EC Courses
Program: General Education
Course Code: EC101
Title: Freshman Seminar 1
Description: This course aims to build students’ communication and critical thinking skills, while introducing them to AUA’s core values: academic excellence, free inquiry, integrity, and scholarship. Throughout the semester, students will sharpen their oral and written communication skills by engaging in class discussions and debates, as well as by utilizing the various stages of the writing process to produce well-organized paragraphs and essays. Teaching students to balance personal voice and academic discourse, the course emphasizes academic skills such as critical reading, summarizing texts, synthesizing sources, developing a thesis and supporting it with evidence. This is a Foundation course.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites:
Corequisites:
Program: General Education
Course Code: EC102
Title: Freshman Seminar 2
Description: Building on the skills and concepts introduced in Freshman Seminar 1, this course aims to further improve students’ communication and critical thinking skills while exploring key AUA values, such as mutual respect, citizenship, leadership, community building, sustainability, and service to society. Through close examination of a variety of texts, students will learn to construct arguments and communicate persuasively. They will also develop research, problem-solving, and teamwork skills through class discussions, collaborative projects, and writing assignments. This is a Foundation course.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC101
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC103
Title: Introduction to Language and Culture
Description: This course provides an overview of the structural, biological, and historical aspects of language and focuses on the socio-cultural aspect—the connections between language and culture, and the ways in which language is used in various cultural and social contexts. Examples of regional variation, social variation, ethnicity, gender, age, style, register, and the status of the speaker’s language will be discussed and illustrated during the course. Students are required to complete weekly reading assignments. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
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Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC104
Title: Introduction to Communications
Description: This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the field of communication studies. Students will examine the components of human communication as it takes place within interpersonal, group, organizational, and public contexts and become familiar with the historical development of mass media and its role in society, looking at the print and electronic news media, advertising, public relations, and the Internet. Students will also explore developments in the theory of communication from the mid-20th century to the present. They will apply theoretical models to critically assess contemporary means and patterns of communication and use these models to analyze and develop their own written and oral communication in different formats. Course work will include media and reading assignments, as well as case studies and oral and written projects. Three hours of instructorled class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
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Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC105
Title: Introduction to the Structure of English
Description: This course is a systematic introduction to the structure of the English language. Students will acquire knowledge of the morphology, syntax, and phonology of contemporary English. They will explore the interrelation of form, meaning, and use and apply linguistic knowledge in the analysis of their own and others’ communication. Students are required to complete weekly reading assignments and home tasks in order to acquire knowledge of the concepts discussed in class. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
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Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC120
Title: American Literature I
Description: This survey course introduces students to American literature from the beginning of European contact to roughly 1900, focusing on major authors and different literary genres. It examines the historical influences on the evolution of this body of literature and the construction of a distinct and complex American identity. Through close reading, class discussion and their own research and writing, students will explore how themes such as gender, race, class, spirituality, economics, and the environment play a role in the American experience.
Credits: 3.0
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Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC121
Title: English Literature I
Description: This course introduces students to English literature from the Anglo-Saxon period until roughly 1800, focusing on the development of various literary movements and genres. The class will cover canonical authors like Chaucer, Shakespeare, and Swift, but will also include less canonical English literature from the period, especially from female authors, to provide context and balance. Students are required to write analytical essays and complete weekly reading assignments.
