Department of
Communication Studies

Bachelor of Arts, Communication Studies with options to specialize in: Organizational Communication/ Public Relations Speech Communication

Journalism Minor

Liberal Studies degree concentration in Communication Studies

Social Sciences degree concentration in Communication Studies

Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies

Requirements

1. Complete University General Education requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree (51 units).
2. Complete the following prerequisites to the major: (6 units):
   1. Complete G. E. Area A1 by taking COMM 2000, Public Speaking, 3 units, or COMM 2110 Group Discussion Processes, 3 units.
   2. Complete G. E. Area D2a by taking COMM 2011, Introduction to Communication Studies, 3 units or COMM 2200, Introduction to Mass Media, 3 units.
3. The following are Department recommendations for completing lower division requirements:
   1. Complete Area E by taking CS 2000, Effective Computing, 3 units, or CIS 2000, Introduction to Computer Information Systems, 3 units.
   2. Complete G. E. Area B3 by taking MATH 1600, Statistics, 4 units, or MATH 1610, Statistics for Decision Making, 3 units.
   3. Complete Area A3 by taking COMM 2300, Argumentation and Critical Thinking, 3 units.
   4. For those choosing the Organizational Communication/Public Relations option, JOUR 2150, Writing for the Media, 3 units, is strongly recommended.
4. Complete the major of not less than 34 upper-division units, as approved by the major adviser. Majors must take all courses counted toward the major for a letter grade if the letter grade option is available.
5. Students must achieve a C- grade or better in all prerequisites to the major.
6. Students must achieve a C- grade or better in all courses that count toward fulfilling the requirements for the major.
7. Students must achieve an overall average of 2.0 GPA or better in the major.
8. Students must complete a senior thesis, or project, or portfolio in a designated course in the option.
9. Completion of a minor is not required. However, the University rule for units in the minor is: half the units in the minor, plus one, must be used solely for the minor. This means that half the units, minus one unit, can count somewhere else in either General Education or in the major. Therefore, upper-division General Education courses may be counted as units in a minor.

The Major (34 units)

1. Complete the following required CORE courses (19 units)
   COMM 3100 Advanced Interpersonal Communication, 3 units
   COMM 3110 Organizational Communication, 3 units
   COMM 3140 Persuasive Messages, 3 units
   COMM 3200 Communication Theory (WP), 3 units
   COMM 3900 Communication Research Methods, 4 units
   COMM 4160 Intercultural Communication, 3 units
2. Complete the requirements for either the option in Organizational Communication/Public Relations or the option in Speech Communication.

Organizational Communication/Public Relations Option (15 units)

1. Complete the following three courses (9 units)
   COMM 4170 Professional Interviewing, 3 units
   COMM 4210 Public Relations, 3 units
   COMM 4220 Technology and Communication, 3 units
2. Select two from the following courses (6 units)
   COMM 4110 Organizational Communication Diagnosis and Design, 3 units*
   COMM 4115 Communication for Leadership, 3 units
   COMM 4120 Public Relations Campaigns, 3 units
   COMM 4150 Nonverbal Communication, 3 units
   COMM 4165 Communcation in Global Organizations*
   COMM 4190 Conflict and Communication, 3 units
   COMM 4200 Mass Media Theory and Research, 3 units*

Speech Communication Option (15 units)

1. Select two of the following courses (6 units)
   COMM 3150 Advanced Presentational Speaking, 3 units
   COMM 4050 Relational Communication, 3 units*
   COMM 4140 Rhetorical Theory (WP), 3 units
2. Select one of the following courses (3 units)
   COMM 4100 Group Communication, 3 units*
   JOUR 3030 Freedom of Speech and Press: Contemporary Issues, 3 units
   JOUR 3040 History of Journalism, 3 units
3. Select two of the following courses (6 units)
   COMM 4020 Communication in the Classroom, 3 units
   COMM 4030 Communication Research Analysis, 3 units*
   COMM 4040 Gender Communication, 3 units
   COMM 4060 Family Communication, 3 units
   COMM 4130 Communication and Aging, 3 units
   COMM 4180 Health Communication, 3 units

*Students can elect to complete a senior thesis, project, or portfolio in any of these courses.
Note: No substitutions will be accepted for the core courses. In the other areas, faculty advisers may make up to two substitutions. These substitutions can come from the other courses in the Speech Communication option or the Organizational Communication/Public Relations option.

Minor in Speech Communication

Requirements (18 units)

1. Complete the required lower-division course (3 units):
   COMM 2011 Introduction to Communication Studies, 3 units, or
   COMM 2200 Introduction to Mass Media, 3 units
2. Complete one of the following (3 units):
   COMM 2000 Public Speaking, 3 units, or
   COMM 2110 Group Discussion Processes, 3 units
3. Complete one of the following (3 units):
   COMM 3100 Advanced Interpersonal Communication, 3 units, or
   COMM 4800 First and Second Language Acquisition, 3 units, or
   COMM 4160 Intercultural Communication, 3 units
4. Complete 9 units of upper-division courses approved by the minor adviser.

