> Courses > 2022-2023

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 503: Practicum: Content Strategy for Chatbots Intensive

(

Joslyn

)

- 2022-2023 | Summer 2023

Track Neutral | 2 Credits
Monday – Friday 7/31 – 8/4, 9:00AM – 5:00PM | Online
Application Required – See Description

Course Description

This practicum intensive will offer students the chance to experience what it’s like to plan, build, test, and complete a real-life chatbot for an on-campus client, all in the form of a week “sprint.”

Students will be organized into pods to complete key milestones of the work.  Some students will work on project management, some in content design, product design, and UX research. A project brief and key milestones will be provided to start the class, but everything from picking out the chatbot product, working with stakeholders, creating the experience, conducting research, and providing a completed chatbot experience will be students’ responsibility to own. Class will be held 9-5pm for a week, with most of the time working in teams to create key deliverables. Your faculty mentor will be available to offer feedback on milestone progress, while the client will be engaged during key touchpoints to offer feedback on deliverables. 

**Since this class takes foundational concepts to the next level, students who register must have either already taken COMMLD 510: Introduction to Information Architecture, one of our intro courses (511 or 512), or Content Marketing (513) or have equivalent UX experience. Please fill out this form to the best of your ability. The form will open at 6:30AM PST on Monday, April 10, 2023. If your form is approved, you will receive an add code to register for the course. (Note: applications will be time stamped, and qualified applicants will be added to remaining class spots on an equitable basis determined by time of application and remaining time in the program. The application can be found here: https://forms.office.com/r/FVtR4LKj3j

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 530: Ethics of Storytelling

(

Graney-Saucke

)

- 2022-2023 | Summer 2023

Track Neutral | Meets Law & Ethics Requirement | 5 Credits
A Term: Tuesdays/Thursdays 6/20 – 7/18, 6:00PM – 9:50PM | CMU 126
Registration SLN: 14192

Course Description

Ethics plays a critical role in how we tell stories. What values are behind the story? Who is telling the story, and for whom? What is the intended outcome, and what could the potential impact be? What are the ethics around new media technology like deep fake as we continue to take stories at face value?

Ethics and subjective bias in storytelling can also be complex, and thus they require our attention and reflection in responsible and responsive creative communications. This course will address various storytelling mediums and scenarios where ethics in storytelling are actively at play. Students will engage in critical discourse and assignments to assess values that impact ethical decisions personally and professionally. Assigned media and reading material as well as student sourced case studies will be used in order to ensure diverse and current content. As a conclusion to the class, students will create a final video, audio, web or UX project that engages an ethical challenge.

Meets Law & Ethics requirement.

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COMMLD 521: Digital Media Branding and Marketing

(

Mottola

)

- 2022-2023 | Summer 2023

MCDM Elective | 5 Credits
Wednesdays 6/21 – 8/16, 6:00PM – 9:50PM | Online
Registration SLN: 10833

Course Description

This course is designed for students that will be utilizing their MCDM education and experience in the marketing arenas in businesses and organizations (including non-profits) or in leadership functions where an understanding of marketing is an important skill. The focus of the course will be on how to build a brand online or extend a legacy offline brand into a relevant online brand by examining how the most interesting and dynamic brands operate today. We will explore how they utilize digital media marketing channels to reach target customers and address issues that may arise as the brands mature or uncontrollable events arise. 

While digital has offered us many more opportunities and “shiny objects” to reach and communicate with customers, the fundamental marketing skills and theories don’t change much or quickly. Learning to be strategic about how to apply these fundamentals will allow students to remain flexible and relevant with change in the future. 

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COMMLD 510B: Introduction to Information Architecture

(

Weaver

)

- 2022-2023 | Summer 2023

MCDM Elective | Meets Research Methods Requirement | 5 Credits
Saturdays 6/24, 7/8, 7/15, 7/22 Online, 8/5 In-Person (with remote option), 9:00AM – 5:00PM | Online
Registration SLN: 10831

Course Description

Information Architecture (IA) helps users understand where they are, what they’ve found, what’s around, and what to expect when they are visiting a website or application. When you have large amounts of information to display, IA can help you create groups, sorting, labels and provide navigation to help people browse your content.This class sets up the basics for organizing content through architecture. We’ll learn about the theory and techniques that help us provide clear paths through content. Through best practices articles, real world examples, and student projects, we’ll explore the foundations and potential of Information Architecture. Students will take on their own mini-project and present their IA discoveries at the end of the session.