Credits: 3.0
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Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC130
Title: Introduction to Journalism
Description: This course examines the nature of journalism as an area of mass media, its history and role in creating public opinion and disseminating information, and the impact of technology on journalism today. Students will be introduced to the meaning of “news” definition, qualities of, evaluation and selection, and channels and audiences for news. The theoretical part of the course is paired with the actual practice of journalism: reporting (gathering information), exploring news values, news styles, form and organization of news stories, and writing various types of news: hard news, features, interviews, and critiques. Students will be required to complete weekly reading and writing assignments. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC102
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC140
Title: Expository Writing
Description: This course is designed to develop students’ writing skills for use in a wide array of academic and professional contexts. Students will become familiar with the linguistic and rhetorical features of different genres of objective and informational writing, critically analyzing samples of effective writing in order to use them as models for their own work. They will be encouraged to view writing as a process, involving planning, drafting, and revision for clarity and precision. Students are required to complete short readings and weekly writing assignments, which may include but are not necessarily limited to summaries, reports, memos, narratives, expository analyses, and syntheses. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week, along with in-class and take-home assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC102
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC141
Title: Persuasive Writing
Description: This course is designed to develop students’ persuasive writing skills for use in a wide array of academic and professional contexts. Students will become familiar with the structural and rhetorical features of formulating and communicating arguments in a persuasive manner, taking into consideration such factors as audience, reasoning, evidence, and style. They will be encouraged to view writing as a process, involving planning, drafting, and revision for clarity and precision. Students are required to complete short readings and weekly writing assignments, which may include but are not limited to persuasive essays, letters, reviews, and proposals.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC102
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC151
Title: Consecutive and Simultaneous Interpreting
Description: This course introduces the theory, research, and practice of consecutive and simultaneous interpreting. It focuses on the practical techniques and skills of consecutive and simultaneous interpreting from English into Armenian and from Armenian into English within a variety of professional areas and for a range of purposes. The course also aims at furthering students’ command of both Armenian and English through interpreting exercises and thematic glossaries. Students are expected to complete weekly readings and other home assignments and be prepared for in-class discussions, tasks, and interpretation practice. Three hours of instructor-led class per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC102, CHSS104
Corequisites:
Program: General Education
Course Code: EC191
Title: Acting Techniques
Description: This course introduces students to the process of building a character and interacting on stage using movement, voice, and imagination. Throughout the course, students will explore techniques of improvisation and scene study, and develop the basic skills of the acting process. They will become familiar with the history and theory of the craft of acting, and apply relevant concepts and practices to critically analyze their own work and that of others. Coursework will include reading assignments, written critiques and reflections, and performance-based projects.
Credits: 3.0
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Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC200
Title: Introduction to Discourse Analysis
Description: This course introduces students to the study of discourse through hands-on analysis of real language in use, taking into account the linguistic features and functions of spoken, written, and multi-modal communication as well as the social, cultural, and political contexts in which it occurs. We will explore how meaning is created and relationships are enacted within and across an array of genres and use this knowledge to interpret and construct texts within different social and professional contexts. Course work will include reading assignments, written analyses, and practical application. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC103 OR EC105
Corequisites:
Program: General Education
Course Code: EC201
Title: Photography
Description: Photography is a fundamental element of today’s digital media. This course introduces the practical techniques and aesthetic principles of still photography and explores different genres of photography and their uses. The course aims to develop an understanding of such aspects of photography as depth of field, composition, motion blur, and visual storytelling through both critical analysis and hands-on shooting and editing exercises. The course will also include such topics as the history of photography and the role it plays in the changing media landscape. Instructor-led discussion and workshops, with reading, writing, and photographic assignments. Note: Previously EC268, Theme 1
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Program: General Education
Course Code: EC202
Title: Lens on Armenia: Photojournalism in Yerevan
Description: In this course students will learn digital photography as it relates to the journalistic process, documentary work and fine art. Students will examine professional photography, techniques for image capture and camera handling and works, as well as post-production methods in order to tell visual narratives. Students will create individual and group portfolios for exhibition. Assignments are designed to help students attain solid photo coverage of the topics and issues in Yerevan or throughout Armenia. Excursions in Yerevan neighborhoods and possibly to sites outside of Yerevan will help students appreciate the history and culture of Yerevan. Students should have a camera with them in class every day. Some phone cameras are sufficient. Some cameras may be available for check out on campus on a first come first serve basis.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Program: General Education
Course Code: EC203
Title: Creative Productions
