Communication Program

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.