CM475 Sr.

Seminar in Communication Syllabus

COURSE SYLLABUS

CM 475 SR. SEMINAR IN COMMUNICATION Bruce Clary

Spring 2009 Mohler 201
2 cr. hrs. claryb@mcpherson.edu
1:30-2:20 TTh Becki Bowman
Mohler 223
bowmanb@mcpherson.edu

COURSE MISSION/RATIONALE
As a career-oriented liberal arts college, McPherson College strives to develop graduates who
have mastered skills and content that will ensure their career success. This course contributes
directly to that goal by asking students to (1) compile a professional, electronic portfolio
demonstrating their readiness to enter a communication profession, (2) create an application
package that is ready for use with prospective employers, and (3) identify suitable position
openings and prospective employers.

COURSE DESCRIPTION
Application of communication concepts and principles to the development of a professional,
electronic portfolio and an applications package.

REQUIREMENTS MET
This course is required of all students completing a communication major, an auto
communication major, or an interdisciplinary major with a strong communication component.

COURSE GOALS
The goals of this course are
• to exercise and enhance your skill in applying communication concepts and principles
• to enable you to design and develop a professional, electronic portfolio and an application
package demonstrating your readiness to enter a communication profession
• to identify suitable position openings and prospective employers.

COURSE STRUCTURE
Dr. Bowman will lead you through the development of an applications package. Dr. Clary will
be responsible for teaching the Web design and development of the online portfolio. (There will
be considerable overlap in the contents of the applications package and online portfolio.)
Applications package. Students will write cover letters, prepare a resume, and compile a
portfolio that can be used in the search for jobs in the communication field.
Online portfolio. Students will use Dreamweaver CS3 to produce an electronic portfolio that
showcases the best of their work. Students will learn the basics of Web design, CSS, and
XHTML in the process of developing their portfolio.

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 CM475 Sr. Seminar in Communication Syllabus

The objective of the project is to develop a Web-based portfolio that provides prospective
employers and clients with a professional and creative introduction to you and your graphic
design skills. The portfolio itself becomes a demonstration of your ability to design for the Web.
The portfolio must include, but is not limited to, the following:
• a home page
• an “About Me” or bio page
• both an HTML resumé and a resumé in a PDF document (or, alternatively, a CSS style
sheet for print)
• three or more galleries exhibiting work that demonstrates your strengths as a
communication professional
The successful portfolio will do more than exhibit your work attractively and effectively—it will
reflect your personality and character and project a clear vision of who you are as a person and a
communication professional.
EVALUATION
50 percent of final grade
Cover letter, resumé, paper portfolio, and mock interview
50 percent of final grade
Online portfolio: see attached rubric
(2 points subtracted for each process deadline not met)

PRELIMINARY SCHEDULE (Shaded sessions meet in Mohler 218; unshaded, in Spectator lab)
T, Feb. 3 Topic: Introduction to course (Becki)
Th, Feb. 5 Topic: Job Searching—What do I want to do? (Becki)
T, Feb. 10 Topic: Cover Letter Writing (Becki)
Th, Feb. 12 Topic: Resumé Writing—bring a list of education and work history (Becki)
T, Feb. 17 Topic: Portfolio Creation (Becki)
Th, Feb. 19 Topic: Portfolio Creation cont. (Becki)
T, Feb. 24 Topic: The Digital Portfolio—creating your brand (Bruce)
Th, Feb. 26 Due: Come to class prepared to analyze the “branding” in three online
portfolios that you admire
T, March 3 Due: Come to class with three brand words for your portfolio
Topic: (1) Designing a typographical logo for your vision (2) Photoshop
Th, March 5 Due: Three possible typographical logos saved as .jpg files
Topic: Designing the Web-based portfolio
T, March 10 Topic: Introduction to XHTML and CSS
Th, March 12 Due: Bring contents for paper portfolio to class—working day to review
contents and determine organizational pattern

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 CM475 Sr. Seminar in Communication Syllabus

T, March 17 Topics: (1) Introduction to Dreamweaver CS3 (2) Styling text with CSS
Th, March 19 Due: CSS Text-styling assignment
Topic: Converting paper portfolio contents and organization for the online
portfolio
T, Mar 31 Topics: (1) The Web design workflow (2) The box model and wireframing
Th, April 2 Due: (1) Wireframe of portfolio home page (2) Sketch of portfolio home
page
Topic: CSS layout
T, April 7 Due: “Empty” HTML/CSS mockup of the online portfolio
Topic: Combining graphics and CSS
Th, April 9 Due: Examples of three live galleries that you admire
Topic: Gallery technologies: HTML/CSS, Flash, Javascript
T, April 14 Due: XHTML/CSS layout of portfolio home page
Topics: (1) Navigation design (2) CSS navigation
Th, April 16 Due: Deadline for cover letters, resumés, and paper portfolios. Bring all
items to class for review.
T, April 21 Online portfolio lab session
Special topics as necessary
Th, April 23 Online portfolio lab session
Special topics as necessary
T, April 28 Online portfolio lab session
Special topics as necessary
Th, April 30 Topic: Interview skills
T, May 5 Online portfolio lab session
Special topics as necessary
Th, May 7 Online portfolio lab session
Special topics as necessary
T, May 12 Due: Online portfolios
Th, May 14 Mock interviews