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Communication Studies

Students may seek either an academic major or minor in communication studies.

Major in Communication Studies

The communication studies major offers a multidisciplinary study of communication that integrates topics in business and technical writing, mass communication, journalism, public relations, and speech communication. Th is integrated major encourages thinking across traditional disciplines. Students explore various aspects of workplace communication, including the development of written and oral communication skills as well as an increasing understanding of human interaction. Th e major’s multidisciplinary approach produces graduates who have the appropriate balance of theoretical background and sophisticated, practical communication skills needed in today’s workplace.

Objectives

The student who graduates with a major in communication studies will be able to

• Apply communication theories—including both speech communication and mass communication theories—to various situations and contexts.
• Identify and apply effective strategies for creating, editing and presenting effective written messages to different audiences and within different contexts.
• Explain the role media and mass communication play in society.
• Describe and use effective interaction styles in communication with others across a variety of contexts.
• Analyze any communication situation and be able to apply appropriate oral and/or written communication skills as needed.
• Use tools and technology to gather information, as well as to develop and deliver messages.
• Critically analyze information for creating effective oral or written messages and for evaluating messages.

Degree Requirements

A degree with a major in communication studies requires the successful completion of 120 credits of coursework including 30 credits for the major (indicated by ); 41 credits in general education requirements (GERs); and 49 credits in the minor, electives, and other degree requirements. At least 15 credits in the major must be earned in upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above).

Requirements for the Communication Studies Major

Coursework for a major in communication studies includes the following:

Recommended Sequence

The following course sequence will fulfill all of the requirements for the BA in communication studies. Since some recommended courses fulfill more than one requirement, substituting courses for those listed may make it necessary to take additional courses to meet degree requirements. Students should consult an academic advisor whenever taking advantage of other options.
Information on alternate courses (where allowable) to fulfill general education requirements (in communications, arts and humanities, behavioral and social sciences, biological and physical sciences, mathematics, and interdisciplinary issues) and cross-curricular requirements (in civic responsibility, historical, and international perspectives) may be found on the GER page.

First Courses
(to be taken within the first 18 credits)

Note: Placement tests are required for math and English composition courses.

LIBS 150 Information Literacy and Research Methods (1)

ENGL 101/101X Introduction to Writing (3)

MATH 105 Mathematics: Contemporary Topics and Applications (3)
or MATH 106 Finite Mathematics
or a higher-level math course

Introductory Courses
(to be taken within the first 30 credits)

HIST 142 Western Civilization II (3)
or HIST 157 History of the United States Since 1865
or other ARTH, ARTT, HIST, HUMN, MUSC, PHIL, THET, dance, literature,
or foreign language course to fulfill the first general education requirement in arts and humanities and the cross-curricular requirement for historical perspective

BIOL 101 Concepts of Biology (3)
and BIOL 102 Laboratory in Biology (1)
or other course(s) to fulfill the general education requirement in biological and physical sciences with related laboratory

ENGL 291 Expository and Research Writing or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in communications/ writing (3)

SOCY 100 Introduction to Sociology (3)
or GVPT 170 American Government
or other ANTH, BEHS, ECON, GEOG, GVPT, PSYC, SOCY, or eligible AASP, CCJS, GERO, or WMST course to fulfill the first general education requirement in behavioral and social sciences

IFSM 201 Introduction to Computer-Based Systems (3)

Foundation Courses
(to be taken within the first 60 credits)

PSYC 100 Introduction to Psychology (3)
or BEHS 210 Introduction to Social and Behavioral Sciences
or other course to fulfill the second general education requirement in behavioral and social sciences (discipline must differ from first)

NSCI 100 Introduction to Physical Science (3)
or ASTR 100 Introduction to Astronomy or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in biological and physical sciences

PHIL 140 Contemporary Moral Issues (3)
or a foreign language course or other course to fulfill the second general education requirement in arts and humanities(discipline must differ from first)

SPCH 100 Foundations of Speech Communication (3)
or JOUR 201 Writing for the Mass Media
or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in communications/ writing or speech

IFSM 304 Ethics in the Information Age (3)
or other course(s) to fulfill the second general education requirement in interdisciplinary issues/computing and the cross-curricular requirement in civic responsibility

COMM 300 Communication Theory (3)

Additional Required Courses
(to be taken after introductory and foundation courses)

COMM 393/393X Technical Writing (3)
or COMM 394/394X Business Writing or other course to fulfill the general education requirement in communications/ upper-level intensive writing

COMM 380 Language in Social Contexts (3)
or other writing or language arts course for the major (see Requirements for the Major)

COMM 400 Communication and the Law (3)
or JOUR 330 Public Relations Theory
SPCH 470 Listening (3)
or other mass communication course for the major (see Requirements for the Major)

COMM 493 Graphics/Text Integration (3)
or other speech communication course for the major (see Requirements for the Major)

SPCH 482 Intercultural Communication (3)
or other course(s) to fulfill cross-curricular requirement in international perspective and the requirement for supplemental major coursework (see Requirements for the Major)

Any COMM, JOUR, or SPCH course (3)
or other supplemental major course(see Requirements for the Major)

Any COMM, JOUR, or SPCH course (3)
or other supplemental major course (see Requirements for the Major)

Any COMM, JOUR, or SPCH course (3)
or other supplemental major course (see Requirements for the Major)

Minor and/or Elective Courses
(to be taken in the last 60 credits along with required major courses) (49)

Capstone Course for Major
(to be taken in the last 15 credits) (3)

COMM 495 Seminar in Workplace Communication
or COMM 490 Seminar in Technical Communication
or SPCH 397 Organizational Presentations

Total credits for BA in communication studies (120)

Minor in Communication Studies

The communication studies minor complements the skills the student gains in his or her major discipline by providing specialized skills in workplace communication, including the development of written and oral communication skills and a greater understanding of human interaction.

Objectives

The student who graduates with a minor in communication studies will be able to

• Apply communication theories—including both speech communication and mass communication theories—to various situations and contexts.
• Identify and apply effective strategies for creating, editing and presenting effective written messages to different audiences and within different contexts.
• Use tools and technology to gather information, as well as to develop and deliver messages.
• Critically analyze information for creating effective oral or written messages and for evaluating messages.

Requirements for the Minor

A minor in communication studies requires the completion of 15 credits of coursework in communication studies, drawn from various disciplines as appropriate; at least 9 credits must be earned in upper-level courses (numbered 300 or above). Specific course requirements are listed below. If a specific course required for the minor is taken instead to satisfy requirements for the major, another course in the same discipline should be substituted to fulfill the required minimum number of credits for the minor. Any course used to replace an upper-level course should also be classified as upper level.

Minor Courses
(to be taken in the last 60 credits with required and supplemental major courses)

Required Course

COMM 300 Communication Theory (3)

Supplemental Minor Courses

Any upper-level COMM, JOUR, or SPCH course (3)

Any upper-level COMM, JOUR, or SPCH course (3)

Any COMM, JOUR, or SPCH course (3)

Any COMM, JOUR, or SPCH course (3)

Total credits for minor in communication studies (15)

For a listing of all the requirements for the bachelor's degree, students should refer to the overall bachelor's degree requirements.

Last updated: 19 October 2006