The Department of Communication offers a major which seeks to produce theoretically informed graduates with the necessary practical and analytical skills for successful professional careers, including the ability to: think critically and express ideas clearly and creatively; perform close textual analysis of various forms of communication (written, visual, nonverbal); analyze historical and contemporary forces behind cultural identities and relationships; and, finally, analyze the structures and institutions that inform the relationship between media, technology and society.

The major consists of ten courses with a minimum of 30 credits. All Communication majors must take one foundation course, COMM 2900 Communication Studies, before any of the required core courses.

Required Core Courses:

Majors must complete three core courses, one in each area of the curriculum, preferably by the end of junior year. These core courses include:

Identities and Relationships

• COMM 3140 - Cross-Cultural Analysis
• or
• COMM 3240 - Interaction Analysis

Texts

• COMM 3150 - Film Analysis
• or
• COMM 3250 - Rhetorical Criticism
• or
• COMM 3350 - New Media Analysis

Structures and Institutions

• COMM 3160 - Technology Analysis
• or
• COMM 3260 - Media Analysis

In addition:

Majors consult with the Communication advisor to select six elective courses. At least two of these courses must be 3000-level or above, and two must be 4000-level or above. In general, 1000- and 2000-level courses are introductory courses. 3000-level courses encourage applications of communication theory through research methods and service learning. Most 4000-level classes are courses that stress writing, creative production, or service learning. Students wishing to graduate with honors in Communication must take either the graduate seminar (COMM 6210 or 6220) or another 4000-level honors course and complete an honors project. Majors planning to study abroad should seek departmental advice as early as possible.