Communication Degrees Online

The department of Mass Communications offers instruction to the aspiring journalist or public relations specialist as well as the general education student seeking to be a savvier media consumer. Students interested in career in print journalism will find classes taught by a former Los Angeles Times editor. The department’s popular Mass Communications 101 course is tailored to general education students and media majors wishing an overview of the mass media. The department is currently expanding into a third area, public relations.

Students may earn an Associates in Arts Degree in Media / Communications, an Associate in Science Degree in Media/Communications, or a Certificate of Completion in Mass Communication / Public Relations.

Some students select a course of study that requires a four-year degree of which two years may be completed at Northwestern Michigan College through completion of the Associate in Science and Arts degree (ASA).

Students interested in transferring to four-year institutions may pursue the Associate in Science and Arts. Students pursuing a four-year degree in the Visual Communications field transfer to Art and Design Colleges where they can pick an area of specialty. These areas can include Graphic Design, Art Direction, Illustration, Computer Graphics and Computer Animation.

Some students select a course of study that requires a four-year degree of which two years may be completed at Northwestern Michigan College through completion of the Associate in Science and Arts degree (ASA).

Communications as a separate field of study may include a variety of careers and specialties, ranging from media and public relations to technical writing. It is also an important component of other programs of study or careers, including computer science, human services, and art therapy.

The major in communication under the Bachelor of Fine Arts degree is taken by students interested in professional and management positions which call for a high degree of oral communication skills. Typical jobs include those in human resources, public relations, management, sales, communication consulting, training, customer service, negotiation, public information, and speech writing. Students in this program complete one concentration in Public Communication, Career & Professional Communication, or Public Relations. In addition, a cognate area of study must be completed.

Course Number Course Title Cr.

First SemesterElective HIS… History Elective 3
Elective Humanities Electives (No more than two courses in any one field) 3
Elective MAT/CIS… Mathematics/Computer Science Elective 3
WEX-101 Dynamics of Health and Fitness 2
WRT-101 English Composition I 3

Total: 17

Second SemesterElective HIS… History Elective 3
Elective Humanities Electives (No more than two courses in any one field) 3
Elective MAT/CIS… Mathematics/Computer Science Elective 3
Elective WEX… Dynamics of Health and Fitness Experience 1
WRT-201 English Composition II 3
Elective Social Science Elective (No more than two courses in any one field) 3

Total: 16

Third SemesterElective COM… Communication Elective 3
Elective Humanities Electives (No more than two courses in any one field) 6
Elective Natural Sciences Elective 4
Elective Social Science Elective (No more than two courses in any one field) 3

Total: 16
Fourth SemesterElective COM… Communication Elective 3
Elective Humanities Electives (No more than two courses in any one field) 6
Elective Natural Sciences Elective 4
Elective Social Science Elective (No more than two courses in any one field) 3

Total: 16

Degree Total Credits: 65

A number of scholarships are available to assist students from the Schools of Graduate and Professional Programs (SGPP) in obtaining their degree.

All scholarships require the completion of a Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA), as well as the completion of the specific scholarship information listed below.

The Evert Scholarship Fund

Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous benefactor, a minimum of four (4) $2,500 scholarships will be available through this fund. This scholarship is available and open to students in any program within SGPP.

Download Evert Scholarship Guidelines and Application Form

The deadline to submit an application for the Evert Scholarship has passed for the 2008-2009 academic year.

Counseling and Psychological Services Program Scholarships

The following scholarships are available and open to students pursuing the Master of Arts degree in Counseling and Psychological Services.

Letven Scholarship

Kieselhorst Scholarship

Bachelor Completion Program Scholarships

Thanks to the generosity of an anonymous benefactor, scholarships of $2,000 are available to qualifying students seeking to complete their bachelor’s degree at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota.

SGPP Faculty Staff Scholarship

Thanks to the generosity and dedication of Saint Mary’s SGPP faculty and staff, two scholarships of at least $1,700 are now available to students in any SGPP’s certificate, bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral programs.

Outside Scholarships

A list and short summary of non-University related scholarships available through the community and professional organizations.

Submission of Scholarship Forms

All completed scholarship forms and essays should be sent to the following address:

Office of Financial Aid
Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota
2500 Park Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55404-4403

Greetings on behalf of the faculty of the Russell J. Jandoli School of Journalism and Mass Communication at St. Bonaventure University.

As dean of the school, I welcome your interest in continued professional development, and I am pleased that you are considering pursuing a Master of Arts Degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) at the Jandoli School.

There has never been a greater need for effective communication to strategically position companies, organizations, and individuals. And the demands on limited resources make it essential that communication efforts be precise and efficient.

We have much to offer you, as our graduates can attest. We believe the education you will receive in our IMC Program will prepare you uniquely for success. Graduates of the Russell J. Jandoli School of Journalism and Mass Communication have reached high levels of accomplishment in both business and journalistic careers.Our faculty members are experts in their fields. They have studied at some of the nation’s finest institutions of higher education and have compiled outstanding records of professional achievement and scholarly activity. They are committed to your success and will guide you throughout your studies.
In addition to our excellent faculty, we offer a learning environment that is essential to addressing the challenges of the 21st century: St. Bonaventure University is a values-driven institution that embodies the Franciscan value of ethical behavior in personal and business affairs.

