Interdisciplinary Communications Minor

Summary

This interdisciplinary minor is for students who wish to enhance their communication skills for use in business and other professional settings. Students completing this minor will develop an understanding of contexts and rhetorical strategies for oral and written communication among professionals. Students will also develop their own ability to communicate through written texts, oral communication, and electronic formats. These skills are highly desirable by employers in a wide range of business, government, and nonprofit organizations. Students may major in any of the programs affiliated with this minor, but the courses taken for the minor will not count toward the major. Students must earn a “C” or better in English courses in order to apply them to the minor. 

Catalog Year

2019-2020

Degree

Minor

Total Credits

18

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Program Requirements

Core

Designed to help students improve oral communication skills in the workplace. The emphasis is on the preparation and presentation of public messages in formats commonly used in business and professional settings. Listening as an oral communication skill in the workplace will be explored, as will the role of intercultural communication in the workplace. Individual speeches, group presentations, and interviews are the major presentations.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-1B

Basic techniques of gathering information and writing readable and accurate media stories.

Prerequisites: ENG 101, MASS 110 

Restricted Electives

English Focus - Choose 4 Credit(s).

Introduction to learning the written and oral communication of technical information. Assignments include writing and presenting proposals, reports, and documentation. Emphasis on use of rhetorical analysis, computer applications, collaborative writing, and usability testing to complete technical communication tasks in the workplace.

Prerequisites: ENG 101 

Goal Areas: GE-02, GE-13

Introduction to business communication. Assignments include writing and presenting proposals, reports, and documentation typical to a business/industry setting. Emphasis on use of rhetorical analysis, software applications, collaboration, and usability testing to complete business communication tasks. Fall, Spring

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-02, GE-13

Disciplinary Choices - Choose 6 - 8 Credit(s). Disciplinary Choices Choose 6 - 8 Credit(s). Students must take two courses from the list below. Each course must be from a different discipline.

A course designed to help students learn effective communication using a variety of contemporary technologies. Students will be better equipped to use communication technologies to communicate personal, professional, and public messages.

Prerequisites: none

This is an advanced course in public presentation focused on improving presentational skills of speech delivery and language choice.

Prerequisites: none

Students examine everyday communication practices (rituals, stories, symbols) analyzing what discursive practices turn individuals into a community. Students explore the meaning of community through experiential learning by experiencing and reflecting upon the way communication creates, maintains, transforms, and repairs community.

Prerequisites: none

This course is an overview of key performance studies concepts, including cultural performance, performance of everyday life, theories of play, social influence, and identity performance. Students will develop and present performances as a means to understand theoretical concepts.

Prerequisites: none

This course is designed to develop an understanding of communication studies in the organizational context. The course will aid each individual in working more effectively within any type of organization through exposure to major theories and works in the area of organizational communication.

Prerequisites: none

This theory and research-oriented course examines the relationship between communication and conflict, and is designed to provide students with knowledge and skills in dealing with conflict situations.

Prerequisites: none

This course provides analysis and training focused on concepts and practices of visual design as they relate to technical and professional communication.

Prerequisites: none

Overview of technical communication theory with emphasis on contemporary approaches. Hands-on workshop which implements the theories discussed.

Prerequisites: none

Brief history of publishing and typography, conventions of desktop publishing, and hardware and software application tools for desktop publishing. Students need not have prior experience with DTP, but some word processing and microcomputer experience will be helpful.

Prerequisites: none

Practice in writing various types of reports for a variety of purposes and audiences. Includes primary and secondary research methods, and data analysis of information to be used in reports.

Prerequisites: ENG 271W or ENG 272W 

Editing the content, organization, format, style, and mechanics of documents; managing the production cycle of documents; and discovering and learning computer and software applications for technical editing tasks.

Prerequisites: none

This course serves as an introduction to the conventions and strategies for publishing online documentation and for managing online documentation projects. Topics will include:1. analyzing users and tasks;2. designing and writing documents to be published on-line;3. testing on-line documents; and4. managing on-line documentation projects.

Prerequisites: none

Creating both online and print documentation for products, with emphasis on computer software and hardware documentation for users. Attention also to policies and procedures as written for a range of uses (e.g., employee handbooks, manufacturing processes, usability testing).

Prerequisites: none

Survey of current practices and problems in the field of public relations. Emphasizes successful case histories and planning techniques.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Principles of the First Amendment, libel, fair trial, privacy, access to news, pornography and regulation of radio and television.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Discussion of and practice in reporting about public affairs and social issues, plus examination of copy editing and headline writing for traditional and new media.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Reporting, writing and packaging news for online audiences with an emphasis on multimedia platforms; includes evaluation of news sites and critical consideration of best practices, and economic, ethical and legal issues.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Planning, writing and delivering of broadcast news.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

This course introduces students to the concepts, approaches and tools for gathering and analyzing information in mass media research. Students will become acquainted with and effectively use the terminology and concepts used in mass media research.

Prerequisites: none

Instruction in the fundamental concepts, terminology, techniques and applications of digital imaging in mass media. Development of the basic skills necessary to design, create, manage and distribute photographic and video digital images in mass media communication. Students must provide own camera equipment.

Prerequisites: Select either MASS 221W or MASS 260

Practicum in typography, design, layout and production processes, including job budgeting and estimating, for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, brochures, posters, annual reports, direct mail and related print materials used public relations and journalism. Emphasis on graphic design software.

Prerequisites: Select either MASS 221W or MASS 260

Study, analysis and criticism of the mass media, their ethics and performance.

Prerequisites: MASS 221W

Exploration of historic and contemporary examples of strategic public relations successes and failures. Analysis of public relations practices related to these cases, including planning, communication, evaluation exercises and management responsibilities.

Prerequisites: MASS 233 

Designed as an introduction to the nonprofit sector, this course provides the foundation for students working toward a certificate in Nonprofit Leadership. This workshop addresses the historical and philosophical foundations in nonprofit leadership as well as exploring key leadership issues.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-09

Designed as the sequel to NPL 273, this course addresses managing operations, developing and managing financial services, and managing people. This course will include a service-learning component. Prerequisite: NPL 273, or by special permission.

Prerequisites: NPL 273

Focuses on the total planning, implementation and techniques of effective public relations.

Prerequisites: none

This course introduces students to special event planning, development, budgeting, promotion and evaluation. The use, recruitment, evaluation and recognition of volunteers as well as fund raising strategies are discussed and employed.

Prerequisites: RPLS 377 

This course will identify and analyze global social, economic, political and environmental problems impacting community viability and explore the full range of solutions to these problems. The course will view communities as complex, sustainable organisms and bring together the works of the great minds working on sustainability.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-05, GE-10

Introduction to community leadership-elected, professional, or voluntary-and the skills and values which support it.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-09, GE-11

This course, designed for student preparing for a professional career in local government or public service, focuses on media relations and building citizen involvement through public awareness projects.

Prerequisites: none