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COMMLD 510A: User Interface and Visual Design

(

Gordon

)

- 2022-2023 | Summer 2023

MCDM Elective | 5 credits
Thursdays 6/22 – 8/17, 6:00PM – 9:50PM | DEN 213
Registration SLN: 10830

Course Description

Design is an umbrella term describing several overlapping concepts. User Interface Design (UI or IxD) is concerned with how navigational components are organized on a system interface so the page layout is easy to navigate and guides users on how to achieve their goals. Visual Design centers on aesthetics and strategic implementation of communication components, images, colors, fonts, and other graphic elements to design effective visual layouts.

In this class you’ll learn the fundamentals of human motor performance, perception, and cognition that inform effective interaction design, as well as how UI and Visual Design work together in concert. Some of the topics we’ll cover are research, mood board creation, testing, user flows, Figma essentials, component libraries, general layout and design, wireframing, prototyping, microcopy, and more. At the end of this course, students will know how to create impactful UI design and have knowledge of the tools to bring designs to fruition.

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COMMLD 504: Capstone

(

MacLaren

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

Track Neutral | 2 Credits
Thursdays 3/30 – 6/1, 5:00PM – 6:50PM | PCAR 297
Registration SLN: 12550

Course Description:

The COMMLD504 Capstone class offers MCCL students the chance to demonstrate their learning and build a portfolio through an in-depth, independent project done under the guidance of faculty and staff advisors. It’s also a chance to impact the world and help address the needs of real-life organizations.

In this class, students will  finish and refine their capstone project, curate and design elements for their portfolio, reflect on work throughout their Comm Lead journey, and refine their  professional self-narrative. Students will think, reflect, respond, and provide/receive feedback throughout the course as they refine their presentation and professional narrative for a particular audience.

(Note–this class is only available to MCCL students in the last quarter of their Comm Lead journey.)

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COMMLD 503C: Practicum in Content Strategy

(

Weaver

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

Track Neutral | 2 Credits
Mondays 3/27 – 6/5, 5:00PM – 6:50PM | Online
SLN: 12547

Course Description

In this practicum, students will assess content from a real world client using content audits and comparative reviews to make recommendations for a renaming, rebranding, and renewed website. Students will use templates to analyze and assess content against standards. We will look for ways to improve the website through content removal or renewal based on our user experience goals, audience preferences, and user tasks as well as best practices. Your assessments and recommendations will help the client reimagine content topics and connections and prepare for a new information architecture. By the end of this practicum students will develop a list of recommendations for the client for content improvement. 

**Since this class takes foundational concepts to the next level, students who register must have either already taken COMMLD 510: Introduction to Information Architecture, one of our intro courses (511 or 512), or Content Marketing (513) or have equivalent UX experience. Please fill out this form to the best of your ability. If your form is approved, you will receive an add code to register for the course. (Note: applications will be time stamped, and qualified applicants will be added to remaining class spots on an equitable basis determined by time of application and remaining time in the program. The application can be found here: https://forms.office.com/r/670K19LaFP

Note: students currently waitlisted for COMMLD 503B have priority for this course.

About Communication and Leadership Practicum:

Communication and Leadership Practicum courses give you the opportunity to engage in contemporary professional practice by addressing the challenges of real-life organizations. Each section is matched with a client organization or group of client organizations, and 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.

Designed to mirror a professional setting, our Practicum offer you the opportunity to work at a higher level and with greater responsibility than what you might encounter in an internship or in entry-level work. In the span of a quarter, you will enhance highly-desirable professional skills, produce work that you can include in your own professional portfolios, and most importantly, leave with a story–your story – of what you did in this project to create value for your client.

