Course Syllabus: COMM 3330

**See all 3 tabs for all syllabus information**

Instructor and About the Course

Contact Information

Name: Dr. Myles Mason

Email: myma9919@colorado.edu; reach out via canvas email (see below)

Virtual Office Hours: Wednesdays, 11am-1pm MST, by appointment only. See Calendly to schedule

Instructor Bio and Welcome: See the Course Home and Start Here pages

Course description

This course investigates communication’s role in seeking social change, focusing on how rhetoric functions in contemporary social movements. This class is not a “history of social movements,” or “history of social movement rhetoric,” although we will learn about both. Through a lens of communication – discourse between people and in society – we will make sense of common aspects of social movements (formation, life cycle, leaders and constituents, strategies and tactics, public response), using academic and non-academic examples to demonstrate the theories and concepts we discuss.

Course Objectives

  • Discuss in detail the goals, history, membership, and strategies of several contemporary social issues/movements across the political spectrum, with a focus on issues related to social justice.
  • Describe how theories and concepts of communication apply to contemporary social movements, including, for example, how social movements function through a rhetorical lens.
  • Examine and explain how rhetorical forces affect public ideas and discourse, such as through assessing the role of a social movement’s communication in creating and resisting social change.
  • Evaluate a social movement organization's rhetorical strategy, articulate your critique for a non-academic audience, and propose recommendations to their strategies, including creating examples to demonstrate your suggestions.
  • Explore, express, debate, and evaluate ideas and issues which matter to you personally, professionally, publicly, and ethically, for a variety of audiences.
  • Demonstrate ethical awareness and empathy in dealing with differences and resolving conflict

Course Outline

Our course is 14 weeks long and consists of 5 units. See the Schedule tab for a more complete outline. As a Continuing Education online course, most of the course work is asynchronous, but you will on occasion be required to attend a synchronous meeting with your instructor and/or peers, in which case you will be offered several times from which to choose. 

Required Texts

All readings for this course will be posted to or linked to on Canvas.

(This is specific to the Communication Department)

Communication courses help you learn and practice a CRAFT to take beyond the classroom. Communication is CREATIVE, RELATIONAL, ANALYTICAL, FLEXIBLE, and TRANSFORMATIVE. For this course, some assignments that develop each of these skills are: 

  • Creative:   Designing messages in the final case study 
  • Relational:  Interacting with peers, building connections as you develop ideas, is a key feature of the weekly discussion boards.   
  • Analytical:  Analyzing data collecting in the research project assignment as well as analyzing the arguments and concepts reading responses throughout the semester
  • Transformative:  Looking at communication theories through a lens of social problems helps you know how to make a difference in real situations and about topics you care about. 
  • Flexible:  Featured in most of the assignments, the ability to "translate" technical language into a form understandable to others is a crucial skill across careers, offering the flexibility to thrive in a variety of professions. 

Class Time Expectations

Online courses require engaging with materials and one another on a regular basis. Expect to log in to the course at minimum 3 days a week (likely more), for long enough to read discussions, make substantive comments, and ensure you are engaging with the course and peers.   

Online students should expect to spend the same number of hours actively participating online as in an in-person course. For example, a course that is 3 credit hours during a 15 week semester expects students to spend 3 hours “in class” each week and an additional 6 hours of course work each week, a total of 9 hours a week—135 hours for the semester. In shorter semesters, students are expected to complete the same amount of work (135 hours) for the same number of credits (3), requiring more hours/week to meet the standard.

  • 14 weeks: 9.75 hours/week

Assignments and Grading

Submission Policies

Please format your submissions with 1" margins and 12pt Times New Roman font. Every assignment must be cited in MLA format, unless otherwise noted. 

All assignments should be submitted online via Canvas. Submission or technological difficulties are not acceptable excuses for late work. Assignments that require document uploads (e.g. reading responses, op-ed, final project) must be uploaded in either .doc or .docx format. No other file formats work smoothly with the canvas grading system. Submitting an assignment in the wrong file format is the same as not submitting it at all. 

Discussion posts are not accepted after the posting period has ended, with no exceptions. You must take part in the discussion when others are in order for it to be a discussion. With prior notice, I am willing to discuss changing your timeline for other assignments.