Description: Creative Production is an advanced, interdisciplinary course covering the theory, analysis and practice of producing creative works in various media. The theoretical component has two inter-related elements: (1) Articles on the theories on creativity, imagination, aesthetic emotions, (2) Works of Art (literature, film, animation, TV, fine art and photography, etc.) carefully chosen as illustrative examples of those theories. The practical component includes different creative exercises, experiences, workshops, etc., and a semester-long creative production (written work, theater monologue/duologue/scene, musical video, short film script, photo stories etc.) that students will choose to realize individually or in a team. This final production will be accompanied by a reflection paper. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Program: General Education
Course Code: EC204
Title: Topics in Cinema
Description: Cinema is a “universal language”, a multidimensional medium for telling stories and portraying reality from different perspectives to large, diverse and often dispersed audiences through sight and sound. Topics in Cinema examines a wide range of subjects in global cinema relating to both the artistry and socio-cultural significance of movies. The course will explore such topics as genre, international cinema, film criticism, and the role of film in society as it touches on such subjects as cultural identity, history, race and gender, and societal change. Instructor-led film viewing and discussion, along with reading and writing assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Program: General Education
Course Code: EC205
Title: Women/Gender and the Visual Arts
Description: Western artistic production and criticism has been monopolized by male heterosexual spectatorship. The result has been an artistic tradition beset with gendered perceptions and a discourse whose objective is to regulate and marginalize the voices of “others.” It is therefore necessary to reread the texts and look afresh at art to expose the fallacies. Topics to be discussed include: mythmaking, the formulation of sexual ideals of beauty, spectatorship and the gaze, feminist theory, gay studies, naked/nude, and constructs of pornography. Exams and papers foster a critical mindset and a sensitivity to biases latent within the realm of art. Instructor-led class may include lectures, discussions, case studies, readings, group work. Assessment may include class participation, papers, essays, quizzes, exams, projects and presentations.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Program: General Education
Course Code: EC206
Title: Music & Literature
Description: This course looks at the cross-disciplinary connections between literature and music. Having a long history of mutual influence, literature and music share common concepts and historical contexts. These commonalities are examined from the point of view of stage works, such as operas and ballets based on classical fiction literature or religious texts; other vocal or choral compositions based on works by great poets; program music directly influenced by literature or philosophical texts; common use of different terms regarding the prosody; existence of certain common musical and literary forms, as well as musical influences in literature and/or poetry and comparison of different styles in both spheres. The course requires listening to music in and out of class, extensive reading (both classical literature and articles or research papers on different literature- and music-related topics), engaging in class discussion and presentations, as well as writing short papers.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Program: General Education
Course Code: EC208
Title: Modern Poetry
Description: This course is designed to develop students’ skills in analysis, critical thinking, and communication. From 1890-1950 the western world went through a profound transformation that involved industrialization, two world wars, the erosion of colonialism, the rise of psychology, Fascism, Communism, and other massive historical events. At the same time, there was an explosion of innovative literary and artistic output to make sense of all these intense changes: it became a movement known as Modernism. In this course students will engage with various modernist texts which may include poetry, fiction, essays, and also art, films, and music. They will be expected to keep a reading journal and/or write in-class responses to readings. Students will be required to participate in class discussions and give one presentation to the class. There will be a mid-term exam, final exam, quizzes, as well as written assignments. Three hours of instructor-led discussions per week, along with in-class and take home assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: Sophomore level required
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC213
Title: Digital Literacy and Multimodal Composition
Description: This course will offer students the opportunity to explore digital reading and writing practices by accounting for the rhetorical, social, cultural, political, educational, and ethical dimensions of the digital texts. While we unpack the term “digital literacy” and practice multimodal composing, we will study how we construct identity, subjectivity, and representation in digital spaces. Students will both get acquainted with the theoretical foundations of multimodal composition and develop highly transferable digital composition and rhetorical skills, which they can use to compose across different curricular, academic, professional, and personal contexts.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC104, EC140 OR EC200
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC220
Title: American Literature 2
Description: This survey course introduces students to 20th and 21st century American literature, focusing on major authors and different literary genres. It examines the historical influences on the evolution of this body of literature and the continuing evolution of a distinct and complex American identity. Through close reading, class discussion and their own research and writing, students will explore how themes such as gender, race, class, spirituality, economics, and the environment play a role in the American experience.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites:
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC221
Title: English Literature 2
Description: This course introduces students to 19th, 20th, and 21st-century English literature, focusing on the development of various literary movements and genres. The class will cover canonical authors, but will also include less canonical English literature from the period, especially from female and minority authors, to provide context and balance. Students are required to write analytical essays and complete weekly reading assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites:
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC222
Title: World Literature 2
Description: This world literature course is designed to engage students in critical analysis of significant literary texts from around the world. The aim is to explore perspectives on society and culture through the study of writers from diverse backgrounds working in various literary genres. Possible themes may include transnationalism, moral ambiguities across cultures, the transition from colonial to postcolonial, or the nature of translation. Through discussions and written assignments, students will improve their critical thinking, analytical writing, and oral communication skills. All texts will be read in English translation. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC120 OR EC121