Credit/No Credit Only

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COMMLD 560A: Communicating Across Power and Identities

(

Ross

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

Track Neutral | 2 Credits
Mondays 3/27-6/05, 6:00PM – 7:50PM | DEN 212
SLN: 21584

Course Description:

This course provides a primer on concepts of identity, power, privilege, and systems of oppression. Through reflective writing and facilitated discussions of curated readings students explore how their personal and professional identities impact their effectiveness in communicating across interpersonal difference. Designed to welcome those who may have previously avoided discussing uncomfortable topics, this introductory course empowers students with modes of inquiry that enable their essential self-examination and self-preparation for any future equity-related organizational collaborations.

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COMMLD 503E: Consulting Practicum: Leveraging Social Listening Research to Mitigate Misinformation

(

Chang

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

Track Neutral | 2 Credits
Wednesdays 3/29 – 5/31 6:00PM – 7:50PM PST | Online
SLN: 12549

Course Description

One of the most urgent issues facing our society today is the growing impact of misinformation. In an effort to better plan for, engage with and proactively mitigate the negative impact of misinformation, stakeholders are increasingly using social listening research tools to have effective mitigation approaches in place. 

In this practicum, students will navigate this uncharted area by using a social listening research tool called Pulsar to map and identify critical trends and topics most relevant to creating effective misinformation mitigation approaches. Students will then draft a framework of practical approaches for client consideration and incorporation into organizational policy. By the end of this practicum, students will have gained competencies in the area of social listening/research, strengthened leadership skills and consulting engagement. 

The learning challenge: This practicum is for students who are ready to grow as leaders–leaders who recognize that wrestling with real-world problems calls for moving through ambiguity. Just like in real-world work contexts, this course will not include heavy text-based teaching or pre-designed road maps of ‘here is what to do every step of the way’. Instead, there will be steady and strong coaching and support from an instructor with a specialized expertise in navigating ambiguity and leading through influence. You can expect to be uncomfortable most of the time in this practicum, and that will be a mark of success and growth. Every student will create a tangible skill-based experience to use in their career development, professional networking and portfolio. In other words, there will be a direct answer to the question of “tell me about a time when you developed a communications strategy for a client.”

Credit/No Credit only.

About 503 Communication and Leadership Practicum

Communication and Leadership Practicum courses give you the opportunity to engage in contemporary professional practice by addressing the challenges of real-life organizations. Each section is matched with a client organization or group of client organizations, and 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.

Designed to mirror a professional setting, our Practicum offer you the opportunity to work at a higher level and with greater responsibility than what you might encounter in an internship or in entry-level work. In the span of a quarter, you will enhance highly-desirable professional skills, produce work that you can include in your own professional portfolios, and most importantly, leave with a story–your story – of what you did in this project to create value for your client.

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COMMLD 515: Advanced User Design: UX Studio

(

Levine

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

MCDM Elective | Meets Research Methods Requirement | 5 Credits
Tuesdays 3/28 – 5/30, 6:00PM – 9:50PM | CMU 104
SLN: 12553

Course Description

In this class, students will work in small groups to design and prototype innovative user-centered solutions to real-world problems and develop an application. Students will develop their projects from a user experience (UX) design perspective and produce a strong piece for their portfolio.

The course emulates real-life aspects of UX design teams, including in-depth experience with user research, usability testing and iterating on the product with real-life users. By the end of the course, students will construct a map of a product’s full customer journey, develop personas with use cases, design a working prototype, and build a proposal with requirements for the concept.

Meets Research Methods Requirement.

Course Prerequisites: COMMLD 511, 512, or 517.

This intensive course structure includes lecture, small and large group activities, and extended studio time for hands-on work on the projects. Several guest speakers from the UX design field are planned throughout the quarter.

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COMMLD 525: Brand Values & Creativity

(

Howard

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

Track Neutral | 5 Credits
Tuesdays 3/28 – 5/30, 6:00PM – 9:50PM | DEN 113
SLN: 12556

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 composed 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 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 503D: Practicum in Podcast Strategy

(

Gray

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

Track Neutral | 2 Credits
Mondays 3/27 – 6/5, 5:30PM – 7:20PM | DEN 113
SLN: 12548

Course Description

A strong branded podcast can reach new audiences and strengthen engagement with existing customers. It can fill communication gaps and build organizational identity. But a podcast with no audience or without a clear editorial mission can be a drag on time and resources. Before you ever press ‘record’ it is vital to first understand the organization’s communication needs and target audience. In this practicum students will work in teams, supported by a faculty mentor, to create a plan for a branded podcast concept and format. Students will meet with key organizational stakeholders to understand communication needs and potential audience interest. The final deliverable will be a description of the show and segments, a detailed plan or recording of a pilot episode, and a content outline for season one.

