Major and Minor Requirements

40 credits

Students are required to complete 40 credits for the Strategic Commuinication Studies major with or without a concentration and 48 credits to complete the major if they complete both concentrations. Students can choose one of three paths through the major:​

• • Choose their own path​
  • Choose to complete one of the two concentrations (Public Relations, Advertising and Marketing or Public Advocacy Leadership)​
  • Choose to complete both concentrations, which requires completion of an additional 8 credits of Communication courses

​

Foundation Courses:

(16 credits)

• COMM 102 Public Speaking and the Public Sphere (HE, HM, J1)
• COMM 103 Media and Society (HE, HM, T1)
• COMM 105 Introduction to Human Communication (SS, SW, T1)
• A 300-level course called Communicating Ethically

Public Relations, Advertising and Marketing Concentration (PRAM)​

• • COMM 336: Marketing, Advertising and Public Relations Campaign Design (SW, T3)​

​And 4 credits from each of the following goal areas:​

Message Design:​

• • COMM 240: Digital Video Communication​
  • COMM 245: Introduction to Media Writing (WR)​
  • COMM 283A: Public Relations Branding (2 credits)​
  • COMM 283B: Advertising Branding (2 credits)​
  • COMM 346: Strategic Communication Campaigns Design Experience (EX)​

Analysis:​

• • COMM 282A: Public Relations​
  • COMM 338: Strategic Social Media Marketing and Analysis (EX)​
  • COMM 379B: Rhetoric of Advertising (HE, TF)​
  • COMM 384C Gender, Media and Political Campaigns​

Communication and Community:​

• • COMM 312 Rhetorical Dimensions of Sport  (CS)​
  • COMM 314 Public Health Marketing (EL, SW, T3)​
  • COMM 330: Apology & Crisis Communication ​

Public Advocacy & Leadership (PAL) Concentration​

• • COMM 300 level: Advocacy and Leadership required course​

And 4 credits from each of the following goal areas:

Message Design:​

• • COMM 220 Debate & Democracy (BN, T1)​
  • COMM 225 Argumentation & Advocacy (HE, T1)​

Analysis:​

• • COMM 110 Voices Unheard (CI) ​
  • COMM 248 Media & Youth: (HE, M3, WRIT, EX) ​
  • COMM 251 Communication & Conflict (J1)​
  • COMM 265 Small Group Comm (SW, J1)​
  • COMM 277A: Listening for Justice (HE, TF, BN)​
  • COMM 278A Rhetoric of Social Change (HE, MF)​
  • COMM 352 Health Communication (SW, T3) ​

Communication and Community:​

• • COMM 305 Gender, Voice & Power (CS)​
  • COMM 341 News & Democracy (HE, T3)​
  • COMM 347: Media Effects (QR, SW)​
  • COMM 353A Intercultural Health Communication (JF)​
  • COMM 361 Fat Studies (CS)​
  • COMM 378A Environmental Rhetoric (HE, MF, BN)​
  • COMM 379A Freedom of Speech (HE, BN, TF)​

Elective Courses:

Each student completing a concentration chooses an additional 8-12 elective credits in Strategic Communication Studies, beyond the required courses in a concentration. Students may complete up to 4 credits of electives from a list of approved courses in other departments.

Additional Strategic Communication Studies courses include:

• • COMM 304: Political Communication
  • COMM 310: Black Civil Rights Rhetoric
  • COMM 342: Communicating in an AI Era (M3)
  • COMM 350: Intercultural Communication (GLO)
  • COMM 350A: Intercultural Communication (EX, GLO)
  • COMM 351: Gender and Communication (SW, J3)
  • COMM 358: Family Communication
  • COMM 367: Organizational Communication
  • COMM 384C: Rhetoric of Popular Music
  • COMM 387D: Media, Law, and Society
  • COMM 397: Internship (EX)

Elective Courses from other departments that will count toward the major:​

• • ART 217: Introduction to Photography​
  • ART 218: Introduction to Computer Art​
  • ART 317: Intermediate/Advanced Photography​
  • ART 318: Intermediate/Advanced Computer Art​
  • ART 333A: Computer Art: Portrait (2 credits)​
  • ART 333D Computer Art: Narrative (2 credits) ​
  • Data 162: Introductory Data Analysis and Visualization (2 credits)​
  • ENG 311: Creative Nonfiction​
  • ENG: 217 Creative Inquiries ​
  • SOC 206: Qualitative Methods ​
  • SOC 279A: Quantitative Methods ​
  • PSYC 221 Applied Behavioral Statistics ​
  • Psych 235: Research Methods​