sector profiles and guest speakers, we will carefully consider a range of leaders, their life stories, communication styles, and how they connect meaningfully to customers, colleagues, and constituents. Credit/No Credit only.

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COMMLD 501: Leadership and Communities

(

Crofts

)

- 2020-2021 | Winter

Track Neutral | Core Requirement | 2 Credits
Mondays 01/04-03/08, 6:00pm – 7:50pm | Online

Course Description:

This foundational class considers leadership development through the two lenses of story and community. Sustained community engagement in the service of a more equitable and just world requires strong leadership models. Personal history and cultural context influence leadership styles, so using cross-sector profiles and guest speakers, we will carefully consider a range of leaders, their life stories, communication styles, and how they connect meaningfully to customers, colleagues, and constituents. Credit/No Credit only.

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COMMLD 502: Narratives and Networks

(

Yasin

)

- 2020-2021 | Spring

Track Neutral | Core Requirement | 3 Credits
Thursdays 04/01-06/03 | 8:00PM – 9:50PM PST | Online

Course Description:

Introduces students to key discussions on communication and organizational narratives facilitated by digital media and emerging technologies and explores methods of creating powerful communication networked tools for organizations. At the end of the quarter students create their own communication projects. Credit/no-credit only.

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COMMLD 501: Leadership and Communities

(

Yasin

)

- 2021-2022 | Autumn 2021

Track Neutral | Core Requirement | 2 Credits
Thursdays 09/30-12/09, 8:00PM – 9:20PM PDT | SAV 260
Registration SLN: 13052

Course Description:

This foundational class considers leadership development through the two lenses of story and community. Sustained community engagement in the service of a more equitable and just world requires strong leadership models. Personal history and cultural context influence leadership styles, so using cross-sector profiles and guest speakers, we will carefully consider a range of leaders, their life stories, communication styles, and how they connect meaningfully to customers, colleagues, and constituents.

Credit/No Credit only

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COMMLD 503: Practicum in Creative Approaches to Community Events

(

Crofts

)

- 2021-2022 | Winter 2022

Track Neutral Elective | 3 Credits
Mondays 1/3 – 3/7, 6:00PM – 8:20PM | CMU 126 | Hybrid
Registration SLN: 12694

Course Description

Organizations of all sizes across all sectors rely on community-facing events to build their resources (people’s time, talent, and treasure) to achieve their stated goals. COVID upended these annual events, and as the U.S. eases into a new season of the pandemic, nonprofits with mighty missions are faced with a dilemma: what do community engagement events look like in 2022? At the Seattle-based organization FEEST, this is a critical question given their mission of youth-led food justice. How can FEEST communicate and engage the public creatively in ways that preserve the “breaking of bread” connections that are formed shoulder to shoulder at a shared table? Students will be asked to help FEEST reinvent a Spring 2022 showcase event by researching and designing inventive ways to build community, promote awareness, and center youth leadership. The design challenge of this practicum spans sectors and tools and strategies learned in this practicum have wide application.

About 503 Communication and Leadership Practicum
Communication and Leadership Practicum courses give students an opportunity to engage with and understand the uses of course concepts in contemporary professional practice by addressing the challenges of real-life organizations.Each section of the Comm Lead Practicum focuses on a distinct professional skill or practice that is deemed essential across a variety of professional fields. Students can choose their section based on their interests and needs.

Each section is matched with a client organization or group of client organizations who are interested in partnering with Communication Leadership students.

In the span of a quarter, students analyze the issues faced by the client organization(s), collaborate and brainstorm collectively in small teams, and with the support of their faculty mentor create a deliverable for the client organization(s) that relates to the specific practice. Students may also create creative samples as part of the project. In doing so, students can develop and enhance skills, build foundations of practice, and produce work that they can include in their own professional portfolios.

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COMMLD 502: Narratives and Networks

(

Yasin

)

- 2021-2022 | Spring 2022

Track Neutral | Core Requirement | 3 Credits
Thursdays 3/31 – 6/2, 6:00PM – 8:20PM | PCAR 192 | Hybrid
Registration SLN: 12603

Course Description

Introduces students to key discussions on communication and organizational narratives facilitated by digital media and emerging technologies and explores methods of creating powerful communication networked tools for organizations. At the end of the quarter students create their own communication projects. Credit/no-credit only.

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COMMLD 501: Leadership and Communities

(

Yasin

)

- 2022-2023 | Autumn 2022

Track Neutral | Core Requirement | 2 Credits
Thursdays 09/29-12/08, 6:00PM – 8:20PM | PCAR 192
Registration SLN: 13009

Course Description:

This foundational class considers leadership development through the two lenses of story and community. Sustained community engagement in the service of a more equitable and just world requires strong leadership models. Personal history and cultural context influence leadership styles, so using cross-sector profiles and guest speakers, we will carefully consider a range of leaders, their life stories, communication styles, and how they connect meaningfully to customers, colleagues, and constituents. Credit/No Credit only

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© Copyright 2025 Department of Communication. University of Washington

© Copyright 2025 Department of Communication. University of Washington