International Path to the Major
The Department of Communication Studies supports the concept of international education and encourages students to investigate opportunities for overseas study. Below are several options to consider:

1. Semester in Denmark:
   Students may elect to complete the Spring semester in their Junior or Senior year at Aarhus School of Business in Denmark. Students desiring this should select the Organizational Communication/Public Relations option in the major, completing the major with either of the following groups of substitutions to be taken at Aarhus. (Students should note that a semester at Aarhus is equivalent to approximately 20 units at CSU Stanislaus. The units referred to here are listed at the CSU Stanislaus conversion rate.)
   1. Semester at Aarhus including the following two 10-unit courses:
      1. Organizational Communication, Course No. 21742 at Aarhus (equivalent to 10 units at CSU Stanislaus), replacing both COMM 3110 Organizational Communication and COMM 4110 Organizational Communication Diagnosis and Design and
      2. Intercultural Communication, Course No. 21753 at Aarhus (equivalent to 10 units at CSU Stanislaus), replacing both COMM 4160 Intercultural Communication and COMM 4165 Communication in Global Organizations.
   2. Semester at Aarhus including the following one 10-unit course and three 3-unit courses:
      1. Intercultural Communication, Course No. 21753 at Aarhus (equivalent to 10 units at CSU Stanislaus), replacing both COMM 4160 Intercultural Communication and COMM 4115 Communication for Leadership.
      2. Business and Management Communication, Course No. 10290 at Aarhus (equivalent to 3 units at CSU Stanislaus), replacing COMM 3110 Organizational Communication, and
      3. E-commerce and the Information Economy, Course No. 17103 at Aarhus (equivalent to 3 units at CSU Stanislaus), replacing COMM 4220 Technology and Communication and
      4. Intercultural Communication in a European Context, Course No. 21120 at Aarhus (equivalent to 3 units at CSU Stanislaus), replacing COMM 4165 Communication in Global Organizations.
2. Year in Sweden:
   Students may elect to complete their senior year at Uppsala University, Sweden in the International Media and Communication Studies program. Prerequisites include completion of all lower division requirements, completion of English composition with a “B” grade or better or advanced placement in English, and an overall GPA of 2.75. It is also strongly recommended that students complete a course in Modern European History.
   
   Students desiring this year at Uppsala should select the Organizational Communication/Public Relations option in the major. The following courses must be completed at CSU Stanislaus:
   9 units of upper-division General Education
   COMM 3100 Advanced Interpersonal Communication, 3 units
   COMM 3140 Persuasive Messages, 3 units
   COMM 3900 Communication Research Methods, 4 units
   A WP course, either COMM 3200 Communication Theory, 3 units or
   COMM 4140 Rhetorical Theory, 3 units
   A minimum of 88 units of the 120 required to graduate (including community college units)

The following courses at Uppsala will complete the core and fulfill the requirements in the Organizational Communication/Public Relations option in the major:
Fall Semester:
Media Analysis at Uppsala, replacing COMM 4210 Public Relations
Communication Theory at Uppsala, replacing COMM 3200 Communication Theory (note that the student must still complete a WP course at CSU Stanislaus)
Regulating Media and Communication at Uppsala, replacing
COMM 4160 Intercultural Communication

Spring Semester:
Media Policy and Development and Uppsala, replacing COMM 4200 Mass Media Theory and Research
Organizational Communication at Uppsala, replacing COMM 3110
Organizational Communication
Communication and Negotiation at Uppsala, replacing COMM 4190
Conflict and Communication
International Media and Communication at Uppsala, replacing COMM 4165 Communication in Global Organizations
Note: For students electing this course of study, their capstone project would consist of submission of a portfolio or reflective papers about their global experience undertaken in this year in Sweden.

Students may elect other international programs as available. See the Office of International Education for information and consult with your academic adviser in the Department.

Liberal Studies Concentration in Communication Studies
Please refer to the Liberal Studies section of the catalog.

Social Sciences Concentration in Communication Studies
Please refer to the Social Sciences program section of the catalog.

Teaching Credentials
An approved single subject matter preparation program is available to Communication Studies majors who wish to declare English as their subject matter teaching area, with applicable courses on advisement. Please refer to the Teacher Education section of the Graduate Catalog for a description of other requirements to be completed in obtaining a single subject credential.

Learning Objectives
Students are expected to achieve the following competencies:

• Demonstrate an understanding of the theories and research processes used by communication scholars.
• Apply the understanding of theories and research to the design and evaluation of original research proposals and projects.
• Practice and demonstrate competence in the ability to speak in a variety of communication contexts.
• Practice and demonstrate competence in the ability to work
  effectively in groups.
• Demonstrate their ability to write effectively in a variety of
  communication contexts.
• Demonstrate critical thinking by analyzing and evaluating communication products and processes using relevant communication frameworks.
• Apply an ethical framework to communication interactions.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the variety of communication practices found in a multicultural and globalized society.

Click here for Course Descriptions