Program Learning Outcomes

Students will:

1)  Describe theories, principles, practices, findings, and historical trends of the communication discipline.
2)  Apply the acquired knowledge of the discipline to real-world applications and practical contexts of human communication.
3)  Demonstrate mastery of writing for unique audiences, purposes, channels, and contexts, using standards for the course of study.
4)  Demonstrate mastery of creation and delivery of oral messages, using established standards of effective communication across targeted contexts.
5)  Research and analyze findings for the course of study, using critical thinking skills.
6)  Apply ethical standards in communication situations.
7)  Demonstrate communication competence across various contexts and diverse communities.  

General Education Requirements (30-46 Credits)

Prerequisite coursework may be required to satisfy certain General Education courses and will count as elective credit.

Total Credits Required to Complete Major: 36

Department Notes

• Students must achieve minimum competency of C- in COMN 102 , COMN 103 , COMN 107 , COMN 160 , COMN 248 , ANTH 120 .
  • Students may not enroll in any subsequent courses having any minimum competence requirements as prerequisites unless the minimum grade of C- has been earned in the prerequisites.
  • If a student does not earn at least a C- on the second taking of the class, she, he, or they will not be permitted to continue the major.
  • For important details, please see the Minimum Competence section of the Undergraduate Bulletin for further information regarding minimum competence and prerequisites for upper-level courses.
• With the exception of slot courses with different course subtitles, courses count only once for credit toward the major.
• A minimum of 12 credits (4 courses) must be at the 300-level. Courses may be chosen from track or elective categories.
• Students wishing to complete two tracks must choose a minimum of 9 credits of coursework (three courses) exclusive to the second track, and meet all requirements of the track. A maximum of two tracks of study may be pursued.
• Students must complete the departmental writing requirement by successfully completing designated writing assignments in COMN 103  and COMN 160 .
• A minimum of 36 credits is required for the degree program and a maximum of 51 credits in Communication may be applied to the 120 credit hour requirement of the College.
• A maximum of 15 credits may be earned in COMN 395  and INTD 395 .
• Up to a maximum of 3 credits of COMN 395  may be applied to the communication elective category and a maximum of 15 credits of COMN 395  may be applied to the 120 credit hour requirement of the College.

Department Writing Requirement

The following writing requirement applies to COMN 103  and COMN 160 . All communication majors must complete the departmental writing requirement by successfully completing with at least a C- the designated writing assignments identified in course syllabi. Those students who do not earn at least a C- must revise and resubmit the work until the minimal requirement is achieved. The grade for a revised paper will not replace the original paper’s grade when determining the final grade for the class. Failure to meet the C- minimum on all the designated writing assignments will result in an incomplete for the course grade. Upon completing the necessary work, the grade will be changed to the appropriate grade for the work done by the student. All rules and deadlines regarding incomplete grades are in effect during this time.

Career Opportunities

Graduates in communication often attend excellent graduate programs or pursue careers in the media and corporate settings. Graduates can be found as sales representatives, in the legal profession, as television newspersons, in management settings, on the radio, practicing public relations, conducting market research, or in academics. Ethical and skillful communication is important to success in all organizational settings; hence, communication graduates find diverse opportunities available to them after graduation.

Outline/Advising Guide