Communication Degrees Online

Communication Major - Bachelor of Arts
The Communication Studies major is designed to prepare students for careers in communication consulting and analysis, speech writing, sales, or organizational administration, as well as further graduate education in the areas of law, higher education, and ministry. The major combines practical skill development with breadth of study in the discipline of communication. The degree is granted upon completion of 125 credits as specified on page 42 of the catalog (40 credits must be in 3000- or 4000-level courses).

Communication Core 18 - 19 cr
COM1005 Introduction to Communication Studies 2
COM2107 Communication Theory 4
COM3106 Communication in Groups and Organizations (OCE) 4
COM3107 Intercultural Communication 4
COM3835 Communication Careers Seminar 0 - 1
COM4105 Mass Media and Society (WCE) 4

Communication Studies Required Courses: 16 - 19 cr
COM3105 Gender and Family Communication 4
COM4207 Global Communication and International Relations 4
COM4308 Communication Research Methods 4
SPE3175 Persuasion or 4
SPE3176 Advanced Public Speaking and Speech Writing
Workshops: 0-3
Five enrollments selected from BEM, CMC, JOU, SPE, THE courses numbered 1625, 2625-2627, 2629, 4625-4627. A maximum of three workshop credits may be applied to the major.

Courses selected from the following 10 - 13 cr
COM4805 Special Topics in Communication is recommended
Choose from upper level courses with BEM, CMC, COM, JOU, PRL, SPE, THE prefix. Other courses may be applied with approval of department chairperson.

Foreign Language 0 - 8 cr
Must achieve second semester of first-year language sequence or higher. See pages 40 and 41 of the catalog.

A Communication Studies degree provides stu-dents with a strong background in verbal and nonverbal communication, and is flexible enough so students can pursue graduate education or enter the work force in a variety of fields. Graduates of Northern Michigan University’s Com-munication Studies program are employed in a vari-ety of fields. Some find themselves employed in business-related positions such as sales representa-tives, department store managers, loan officers, real-tors, insurance adjustors, and pension fund adminis-trators. Others have pursued university-level teach-ing, and still others have become admissions coun-selors, residence hall directors, and assistant alumni directors. Obviously, your options as a Communi-cation Studies major are many, and only depend upon your willingness to acquire the necessary skills and competencies for a certain career field. Some introductory courses available to help you decide if Communication Studies is the right major for you include: SP 100 Public Address, SP 110 Inter-personal Communication, and SP 120 Small Group Process.

The Master of Science in Applied Communication at Fitchburg State College provides a course of study examining the relationship between theory and effective communication practice in interpersonal, organizational, public and mass communication contexts. Upon graduation a student is prepared to assume
leadership roles in organizations, their community, or in the academy where they can promote the effective and ethical practice of communication.

Program Description
Courses are designed to prepare students to pursue careers in a broad range of media, business, public, and educational organizations; or to continue their graduate education beyond the master’s level.

• Courses are conveniently offered in the late afternoon, evenings and weekends to accommodate life-work schedules

• Distance online learning opportunities are available for some courses

• The faculty includes experienced communications media practitioners and a community of scholars drawn from a wide variety of interests in the field of communications

Program Requirements
The Master of Science Degree in Applied Communication requires a total of 36 semester credit hours as follows:
Applied Communication Studies Track
The Applied Communication Track is designed to provide
knowledge and skills for the effective application of communication
operations within business, industry, government, non-profit,
health services, and academic settings.

INTRODUCTION Students in our graduate program have the opportunity to work with the most productive Communication faculty in the United States. The faculty of the School of Communication has consistently ranked among the ten most research-productive in the nation since 1980. Research projects between faculty and graduate students are common in the School of Communication. This allows graduate students to simultaneously apply their new knowledge while learning even more about how to conduct Communication research.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION The master’s degree program provides graduate education in communication theory and methodology for students who seek to: 1) apply communication strategies to work-related problems and/or 2) ultimately pursue doctoral studies in Communication The program is directed primarily toward the development of communication specialists and scholars (i.e., individuals who are able to apply Communication theory and methodology to the analysis and solution of a variety of communication problems). The program emphasizes the ability to synthesize and interpret research in socially useful ways while allowing for specialization in conducting research. Graduate students in this program are given an educational experience that concentrates on: · theoretical understanding of the process of communication · comprehension of communication research methodologies · application of communication theory and research The Applied Communication Theory and Methodology degree is a 32-38 hour program. The courses are typically offered in the evenings and meet twice a week. Students are required to take courses that introduce Communication theory, Communication methodology, and an area of specialization. Areas of specialization include Mass Communication, Communication Technology, Interpersonal Communication, and Organizational Communication.

RESEARCH and CREATIVE ACTIVITIES The members of the School of Communication faculty have published hundreds of articles and book chapters, more than 20 books, and have received numerous grants and Fulbright Fellowships. The School of Communication also boasts having two of the top 25 most prolific Communication scholars as faculty members.

This track examines the mass media from critical, historical, programming, audience impact and production perspectives. Students will explore how these media both shape and are shaped by society, and learn to produce common forms of journalistic writing, radio and television programming.

Fueled by rapid growth in emerging technologies, the last decade has been a period of unparalleled expansion by local, national and international media organizations. These changes have provided new opportunities for students of the mass media. Recent graduates have been very successful in obtaining employment in the media, and related industries; or in pursuing graduate education.

For specific track requirements, see the Communication department section of the catalog.

SU Undergraduate Scholarships:
Scholarships for New Students Placed by OSS
Scholarship Opportunities Offered During Education Period

SU Graduate Education Scholarships

Scholarships Provided by Various Foundations and Associations

Cancellation of Scholarships

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.