Purpose Statement
The Communication program aims to develop majors who can communicate in a variety of media with diverse audiences. Students who complete the major in communication can expect to develop
- Confidence and competence in public presentations.
- Effective, productive, and ethical communication skills for building personal and organizational relationships.
- Knowledge about the mass media and how those media affect how we communicate.
- Knowledge of how advertising and publicity messages are used and the ability to craft such messages.
- Skill in using communication technology and in evaluating how technology affects communication.
- The ability to effectively communicate within and across gender and cultures.
- Strategies for effectively managing conflict.
- Competence in constructing and analyzing arguments intended to influence beliefs, attitudes, values, and practices.
- Knowledge of theories that explain interpersonal, organizational, and mass mediated communication, and competence in systematic inquiry, including an understanding of the limitations of conclusions.
- Strategies to collect accurate information through observation, interviews, and research.
- Skill in obtaining still images, audio, and video, and combining these media with text to tell compelling stories.
- Ability to recognize and correct errors in standard written English and in improving the style and structure of written texts.
- Competence in designing, laying out, and publishing content online and in print.
Communication Major
Requirements
G-CM 120 Introduction to Human Communication (3 hours)
*G-CM 130 Interpersonal Communication (3 hours)
CM 135 Journalism (3 hours)
G-CM 140 Public Speaking (3 hours)
AR 203 Photography I (2 hours)
CM 210 Multimedia Storytelling (3 hours)
*G-CM 221 Intercultural Communication (3 hours)
G-MA 221 Elementary Applied Statistics (4 hours)
G-AR 220 Graphic Design for non-art majors (3 hours)
CM 240 Gender Communication (3 hours)
CM 305 Editing (3 hours)
CM 310 Public Relations (3 hours)
*EN 313 Advanced Expository Writing (3 hours)
CM 315 Journalism Practicum (2 hours)
CM 325 Conflict Communication (3 hours)
CM 330 Persuasion (3 hours)
CM 350 Web-based Design for Effective Comm. (3 hours)
CM 375 Junior Seminar in Communication (1 hour)
*CM 475 Sr. Seminar in Communication (3 hours)
Total: 54 hours
Competency Exam
Students who plan to major in Communication must pass a writing competency exam. This exam will be offered in the spring semester, before pre-enrollment for the fall. Transfer students will take the exam early in their first semester at the college. Students who fail the exam may re-take it after participating in guided study and practice of writing.
Communication Minor
A minor in communication consists of
G-CM 120 Introduction to Human Communication (3 hours)
CM 135 Journalism (3 hours)
plus 14 hours from any other courses with a CM prefix. Students may take a maximum of four hours in CM315 practica.