Jacob Farmer-Rylands
Undergraduate Coursework
As a communication studies and history major with concentrations in public relations and pre-law and a minor in political science, my coursework has ranged from historical explorations of women at war in the Middle Ages to critical analyses of digital and social media technologies' impacts on Americans' everyday lives.
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Explore my Coursework page to learn more about my academic exploits and major takeaways from my core curriculum, major, and minor courses.
Constitutional Rights & Liberties (POSC 357)
Through weekly case briefs, an annotated bibliography project, an oral defense of a landmark Supreme Court case, and a comprehensive semester paper on my selected case, Constitutional Rights & Liberties taught me to dissect complex legal ideas and arguments posited by justices of the U.S. Supreme Court. With particular emphasis upon freedoms of speech, press, religion; privacy; and social and economic discrimination, the course broadened my understanding of Americans' rights and liberties outlined in the U.S. Constitution, expanded in the Bill of Rights, and reviewed by the Supreme Court over the succeeding centuries.
Introduction to Public Administration (POSC 270)
Introduction to Public Administration provided a foundational knowledge of public administration best practices through research projects and in-class analyses of governmental management, organizational theory, policy development, and the programmatic and regulatory functions of local, state, and federal government. As part of the course, I authored a research paper comparing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to Virginia's own Department of Emergency Management and analyzed the nature, design, and behaviors of public organizations through an essay on behavioralism versus human relations theory.
Logic (PHIL 300)
A requirement of my History: Pre-Law concentration at Longwood University, Logic serves as an introduction to the principles of correct reasoning and deductive logic. Through deductive proofs in syllogistic, propositional, and predicate logic, this course has prepared me for the Law School Admissions Test (LSAT) and ultimately a legal education, should I elect to pursue one.
Public Relations Research (COMM 375)
Public Relations Research emphasized research methods relevant to the public relations profession, with a focus on data gathering, collaboration, and crafting actionable recommendations for organizations based on formal data analysis. Through a series of team projects including a content analysis, focus group facilitation, and an online survey, I learned to contextualize statistical findings for campus offices and businesses to address issues relevant to their public image.
Persuasion Theory (COMM 250)
Persuasion Theory focused specifically on analyzing and utilizing logos, ethos, and pathos in academic writing and public speaking. Throughout the semester-long rhetorical analysis project, I explored whether President George W. Bush utilized the best means of persuasion available in the aftermath of 9/11 to convince his audience of his presidential and administrative efficacy. As part of a team of classmates, I also participated in a persuasive speech contest arguing against the FDA's ban on blood donation by men who have sex with men.
Statistical Decision Making (MATH 171)
Statistical Decision Making covered graphical displays of data, measures of central tendency and variability, sampling distributions, and confidence intervals and hypothesis testing for means and proportions. The Honors section in which I was enrolled was designed as a fast-paced course emphasizing critical discussion and collaboration among classmates through a series of quantitative reasoning projects, through which I learned to gather and interpret data as a researcher and aspiring professional.
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