SoC First Year Seminar: Interdisciplinary Topics in Communication Arts & Sciences (101-0-3)

Topic

Who Owns Oz?

Instructors

Rick Morris
8474914262
2240 Campus Drive, Frances Searle, 1-123

Brianna Borger

Meeting Info

Kresge Centennial Hall 2-410: Mon, Wed 11:00AM - 12:20PM

Overview of class

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz is the most adapted and referenced piece of intellectual property in American history, spanning every media form and cementing its place as a central part of the cultural zeitgeist. This course will explore the special relationship between Oz and its musical adaptations, as well as the ways in which intellectual property protections shape how we interact with the Oz universe.

Registration Requirements

Registration is limited to SoC First-Year students assigned to take a first-year seminar in Fall 2026. If attempting to swap a section after registration, please reach out to dear-soc@northwestern.edu for assistance.

Learning Objectives

Learning Goal: Engage critical thinking skills while exploring the breadth of School of
Communication creative and research endeavors.

Learning Outcome: Students will identify key factors relevant to the course topic,
differentiate between multiple perspectives and interpretations, and explain how at least
two School of Communication disciplines might approach a given topic.

Learning Goal: Experiment with research and communication conventions associated with
School of Communication disciplines.

Learning Outcome: Students will demonstrate their ability to communicate ideas and/or
experiences compellingly by using appropriate research tools, soliciting feedback,
employing disciplinary conventions, and addressing audience expectations.

Learning Goal: Collaborate with peers from different SoC majors to highlight the benefits of
interdisciplinary inquiry.

Learning Outcome: Students will collaborate with peers across different majors to
successfully complete at least one group project and reflect upon the skills employed to
accomplish that task.

Class Attributes

SOC First-Year Seminar