New Communications Special Topics Classes Excite Students
The Department of Communication has released the course descriptions for their Special Topics classes, and they are all incredibly beneficial for the modern student.
Photo by Greta Stuckey ‘23.
Now that it is the middle of the semester, Marist students arrive at an integral time in their college careers: schedule planning. During this stressful time, many students struggle while trying to find the perfect classes to take for the upcoming semester.
For the Spring 2023 semester, students in the Communications Department can choose from eight special topics courses. According to the Marist Course catalog, “special topics” courses serve as a vehicle by which a division may offer a topic or thematic study not included in the regular course offerings.
The special topics courses are: Portfolio Development for Advertising, Global Public Relations, Psychology of Entertainment Media, Sports On-Air Studio and Play-by-Play, Social Media Marketing, Crisis Communication, Positive Media Psychology and Sports Analytics.
These courses are very specific and tailored toward specific majors, minors and concentrations. Therefore, they are very beneficial to students seeking to better themselves for a career in their chosen industry.
Joanna D’Avanzo is a Senior Professional Lecturer who is teaching Portfolio Development for Advertising next semester. “There is no way to get a job in the creative side of advertising unless you have a portfolio of work,” said D’Avanzo, “The market for entry-level creative jobs in advertising is very competitive.”
“I wanted to ensure that Marist students were properly prepared by having the range of work that recruiters are looking for and having a place to showcase it all…” said D’Avanzo. “I am happy to say that this course was recently approved to be a permanent part of our curriculum and will run as such in future semesters.”
Sports Analytics, taught by Dr. Zachary Arth, Assistant Professor of Sports Communication and Assistant Director of the Center Sports Communication, also prepares students for real-life job experiences.
“I like to think that Sports Analytics brings something different to the Sports Communication curriculum. We don’t have any other sports classes that are all about the numbers in sports,” said Arth.
“I’ve always loved the statistics in sports, specifically baseball, and I always felt it could make for an interesting college class,” Arth added. “[this class] connects to how analytics have taken over the ways that sports are played and teams are constructed.”
Another special topics course, Sports On-Air Studio and Play-by-Play, is taught by ESPN Sports Anchor John Brickley. The class will examine college and professional games to help students learn how to broadcast and take part in play-by-play announcing. Additionally, students will take part in mock broadcasts.
Social Media Marketing, taught by Bailey Carlin, is designed for our modern age. In the course, students will run mock social media accounts in order to fully understand the reach of social media and how it impacts our culture. Additionally, students will learn how social media is used to spark digital conversations and build brands.
All of these special topics courses are incredibly beneficial for Marist students, and they cover very specific niches. After taking these classes, Marist students will certainly have an advantage when applying to jobs and internships.