Associate Professors Jerry M. Jordan,
Matthew J. Smith, Chair, and Catherine E. Waggoner
Assistant Professor Stefne Broz
Requirements for Major
The Communication major consists of 36 semester hours, distributed
as follows: Communication 200, 300, and 403; eight semester
hours from 270S, 280, and 290S; 12 semester hours from 301, 320, 322, 323, 327, 328, 330, 350, 351, 360, and 361; and four hours in an elective in Communication; or other approved courses. Attendance at departmental colloquia is also required.
Recommended Courses
The Communication Faculty recommends that students enroll in COMM 301 as one of three "Advanced Seminar" courses in the major. The faculty also encourages students to explore the internship posibilities. Both the department and Career Center have resources to assist students in identifying potential internship sites. They can also earn academic credit for a Communication internship through COMM 491 for 1-8 hours of credit. While these credits do not apply to the major itself, they do count towards the overall degree.
Related Areas of Study
Students interested in Communication may wish to take course offerings from several other departments on campus. For students with specific professional aspirations, these offerings include ENGL 241 Beginning Journalism, ENGL 321 Advanced Studies in Journalism, MGMT 330 Marketing Management, MGMT 441 Advertising and Promotion, ART 241 Photography, and ART 245 Computer Imaging. More broadly, students may also wish to further the ethical basis of their education by taking courses such as PHIL 103 Introductiont to Ethics, RELI 171S Urban Life and Social Ethics, RELI 172S Poverty and Social Ethics, and RELI 176S Racism and Social Ethics. A student should consult with an academic adviser to consider further course work that would complement each other individual's program of study.
Course Listings
190. Public Speaking. 4 semester hours.
Addresses basic theoretical principles of effective public speaking necessary for pluralistic audiences, concentrating on content, organization, audience analysis, ethics, language and delivery. Students apply these principles to several oral presentations, some requiring the use of PowerPoint. Every year.
200. Introduction to Communication Studies. 4 semester hours.
An introduction to communication theory in practical and relevant contexts (e.g., public speaking, relational communication, organizational communication, small-group communication). Writing intensive. Prerequisite: Eng 101. Every year.
220. Topics in Communication 4 semester hours.
Courses entail an exploration of topics in communication studies in areas such as rhetoric, media, interpersonal, or organization communication. Alternate years.
280. Reasoning and Communication. 4 semester hours.
Study of and practice in practical reasoning, critical thinking, listening, reading, writing, speaking and relational skills, and informed deliberation of critical contemporary issues. Writing intensive. Prerequisite: Eng 101. Every year.
290S. Media Literacy. 4 semester hours.
Explores and applies methods of understanding and critically evaluating mediated communication. Addresses such topics as the relationship between various media and their audiences, theories of media uses and gratifications, and media literacy. Writing intensive. Prerequisite: Eng 101. Every year.
320. Topics in Communication and Culture. 4 semester hours.
Includes courses a) analyzing the relationship between one’s culture and one’s communication practices and b) exploring communication processes in a variety of cultural contexts and across cultural differences (e.g., Communication and Gender; Intercultural Communication). Some courses may be writing intensive. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Comm 200 and Comm 280 or permission of instructor. Every year.
321. Business and Professional Communication. 4 semester hours.
Explores and practices effective and ethical communication processes taking place in business and professional contexts (e.g. decision making, conflict management and oral presentations using PowerPoint). Prerequisites: Comm 200 and Comm 280 or 290 or permission of instructor. Alternate years.
330. Analysis of Persuasion. 4 semester hours.
Explores theories of persuasion with the goal of helping students become critical receivers of persuasion in contexts such as political rhetoric, print and electronic advertising, visual persuasion and social movements. Writing intensive. Prerequisites: Comm 200 and Comm 280 or 290 or permission of instructor. Alternate years.
350. Topics in Media. 4 semester hours.
Courses entail an advanced exploration of such topics as the nature, function, history, processes and effects of media and communicating in mediated contexts (e.g., Media Ethics, Computer-Mediated Communication). Emphasis is not on production, but on the critical interpretation of the media. Some courses may be writing intensive. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Comm 200 and 290. Every year.
360. Topics in Rhetoric. 4 semester hours.
Courses entail an advanced exploration of rhetoric (e.g., Contemporary Perspectives on Rhetoric, Classical Rhetorical Theory, Feminist Rhetorical Theory, Rhetoric of Social Movements, Rhetorical Criticism). Writing intensive. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisites: Comm 200 and 280. Alternate years.
390. Research Methods in Communication. 4 semester hours.
Introduces students to the processes of conducting qualitative and quantitative communication research, including how to 1) formulate a research question, 2) conduct library research for a literature review, 3) select a method (e.g., participant/observation, in-depth interviewing, focus groups, rhetorical criticism, content analysis and survey research), 4) adhere to standards for scholarly writing, and 5) critically evaluate others’ research studies. Writing intensive. Prerequisites: Comm 200 and Comm 280 or 290, Math Placement score 22. Every year.
403. Communication Senior Seminar. 4 semester hours.
Capstone experience. Through their work in small-group projects, students will practice research, writing and critical thinking skills that are part of the process of conducting communication research, culminating in a public presentation of their results. Writing intensive. Prerequisites: Comm 200, 280, 290 and 390; senior standing. Every year.
490. Independent Study. 1 - 4 semester hours.
No more than four semester hours may be counted for the major. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Every year.
491. Internship. 1 - 4 semester hours.
No more than four semester hours may be counted for the major. Prerequisite: Permission of instructor. Every year.
499. Senior Honors Thesis/Project. 1 - 4 semester hours.
Prerequisite: 3.50 GPA and permission of the Department Chair.
