Major Requirements
| Curriculum for Communication Majors |
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The study of communication allows students to develop a broad understanding of the discipline and specific expertise in either public communication or mass communication. The Department of Communication focuses on strategic, theoretical, and practical application of message creation, delivery, analysis, and criticism in cultural and historical contexts. Communication majors are prepared to continue their studies in graduate school or immediately apply their skills in various professional settings because of the broad applicability of both the theory to which they are exposed and the competencies they develop.
The curriculum is designed to provide foundational experiences, development courses, advanced study, and a capstone experience. Students are introduced to concepts early in the undergraduate career, and the curriculum allows them to build knowledge and skills as they work on increasingly complex tasks. At the foundational level, students in every option are required to take the same introductory courses. Then students move into one of four options, and later they come back together in the senior year to work on a capstone experience.
Options
The four options in COMM reflect the avenues students choose in order to specialize in the discipline. For some students, the direction is clear; others spend two or three semesters exploring the possibilities. Students deciding on an option might take development courses in two or more options in order to make the best individual choice.
Two options involve the study of public communication: Public Relations and Communication Studies. The other two options involve the study of mass communication: Electronic and Print Journalism and Film Studies.
Public Relations -- The public relations option emphasizes both skill and management functions of public relations through theoretical and practical applications. Public relations spans media, organizational, corporate, and political contexts and includes investigation and analysis of public relations situations (e.g., crises, successes), message production and campaign planning, writing and presentation, and evaluation of public relations strategies. Public relations permeates many areas of corporate, non-profit, and political careers, so this option provides students a foundation for many different career paths.
Communication Studies -- This option is designed to provide students with a broad overview of communication theories and practices, stressing understanding and effective participation in communication across interpersonal, organizational, and public contexts. If you are interested in fields such as politics, law, education, business, ministry, or medicine, or perhaps you are thinking of attending graduate school, the Communication Studies option could be especially appealing because of its analytical and critical approach to communication.
Electronic and Print Journalism -- This option prepares students for news media careers in newspapers, magazines, broadcasting and new media. The lines that separate these specialties are blurring as media convergence becomes more nearly the norm. Course work provides both practical skills and theory covering history, law and ethics, current controversies and opportunities in the changing news media.
Cinema Studies--Cinema is a key medium of modern mass communication, information-dissemination, and entertainment. It is at once a business, an industry, a means of creative expression, and a social and political force. Students in this option learn about the history of cinema, its aesthetic designs and production methods, its role in modern social and political movements, and its business operations. If you are interested in a career in film-as a scholar, teacher, or filmmaker-this option will be of interest.
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