Our goal is for you to have the knowledge, skills and values needed for personal and professional success. This is just one reason that a St. Bonaventure education is one of the most desirable in Western New York.

Lee Coppola, dean
PO Box J
St. Bonaventure, NY 14778
716-375-2520
lcoppola@sbu.edu

Greetings on behalf of the faculty of the Russell J. Jandoli School of Journalism and Mass Communication at St. Bonaventure University.

As dean of the school, I welcome your interest in continued professional development, and I am pleased that you are considering pursuing a Master of Arts Degree in Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) at the Jandoli School.

There has never been a greater need for effective communication to strategically position companies, organizations, and individuals. And the demands on limited resources make it essential that communication efforts be precise and efficient.

We have much to offer you, as our graduates can attest. We believe the education you will receive in our IMC Program will prepare you uniquely for success. Graduates of the Russell J. Jandoli School of Journalism and Mass Communication have reached high levels of accomplishment in both business and journalistic careers.

Our faculty members are experts in their fields. They have studied at some of the nation’s finest institutions of higher education and have compiled outstanding records of professional achievement and scholarly activity. They are committed to your success and will guide you throughout your studies.
In addition to our excellent faculty, we offer a learning environment that is essential to addressing the challenges of the 21st century: St. Bonaventure University is a values-driven institution that embodies the Franciscan value of ethical behavior in personal and business affairs.

Our goal is for you to have the knowledge, skills and values needed for personal and professional success. This is just one reason that a St. Bonaventure education is one of the most desirable in Western New York.

Lee Coppola, dean
PO Box J
St. Bonaventure, NY 14778
716-375-2520
lcoppola@sbu.edu

We also offer a minor in Theatre, which requires the following courses:
Phonetics and Diction
Oral Reader as Communicator
Intro to Theatre
Theatre Activities
Fund of Acting
Survey of Dramatic Literature
Fund of Scenery and Lighting
Internship Opportunities

Our students have interned with mid-market TV stations, area radio stations, and the David Letterman Show.

Career Opportunities

A communication arts degree from LMU prepares you for a career in television, post-production, public relations, advertising and marketing, computer graphics and animation, promotional CD production–you name it.

Alumni Success

LMU graduates can be found in all areas of television. They are working as television news anchors and directors. They’re handling graphics and promotions for major companies such as Ruby Tuesdays. They’re also editing shows for Scripps Networks television. But you’ll also find our alumni writing for newspapers and working in radio.

The Department of English and Communication recognizes that communication, on both the personal and social levels, is the foundation of human interaction. Our mission is to understand ourselves and our world more fully by returning again and again to those linguistic forms which have continually shaped and reshaped us, which define and limit us and then wonderfully set us free–recast in new forms. We take language seriously as a tool of self- and social-understanding, as a means of entry into the life and responsibilities as the adult, the church member, and the citizen, as a means to professional advancement, yet not so seriously as to overlook the important roles language plays in recreation and entertainment. Finally, the department emphasizes the importance of a liberal arts education with a firmly grounded knowledge of the communication process to prepare students for graduate education and for success in a wide variety of occupations.

Preparation for Teaching

Students preparing to teach at the secondary level should plan to qualify for state of California teaching credentials by completing the bachelor’s degree and passing the PRAXIS (or SSAT) subject area assessment. During the freshman year prospective teachers of both secondary and elementary levels should see the School of Education section of the Undergraduate Bulletin and consult the credential analyst and the Department of Curriculum and Instruction in the School of Education for detailed information concerning requirements.

A further program leading to the Master of Arts degree in English is described in the Graduate Bulletin.

Program’s Student Learning Objectives

The English and Communication Department has six core learning objectives for all majors. Students graduating should be able to:

1. Read and listen perceptively, analytically and empathically.
2. Construct well reasoned arguments.
3. Design and deliver effective presentations.
4. Analyze and critically evaluate texts.
5. Demonstrate knowledge of basic rhetorical and critical perspectives from classical through contemporary traditions.
6. Retrieve information, including how to find and evaluate scholarly and popular journals, how to use electronic databases, the Internet, non-print sources, electronic communication, and library resources.

Students graduating with Communication majors should be able to:

1. Demonstrate skills needed to prepare and present messages for different audiences.
2. Explain the influence of media on communication in multiple contexts.
3. Use communication knowledge and skills that reflect ethical and logical audience centered expression.
Students graduating with the Public Relations/Advertising emphasis in Communication should be able to:
1. Analyze and design effective messages for target and secondary audiences.
2. Write, communicate and present materials appropriate to the practice of public relations.
3. Uphold professional conduct, with truth, accuracy, fairness, and responsibility to the public; improve individual competence and advance the knowledge and proficiency of the profession through continuing research and education; and adhere to the articles of the Member Code of Ethics 2000 for the practice of public relations as adopted by the governing Assembly of the Public Relations Society of America.