The Department of Communication offers a rewarding curriculum that focuses on the process and effects of communication in both mediated and face-to-face contexts. The department develops effective communicators who not only are skilled in using communication technologies, but also understand that socially responsible communication is an interaction among people that requires both skill and sensitivity. Building on a foundation in the liberal arts that provides a broad-based general education, the study of communication teaches students how to express their ideas and values in spoken, written and visual messages. Students also learn how to evaluate the effectiveness of messages produced by others. Students majoring in communication can select from two tracks of study: mass communication (electronic media and journalism), and organizational communication.
Career Opportunities
Each track is designed to prepare the student for advanced degree work and/or employment in the communication field. Potential career areas include advertising, health communication, human resources, journalism, media production, media programming and management, media research, organizational communication, public relations, speech writing, training and consulting, and many other possibilities.
Faculty
J. Walker, Chair; R. Mark, E. McAvoy, J. McNellis, R. Robinson, J. Sternberg.
Requirements for Admission to the Major in Communication
- The application for admission to the major in communication must be on the appropriate admission form.
- To be admitted as a major in communication, students with less than 15 hours of undergraduate course work must have a minimum ACT composite score of 21 (or SAT composite score of 990).
- To be admitted as a major in communication, students with existing credit hours must have a minimum GPA of 2.5 for all credit hours (including transfer hours), if the student has 15-29 hours of coursework, or a minimum GPA of 2.3 for all credit hours (including transfer hours), if the student has 30 or more hours of coursework.
Minimum Grade for Departmental Courses
Students must obtain a grade of C or better for any course to be counted toward completion of the major or minor in communication.
Requirements for the Majors in Communication
Courses from the Department of Communication are not to exceed 50 of the 120 hours required for graduation.
Core Requirements (13-15 Hours)
| COMM 200 | Perspectives on Human Communication | (3) | |
| COMM 211 | Introduction to Mass Communication | (3) | |
| COMM 365* | Internship/Practicum | (1-3) | |
| COMM 368 | Communication Responsibilities | (3) | |
| COMM 369* | Senior Project | (3) |
*Students completing the Undergraduate Honors Program are not required to complete COMM 365 or COMM 369.
Track Requirements
(Select Track I or Track II)
Track I - Mass Communication (21 hours)
Examines the mass media from critical, historical, programming, audience impact and production perspectives. Students will explore how the mass media both shape and are shaped by society, and learn to produce common forms of journalistic writing, radio and/or television programs.
Requirements
| ART 100 | Visual Communication | (3) | |
| COMM 103 | Writing for the Mass Media | (3) | |
| ART 113 | Digital: Photo I | (3) | |
| COMM 215 | Survey of Electronic Media | (3) | |
| COMM 301 | Law of Mass Communication | (3) | |
| Two of the following: | |||
| COMM 110 | Newswriting and Reporting | (3) | |
| COMM 220 | Introduction to Radio Production | (3) | |
| COMM 221 | Introduction to Television Production | (3) | |
| COMM 305 | Television and Film Scriptwriting | (3) | |
Track II - Organizational Communication (21 hours)
Organizational communication focuses on the study of communication within organizations, both profit and non-profit. Students will acquire both the knowledge and skills necessary to prepare, deliver and evaluate messages within organizations.
Requirements
| COMM 209 | Small Group Communication | (3) | |
| COMM 235 | Organizational Communication I | (3) | |
| COMM 306 | Organizational Assessment | (3) | |
| COMM 324 | Communication Research | (3) | |
| COMM 335 | Organizational Communication II | (3) | |
| Two of the following: | |||
| COMM 203 | Intercultural Communication | (3) | |
| COMM 244 | Introduction to Public Relations | (3) | |
| COMM 313 | Persuasion | (3) | |
| COMM 336 | Training and Development in Organizational Settings | (3) | |
| COMM 337 | Leadership Communication | (3) | |
Department Course Electives
Requirements: Six (6) additional hours from the Department of Communication's course listing, not including COMM 101 (Speech Fundamentals). This listing includes design, photography and film courses taught by the Department of Art and Design (ART 212, ART 213, ART 216, ART 217, ART 219, ART 224, ART 315, ART 322).
The department recommends that students emphasizing electronic media take COMM 220, 221, 304, 325, 373; emphasizing advertising take COMM 202, 307, 313 and 325; emphasizing journalism take COMM 110, COMM 201 & COMM 321; and emphasizing public relations take ART 112, COMM 213, 244 and 325.
Requirements for the Minor in Communication
Students must complete either COMM 200 (Perspectives on Human Communication) or COMM 211 (Introduction to Mass communications) and 15 additional hours from the Department of Communication's listing in the most recent undergraduate catalog. These 15 additional hours must be selected in consultation with a department advisor and must be taken from courses designated as COMM that originate in the Communication Department. Transfer courses and/or courses originating in other Saint Xavier departments are accepted only after review and evaluation by faculty who agree that courses in question enhance the student's experience in the study of communication.
Requirements for the Minor in Organizational Communication
The Organizational Communication Minor is intended for students majoring in other disciplines that wish to pursue the focused study of communication in organizations, both profit and non-profit.
Required Courses: (9 hours)
| COMM 200 | Perspectives on Human Communication | (3) |
| COMM 235 | Organizational Communication I | (3) |
| COMM 335 | Organizational Communication II | (3) |
Elective Courses: (9 hours)
Three courses from the following:| COMM 203 | Intercultural Communication | (3) |
| COMM 209 | Small Group Communication | (3) |
| COMM 244 | Public Relations | (3) |
| COMM 306 | Organizational Assessment | (3) |
| COMM 313 | Persuasion | (3) |
| COMM 324 | Communication Research | (3) |
| COMM 336 | Training and Development | (3) |
| COMM 337 | Leadership Communication | (3) |
Requirements for the Minor in Radio and Electronic Media
The minor in radio and electronic media is aimed at students who are majoring in other disciplines but are interested in radio and other electronic media, including television.
Required Courses: (12-14 hours)
| COMM 103 | Writing for the Mass Media | (3) | |
| COMM 215 | Survey of Electronic Media | (3) | |
| COMM 220 | Introduction to Radio Production | (3) | |
| COMM 262 | Applied Broadcasting Activities | (3) | |
| COMM 365 | Internship/Practicum | (1-3) |
Elective Courses: (6 hours)
Two of the following seven courses:
| COMM 301 | Law of Mass Communication | (3) | |
| COMM 304 | Media Programming | (3) | |
| COMM 307 | Advertising Copywriting | (3) | |
| COMM 321 | Broadcast Journalism | (3) | |
| COMM 325 | Internet as Communication | (3) | |
| COMM 333* | Communication Problems and Topics | (3) | |
| COMM 373 | History of the Electronic Media | (3) |
*Topic must be approved as appropriate for this minor by the student's advisor.
( ) = credit hours / / = classroom hours
Saint Xavier University 2009-2010 Catalog
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