Davis A. Foulger, Ph. D.

Visiting
Professor
Fall, 2005-Spring, 2006
and Fall 2001-Spring 2003

COM 380: Communication Ethics

Texts and Course Information - Fall, 2002

Tuesday/Thursday - 3:55PM-5:15PM

Dr. Foulger

Semester SyllabusLecture Notes

Grading Criteria

Course BibliographyApproved Department Course Syllabus

Course Description

The first amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides strong protections for our communication. It protects our interpersonal communication (freedom of speech), our communication in social collectives (freedom of religion and assembly), and our "mass" communication (freedom of the press). With these rights come responsibilities. These responsibilities are sometimes a matter of law (not yelling "fire" in a theatre), but they are more often a matter of personal responsibility that is rooted in morality and ethics.

This course examines the moral and ethical responsibilities we have as participants in various communication media and contexts. During this course students will develop a toolbox of decision templates that can be used to make better decisions about the messages they:

  • create as reporters, broadcasters, public relations professionals, copywriters, managers, and relationship partners
  • enable as producers, directors, camera operators
  • interpret as readers, viewers, audiences, and relationship partners.

Texts

Anderson, James A. and Englehart, Elaine E. The Organizational Self and Ethical Conduct: Sunlit Virtue and Shadowed Resistance. Thomson Learning, 2000.

Leslie, Larry Z. Mass Communication Ethics: Decision Making in Post-Modern Culture. Houghton Mifflin, 2000.