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC223
Title: Shakespeare
Description: This course offers an in-depth exploration of Shakespearean poetry and drama, including his tragedies, comedies, histories, and romances. The class will focus on cultural and formal features within Shakespeare’s writings as well as cultural trends that Shakespeare responded to and helped shape. Students will learn to apply literary theory in their analysis of the texts, to compare and contrast adaptations of Shakespeare’s works produced in different periods and cultures, and to embed these interpretations within the cultural history of the Shakespearean corpus. Assignments will include a mix of class discussions, presentations, and papers that involve both research and close reading of Shakespeare’s texts.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC121
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC225
Title: Short Fiction
Description: This course explores short fiction from major world literary figures, further developing students’ knowledge of and ability to read and analyze literature. Students will engage in close reading of the texts and consider form and content in relation to the historical context and the relevant literary and philosophical movement(s) of the time, addressing issues such as tradition, modernity, conflict, war, injustice and freedom. The course aims to deepen students’ skills in interpreting texts with awareness of the texts’ basic orientation in the world (historical, philosophical, religious, linguistic, etc.); constructing arguments and evaluating canons using appropriate evidence and tools of critical analysis; and developing an appreciation of the fundamental ambiguities and complexities involved in all human attempts to answer questions about life. Instructor-led discussion, along with reading and written assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC120 OR EC121
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC226
Title: Speculative Fiction: Science Fiction, Fantasy and the Fantastic
Description: This course explores the genre of speculative fiction, which encompasses science fiction, fantasy fiction, and the fantastic (or horror), and spans counter-culture and mainstream works from ancient Greece to the present day. Through close reading and interdisciplinary analysis students will develop an in-depth understanding of the genre and the issues—science and technology, the supernatural, human nature, and human consciousness, among others—that it aims to address. Instructor-led discussion, along with reading and written assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC120 OR EC121
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC228
Title: Children’s Literature
Description: Children’s literature plays an important role in the transmission of cultural values from one generation to the next. In this course, students will critically analyze a range of children’s literature and also create a work of their own. Students will read folk and fairy tales from different cultures and a variety of children’s books, and analyze selected pieces based on psychological and social studies of childhood and the influence of literature on the development of children. Students will engage in research on some aspect of child development vis-à-vis exposure to fairy tales, folk tales, or books, and produce a complete (text and pictures) book for children. Instructor-led discussion, along with reading and written assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC120 OR EC121
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC229
Title: Graphic Novel
Description: This course combines cultural and political approaches to investigate one of the most influential and rapidly growing forms of literature: comics. Popular, yet historically considered lowbrow, graphic novels are now critically recognized as an important form in the creative arts. This course reflects an interdisciplinary approach to knowledge, combining visual arts, journalism, fiction and memoire. Students will develop the critical skills necessary to read, understand, write and produce graphic narratives. They will explore works that define the genre while illustrating a variety of artistic and storytelling approaches to contemporary cultural and political themes, and selections from comic history and graphic narrative theory. Instructor led lectures and discussions.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC120 OR EC121
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC231
Title: Public Speaking
Description: This course aims to develop students’ speaking skills for a variety of public and professional situations. Students will explore fundamental principles and practice of public oratory with an emphasis on all phases of communication: conception, design, organization, research, writing, rehearsal, and delivery. Students will gain skills and confidence in conveying and modulating message and meaning in different registers through formal and extemporaneous public speeches, expository/informative and persuasive presentations for public meetings and conferences, and other speaking tasks. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week, plus in-class and take-home assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC102
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC232
Title: Public Relations
Description: This course explores the role of the public relations practitioner as a specialist in both internal and external communication, an analyst of public opinion, and a counselor to administrators and corporate leaders. It examines the theories and practices of public relations and provides students with opportunities to implement their skills and knowledge in authentic tasks, including developing a public relation plan, designing activities and events aimed at managing an organization’s reputation, and working with the media. Students are required to complete weekly reading assignments and in-class and home tasks to acquire knowledge of the topics covered in class. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites:
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC233
Title: Professional Communication