Because all due dates and assignments are posted at the start of our course, I do not accept late work. 

Assignments and Point Breakdown

  • Reading Responses (10 x 10pts each, drop lowest 2) 80
  • Unit Discussions (10 x 25pts each, drop lowest 3) 175
  • Op-Ed peer review 40
  • Op-Ed assignment 50
  • Project Proposal Discussion 25
  • Project Check-In Meeting 10
  • Project Draft Peer Review Discussion 20
  • Social Movement Organization Consultant Project 200
  • >Total: 600

Grading Criteria

Assignments are graded with an eye toward correctness, clarity, creativity, consideration, credibility, and, of course, timeliness. Points are earned, with the expectation that A’s take significant work above and beyond the basic requirements of the assignment.
• TIMELINESS: Discussion posts are not accepted after the posting period has ended, no exceptions. You must take part in the discussion when others are in order for it to be a discussion. With prior notice, I am willing to discuss changing your timeline for other assignments. Because all due dates and assignments are posted at the start of our course, I do not otherwise accept late work.
• CORRECTNESS: Are you using course concepts correctly? Have you met all aspects of the assignment and followed directions? Are you correctly and completely citing the information used?
• CLARITY: Are you stating your work clearly and concisely? Is it well organized, and uses headings and transition sentences to help guide the reader? Does it have clear spelling and grammar (even if not standardized English grammar), understandable by the reader? Have you explicitly explained how that example you used demonstrates course concepts in action, showing the reader your thinking?
• CREATIVITY: Are you going beyond the minimum of the assignment to bring fresh and insightful perspectives and examples to the conversation? If you believe an assignment can be done in a different way that draws on your talents, suggest it, explaining how you believe it still meets the requirements and learning objectives of the assignment.
• CONSIDERATION: Have you considered information from multiple perspectives and sources? Have you paid attention to what’s already been said in this conversation and are striving to go further? Are you being intentional and respectful in your language use? Have you taken into account how concepts from earlier or other classes apply?
• CREDIBILITY: Are you making credible arguments to support your points, backed by valid evidence? Have you clearly and correctly cited all your sources? Remember, ALL information that is not general knowledge should be cited, and specific concepts and theories developed by people who are not you need to be cited.
o Required Citation Format: Modern Language Association (MLA) 9th edition.
o Don’t know MLA style at all? Start here: https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/mla_style/mla_formatting_and_style_guide/mla_formatting_and_style_guide.html  
         o Save this link to check formatting details throughout the semester

Grading Scale

Grades are based on completeness, correctness, coherence, creativity, and timeliness. They are earned, not given. A “C” grade means completing the expectations of the assignment, a “B” signals exemplary work, and an “A” signals excellent work that needs almost no improvement of any element. Letter grades are determined using the following scale:

  • 94% + = A Superior work. Almost flawless. Difficult to improve upon.
  • 90 to 93% = A- Excellent work.
  • 87 to 89% = B+ Very good work. Diligence and attention to detail are evident.
  • 84 to 86% = B Good quality of work.
  • 80 to 83% = B- Might need minor revision and reworking, but conceptually sound.
  • 77 to 79% = C+ Student needs to apply concepts more directly.
  • 70 to 76% = C Meets requirements, but may lack development of elements.
  • 67 to 69% = D+ Requirements fulfilled, but lack of effort is present.
  • 60 to 66% = D Barely fulfills minimum requirements.
  • Below 59% = F Does not fulfill requirements for a passing grade.

See the Class Engagement & Discussion Board Guidelines page for a detailed discussion board rubric.

Course Policies

Addressing One Another

You are welcome to call me Dr. Mason or Professor Mason. I use he/they pronouns (see why pronouns matter (Links to an external site.)). From the beginning of our semester together I will check in with each of you about your preferred names and pronouns and will honor and use those. Please help me do so.

I expect each class member to also do this for one another. 

Communication

Please contact me via Canvas email, which I aim to respond within 48 hours. This may take longer over weekends or holidays. If I do not respond within 3 days, please forward your original message, with a brief note to let me know that's what's happening. CU email (via either gmail or outlook) has an incredibly finicky spam filter that will sometimes send student emails to junk mail. While I try to keep an eye on this folder, Canvas email is far more reliable and will not filter your emails. 

