Department of Communication Arts
University of Wisconsin-Madison

Summer Term

Communication Arts Department Summer 2026 Courses

The Communication Arts Department has a great selection of summer courses planned for you. The full Summer 2026 course schedule will be posted to Course Search & Enroll on January 7th and enrollment will be in March. Please see the Academic Guide for additional course information.

Offered Online, Asynchronously

Com Arts 308: The Power of the Image
Explore how images communicate and persuade in our visually-driven world. Examine the rhetorical strategies behind compelling visuals. Learn to analyze and craft impactful imagery for diverse audiences.

    • Open to students with sophomore standing or higher
    • Intermediate level, humanities breadth, 3 credits (liberal arts and science)

Com Arts 323: The Business and Culture of Disney
Analyze The Walt Disney Company and its prominence as a purveyor of narratives, consumer products, and dreams in global culture. Examine the business and culture of Disney to reveal how creators, capitalists, and consumers all relate to the corporate media empires that shape everyday life.

A subscription to Disney+ streaming service is required for this course.

    • Open to students with sophomore standing or higher
    • Intermediate level, humanities breadth, 3 credits (liberal arts and science)

Com Arts 468: Producing for Internet TV and Video

Delve into the producer’s role across a range of media content, from expensive film studios and major streamers to low-budget YouTube channels and music platforms. Learn the various roles of a producer, including script analysis and conceptualizing and delivering video projects and documentation. Explore industry practice and standards regarding production management and examine the Internet as a platform for distribution, advertising, and audience. Create online videos with an emphasis on entrepreneurship.

    • Open to students who have completed COM ARTS 155 or 355
    • Advanced level, 3 credits (liberal arts and science)

Com Arts 605: Digital Studies Capstone
Digital Studies certificate students synthesize the material they have learned throughout the program and explore professional and personal growth opportunities.

    • Open to Digital Studies Certificate seniors who have completed their Digital Studies coursework.
    • Advanced level, 1 credit (liberal arts and science)

Offered Online, Asynchronously

Com Arts 313: A24 Films and the “Indie” Brand
Description forthcoming.

    • Open to students with sophomore standing or higher
    • Intermediate level, humanities breadth course, 3 credits (liberal arts and science)

Com Arts 344: Social Media & Well-Being
One of the most widely debated and consequential issues of our time is how social media use is implicated in users’ well-being. Opinions on the topic abound, typically skewed towards the negative. As rates of depression, anxiety, and loneliness have sky-rocketed in recent years, especially among young people, many have pointed the finger at social media use. Are these worries well-founded? Or are they exaggerated, given that people keep using social media, in larger numbers than ever? How can social media use be leveraged to maximize well-being and minimize harm? (Don’t take if you took the class as Com Arts 377. Same course.)

  • Open to students with sophomore standing or higher
  • Intermediate level, social science breadth, 3 credits (liberal arts and science)

Com Arts 351, Television Industries
Dive into the forces shaping television in the U.S.—from classic broadcast networks to today’s streaming giants. This course uncovers how economic systems, regulations, and global trends influence what we watch and how it’s made. You’ll examine programming strategies, the people who create TV, audience behaviors, and the industry’s rapid evolution in the digital age.

  • Open to students with sophomore standing or higher or COM ARTS 250
  • Intermediate level, humanities breadth course, 3 credits (liberal arts and science)

Offered Online, Asynchronously

Com Arts 100: Introduction to Speech Composition
Develop your speech writing and presentation skills.

    • Open to students who have not received credit for Com Arts 105 or 181
    • Communication A course
    • Elementary level, 3 credits (liberal arts and science)

Com Arts 371: Communication and Conflict Resolution
Study the complexities of conflict. Learn communication strategies for managing and resolving conflict in interpersonal, organizational, intercultural, and global contexts.

    • Open to students with sophomore standing or higher
    • Intermediate level, social science breadth, 3 credits (liberal arts and science)

Com Arts 614 or 615: Field Experience in Communication
Reflect on your internship experience. Acquire skills related to your future job search.

    • Open to Com Arts majors. See instructions for arranging credit.
    • Advanced level, 1 credit (liberal arts and science)

Offered Online, Asynchronously

Com Arts 313: Summer Blockbusters
The massive success of Jaws and Star Wars ushered in the era of the summer blockbuster. Join us as we survey the history of the summer blockbuster and the many ways this type of cinema reflects changes in Hollywood’s release schedules, business strategies, and target demographics. We’ll examine the stars, directors, and producers who specialize in the making of “popcorn” movies that maintain a broad popular appeal. We’ll also look closely at the films themselves.

    • Open to students with sophomore standing or higher
    • Intermediate level, humanities breadth course, 3 credits (liberal arts and science)

Com Arts/Gen&WS 316: Gender and Communication
Explore theories, concepts, and analytics for understanding how gender impacts how we create and interpret messages. Learn strategies for managing gendered differences in our interpersonal, professional, and social lives.

    • Open to students with sophomore standing or higher
    • Intermediate level, humanities breadth, 3 credits (liberal arts and science)