Description: Effective written and spoken communication is a core competency for professional and public life. This course is designed to give students a comprehensive view of the scope and importance of professional communication in a variety of settings. It aims to develop students’ writing, speaking, and interpersonal skills and specific tools for communicating in complex environments and accomplishing strategic academic and professional goals. Students will refine communication skills necessary for internships and permanent workplace positions. More specifically, students will gain skills in writing letters, emails, resumes, proposals, formal and informal reports, agendas, and work plans with an awareness of succinct written expression necessary for professional communication. Students will develop informative, persuasive, and extemporaneous oral skills for networking, telephone, Internet-based and face-to-face interviews, and presentations. Because effective group communication is a necessity in today’s workplace, students will learn and practice skills in managing meetings, dealing with conflict, and leveraging the power of diversity, at both the individual and cultural level. Students are required to complete weekly assignments in order to acquire knowledge of the topics discussed in class. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week, plus in-class and take-home assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC140 or EC141
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC234
Title: Advertising
Description: Advertising and marketing communications are a pervasive presence in modern life and an essential skill for communications professionals. This course explores the principles and practices of advertising and its role within marketing communications. Students will develop a critical understanding of how advertising functions in global and local contexts and become familiar with the components of the advertising process, including market research, media planning, and creative strategies. They will learn how to identify the target audience, determine which medium or combinations of media provide the best means to reach it, and create effective messages. Students are required to complete weekly reading assignments and in-class and home tasks to acquire the knowledge of the topics covered in class. Three-hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites:
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC237
Title: Introduction to Filmmaking
Description: Film is the medium of our age, combining audio, visual, symbolic and narrative elements to produce impactful messages. This course is designed to empower students with the ability to express themselves and communicate effectively in the medium of film, providing them with an understanding of how and why films are made. Students will learn the core principles and techniques of filmmaking, both in theory and practice. The course will combine discussions on the history, language, forms and functions of film with hands-on technical instruction in developing projects from start to finish (planning, shooting, editing). Students will collaborate in teams to create short films focusing on specific skills and concepts. They will complete written assignments, and view and critique a selection of films and each other’s work in class.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites:
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC238
Title: Media & Society
Description: This course builds upon Introduction to Communications (EC104) and explores historical and contemporary issues in the interaction between media and society. Students will examine and develop critical perspectives on media and the interplay between media institutions, media content, and culture. The course will introduce major theories used in analyzing media and its effects, as well as examine the characteristics of individual media: newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, film, the Internet, and social media. The core concepts of media ethics will also be discussed. Course work will include media and reading assignments, as well as collaborative media projects. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC104
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC240
Title: Creative Writing-Fiction
Description: This course is designed to develop students’ fiction writing skills by exploring various genres and conventions of fiction. Students will become familiar with literary forms, styles, and traditions, critically analyzing samples in order to improve their own work. The core of this course is based on original student writing, therefore students will be required to submit short work on a weekly basis, depending on the genre and focus. They will be encouraged to view writing as a creative process, involving honest exploration of ideas and the imagination. They will practice free-writing, drafting, and revision for clarity, precision, and literary effect. Students will also be required to actively participate during each class, discussing assigned texts and other students’ writings. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week, along with in-class and take-home assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC140 or EC141
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC241
Title: Scriptwriting
Description: This advanced writing course will cover the most important aspects of the art and craft of script writing. Students are expected to learn and develop the techniques for generating ideas, the drafting process, classical screenplay structure, conflict, characterization, dialogue, how to write visually, scene structure, revision, how to analyze original work, and provide peer feedback. Students will learn how to write an original script from conception of an original idea through the outlining process and onto a finished short script of about 50 pages. Classes will involve lectures, discussion, analysis, critical thinking, and workshopping.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites:
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC242
Title: Writing for Industry
Description: This advanced writing course is aimed at building the skills needed to produce clear and effective technical and scientific writing in areas that may include but are not limited to computer science, earth science, engineering, business, finance, and medicine. Students will learn how to follow conventions of technical writing for whichever purpose they write, such as proposals, manuals, scientific reports, and technical documents. Regular assignments include readings, analyzing and critiquing sample papers, collecting and researching information and data, drafting, self- and peer revision. Students are required to complete weekly reading and writing assignments in order to acquire knowledge of the concepts discussed in class and integrate them into their own writing. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week including discussions and tasks.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC140, EC141
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC243
Title: Creative Non-Fiction
Description: This course aims to familiarize students with various forms of creative non-fiction writing such as memoir, photo-essays, and new journalism. We will read examples of great, as well as problematic, essays that use different forms of personal narrative and reporting. Students will practice drafting, researching, fact-checking, interviewing, and revisions. They will also be required to actively participate in class, discussing assigned readings and other students’ work. One of the aims of this course is for students to produce polished and well-supported writing that a journal might be interested in publishing.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC140 OR EC141
