Requirements to Major in Communication

A. Collegium Courses

• MC 1100 - Computer Technology
• CO 4430 – Senior Seminar

B. Communication Core Courses

• CO 1110 - Oral Communication 
• CO 2020 - Interpersonal Communication
• CO 2210 – Meaning of the Moving Image
• CO 4420 – Senior Seminar

C. Communication Concentration

Students choose a minimum of 27 credits from the courses listed for each concentration.  The examples listed below are only a few of the possibilities.  Students wishing to incorporate additional relevant courses from other departments into their concentration should submit formal written request and receive approval by communication faculty.

Journalism Concentration

Students are required to take CO 2120, CO 3120, and CO 3130. Students choose a minimum of 18 credits from the other courses listed for the Journalism Concentration.

• AR 1710 – Photography I
• AR 2710 – Photography II
• AR 3710 – Photography III
• CO 2120 – Journalism I
• CO 2990 – Topics in Communication (3-12 credits)
• CO 3120 – Journalism II: Feature Writing
• CO 3130 – Journalism III: Investigative Reporting
• CO 3140 – Desktop Publishing
• CO 3210 – Video Production I
• CO 3220 - Video Production II
• CO 3410 – Freedom of Speech
• CO 3990 – Advanced Topics in Communication (3-12 credits)
• CO 4750 – Practical Experience (3-12 credits)
• CO 4910 – Internship (1-12 credits)
• EN 2570 – Beginning Creative Writing
• EN 3540 – Short Story Workshop
• WR 2810 – Art of the Essay

Media Concentration

Students are required to take a minimum of 27 credits from the courses listed for the Media Concentration. A minimum of 15 credit hours must be 3000-level or 4000-level courses.

• CO 2220 – Film: History and Criticism
• CO 2230 – Television: History and Criticism
• CO 2990 – Topics in Communication (3-12 credits)
• CO 3210 – Video Production I
• CO 3220 - Video Production II
• CO 3230 – Digital Editing
• CO 3240 – Scriptwriting
• CO 3260 – Radio Programming and Production
• CO 3280 – Gender and Power in Media
• CO 3320 – Advertising: History and Criticism
• CO 3990 – Advanced Topics in Communication (3-12 credits)
• CO 4450 – Persuasion & Propaganda
• CO 4750 – Practical Experience (3-12 credits)
• CO 4910 – Internship (1-12 credits)

Public Relations Concentration

Students are required to take CO 3340 and CO 3360. Students choose a minimum of 21 credits from the other courses listed for the public relations concentration. 

• BU 2510 – Principles of Marketing
• BU 3510 – Marketing Research
• BU 3810 – Advertising and Promotion
• CO 2120 – Journalism I
• CO 2990 – Topics in Communication (3-12 credits)
• CO 3140 – Desktop Publishing
• CO 3320 – Advertising: History and Criticism
• CO 3340 – Principles of Public Relations
• CO 3360 - Public Relations Case Studies
• CO 3410 – Freedom of Speech
• CO 3990 – Advanced Topics in Communication (3-12 credits)
• CO 4010 - Advanced Public Speaking
• CO 4750 – Practical Experience (3-12 credits)
• CO 4910 – Internship (1-12 credits)

Sport Communication Concentration

Students are required to take CO 1050 and CO 4050. Students choose a minimum of 21 credits from the other courses listed for the sport communication concentration. Students may choose from a variety of media within the sport communication concentration, gaining in depth knowledge and experience in specific professional fields (sports writing, sport public relations, sport advertising, sport video production, and sports broadcasting). Students taking courses under the sport communication concentration are required to produce all class assignments and projects on sports topics.

• AR 1710 – Photography I
• AR 2710 – Photography II
• AR 3710 – Photography III
• BU 3810 – Advertising and Promotion
• CO 1050 – Sport Communication
• CO 2120 – Journalism I
• CO 2990 – Topics in Communication (3-12 credits)
• CO 3120 – Journalism II: Feature Writing
• CO 3130 – Journalism III: Investigative Reporting
• CO 3140 – Desktop Publishing
• CO 3210 – Video Production I
• CO 3220 - Video Production II
• CO 3410 – Freedom of Speech
• CO 3990 – Advanced Topics in Communication (3-12 credits)
• CO 4050 – Sport Rhetoric
• CO 4750 – Practical Experience (3-12 credits)
• CO 4910 – Internship (1-12 credits)
• CO 3320 - Advertising: History and Criticism
• CO 4010 - Advanced Public Speaking
• WR 2810 – Art of the Essay

General Communication

Instead of concentrating in a particular area of communication a student may independently design a concentration. In this option, the student must complete a concentration made up of 27 credit hours in communication courses offered by the communication major or another relevant discipline. These courses must be approved by of the communication faculty. Students wishing to incorporate additional relevant courses from other departments into their Concentration must submit a formal written request and receive approval by communication faculty.

D. Distribution Courses and Electives

Requirements to Minor in Communication

The communication minor consists of a minimum of 21 credit hours that show a balanced distribution between beginning and advanced courses. Students are required to take CO 1110, CO 2020, CO 2210, and CO 3410. Students choose a minimum of 9 credits from other communication courses. Depending on the choice of courses, a student may develop a minor based on an existing major concentration, such as media, journalism, public relations and advertising, or sport communication. Students wishing to develop a minor in an area in which no major concentration is offered (such as radio, communication theory, etc.) must submit a formal written request and receive approval by communication faculty.

• CO 1110 – Oral Communication
• CO 2020 – Interpersonal Communication
• CO 2210 – Meaning of the Moving Image
• CO 3410 – Freedom of Speech