Communications Major Emphases

Digital Multimedia Emphasis

Broadcasting Track. Students fulfill the university Central Curriculum requirements, participate fully in WQSU radio operations and successfully complete the following courses:

semester hours

24

Department Requirements

 

2

COMM:100 Grammar for Communicators

 

4

COMM:101 Essentials of Digital Media

 

4

COMM:190 Communication/Media Theory

 

4

COMM:192 Public Speaking

 

4

COMM:201 Ethics and Leadership

 

4

COMM:481 Media Law

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

26

Broadcasting Requirements

 

4

COMM:171 Introduction to Media

 

2

COMM:182 Writing for New Media

 

4

COMM:277 Audio Production and Media Performance

 

4

COMM:282 Fundamentals of Digital Video Production

 

4

COMM:382 Intermediate Digital Multimedia Production

 

4

COMM:471 Critical Analysis of Emerging Media

 

4

COMM:482 Professional Digital Multimedia Production

Journalism Track. Students fulfill the university Central Curriculum requirements, participate fully in various media activities and successfully complete the following courses:

semester hours

24

Department Requirements

 

2

COMM:100 Grammar for Communicators

 

4

COMM:101 Essentials of Digital Media

 

4

COMM:190 Communication/Media Theory

 

4

COMM:192 Public Speaking

 

4

COMM:201 Ethics and Leadership

 

4

COMM:481 Media Law

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

22

Journalism Requirements

 

4

COMM:131 Introduction to Journalism

 

4

COMM:231 Newswriting and Reporting

 

4

COMM:331 Editing

 

4

COMM:435 Feature Writing

 

4

ARTS:243 Digital Photography or COMM:282 Fundamentals of Digital Video Production

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

Strategic Communications

Public Relations Track. Students fulfill the university Central Curriculum requirements, participate fully in departmental activities appropriate to their interests and successfully complete the following courses:

semester hours

24

Department Requirements

 

2

COMM:100 Grammar for Communicators

 

4

COMM:101 Essentials of Digital Media

 

4

COMM:190 Communication/Media Theory

 

4

COMM:192 Public Speaking

 

4

COMM:201 Ethics and Leadership

 

4

COMM:481 Media Law

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

22 - 24

Public Relations Requirements

 

4

COMM:131 Introduction to Journalism

 

4

COMM:211 Public Relations

 

4

COMM:314 Public Relations Writing and Campaigns

 

4

COMM:318 Integrated Marketing Communications

 

4

COMM:411 Public Relations/ Corporate Communications Management

 

2 - 4

One of the following: COMM:231 Newswriting and Reporting, COMM:321 Crisis Management, COMM:323 Computer Design Skills, COMM:504 Internship,ARTS:243 Digital Photography, MGMT:280 Marketing, or MGMT:481 Advertising Management

Corporate Communications Track. Students fulfill the university Central Curriculum requirements, participate fully in departmental activities appropriate to their interests and successfully complete the following general courses and one of the options:

semester hours

General requirements

24

Department Requirements

 

2

COMM:100 Grammar for Communicators

 

4

COMM:101 Essentials of Digital Media

 

4

COMM:190 Communication/Media Theory

 

4

COMM:192 Public Speaking

 

4

COMM:201 Ethics and Leadership

 

4

COMM:481 Media Law

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

14

Corporate Communications Requirements

 

4

COMM:221 Corporate Communications

 

2

COMM:223 Corporate Communications Writing

 

4

COMM:321 Crisis Management

 

4

COMM:411 Public Relations/Corporate Communications Management

Plus additional requirements from one of the following three options:

12

Option One: Business Requirements:

 

4

ACCT:200 Financial Accounting

 

4

MGMT:280 Marketing

 

4

MGMT:360 Management and Organizational Behavior

24-28

Option Two: The standard minor in business with the following requirements:

 

4

ACCT:200 Financial Accounting

 

4

MGMT:202 Business Statistics

 

4–8

ECON:105 Elements of Economics, or ECON:201 and ECON:202

12

 

semester hours, chosen from the following:

