Communication Department: Majors

 

All students take a core set of courses:

• COM 189 Orientation 1 credit, gives you the overview of the expectations of majoring in the department.
• COM 201 Media and Culture, 4 credits, an overview of the media and their role in modern society and culture.
• COM 202 Ethics and the First Amendment, 4 credits, discusses the rights and responsibilities of communicators and media makers.

 

At that point students can apply to the major of their choice: Communication Studies, Journalism or Public Relations.

 

Communication Studies emphasizes interpersonal, intercultural and organizational communication. One of the highlights of the program is its commitment to study abroad experiences. The Communication Studies major begins with a liberal arts perspective, infuses an international/intercultural perspective, and then focuses on practical application of communication knowledge and skill. The major is intended for students who wish to be at home in a wide range of situations and cultures, and who value the role of communication in creating effective relationships locally and globally. The major is also an effective foundation for advanced study.

 

Journalism represents media making through print, broadcast and convergence forms. We offer a specialization in each form, but require students to establish competencies in all three forms. We emphasize hands-on education and integrated experiences with student media. The journalism program also stresses community journalism and multicultural perspectives. In today's environment of converging media, successful journalists need the necessary skills and concepts to tell meaningful stories for a variety of outlets. In this major, students learn how to conceive ideas, and to collect and present information using words, pictures and sounds to craft stories that are accurate, fair, clear and compelling. Students will also understand the ethical, legal and management environment of journalism and the fundamental role media ply in our social, political and economic system.

 

Public Relations is the only degree-granting program in public universities in the state. It teaches students to think strategically about messages on behalf of clients, and to implement those messages through media relations, event planning, and social media. It, too, has a strong emphasis in international perspectives. Public relations has become an indispensable part of any organization, company, instituion or government body trying to create a body of public opinion to support its mission, vision or values. Understood as a management function in modern organizations in the corporate world, this same professional level has been adopted by NGOs, non-profit organizations, and even governments and countries as a whole. This new scenario offers plenty of opportunities for multifaceted public relations practioners with skills in written and interpersonal communication, research, negotiation, leadership, creativity, logistics and problem solving.

 

Film and Video Studies has its own prerequisites for becoming a major. This is an interdisciplinary major, whose home is in the Communication Department. It has two specializations: production and critical studies.