Department of Communication Studies

www.west.asu.edu/chs/comm

602/543-6606

FAB S141C

J. Macgregor Wise, Chair

Professors

Morris, Waldron

Associate Professors

Di Mare, Kassing, Kelley, Nadesan, Ramsey, Shome, Wise

Assistant Professor

Meân

Lecturers

Burk, French, Gruber

The Department of Communication Studies prepares professionals with highly effective communication skills—speaking, writing, cultural sensitivity, critical thinking, problem solving, and conflict management—through a number of academic program options. The department offers BA and BS degrees in Communication Studies, undergraduate minors in Communication Studies and Public Relations and Strategic Communication, the MA degree in Communication Studies, and a postbaccalaureate certificate in Communication and Human Relations.

COMMUNICATION STUDIES—BA AND BS

Nature of Program

The Department of Communication Studies prepares students to enter the global age with competencies necessary to become active participants in democratic life. Because few phenomena are as central to society as communication, students in the program have the opportunity to achieve critical understanding of their increasingly international, multicultural, gendered worlds. Using scientific, interpretive, rhetorical, and critical research approaches, graduates learn to produce, analyze, and critique social and cultural information created by the practices of communication. Understanding communication’s centrality in human experience brings a rich variety of material into the student’s view. Contexts for studying communication include diversity, media, public influence, critical/rhetorical inquiry, personal relationships, and social organizations.

Career Outlook

The academic and scholarly focus on the criticism of communicative practices across various conditions prepares students well for a multitude of vocations in an increasingly complex world. Conceptualizing the world as one overflowing with meanings related to diverse social groups, identities, and relationships, students of communication are able to think critically about how meaning is made, how meaning can be made to change, and how communication fosters democratic ideals for the workplace and the world. The successful graduate will be able to work productively with other people; assimilate, organize, and analyze information; solve problems; make effective presentations; and show potential for leadership. The program prepares students for advanced education; advancement toward careers in teaching, counseling, law, and medicine; and various careers and professions, including

1. 1. training and development,
2. 2. public relations,
3. 3. public administration,
4. 4. public office,
5. 5. public advocacy,
6. 6. speech writing,
7. 7. lobbying,
8. 8. research,
9. 9. advertising,
10. 10. mediation,
11. 11. customer relations,
12. 12. human resources,
13. 13. health and human services,
14. 14. international service,
15. 15. fund-raising, and
16. 16. the ministry.

ADMISSION REQUIREMENTS

A minimum GPA of 2.00 is required for entrance into the major and for enrollment in all upper-division courses.

MAJOR REQUIREMENTS

Of the minimum required 48 semester hours, majors must complete nine semester hours of program core courses, 18 semester hours of selected course work across competency-based categories (all of which must be upper division, and nine hours of which must be at the 400-level), and 21 semester hours of elective course work (up to nine hours of which may be lower division). COM 484 and 499 may not be used to satisfy selected course work requirements but may fulfill elective course work requirements. Students seeking the BS degree must complete one lower-division statistics course and one additional upper-division statistics course. All courses must be completed with a minimum grade of “C” (2.00).

Required Course Work

COM 225 Public Speaking L 3

COM 308 Empirical Research Methods in Communication L 3

COM 309 Rhetorical, Interpretive, and Critical Methods in Communication 3

Total 9

Selected Upper-Division Course Work

Students are required to complete one course from each of the six categories below, nine hours of which must be at the 400-level.

Diversity

Choose one of the following 3

COM 316 Gender and Communication C (3)

COM 371 Cross-Cultural Communication Perspectives G (3)

COM 394 Special Topics¹ (3)

COM 416 Gender, Race, Colonialism, and Media (3)

COM 463 Cultural and Intercultural Communication Theory and Research SB, G (3)

COM 465 Intercultural Communication Workshop (3)

COM 471 International Communication G (3)

COM 494 Special Topics¹ (3)

Media Literacy

Choose one of the following 3

COM 324 Rhetoric and Media Criticism (3)

COM 394 Special Topics¹ (3)

COM 424 Television Studies and Criticism (3)

COM 429 Semiotics and Visual Communication (3)

COM 457 New Media (3)

COM 494 Special Topics¹ (3)

Public Influence Processes

Choose one of the following 3

COM 325 Advanced Public Speaking (3)

COM 329 Persuasion (3)

COM 353 Professional Communication (3)

COM 394 Special Topics¹ (3)

COM 414 Crisis Communication (3)

COM 454 Rhetorical and Critical Approaches to Public Relations (3)

COM 494 Special Topics¹ (3)

Critical/Rhetorical Inquiry

Choose one of the following 3

COM 321 Rhetorical Theory and Research L/HU (3)

COM 394 Special Topics¹ (3)

COM 421 Rhetoric of Social Issues HU (3)

COM 422 Argumentation, Critical Reasoning, and Public Communication L (3)

COM 456 Political Communication (3)

COM 494 Special Topics¹ (3)

Relational Interaction

Choose one of the following 3

COM 310 Relational Communication (3)

COM 312 Communication, Conflict, and Negotiation (3)

COM 394 Special Topics¹ (3)

COM 410 Interpersonal Communication Theory and Research SB (3)

COM 411 Communication in the Family SB (3)

COM 417 Communication and Aging (3)

COM 475 Nonverbal Communication Theory and Research (3)

COM 494 Special Topics¹ (3)

Social Organizations

Choose one of the following 3

COM 320 Communication and Consumerism SB (3)

COM 394 Special Topics¹ (3)

COM 430 Leadership in Group Communication (3)

COM 450 Theory and Research in Organizational Communication SB (3)

COM 451 Employee Participation Processes in Organizations (3)

COM 453 Communication Training and Development (3)

COM 494 Special Topics¹ (3)

Selected upper-division total 18

Communication Electives

COM electives² 21

Program total 48

¹ The topic must be designated as an appropriate course by the instructor.