Assignments will not be accepted via email.

As you're taking an online class, I assume you are not available on campus; we will arrange meetings through Zoom online meetings, or by phone. When asking for a meeting, please let me know what you would like to meet about, and suggest several days and times you are available. Day-of meetings are unlikely.

A Note on Mental Health

I care deeply about the mental health of my students and recognize that anxiety and depression are on the rise on campuses across the United States. I also recognize it is difficult to keep up with all of our daily responsibilities navigating school, and more so with various mental health issues and illnesses. At the same time, each of us has a responsibility to this course and to our participation in the university. Thus, I encourage any students struggling, or wanting to prevent the struggle, to access the mental health services offered by the university. Even if you do not identify as someone with anxiety, depression, or other mental health needs, the office of Counseling and Psychiatric Services (CAPS) provides helpful tools to succeed take care of your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. 

CAPS Services: Counseling, Psychiatry, Workshops, Therapy Groups, and other resources on campus and in the community. See more at https://www.colorado.edu/counseling/ Links to an external site. . Workshops are free  and helpful for all students! See their offerings here:  https://www.colorado.edu/counseling/workshops#feel_better_fast-28 Links to an external site.

Office of Victim’s Services: OVA provides free and confidential information, consultation, support, advocacy and short term counseling services to University of Colorado students, faculty, and staff who have experienced a traumatic, disturbing or life disruptive event. See more information here: https://www.colorado.edu/ova/ Links to an external site. .

Student Services + Case Management (SSCM): provides support to students throughout their college career and helps them achieve their academic and personal goals. SSCM case managers coordinate with other CU Boulder departments and facilitate communication to and from the Student of Concern Team (SOCT) Links to an external site. , which reviews more elevated student cases involving serious safety issues. SSCM is not counseling or therapy; rather, case managers have the opportunity to develop close helping relationships with students while coaching students toward appropriate self-care and self-advocacy. SSCM@colorado.edu, Online Referral Form, (Links to an external site.)  303-492-7348

Late Work & Grade Appeals

All assignments are due by the date and time listed on Canvas.

Late assignments will not be accepted. Of course, if there are extenuating circumstances outside your control we can talk about that. I return assignments rather quickly so that you can use past work to improve future work. This requires that we all get our assignments done by the due dates. 

With planning ahead, it is unlikely you should need to request an adjusted due date. Such requests are possible for legitimate reasons (health condition documented through Disability Services, participation in University-sponsored activities, serious and documented family emergencies, religious observance, etc.). If the absence is known ahead of time, you must make arrangements before the date the assignment is due. Note: An email sent on the day the assignment is due, or after, does not count as “making arrangements.”

Complaints/Grade Appeals:   I will not discuss your grade on any assignment the day it is returned to you. I will consider written appeals about grades earned on assignments or exams, and will schedule an online or phone meeting about the change you propose after receiving the written appeal. We shall then discuss your written appeal and your understanding of the concepts involved. You may appeal a grade up to seven (7) business days following the return of the graded assignment (marked from the day it was returned in Canvas feedback).

This policy is intended not to provide obstacles to appeals, but rather is designed to ensure justice to all concerned and allow you to demonstrate mastery over the topics covered.

Class Expectations: Online learning requires a tremendous amount of self-motivation. Since we will not be meeting in a traditional face-to-face setting where students can ask questions about the readings, you will need to be diligent about watching each short lecture, completing each reading, and answering the reading guide questions. Failure to do this every day will mean that you are behind. I am here to help clarify any concepts and readings that you are unsure about. Please do not hesitate to ask questions that are informed by your reading and notes. Rarely will I provide answers, but rather will ask questions to guide you to your own understandings, conclusions, and connections.

Classroom Behavior

Both students and faculty are responsible for maintaining an appropriate learning environment in all instructional settings, whether in person, remote or online. Those who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with race, color, national origin, sex, pregnancy, age, disability, creed, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, veteran status, political affiliation or political philosophy.  For more information, see the policies on classroom behavior and the Student Conduct & Conflict Resolution policies.

