Communications

List of 19 items.

• Speech

  This course introduces students to the art of public speaking. Students will give four speeches over the course of the semester, ranging from extemporaneous speaking to more formal, memorized formats. Students will learn basic public speaking techniques for delivery, organization, memorization, confidence-building, audience analysis, and the development of visual aids using various forms of technology.
  
  Prerequisites/Comments - This elective course is open to all students. (UC “g” Elective)

• Introduction to Debate

  This course introduces students to basic argumentation theory and practice. Students will learn the basics of argument development, research, analytical reasoning, and public speaking. Students are expected to participate in novice-level debate tournaments throughout the school year. There is a fee for this course. 
  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Open to all freshmen. Sophomores, juniors and seniors require the consent of the instructor. Required of all students who plan to take Intermediate Debate. (UC “g” Elective)

• Intermediate Debate

  This course introduces students to advanced argument theory and practice. There is a more advanced focus on research and analytical thinking skills. Students begin to craft their positions using research. Students are expected to practice these skills in sessions after school and to participate in varsity level competitions throughout the school year. There is a fee for this course. 
  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Students must have completed Introduction to Debate or obtain the consent of the instructor. Required of all students who plan to take the Advanced Performance Debate. (UC “g” Elective)

• Advanced Performance Debate

  Students continue to master advanced argumentation theory and practice. They will develop in-depth knowledge of argumentation strategy and performance with a focus on advanced research skills and audience adaptation. Students are expected to practice these skills in sessions after school and to participate in varsity level competitions throughout the school year. There is a fee for this course. 
  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Students must have completed Introduction to Debate and Intermediate Debate or obtain the consent of the instructor. This course can be repeated for credit. Required of all students who plan to take the Advanced Honors Debate class. (UC “f” VPA)

• Honors Advanced Debate

  Students will apply their argumentation theory and practice in developing community leadership skills. Students will master their public speaking skills by crafting and overseeing the implementation of a social action project. Students will be required to apply their advocacy skills in a “real world” setting to address an issue of social justice in line with the Holy Cross legacy of community service and experiential learning. Students are also expected to practice these skills in sessions after school and to participate in varsity level competitions throughout the school year. There is a fee for this course.
  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Students must have completed Introduction to Debate, Intermediate Debate, and Advanced Debate. This course is open to 4th-year debate students with the consent of the instructor. (UC “g” Elective – UC Honors)

• Journalism I

  This course introduces students to the basic writing principles and styles of news and feature writing for print and online publications. Additional topics include a historical perspective of print journalism, the moral and ethical standards of both the print and broadcast media, and layout and design. 
  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Required of all students planning to take Journalism II or Yearbook/Magazine Design and Publication. (UC “g” Elective) 

• Journalism II: Art of Blogging

  A follow-up to Journalism I, this course focuses on the researching, writing, interviewing, and reporting techniques necessary to produce stories for print and online publication with an emphasis on the current journalistic trend of blogging. Additional topics include an introduction to photojournalism, magazine layout and design techniques, and video production. 
  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Completion of Journalism I and consent of the instructor. Required of all students planning to take Advanced Journalism. (UC “g” Elective)

• Magazine/Yearbook Design & Publication (ID 1060)

  This course focuses on the researching, writing, interviewing, and reporting techniques necessary to produce the student magazine, The Knight, and update the Notre Dame student blog (www.ndhsmedia.com). Additional topics include photojournalism, advanced magazine layout & design techniques, video production, generating story assignments, editing, and publication management.
  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Completion of Journalism II or consent of the instructor. Not open to freshmen. This course can be repeated for ND credit. (UC “f” VPA) 

• Yearbook/Magazine Design & Publication (ID 1075)

  Students in this course design, create and produce the school yearbook, The Arches. Relying on journalism skills acquired in Journalism I, students target their journalistic focus on feature writing and more complex layout and design and photojournalism skills. Also relevant to the course are project management techniques necessary to produce a visual representation of the school year that adheres to necessary publication deadlines and budget requirements. 

  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Completion of Journalism I or consent of the instructor. Not open to freshmen. This course can be repeated for ND credit. (UC “f” VPA) 

• Media Studies

  (Formerly TV Production I). Media Studies will allow students to develop and apply knowledge of artistic principles and gain technical skills in film and television production. Students will study award-winning films and videos, learn the fundamentals of visual art as they apply to film and television, and produce their own original short video projects using industry-standard equipment and software. Theoretical topics covered will include the history of film and television, the elements of film art, and storytelling as a visual endeavor. Technical topics covered will include the use of studio and cameras, lighting, audio, visual effects, editing, and pre and post-production work. There is a fee for this course. 

  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Open to 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade students. Required of all students planning to take TV Broadcasting or Filmmaking. (UC “f” VPA) 

• TV Broadcasting

  Formally TV Production II. This course deepens and refines the skills, experiences, knowledge, and vocabulary introduced in Media Studies (TV I). A  component of this course will examine the history of video today and future trends. The core of the class is a project-based workflow designed for students to emulate and experience a real-world media production environment, regardless of their chosen career path. Because a primary focus is on broadcast journalism, students learn about its foundations and the craft’s two main components – writing and reporting news and feature stories. Students experience how an actual television newscast is produced,  directed, and put on the air, while also training to take on supervisory roles in the production of NDTV -- the school’s weekly broadcast news program. Students are responsible to plan, design, shoot, edit, distribute, and exhibit their work while developing artistically, intellectually, and managing aesthetic and logistical challenges. This is a time-intensive course that requires field and studio production work before and after school, as well as during X-period. There is a fee for this course. 

  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Completion of Media Studies and consent of instructor. Can be repeated for credit. (UC “f” VPA) 

• Filmmaking

  Formally TV Production III. This course exposes students to more advanced topics related to film production. Topics covered include screenwriting, storyboard creation, shooting scripts, scheduling, budgeting, production design, cinematography, editing, and sound design. There is a fee for this course. 

  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Completion of TV Production II/TV Broadcasting and consent of the instructor. Can be repeated for credit. This is a time-intensive course that requires field and studio production work before and after school as well as during X-period. (UC current “g” Elective) 

• Sports Broadcasting

  In this course, students learn to produce various types of sports programming, including play-by-play and color commentary, anchoring and reporting, as well as editing and voicing sports packages and sports highlights. Some productions may be live-Streamed on the school’s website. Sports-related guest speakers and field trips supplement the curriculum. Additionally, this class will also work to produce sports content for the on-campus platform, NDTV, and ND Sports Network. 

  
  Prerequisites/Comments - This elective course is open to all students. (UC “g” Elective) 

• Broadcasting Anchoring & Reporting

  In this course, students will learn to choose and effectively research newsworthy stories while developing the skill set to write quality news scripts and deliver those stories on various platforms: Television, Radio, Web, and Social Media. Topics covered will include identifying newsworthy stories, writing for broadcast, identifying your audience, developing a voice. 

  
  Prerequisites/Comments - This elective course is open to all students. Designed for students who may be interested in taking TV Broadcasting and participating in NDTV. (UC “f” VPA interdisciplinary) 

• Voiceover and Podcasting

  This course will focus on vocal presentation, which impacts every aspect of broadcast communication. Students will perform basic vocal exercises and drills to start developing their vocal instrument. Students will explore the philosophy and process of speaking with audiences through commercials, promotions, character voices, newscasts, and podcasts. 

  
  Prerequisites/Comments - This elective course is open to all students. (UC “f” VPA interdisciplinary) 

• Screenwriting I

  In this course, students will learn the fundamentals of screenwriting—story structure, character development, plot, theme, conflict, and “vision.” Through an emphasis on the structural analysis of feature film writing, students will develop a professional screenwriter’s conceptual vocabulary for developing, writing and rewriting his or her own work. Students will begin writing their own feature-length screenplays and by the end of the course will have completed the first act. Students will read scripts and watch several classic and contemporary films during this course.
  
  Prerequisites/Comments - This elective course is open to 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade students. (UC “g” Elective) 

• Screenwriting II

  In this course, students will continue to hone their understanding of the fundamentals of screenwriting covered in Screenwriting I—story structure, character development, plot, theme, conflict, and “vision.” Students will take the screenplay they began in Screenwriting I and by the end of the course will have completed the second and third acts of their scripts. Students will read scripts and watch several classic and contemporary films during this course. 

  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Screenwriting I. This elective course is open to 10th, 11th, and 12th-grade students. (UC “g” Elective) 

• Business of Television Production

  This practicum-style course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to explore the television industry further. With a primary focus on media production, students will participate in the operations of a real-world working media environment and experience how a professional television show is produced, directed, and put on the air. Students will spend a total of 60 contact hours, learning the production and business side of a professional television studio environment, experiencing its pace, learning its research methods, participating in the production process, and gaining an understanding of what it takes to produce a television show. 

  
  Prerequisites/Comments - Grade 12 students who have completed Media Studies and TV Broadcasting with a grade of A or higher or have completed two (2) years of TV Production courses, including at least one year working on NDTV (Required). Instructor approval and interview. (UC “g” Elective) 

• Intro to Marketing, Promotion & Advertising

  This course provides a basic foundation for the study of marketing promotion and advertising at the college level. Students will learn basic marketing concepts as they apply to the advertising and promotion of goods, services, concepts/ideas, and people, with an emphasis on social media platforms. While students will get a taste of the study of economics at work in the marketplace, as well as marketing functions including purchasing, pricing, and distribution, this course will focus on the communication skills necessary to market to consumers in the digital age.

  
  Prerequisites/Comments - This elective course is open to 11th, and 12th-grade students. (UC “g” Elective pending)