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC244
Title: Writing for Media
Description: Working in media today demands flexibility, creativity, and critical awareness of the art and practice of writing in an ever-changing media environment. This course builds upon students’ basic writing skills by developing the skills used in writing for different media, with an emphasis on reporting, public relations, advertising, and professional communication. Students will explore theory and practice in writing for print, television, radio, and the internet, including traditional websites as well as blogs, social media, and other new media. They will analyze content, style, format, and other features of writing, and apply their understandings to their own written production. Students are required to complete weekly reading and writing assignments in order to acquire knowledge of the concepts discussed in class and integrate them into their own writing. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week including discussions and tasks.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC140, EC141
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC246
Title: Business and Data Journalism
Description: This class gives students practice in business and data journalism. Students will explain and analyze the financial and business activities in an economy and use open source research and data to produce compelling stories and infographics. Students will collect recent historic data and write about well-known public firms such as Tesla, Disney, and Twitter. They will pursue various interviewing, research, and data collection strategies; learn to weigh and evaluate evidence in financial reports, and synthesize existing scholarship and data to write articles in creative and cogent ways. This course will focus on global companies as well as Armenian firms. Students will also read and critique business articles from leading financial publications such as the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal. Instructor-led discussions, team reporting, reading and writing assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC102
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC249
Title: Creative Writing: Poetry
Description: This course offers students the opportunity to hone their creative writing skills, with a focus on poetry. Students will develop a working understanding of prosody and versification with which to explore various poetic forms, their traditional and modern iterations in the work of historic and living poets, and the relationship between form and content. This course promises a robust grounding in form poetry, before embarking on modern and experimental methods such as free verse, blackout/erasure poetry, and found poetry. Through seminar-style discussions and weekly self- and peer critiques, students will be encouraged to write, share, edit, and revise their own work and others’, as well as respond to set readings which will bolster their understanding of genre and form. Over the semester, while building a portfolio of creative and reflective assignments, students will build confidence in their written and oral work as they fine-tune their skills in poetry, both on the page and in performance.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC140 or EC141
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC250
Title: Introduction to Translation
Description: This course aims to provide students with an understanding of the field of translation and the basic skills necessary to begin translating texts from English to Armenian and Armenian to English. Students will become familiar with the major practical and theoretical approaches and methods to translation. They will be encouraged to view translation as a process, involving planning, drafting, and revision for clarity and precision. Students are required to complete short readings and weekly writing assignments, which may include but are not limited to response papers, vocabulary journals, and translations from a range of texts from various disciplines. Three hours of instructor-led discussions per week.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC140, EC141
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC251
Title: Media Translation
Description: This course builds the skills necessary to translate media content, including news articles, editorials, opinion pieces, press releases, website content, blog entries, film/video subtitles, captions, and other types of media texts from English to Armenian and vice versa. Since media translation is not strictly a matter of interlingual transfer but also necessitates the rewriting and synthesizing of the source text to accommodate a different set of audience expectations, students will learn to apply hybrid methods of translation to attain a given purpose. They will be required to maneuver through the constraints of time and space to which media translators are often subject. The course includes weekly reading and translation assignments, comparative workshops, individual and group presentations via instructor-led discussions.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC238, EC130 or EC250
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC253
Title: Literary Translation
Description: This course familiarizes students with the history, theory and practice of literary translation. Students are encouraged to view translation as a creative process similar to that of creative writing. The aim of the course is to help students cultivate general translation techniques while focusing specifically on stylistic and semantic creativity in a workshop setting. Assignments include short readings and weekly writing assignments, which may include but are not limited to response papers, vocabulary journals, and translations from a range of texts from different literary genres. Knowledge of Armenian is required. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week including lecture, seminar, workshop discussions.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC240 OR EC250, CHSS104
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC260
Title: Negotiation
Description: Almost every interaction of daily life involves some kind of negotiation process, thus negotiation is broadly conceived to be a form of communicative activity encompassing business, professional and personal life. This course aims to develop students’ negotiation and persuasion skills by introducing them to new paradigms for collaborative problem solving, starting with when and why people negotiate After presenting different styles and models of negotiation, the course considers the effectiveness of each and teaches tools and frameworks to better prepare for negotiation; e.g., an understanding of the different elements at play, awareness of trust and relationship-building dynamics, modes of persuasion, active listening skills, and strategic thinking and analysis skills. Three hours of instructor-led discussion per week, plus in-class and take-home assignments.
