Master of Arts in Communication and Culture (MA/CC)

Course Descriptions

CC 5010 Topics in Media Studies
Study of topics such as international communication, applied ethics, political communication, and newspaper or magazine design and layout theory. Three hours.

CC 5020 Topics in Communication
Selected topics as announced. Course may be repeated with different topics. One to four hours.

CC 5232 Interpersonal Communication
An examination of interpersonal communication theories and the application of those theories to specific interpersonal dyads, such as colleagues, friends, and spouses. Original research in the area of interpersonal communication will be conducted. Three hours.

CC 5234 Gender and Family Communication
An examination of theories about phenomena that shape people’s conception of gender and family in a variety of contexts. Students will study various communication processes related to the expression of gender and the functioning of family relationships. Three hours.

CC 5238 Group and Organizational Communication
A study of communication in the context of informal and formal groups, as well as organizations of various sizes and different degrees of complexity. The course will include research about communication in nonprofit and for-profit settings. Three hours.

CC 5610 Cultural Hermeneutics
This introductory course provides students with the basic framework for thinking theologically about contemporary culture. The course presents the concepts of culture and society along with the ways they are often investigated by cultural and social studies. The aim of the course is to reflect on what is involved in a properly theological interpretation of culture. The course develops the hermeneutical principles for interpreting culture that will be applied in subsequent courses. Two hours.

CC 5615 Cultural Engagement
This course seeks to engage contemporary culture biblically and theologically. The aim is to develop a Christian position on certain significant issues in contemporary culture (e.g., multiculturalism, tolerance, the media, cyberspace, and sexuality). Students will be encouraged to develop their own positions on the relationship of gospel to culture, church to world, through detailed case studies. Three hours.

CC 5620 Cultural Exegesis
This course explores some categories introduced in CC 5610 (Communication and Culture) in greater detail. Various methods and tools from sociology, cultural anthropology, and philosophy are used to explore such themes as urbanization, modernization, pluralization, secularization, and globalization, with theological reflection on these themes. Three hours.

CC 6000 Current Studies in Communication and Culture
Selected topics that deal with significant issues related to communication and culture. One to three hours.

CC 6610 Anthropology for Ministry
Application of anthropological and sociological insights to the problems of missiology, with special attention to the fundamentals of culture and the differences in structure and organization of different societies, and to the study of change and the missionary as an agent of change. Three hours.

CC 7200 Independent Study in Communication and Culture
This elective provides an opportunity to conduct a major project (typically writing a major paper) on a communication and culture topic of special interest. Students may arrange such a course in any term with an appropriate university professor. One to four hours.

CC 7300 World Religions
Historical survey of the origin and growth of the major world religions, beliefs, practices, and worldviews of the major traditions will be examined, with special attention given to comparison and contrast with Christian beliefs and practices. Three hours.

CC 7476 Communication and Culture Capstone Comprehensive Examination
A comprehensive examination scheduled by the student with the program director, consisting of broad essay questions that allow the student to demonstrate a grasp of the field as a whole. Students should register for this capstone option in the semester they plan to take the examination. Zero hours.

CC 7478 Communication and Culture Capstone Project
Independent study culminating in a communication and culture–related project, as arranged with the program director or designate. Students should register for this course the semester they start the project. Zero to four hours.

CC 7480 Communication and Culture Capstone Integrative Paper
Independent study culminating in an integrative paper. Students developing and writing an integrative paper may register for 0 to 2 credit hours. Students should register for this course the semester they start the paper. Zero to two hours.

CC 7485 Communication and Culture Thesis
Independent study toward development of an academic thesis. Required of all students choosing to write a thesis. Students may not register for this course until the semester after the thesis proposal has been approved. Zero to four hours.

CC 7486 Communication and Culture Thesis Extension
A total of three semesters extension for CC 7485 may be granted when progress is being made on the thesis. Extension fee when not in enrolled in other courses. Counts as half-time student status when registrant affirms that a minimum of twenty hours per week are invested on the thesis. No Credit. Zero hours. 86

CC 7705 Religious Epistemology
Examination of the ways of knowing and tests for truth with special emphasis on the problems of religious knowledge and their implications for theological issues. Three hours.

CC 7710 Contextualization
A study of contextualization from theoretical and practical perspectives, including an examination of the meanings and methods of contextualization as proposed in recent literature, an analysis of the proposals of prominent contextualizers, and the development of limited contextualized materials for selected target-cultures. Three hours.

CC 7842 Understanding the Urban World
The history of the city will be examined and attention will concentrate on modern patterns of urbanization and recent trends. Urban systems will be analyzed in their metropolitan context, and special attention will be given to the dynamics, problems, and opportunities of the central city. The student will be continuously challenged to reflect on the unique ministry and mission implications that the urban context poses for the whole church. Two hours.

CC 7860 Social and Cultural Exegesis
This course will equip the student to do theologically informed analysis of the social and cultural context of modern urban society. Special attention will be given to formulating a biblically informed understanding of modernization, urbanization, and secularization, with a view to understanding the difference and relationship between various change-producing ministries ranging from evangelism to political involvement. Two hours.

CC 8000 Seminar: Current Issues in Communication and Culture
Topics chosen to interrelate communication and culture. Two to three hours.

CH 5060 American Church History
Transition of European churches to America and their involvement with theological, liturgical, social, and political issues; the nature of Puritanism; separation of church and state; awakenings and revivals; social concern; liberalism, fundamentalism, neo-orthodoxy, and contemporary evangelicalism. Three hours.

ME 6760 Theology of Mission and Evangelism
An examination of the many Old and New Testament texts that provide theological foundations for the global mission of the church. Basic issues that confront the missionary will be investigated, as well as the more complex and contemporary issues. The course provides the student with various perspectives and strategies for dealing with the Trinity, the Great Commission, the call and motivation for ministry, and the problems of dialogue, syncretism, universalism, and ecumenism. Three hours.

ME 8310 Religious Pluralism
An examination of the current debate over Christianity and other religions and an evaluation of the issues from an evangelical perspective. Theological, philosophical, and missiological implications of the debate will be explored. Three hours.

PR 7750 Philosophical Issues in Religious Pluralism
Consideration of the major epistemological and metaphysical issues for philosophy of religion arising from the discussions on religious diversity and religious pluralism. The views of influential philosophers such as John Hick, William Alston, Keith Ward, and others are examined, as well as responses to their work. Three hours.

PT 7848 Ministry of the Urban Church
Through the lens of a biblical understanding of the church and its purposes, this course will examine the urban environment with focused attention on the central city, poverty, and ethnic/minority communities as a context for ministry. The special needs in these contexts will be examined and related to the ministry challenge of the local church. The ministry task of the local church will in turn be examined in terms of the pastoral leadership role, including the personal dimension of the minister’s life and preparation as well as the actual practice of ministry. Two hours.