Communication Degrees Online

The journalism major prepares students both theoretically and practically for careers in print journalism, including newspapers, magazines and web-based outlets. Other students find the journalism major provides the writing skills and deadline discipline necessary to excel as teachers, lawyers and public relations professionals. Recent graduates are working for the Los Angeles Times, Orange County Register, various consumer and trade publications, and online search engine Yahoo.

The journalism major is designed to give all students a broad interdisciplinary introduction to the media and their place in a free society. In addition, each student completes a sequence of courses intended to develop practical skills related to a potential career area. The program offers students laboratory production experience appropriate to their interest area in the campus Student Publications Office, as well as opportunities to gain initial training in a professional environment.

Journalism majors have the opportunity to work on our nationally-acclaimed weekly newspaper, The Graphic, or for the Impressions Yearbook, Currents Magazine or our online version of the Graphic. Faculty advisers to these publications bring decades of experience as daily newspaper and magazine editors, in addition to providing students with expertise in communication law, in-depth reporting, ethics and religious journalism

Communication Core Requirements - 12 Units

Course ID Course Name Units
COM 200 Communication Theory 3
COM 300 Introduction to Communication Research 3
COM 301 Message Creation and Effects 3
COM 400 Communication Ethics 3

Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Communication - 21 Units

Course ID Course Name Units
COM 220 Fundamentals of Interpersonal Communication 3
COM 418 Communication in Organizations 4
COM 519 Communication and Conflict 3
COM 521 Organizational Communication Analysis 3
COM 522 Communication Training and Development 3
COM 595 Communication Internship 1
COM 483 Small Group Communication (formerly SPE 483) 4
Outside Concentration: 12 to 16 units

Freshman-Year Program
During the freshman year, students who are concentrating in organizational communication should complete COM 200, COM 220 and COM 180 (formerly SPE 180) if possible. Students who plan to study in one of the international programs in the sophomore year should complete COM 200 and COM 220 in the freshman year and COM 300 and COM 418 in the junior year.

The sequence in organizational communication is designed for students who wish to seek careers in organizations. Communication is central to effectiveness in organizations- whether businesses, multinational corporations, service agencies, churches, industries, schools, or other social institutions. As a liberal arts program, organizational communication sensitizes the student to the complexities of communicating and organizing and to the theory and skills necessary for effectiveness in organizations (both as leader and follower)

Students interested in working as organizational managers and leaders or as organizational communication specialists are not only taught theories and concepts useful for understanding, diagnosing, and changing communication in organizations, but they also learn communication skills requisite to functioning effectively in organizational contexts. In addition to the course work required below, students are encouraged to seek internships in organizations located in the greater Los Angeles area.

Students are required to complete an outside concentration of twelve to sixteen upper-division units. The area of outside study is designed to complement the offerings in the major and is selected in consultation with the major advisor from such areas as modern languages, psychology, sociology, political science, international studies, business administration, intercultural communication, telecommunications, advertising, public relations, or journalism.

Careers in Communication
What Can One Do With A Career In Advertising?
With a degree in Advertising, one can work in many capacities at major corporations, advertising agencies, motion picture studios, TV studios, radio stations, newspapers, magazines, Internet companies, non-profit organizations. Some of the specific jobs are, as follows:
Marketing management
Brand management
Promotions
Special event planning
Advertising account executive
Art direction
Graphic design
Creative
Traffic
Copywriting
Media Planner
Media buyer
Researcher
Consumer products/Licensing and Merchandising

What Can One Do With A Career In Intercultural Communication?
Graduates with an intercultural degree often seek degrees in law and mediation. Many go on to pursue resolutions in disputes between individuals, organizations, political associations, etc. An intercultural degree can also be very valuable in international relations, negotiations and international business.

What Can One Do With A Career In Interpersonal Communication?
The Interpersonal Communication sequence provides students with the knowledge and skill to be effective and ethical communicators in a variety of personal and professional settings, as well as preparing them for advanced study. Students with an academic focus in Interpersonal Communication are prepared for careers in a variety of fields, ranging from human resources to sales and development, from counseling and social work to conflict negotiation and arbitration, from college recruiting and admissions to political advocacy–in short, any kind of profession that requires the ability to work effectively with other people.