² Select COM electives in consultation with a faculty advisor. A maximum of nine hours may include COM 100 and courses at the 200 level.

Other Requirements

In addition to the above listed requirements, students must satisfy the General Studies Program requirements. Students should consult their advisors for current information concerning College of Human Services and the Communication Studies courses applicable to General Studies requirements.

MINOR IN COMMUNICATION STUDIES

The minor consists of 18 semester hours of Communication Studies courses. Students wishing to pursue a minor must meet with a Communication Studies faculty advisor to construct a minor that reflects a particular area of specialty and interest. At least 12 semester hours must come from upper-division courses. To graduate with the minor, students must earn a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 in Communication Studies courses. All courses must be passed with a minimum grade of “C” (2.00).

MINOR IN PUBLIC RELATIONS AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATIONS

The Public Relations and Strategic Communications minor will provide students with professional and academic expertise in persuasion and campaign communication, public relations, crisis communication, special events planning, marketing, professional writing, and editing (among other areas). Additionally, students will have the opportunity to refine the presentation skills needed for public and community relations.

Program Requirements

The minor consists of 18 semester hours upper-division course work, including nine semester hours of required course work and nine semester hours of electives.

Required Core Courses

Choose three of the following courses 9

COM 320 Communication and Consumerism SB (3)

COM 329 Persuasion (3)

COM 353 Professional Communication (3)

COM 454 Rhetorical and Critical Approaches to Public Relations (3)

Electives

Select three of the following courses¹ 9–10

COM 414 Crisis Communication (3)

COM 453 Communication Training and Development (3)

COM 484 Communication Internship² (3)

ENG 301 Writing for the Professions L (3)

ENG 311 Persuasive Writing L (3)

ENG 412 Writing for Publication (3)

MKT 301 Fundamentals of Marketing (3)

MKT 410 Consumer Behavior (4)

RTM 404 Marketing Recreation and Tourism (3)

RTM 486 Special Events Management (3)

Or other approved courses

Program total 18–19

¹ Electives or other approved courses must be chosen in consultation with an advisor.

² Communication internships are limited to students with senior status and a cumulative GPA of 2.80 or higher.

POSTBACCALAUREATE CERTIFICATE IN COMMUNICATION AND HUMAN RELATIONS

Nature of the Program

The contemporary workplace increasingly requires employees to develop advanced knowledge and skill in the processes of communication.

The certificate program is designed for working professionals in communication-intensive fields such as public affairs, employee relations, mediation, organizational development, public relations, training and development, community relations, customer relations, media relations, change management, sales and sales management, marketing, public administration, event planning, and health communication.

Admission Requirements

To be admitted to the Postbaccalaureate Certificate in Communication and Human Relations program, an individual must

1. 1. possess a four-year baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited college or university;
2. 2. be admitted to West campus as a nondegree graduate student; and
3. 3. have completed the following college-level courses with a grade of “C” (2.00) or higher in each course:

   a. quantitative, qualitative, or critical research methods (three semester hours), and

   b. oral communication performance (200 level or above) (three semester hours).

Program Requirements

The certificate requires completion of 18 semester hours of upper division course work in communication studies and related disciplines.

Focused Course Work

In consultation with a faculty advisor, students design a program of study composed of five courses (15 semester hours) focused in an area of human relations, such as employee communications, interpersonal relations, or community relations. Course selections are made from the following:

COM 410 Interpersonal Communication Theory and Research SB 3

COM 411 Communication in the Family SB 3

COM 414 Crisis Communication 3

COM 417 Communication and Aging 3

COM 421 Rhetoric of Social Issues HU 3

COM 430 Leadership in Group Communication 3

COM 450 Theory and Research in Organizational Communication SB 3

COM 451 Employee Participation Processes in Organizations 3

COM 453 Communication Training and Development 3

COM 456 Political Communication 3

COM 457 New Media 3

COM 494 Special Topics 3

Other approved substitution 3

Capstone Project

Students are required to complete an independent research project (supervised by a faculty member) on a communication topic related to their professional or research interests. The project should reflect the integration and application of course work to a social or organizational problem. The scope and quality of the written report must be appropriate for postbaccalaureate students. A minimum of three semester hours of COM 499 Individualized Instruction is required.

GRADUATE DEGREE

The faculty in the Department of Communication Studies offer a professional Master of Arts degree in Communication Studies. For more information, see the Graduate Catalog.

Omnibus Courses. For an explanation of courses offered but not specifically listed in this catalog, see Omnibus Courses.

Graduate-Level Courses. For information about courses numbered from 500 to 799, see the Graduate Catalog, or access www.asu.edu/aad/catalogs on the Web. In some situations, undergraduate students may be eligible to take these courses; for more information, see Graduate-Level Courses.