Communication Major, BA

The communication major aims to prepare students to develop intellectual skills to analytically and critically create, design, deliver, and interpret messages. We strive to nurture students in becoming influential leaders and active citizens who contribute to domestic and global communities as effective and ethical communicators. The program offers the study of applied and theoretical aspects of the communication process in interpersonal, professional, organizational, and intercultural contexts. The communication faculty are dedicated to creating a supportive academic environment for students’ success and providing guidance for careers with a communication degree. Students will be equipped with strong communication skills and knowledge necessary and relevant in various professions. Students must complete the two communication foundation courses (COM 201 and COM 207) with an overall average of B in order to graduate from the major. In all other courses counted toward fulfilling major or minor requirements, a minimum grade of C- is required. 

Program Learner Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

• LOC1. General communication knowledge
  • Demonstrate understandings of the different areas and theories in communication.
  • Employ communication expertise across a wide range of contexts.
  • Understand communication as a transactional process.
  • Identify essential components of communication.
• LOC2. Analytical and critical skills
  • Analyze the goals, audiences, purposes and contexts to develop and adapt communication strategies.
  • Identify barriers to successful communication in various contexts including interpersonal, intercultural, and professional situations, and address the problems appropriately and effectively.
  • Bring communication perspectives to the analysis of domestic and global issues, and offer responses and solutions using communication.
• LOC3. Communication competence in applied contexts
  • Choose and employ verbal and nonverbal skills as effective public communicators.
  • Create effective oral and written messages tailored to their audiences.
• LOC4. Communication ethics
  • Identify ethical perspectives of communication.
  • Choose to communicate with ethical intention.
  • Evaluate ethical issues of communication.
  • Propose appropriate solutions to ethical dilemmas in communicative situations.
• LOC5. Diversity skills
  • Demonstrate communication competence, including cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral aspects, in various cultural contexts.