Credit/No Credit only.

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.

Instructor Bio coming soon. In the mean time, feel free to connect with them on LinkedIn.

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COMMLD 580: Scenario Planning: Crafting Stories to Communicate the Future

(

Rasmus

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

MCDM Elective | 5 Credits
Wednesdays 3/29 – 5/31, 6:00PM – 9:50PM | CMU 230
SLN: 21368

Course Description

This course explores techniques for exploring possible futures and how to apply those futures to create business narratives. The class will work through a complete cycle of scenario planning. Learners will gather and document uncertainties related to the future of work with an emphasis on communications. The class will then build rich narratives that explore how the future may unfold under different social, technological, economic, environmental, and political circumstances. The course will also explore how to use scenarios to inform strategic choices and drive content development. Students will be expected to demonstrate their mastery of scenario planning through individual work and team presentations. Team presentations will focus on the future of work and its implications for communications. Individual stories will feature multimedia presentations that describe the learner living in one of the futures.

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COMMLD 541B: Crisis Communication

(

Hennessey

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

Track Neutral | Meets Law & Ethics Requirement | 5 Credits
Wednesdays 3/29 – 5/31, 6:00PM – 9:50PM | Online
SLN: 12565

Course Description

Effectively managing a crisis means not just employing PR strategies, but having a comprehensive communications plan already in place. This class will identify key communication issues that must be addressed during an organizational crisis, and examine how to engage traditional and social media, digital networks, federal, state, and local lawmakers, external and internal stakeholders, consumers and constituents. We will examine how organizations attempt to prevent and recover from crises, how the broadcast and print media cover different types of crises. As important, we’ll deconstruct and reinforce the personal ethics and behavior required by professionals in a crisis situation.

Meets Law and Ethics Requirement.

Instructor Bio coming soon. In the mean time, feel free to connect with them on LinkedIn.

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COMMLD 570B: Community Data Science

(

Hill

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

Track Neutral | Meets Research Methods Requirement | 5 Credits
Mondays 3/27 – 6/5, 6:00PM – 9:50PM | CMU 104
SLN: 12571

Course Description

This course will introduce basic programming and data science tools to give students the skills to find, access, and synthesize data into information that can be analyzed and acted on. We will cover the basics of the Python programming language, web APIs including APIs from Wikipedia and Twitter, and basic tools for statistical hypothesis testing, data manipulation, and visualization. Students will be encouraged to bring questions and problems from their own area of interest and apply Python and Data Science to those problems through an independent project. Our target audience is students with no previous programming experience. 

Meets Research Methods Requirement.

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COMMLD 551: The Law and Ethics of Community Building

(

Tausch Lapora

)

- 2022-2023 | Spring 2023

MCCN Elective | Meets Law & Ethics Requirement | 5 Credits
Wednesdays 3/29 – 5/31, 6:00PM – 9:50PM | DEN 258
SLN: 12567

Course Description

All organizations — private, public and nonprofit — inevitably encounter legal and ethical challenges when building and engaging with their communities and networks. Leaders must be able to identify, anticipate, and problem solve how to legally and ethically create, grow, and maintain organizations. This course considers and juxtaposes the legal and ethical realities of community building through a cross-sector approach, particularly by utilizing racial equity and anti-oppression frameworks and grounding in behavioral ethics (decision-making and heuristics). We will survey a wide array of case studies, many with a social justice backdrop, in which law and ethics may overlap, conflict, or contain gaps. We will engage in simulations, real-world scenarios and games to maximize understanding of the impact of law and ethics on organizational communications to clients, customers and constituencies. Throughout the course, you are encouraged to bring in legal and ethical issues from your professional experiences to enrich discussion of course topics. No prior experience in law is required.

Meets Law & Ethics Requirement.

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© Copyright 2025 Department of Communication. University of Washington