Communication Program

Purpose Statement

The Communication program aims to develop majors who can communicate through a variety of channels with diverse audiences. Students who complete the major in communication can expect to develop

  • Confidence and competence in 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 reached.
  • Strategies to collect accurate information through observation, interviews, and research.
  • Ability to recognize and correct errors in standard written English and in improving the style and structure of written texts.

Students who complete the applied communication emphasis will develop competence in

  • 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.

Students who complete the digital communication emphasis will develop competence in

  • Skill in obtaining still images, audio, and video, and combining these media with text to tell stories effectively.
  • Recognizing and correcting 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

Students adopting the communication major will complete all of the communication core courses and then will complete the coursework in either the applied communication track or the digital communication track.

Communication Core Courses

G-CM 120  Introduction to Human Communication (3 hours)
CM 135  Media Writing (3 hours)
G-CM 140  Public Speaking (3 hours)
CM 210  Multimedia Storytelling I (3 hours)
G-AR 220  Graphic Design for non-art majors (3 hours)
*G-CM 221  Intercultural Communication (3 hours)
G-MA 221  Elementary Applied Statistics (4 hours)
CM 305  Editing (3 hours)
CM 310  Public Relations (3 hours)
*EN 313  Advanced Expository Writing (3 hours)
CM 315/320  Journalism/Video Practicum (2 hours) [One practicum must be print journalism]
CM 350  Web Design I(3 hours)
CM 375  Junior Seminar in Communication (1 hour)
*CM 475A  Sr. Seminar in Research (2 hours)
*CM 475B Senior Project in Communication (1 hour)

Applied Communication Track

*G-CM 130  Interpersonal Communication (3 hours)
CM 240  Gender Communication (3 hours)
CM 325  Conflict Communication (3 hours)
CM 330  Persuasion (3 hours)

Total: 52 hours

Digital Communication Track

AR 130 Design Software (2 hours)
AR205 Multi-Media Software (2 hours)
CM320 Video Practicum (1 hour)
AR335 Interactive Software (3 hours)
CM410 Multimedia Storytelling II (3 hours)
CM440 Web Design II (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), and any other 17 hours of communication course Journalism and Video Practica may make up no more than four hours of coursework in the minor.