This course provides students with a broad approach to the history, theory, technology, impact, and strategic uses of social media. Social media (such as Twitter, Facebook, blogging, podcasting, and so on) are relatively inexpensive and accessible technologies that enable individuals, almost instantaneously, to create, publish, edit, and/or access messages intended for audiences ranging from a single recipient to millions of readers or viewers. Students will learn how to explore the possibilities and limitations of various social media and will learn how to apply and adapt basic and advanced marketing strategies to construct and critically evaluate social media texts, their impact, and their practical use in marketing contexts. Students will also examine the general strategic uses of social media for advertising, marketing, public relations, journalism, and civic and political participation. Finally, students will gain basic hands-on experience with several forms of the most current social media technology.