Credits: 3.0
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Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC261
Title: Special Topics in Comparative Media Studies
Description: This interdisciplinary course explores media from a global and comparative perspective, examining how media forms transcend national boundaries and create new cultural spaces with their own perspectives and values. Topics might include how various national, ethnic, gendered, and sexual identities are represented through media, how traditional media is adapting to digital environments, and how media blurs the line between popular culture and politics. Student performance will be assessed through individual and/or group written and oral presentations, case studies and/or essays.
Credits: 3.0
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Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC262
Title: Film and Video Editing
Description: Students will build upon the visual storytelling techniques they learned in Introduction to Filmmaking. In addition to further exploration of cinematic grammar, narrative structure, theory and history, they will study the art of the documentary and the specific techniques and approaches to applying their storytelling skills to a non-fiction format. During the course students will conceive and complete a long-form fiction or documentary project. Students will develop their ideas from treatment to screenplay and then work collaboratively in crews to realize their projects, expanding their knowledge and experience in every phase of production. Each student will be required to critique and explain their own and each other’s work in classroom discussions and written assignments. Three hours of instructor-led class time per week.
Credits: 3.0
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Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC264
Title: Public Relations Campaigns
Description: In this skills-based course students explore the strategic management of public relations through analyzing and developing campaigns and projects. They will create strategic proposals and tailor their writing for various purposes and text-types, developing practical, analytical, and creative skills needed for careers in PR. Students will have the opportunity to build a professional portfolio and take part in other professional activities. They may also have the opportunity of job shadowing and site visit opportunities, to observe and collect information from professionals on the job. Besides the instruction led meetings there will be job shadowing and site visit opportunities for the students to observe and collect information from professionals on the job. Instructor-led discussion, along with reading, written, and practical assignments.
Credits: 3.0
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Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC265
Title: The Language of Film
Description: Cinema has evolved a complex system of conventions to tell stories and communicate ideas. This revolutionary and unique system of recording and assembling images and sound has been compared to language, involving a kind of cinematic “grammar”. In this course, students will learn to study cinema from a critical perspective. They will view a broad selection of films from a variety of genres to explore how motion pictures are designed to express meaning, and to analyze and relate their content and form. Students will complete written assignments as well as readings on filmmaking, film history, theory, and criticism.