What Can One Do With A Career In Journalism?
Report, write, edit, photograph or design news, features, sports and specialized content for newspapers, magazines, newsletters or Web services. The major also lays some groundwork for professional graduate work in media related law, policy or business.
Work as an editor, writer or designer for a newspaper, magazine or newsletter.
Become a columnist, or a critic of movies, plays, books and other cultural products.
Write for, or design, internet related communication.
Become a freelance writer or editor; write nonfiction books or documentaries.
Work in the public relations field as a manager, writer or designer.
Go to Law School and become a lawyer.
Teach English or journalism at the high school level.
Go on to graduate school in journalism, communication, religion, or related fields.
Market and advertise a small business you start.
Become a missionary in a variety of settings and with a variety of responsibilities.
Write grant proposals, manuals, or other written communication in a variety of corporate settings.
Report, write, edit, photograph or design news, features, sports and specialized content for newspapers, magazines, newsletters or Web services. The major also lays some groundwork for professional graduate work in media related law, policy or business.

What Can One Do With A Career In Multimedia?
Website Design
Media Production
Publication (magazine/editorial) production
Multimedia Animation

What Can One Do With A Career In Organizational Communication?
Communication is central to effectiveness in organizations, whether businesses, multinational corporations, service agencies, churches, industries, schools, or other social institutions. An Organizational Communication degree can provide a student with not only the understanding of the complexities of communicating and organizing, but it also provides them with the tools to for diagnosing and changing communication in organizations.

What Can One Do With A Career In Public Relations?
The field of public relations continues to grow and expand into nearly all facets of the business world and service-based organizations.

Pepperdine PR graduates find themselves working in the fields of healthcare, education, entertainment, sports and leisure pursuits, fine arts, travel and hospitality, food service, real estate development, and finance.

Others use their public relations skills to support the work of non-profit organizations working with the homeless, youth, the elderly, the environment, and a host of church and para-church ministries.

Still others work in the public sector for municipalities, county and state governmental agencies, elected officials and issues-based public interest groups.

Pepperdine’s PR alumni can be found in nearly every major public relations counseling firm, in key communications positions within the corporate world, and making a difference in hundreds of non-profit organizations around the world.

They point to Pepperdine’s core curriculum in communication, the practical “hands-on” PR major coursework which stresses real-world application of theory and skills, and a wealth of internship opportunities and special projects as key factors in their smooth transition to the world of work.

What Can One Do With A Career In Rhetoric and Leadership?
Because it emphasizes the crucial skills that potential employers look for in college graduates, such as written and oral communication, leadership ability, and critical thinking, the Rhetoric and Leadership sequence prepares students for careers in a variety of fields in the public and private sectors, as well as for law school, business school, and graduate school. Students develop practical skills related to professional communication, argumentation, and advocacy, while also developing the theoretical foundations they need to be effective communicators and critical consumers of public discourse and media messages. Classes also focus on the ways that rhetorical processes shape such issues as race and ethnicity, gender, religion, and politics.

What Can One Do With A Career In Speech Communication?
The Speech major can open the door to a number of career possibilities (some of these may require additional education)
Public Address (Announcer or spokesperson)
Ministry
Law (Speech is an excellent pre-law major)
Consulting (Management, legal, etc)
Education
Government (speechwriter, lobbyist, campaign director, fundraiser, etc)
Industrial/Labor Relations
Negotiating/Dispute Resolution

What Can One Do With A Career In Telecommunications?
Telecommunications at Seaver College refers primarily to electronic media, especially television, video production and radio.

What can I do with a major in telecommunications broadcast news?
Serve as a video photographer, editor, reporter, anchor, writer, producer or assignment editor of radio or television news, sports or other video non-fiction content including video news releases. The major emphasizes news writing for electronic media. The major also lays some groundwork for professional graduate work in media law, policy or business.

What can I do with a major in telecommunications production?
Serve as a photographer, editor, writer or producer of studio television or field video content. The major also lays some groundwork for professional graduate work in film, media law, policy or business.

All the media majors also prepare students for broader tasks of telling stories in a compelling fashion with words, pictures and often sound, writing succinctly with clarity, understanding the unique qualities of mediated communication, evaluating research and ethically communicating.

