Program: Communication Studies Program Code: (COMM)
Program Faculty: Caudill*, Lowry (*department chair)
Program Description:
Excellence in communication is a key to personal and professional success. The Department of Communication Studies helps students claim the College of St. Catherine's vision of educating women to lead and influence. Through a combination of theoretical analysis, research, practical application and personal assessment, communication studies students hone their communication skills. A special emphasis on communication ethics throughout the curriculum recognizes a commitment to ethical as well as effective leadership.
From Aristotle's theories of rhetoric to contemporary analyses of organizational culture, the field of communication studies is grounded in a unique marriage of liberal arts and social science. This broad foundation allows students to adapt the program to their own career goals. This program prepares students for successful careers in fields as diverse as education, government, business, ministry and the law. Graduates are employed in personnel, human relations, human resources, volunteer coordination, organizational consulting, public relations, promotion and advertising, management, sales and a wide range of other positions within organizations.
The Communication Studies department offers courses in both the Day Program and Weekend College. The speech communication major and minor and the interdepartmental communication major with an oral concentration are available in both the Day Program and Weekend College. The electronic media studies major is only available in the Day Program.
The speech communication and electronic media studies majors may be obtained with either the B.A. or the B.S. degree. The interdepartmental communication major requires the B.A. degree.
Major Requirements: SPEECH COMMUNICATION MAJOR
A student works closely with an advisor to design a program of study suited to her personal goals and needs. For a major in speech communication, 8 1/2 to 12 courses are the minimum/maximum. At least nine courses are recommended. To earn a major in speech communication, one must successfully complete 34 credits in speech communication distributed in the following way:
Required courses: Communication Essentials
COMM 103 Public Speaking
COMM 360 Leadership Communication
COMM 485W Senior Seminar
Minimum of two courses from each of the following three categories: Communicating Personally
COMM 202 Interpersonal Communication
COMM 310 Intercultural Communication
COMM 312 Family Communication
Communicating in Organizations and Groups
COMM 209 Small Group Communication
COMM 309 Organizational Communication
COMM 311 Communication Training and Development for Organizations
Communicating to Influence
COMM 205 Media Criticism
COMM 303 Persuasion
COMM 307W Gender and Rhetoric
In addition to the courses listed above, students may enroll in:
COMM 495 Independent Study
COMM 460 Internship
ELECTRONIC MEDIA STUDIES MAJOR
For a major in electronic media studies, 10 to 12 courses are the minimum/maximum. To earn a major in electronic media studies, one must successfully complete 40 credits in communication studies distributed in the following way:
Required courses in speech communication at the College of St. Catherine:
COMM 103 Public Speaking
COMM 205 Media Criticism
COMM 303 Persuasion
COMM 307W Gender and Rhetoric
COMM 360 Leadership Communication
COMM 460 Internship
Required course at the University of St. Thomas:
COMM 160 Electronic Media Production
Students must select at least two of the following courses at the University of St. Thomas:
COMM 260 Audio Production
COMM 264 Electronic Media and Society
COMM 270 Videography: Television Production in the Field
COMM 315 Media Communication Skills
COMM 365 The Documentary in American Television
COMM 370 Advanced Video Production
COMM 465 Current Issues in Electronic Media
Elective courses:
Students must select one and up to three additional elective classes from the Communication Studies department at St. Catherine's or from the supporting classes listed from the University of St. Thomas above.
COMMUNICATION: ORAL CONCENTRATION
Students in the Day Program and Weekend College who wish to focus on the various aspects of communication in conjunction with their career plans may choose the interdepartmental communication major. Central to this major is the study of effective and ethical use of language in written and oral form. Students in the oral concentration will have an advisor from the Communication Studies department to assist them in designing their program. See the description of the interdepartmental communication major for specific course requirements.
SECONDARY EDUCATION (GRADES 5-12) TEACHING LICENSURE
Students wishing to teach communication arts/literature in the secondary schools (grades 5-12) must declare secondary education as a licensure and complete the following courses:
Communication Studies component of the Communication Arts/Literature major:
COMM 103 Public Speaking
COMM 202 Interpersonal Communication
COMM 205 Media Criticism
Two additional courses in consultation with advisor
English courses:
ENGL 220 Introduction to Literary Theory and Research
ENGL 248 History and Structure of the English Language
ENGL 275W Shakespeare
ENGL 354 British Writers I or ENGL 355 British Writers II
ENGL 374 American Writers I or ENGL 375 American Writers II
Two writing courses (at least one at the 300 level or above)
Recommended:
ENGL 205 Rhetorical Grammar
Education courses:
EDUC 207W Teachers as Leaders for a Changing Society
EDUC 209 General Methods: Secondary and K-12
EDUC 249 School Health and Chemical Health
EDUC 345 Literature for Young Adults
EDUC 355 Literacy in the Content Areas
EDUC 365 Current Issues in Education
EDUC 374 Special Methods: Middle School
EDUC 375 Special Methods: Senior High
EDUC 391 Student Teaching and Seminar: Middle School
EDUC 395 Student Teaching and Seminar: Secondary
Minor Requirements: SPEECH COMMUNICATION MINOR
To earn a speech communication minor, students must successfully complete five courses (20 credits) distributed in the following way:
Required courses:
COMM 103 Public Speaking
COMM 360 Leadership Communication
Minimum of one course from each of the following three categories: Communicating Personally
COMM 202 Interpersonal Communication
COMM 310 Intercultural Communication
COMM 312 Family Communication
Communicating in Organizations and Groups
COMM 209 Small Group Communication
COMM 309 Organizational Communication
COMM 311 Communication Training and Development for Organizations
Communicating to Influence
COMM 205 Media Criticism
COMM 303 Persuasion
COMM 307W Gender and Rhetoric
PROMOTIONAL COMMUNICATION MINOR
To earn a promotional communication minor, students must successfully complete five courses distributed in the following way:
Required courses:
COMM 103 Public Speaking
COMM 303 Persuasion
COMM 360 Leadership Communication
INDI 209W Promotional Communication
Plus one additional course in the Communication Studies department
Speech Communication majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors by completing COMM 485W. Electronic Media Studies majors satisfy the Writing Requirement for Majors by completing COMM 307W. Students complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences Core Writing Requirement with three other writing-intensive courses (CORE 100W and CORE 399W, and any other writing-intensive course in this or another department).