Credits: 3.0
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Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC269
Title: Visual Communication
Description: This course explores the principles of visual communication and the fundamental rules that govern our interaction with information in forms that can be read or seen. It provides students with theoretical and practical skills for working with various forms of visual presentation, affording them the ability to relate the concepts of design to the physical world (buildings, art, landscapes, etc.), to the world of ideas (how design influences our thinking and thought processes), and to the world of imagination (how we think of design, and how to apply this creatively). The course will also address such topics as the history of visual communications, the development of writing systems, artistic movements, typography, calligraphy, and poster design. Students will apply course concepts in written analyses and graphic design projects. Instructor led discussion.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC104
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC270
Title: Media & Politics
Description: This course examines the complex relations between media and political systems, exploring the role of the media in politics and its links with political institutions, processes and actors. Students will apply theoretical understandings in the critical analysis of political communication, journalism, and new media, as they study both global trends and local realities. Instructor-led lectures and discussions, with coursework including theoretical analysis, case studies, and practical application.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC104
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC271
Title: Digital Media: Theory and Industries
Description: This course explores the complex interactions among digital media, culture and society. It will make students familiar with theoretical and industrial frameworks surrounding digital media. Students will study and analyse different forms of digital media to learn how their information and discourses are communicated audiovisually and to develop critical perspectives on the interplay between media institutions, content, and culture.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC238
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC275
Title: Critical Theory in Literature
Description: This course is designed to give students a strong grounding in the various schools of critical theory used by literature and cultural studies scholars. Students will be introduced to such major approaches as structuralism, deconstruction, psychoanalytic criticism, post-Marxism, feminist criticism, and queer theory. They will also explore some of the directions that critical theory has taken in the 21st century (e.g. disability studies, posthumanism, critical animal studies, affect theory, etc.) Students will be expected to engage in discussion, presentations, and frequent writing assignments.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC104, EC120, EC121, EC140 OR EC141
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC279
Title: Graphic Design
Description: This course introduces students to a practice-based, hands-on approach to visual communication design. Students will learn the about vector and raster graphics, how to design with specific audiences in mind, and edit images using some of the most commonly used photo editing software in the visual design industry. Students will investigate further the elements and principles of design, color theory, visual perception theories, typography, symbols, brand identity, logos, and UI/UX design. Emphasis will be placed on the ability to conceive new and innovative solutions for specified communication issues. Students will also share their work and learn to take part in design critiques and discussions, as both designers and peers. Readings and viewings of relevant films are a required component of the course.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC237 OR EC262 OR EC268 or EC269
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC280
Title: Oral History
Description: Memory work, through the medium of oral history, offers the opportunity to examine the connections between public and personal history, marginalized lives and silences. This course introduces students to the theory and practice of oral history, critically examining ethical considerations, memory work, oral evidence, interpretive conflict, and “sharing authority” in researcher and participant relationships. Leading students to complete oral history projects of their own, various forms of outputs will also be discussed including life story narratives, archival documentation, co-narrating with participants, public pedagogy, advocacy, and research creation projects. Alongside instructor-led lectures students will engage in close readings, presentations, critical reflection, group discussions, and collaborative team work in preparation for oral history fieldwork.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC102
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC290
Title: Research Methods
Description: This course introduces students to research methods in one or more of the following fields: English literature, linguistics, translation, writing studies, communications, and/or media studies. Students will refine their skills of library research as they identify and formulate research questions. They will explore the whole process of research: identifying promising research topics, developing specific research questions, applying suitable research approaches to answer those questions, analyzing their results, and finally presenting their findings. Students are expected to complete regular assignments in order to acquire knowledge and practice skills discussed in class.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC103, EC104, EC105, EC120, EC121, EC130, EC140, EC141, EC200, EC238
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC291
Title: Advanced Academic Writing
Description: Building upon previous coursework in undergraduate-level academic writing, this course introduces students to the academic writing skills needed for higher-level scholarship, preparing them for their capstone project and professional writing both inside and outside the academy. Through a series of scaffolded assignments, students in this course gain familiarity with the genres and conventions of academic writing. They also develop advanced research literacy: navigating scholarly databases, assessing source material, identifying how academic sources are in conversation with each other. As such, students will read, evaluate, and write abstracts, literature reviews, methodology sections, and other components of academic texts, learning the rhetorical moves and styles of scholarly writing while producing their own work, culminating in an original capstone proposal.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC140, EC141, EC295
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC295
Title: Special Topics
Description: nan
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC102
Corequisites:
Program: BAEC
Course Code: EC299
Title: Capstone
Description: The capstone provides students with the opportunity to investigate an area of academic and professional interest while building upon the knowledge and skills they have acquired through their English & Communication coursework. As the culminating experience for the BA in English & Communications degree, the capstone course is designed to be highly individualized. The topics and format are proposed by the student subject to approval of a capstone adviser with expertise in the field. Topics should be well aligned with the student’s background and interests. Formats include academic research paper, a creative or practical project, or suitable internship, plus a portfolio of written work. The course combines instructor-led class meetings, class discussions, presentations and individual consultations with advisers.
Credits: 3.0
Prerequisites: EC290 or CHSS297
Corequisites: