Communications Courses

Learn how to adapt your approach to writing for a variety of situations and audiences in this course designed for folks who want to improve their written communication skills.

Master sentences, shape strong paragraphs, and develop compelling pieces through the exercises in this course for adults who want to brush up on their written communication skills for everyday life.

From breaking news to awards shows, from full-time to freelance: Interviewing real human beings in the age of social media and AI: According to a December survey from S&P Global Market Intelligence Kagan, Gen Z Americans spend more than five hours a day on social media - nearly double the amount of time as millennials. According to Deloitte's 2026 AI report, worker access to AI rose by 50% in 2025. Our digital landscape of rabbit-hole algorithms and artificially generated words and images is all-consuming. More than ever, journalists today must tap into their inner human soul and strength as interviewers, separating themselves as trustworthy storytellers and purveyors of individual experience. This xOpen deep-dives into skills needed to effectively interview a human subject, from on-the-ground reporting during breaking news emergencies such as fires and earthquakes to in-depth interviews with leaders to quick savvy interviews with artists and celebrities at entertainment and arts events such as the Oscars, Grammys, Sundance Film Festival, Coachella Music and Arts Festival and Frieze Los Angeles.  

Analyze the rights and responsibilities of media professionals in the age of artificial intelligence.

Learn to use tools of persuasion in writing situations of all kinds

Explore issues facing professional journalists, past and present, and the practices that have come to define the field.

Explore the practices of news gathering and multimedia story distribution through visual media

Transform your resume into a powerful tool that will get you noticed in a competitive job market.

Learn to master the writing process to develop stronger written communication in any context of your life.

This course develops the research, interviewing, analysis, and writing skills necessary to generate the data, anecdotes, and character details necessary to tell compelling stories.

Examine various media contexts, emerging platforms, AI, and challenges to the journalism profession, common career trajectories, and new specializations  

Translate theory into practice by learning hands-on approaches to journalistic practice.