 

4

MGMT:280 Marketing

 

4

MGMT:340 Corporate Financial Management

 

4

MGMT:360 Management and Organization Behavior

 

4

MGMT:390 Operations Management

28

Option Three: Minor in business (custom-designed minor in business for corporate communications students only):

 

4

MGMT:202 Business Statistics

 

4

MGMT:280 Marketing

 

4

MGMT:360 Management and Organizational Behavior

 

4

ACCT:200 Financial Accounting

 

4

ACCT:210 Legal Environment

 

4

Either ECON:105 Elements of Economics or ECON:202 Principles of Microeconomics

 

 

PLUS four semester hours from the following:

 

4

COMM:217 Principles of Advertising

 

4

MGMT:340 Corporate Financial Management

 

4

MGMT:361 Human Resource Management

 

4

MGMT:381 Marketing Research

 

2

MGMT:466 Negotiations

 

4

MGMT:481 Advertising Management

Communication Arts

Speech Communication Track. Students fulfill the university Central Curriculum requirements, participate fully in departmental activities appropriate to their interests and successfully complete the following courses:

semester hours

24

Department Requirements

 

2

COMM:100 Grammar for Communicators

 

4

COMM:101 Essentials of Digital Media

 

4

COMM:190 Communication/Media Theory

 

4

COMM:192 Public Speaking

 

4

COMM:201 Ethics and Leadership

 

4

COMM:481 Media Law

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

18

Speech Communication Requirements

 

4

COMM:191 Interpersonal Communication

 

2

COMM:295 Effective Listening

 

4

COMM:194 Intercultural Communication

 

4

COMM:296 Dynamic Presentational Speaking

 

4

COMM:491 Team Communication

8

Department Electives, chosen from any COMM course

Communication Studies Track. Students fulfill the university Central Curriculum requirements, participate fully in departmental activities appropriate to their interests and successfully complete the following courses:

semester hours

24

Department Requirements

 

2

COMM:100 Grammar for Communicators

 

4

COMM:101 Essentials of Digital Media

 

4

COMM:190 Communication/Media Theory

 

4

COMM:192 Public Speaking

 

4

COMM:201 Ethics and Leadership

 

4

COMM:481 Media Law

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

2

Communication Studies Requirement

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

 

1

COMM:501 Practicum

24

Department electives, chosen from communications courses

Teacher Certification Track. Communications majors interested in communications education certification take 42 semester hours in major courses plus 12 semester hours in other cognate courses in related disciplines. Also, the student must meet additional Department of Education requirements. Students fulfill the university Central Curriculum requirements, participate fully in appropriate department activities and successfully complete the following courses:

semester hours

42

Department Requirements

 

4

COMM:131 Introduction to Journalism

 

4

COMM:191 Interpersonal Communication

 

4

COMM:192 Public Speaking

 

4

COMM:231 Newswriting and Reporting

 

4

COMM:171 Introduction to Media

 

4

COMM:282 Fundamentals of Digital Video Production

 

2

COMM:295 Effective Listening

 

4

COMM:481 Media Law

 

4

THEA:151 Acting I

 

4

THEA:252 Survey of Western Theatre

 

4

THEA:258 From Page to Stage

Honors. The departmental honors program encourages and recognizes outstanding performance in communications. To graduate with department honors, candidates must do the following:

  • Complete major requirements under guidance of a faculty adviser,
  • Petition the honors coordinator in writing no later than the end of the junior year,
  • Maintain a 3.4 cumulative GPA in department courses,
  • Produce an acceptable written or production thesis based on one year of senior research/production work (COMM:503 Honors Study) beyond the required major track semester hours,
  • Submit the thesis at least two weeks before graduation, and
  • Successfully complete an oral defense of the honor thesis.

Honors work not meeting the required standards will be applied as a university elective course.

Departmental honors may be taken separately from or in conjunction with the university Honors Program.

Honor Societies. Students who meet the requisite national and local standards are eligible to join the national honorary society Lambda Pi Eta (communication).