Requirements for COVID-19

As a matter of public health and safety due to the pandemic, all members of the CU Boulder community and all visitors to campus must follow university, department and building requirements and all public health orders in place to reduce the risk of spreading infectious disease. Students who fail to adhere to these requirements will be asked to leave class, and students who do not leave class when asked or who refuse to comply with these requirements will be referred to Student Conduct and Conflict Resolution. For more information, see the policy on classroom behavior and the Student Code of Conduct. If you require accommodation because a disability prevents you from fulfilling these safety measures, please follow the steps in the “Accommodation for Disabilities” statement on this syllabus.

As of Aug. 13, 2021, CU Boulder has returned to requiring masks in classrooms and laboratories regardless of vaccination status. This requirement is a temporary precaution during the delta surge to supplement CU Boulder’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement. Exemptions include individuals who cannot medically tolerate a face covering, as well as those who are hearing-impaired or otherwise disabled or who are communicating with someone who is hearing-impaired or otherwise disabled and where the ability to see the mouth is essential to communication. If you qualify for a mask-related accommodation, please follow the steps in the “Accommodation for Disabilities” statement on this syllabus. In addition, vaccinated instructional faculty who are engaged in an indoor instructional activity and are separated by at least 6 feet from the nearest person are exempt from wearing masks if they so choose.

Students who have tested positive for COVID-19, have symptoms of COVID-19, or have had close contact with someone who has tested positive for or had symptoms of COVID-19 must stay home. In this class, if you are sick or quarantined, just let me know, but also be mindful that you do not have to tell me what has you ill just that you are ill. 

Accommodation for Disabilities

If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability, please submit your accommodation letter from Disability Services to your faculty member in a timely manner so that your needs can be addressed.  Disability Services determines accommodations based on documented disabilities in the academic environment.  Information on requesting accommodations is located on the Disability Services website. Contact Disability Services at 303-492-8671 or dsinfo@colorado.edu for further assistance.  If you have a temporary medical condition, see Temporary Medical Conditions on the Disability Services website.

Preferred Student Names and Pronouns

CU Boulder recognizes that students' legal information doesn't always align with how they identify. Students may update their preferred names and pronouns via the student portal; those preferred names and pronouns are listed on instructors' class rosters. In the absence of such updates, the name that appears on the class roster is the student's legal name.

Honor Code

All students enrolled in a University of Colorado Boulder course are responsible for knowing and adhering to the Honor Code academic integrity policy. Violations of the Honor Code may include, but are not limited to: plagiarism, cheating, fabrication, lying, bribery, threat, unauthorized access to academic materials, clicker fraud, submitting the same or similar work in more than one course without permission from all course instructors involved, and aiding academic dishonesty. All incidents of academic misconduct will be reported to the Honor Code (honor@colorado.edu); 303-492-5550). Students found responsible for violating the academic integrity policy will be subject to nonacademic sanctions from the Honor Code as well as academic sanctions from the faculty member. Additional information regarding the Honor Code academic integrity policy can be found on the Honor Code website.

Sexual Misconduct, Discrimination, Harassment and/or Related Retaliation

The University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) is committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming learning, working, and living environment. CU Boulder will not tolerate acts of sexual misconduct (harassment, exploitation, and assault), intimate partner violence (dating or domestic violence), stalking, or protected-class discrimination or harassment by or against members of our community. Individuals who believe they have been subject to misconduct or retaliatory actions for reporting a concern should contact the Office of Institutional Equity and Compliance (OIEC) at 303-492-2127 or email cureport@colorado.edu. Information about OIEC, university policies, reporting options, and the campus resources can be found on the OIEC website.

Please know that faculty and graduate instructors have a responsibility to inform OIEC when made aware of incidents of sexual misconduct, dating and domestic violence, stalking, discrimination, harassment and/or related retaliation, to ensure that individuals impacted receive information about their rights, support resources, and reporting options.

Religious Holidays

Campus policy regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to deal reasonably and fairly with all students who, because of religious obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance.  In this class, let me know ASAP and we'll work together on a plan for any possible missed days of class.

See the campus policy regarding religious observances for full details.