Communication Core Requirements - 12 Units

Course ID Course Name Units
COM 200 Communication Theory 3
COM 300 Introduction to Communication Research 3
COM 301 Message Creation and Effects 3
COM 400 Communication Ethics 3

Bachelor of Arts in Interpersonal Communication

Course ID Course Name Units
COM 220 Fundamentals of Interpersonal Communication 3
COM 483 Small Group Communication
(formerly SPE 483)
COM 513 Intercultural Communication (GE) 4
COM 519 Communication and Conflict 3
COM 595 Communication Internship 1
Choose four courses from the following:
COM 418 Communication in Organizations 4
COM 450 Communication and Leadership 4
COM 590 Seminar in Communication
(May be repeated when topics vary) 3

The Interpersonal Communication sequence is for students who want the knowledge and ability to work closely with people. Classes explore the dynamics of human communication in one-on-one and small group settings, exploring such issues as social attraction, nonverbal communication, intimacy and distance in relationships, conflict management, and group dynamics, all from a communication-centered perspective.

The Interpersonal Communication sequence provides students with the knowledge and skill to be effective and ethical communicators in a variety of personal and professional settings, as well as preparing them for advanced study. Students with an academic focus in Interpersonal Communication are prepared for careers in a variety of fields, ranging from human resources to sales and development, from counseling and social work to conflict negotiation and arbitration, from college recruiting and admissions to political advocacy–in short, any kind of profession that requires the ability to work effectively with other people.

Communication Core Requirements - 12 Units

Course ID Course Name Units
COM 200 Communication Theory 3
COM 300 Introduction to Communication Research 3
COM 301 Message Creation and Effects 3
COM 400 Communication Ethics 3

Bachelor of Arts in Intercultural Communication - 22 Units

Course ID Course Name Units
COM 220 Fundamentals of Interpersonal Communication 3
COM 512 Media Impact and US Minorities 4
COM 513 Intercultural Communication (GE) 4
COM 515 Intercultural Communication: Case Studies 3
COM 519 Communication and Conflict 3
COM 595 Communication Internship 1

Choose one course from the following:
COM 506 Media Worldwide 4
COM 514 International Communication and Negotiation 4
COM 483 Small Group Communication 3
Outside Concentration: 12 to 16 upper-division units.

The Intercultural Communication sequence is concerned with the communication behavior which occurs when people from different cultures come together and interact with one another. Students interested in careers in which an understanding of cultural adaptation is important will find this sequence beneficial.

Because of our commitment to the liberal arts, and because of the interdisciplinary nature of communication theory and inquiry, students in this major take coursework in speech communication, in mass communication, and in allied areas outside of the division such as business administration, psychology, sociology, or political science.

Students who select the Intercultural Communication sequence must complete an outside concentration of twelve to sixteen upper-division units from another academic discipline. The area of concentration is designed to complement the offerings in the major and is selected in consultation with the major advisor.

The student who majors in communication examines the role of verbal and nonverbal communication in human relationships. Since the process of communication is profoundly affected by contexts, modes, and media, as well as by personal characteristics, the major requires a broad range of courses from both within and outside the division. A broad, liberal arts education is crucial to an understanding of human communication.

Not only is the ability to communicate with symbols uniquely human (and, hence, central to understanding the human condition), but it is also of practical value. Communication skills are important in work and leisure, profession and home, politics and religion, and in many other areas. Many careers require a thorough understanding of the theory and practice of communication.

Specific sequences within this major permit students to develop programs with particular emphasis. Two sequences are available: communication theory and organizational communication. Because of our commitment to the liberal arts, and because of the interdisciplinary nature of communication theory and inquiry, students in this major take course work in speech communication, in mass communication, and in allied areas outside of the division such as psychology, sociology, or political science.

The Telecommunications curriculum at Pepperdine University has the dual purpose of preparing students for career opportunities in the various areas of the electronic media and giving them the broad liberal arts education necessary to achieve success in this rapidly changing industry.

Telecommunications students may specialize in broadcast journalism (news) and production. As part of the major, students have the opportunity to work on Pepperdine’s cable television and radio stations: Channel 26, Channel 6, and KWVS, which serve the campus and Malibu communities.