Communication, Bachelor of Arts (6003)
- Undergraduate
- AB
- Arts & Letters
- Media & Communication, School of
Overview
The Communication major prepares students to understand and apply communication theories and concepts that explain human interaction across contexts and provides students a platform for understanding the diverse ways communication creates, maintains, and transforms relationships, organizations, institutions, and society. Communication graduates possess strong interpersonal, writing, and critical-thinking skills, which are highly valued in a wide array of fields. Therefore, they have the flexibility to explore diverse career paths and industries according to their interests and specialties. Recent graduates hold positions in Corporate Communication, Sales, Nonprofit Management, Social Media Management, Digital Content Creation, and Employee Relations.
Students will complete a set of core courses covering different aspects of the discipline including organizational, interpersonal, and intercultural communication. Additionally, students select courses on message strategies such as persuasion and crisis communication, specialized contexts such as health, sport, and leadership, and other electives tailored to different interests and career goals.
Program Requirements (39 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
A minor, certificate, or second major outside of the department is required.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Foundational Study in Communication * | 9 | |
COMM 145 | Fundamentals of Public Speaking and Communication | |
COMM 200 | Communication Foundations | |
COMM 300 | Introduction to Applied Communication Research | |
or PS 302 | Research Design in Political Science | |
or SOCL 302 | Social Research Methods | |
or COMM 321 | Communications Analytics in Public Relations and Advertising | |
| Core Competencies * | 18 | |
COMM 348 | Interpersonal Communication | |
COMM 346 | Persuasion | |
or COMM 345 | Advanced Presentational Speaking | |
COMM 349 | Small Group Communication | |
COMM 362 | Organizational Communication | |
COMM 365 | Intercultural Communication | |
COMM 494 | Capstone in Communication | |
| Communication in Specialized Contexts * | 6 | |
COMM 315 | Sport Communication | |
COMM 330 | Leadership Communication | |
COMM 345 | Advanced Presentational Speaking | |
COMM 346 | Persuasion | |
COMM 363 | Interracial Communication | |
COMM 364 | Crisis Communication | |
COMM 320 | Health Communication | |
COMM 351 | Communication in the Digital Age | |
COMM 371 | Communication in Multinational Organizations | |
COMM 400 | Special Topics in Communication | |
COMM 415 | Study Abroad in Communication | |
COMM 448 | Advanced Interpersonal Communication | |
COMM 462 | Advanced Organizational Communication | |
COMM 463 | Advanced Intercultural Communication | |
COMM 370 | Organizational Relationships | |
COMM 489 | Internship in Communication | |
COMM 495 | Independent Study in Communication | |
| Electives | 6 | |
AD 230 | Digital Tools | |
AD 240 | Advertising in a Digital World | |
AD 330 | Branding | |
BCOM 264 | Digital Video Production and Distribution | |
BCOM 325 | Survey of Electronic Media Writing | |
COMM 212 | Introduction to Digital Texts and Media | |
or ENG 212 | Introduction to Digital Texts and Media | |
COMM 240 | Effective Listening | |
COMM 247 | Voice and Diction | |
COMM 321 | Communications Analytics in Public Relations and Advertising | |
COMM 315 | Sport Communication | |
COMM 330 | Leadership Communication | |
COMM 345 | Advanced Presentational Speaking | |
COMM 346 | Persuasion | |
COMM 363 | Interracial Communication | |
COMM 364 | Crisis Communication | |
COMM 320 | Health Communication | |
COMM 351 | Communication in the Digital Age | |
COMM 371 | Communication in Multinational Organizations | |
COMM 400 | Special Topics in Communication | |
COMM 415 | Study Abroad in Communication | |
COMM 448 | Advanced Interpersonal Communication | |
COMM 462 | Advanced Organizational Communication | |
COMM 463 | Advanced Intercultural Communication | |
COMM 370 | Organizational Relationships | |
COMM 489 | Internship in Communication | |
COMM 495 | Independent Study in Communication | |
ENG 203 | Creative Writing | |
ENG 301 | Argument and Analysis in Written Discourse | |
ENG 306 | Business Writing | |
FLK 280 | Cultural Diversity in the U S | |
FLK 330 | Cultural Connections and Diversity | |
JOUR 202 | Introduction to News Writing | |
JOUR 323 | Multiplatform News Presentation | |
LEAD 300 | Leadership Theory and Application | |
LEAD 325 | Leading Change | |
LEAD 330 | Leadership Ethics and Decision-Making | |
MGT 210 | Organization and Management | |
MGT 261 | Business Communication Fundamentals | |
MGT 311 | Human Resource Management | |
MGT 333 | Management of Nonprofit Organizations | |
MGT 405 | Business Negotiation | |
MKT 220 | Basic Marketing Concepts | |
MKT 325 | Personal Selling | |
PR 255 | Fundamentals of Public Relations | |
PS 373 | Minority Politics | |
PS 374 | Women and Politics | |
PSY 371 | The Psychology of Sales Behavior | |
PSYS 370 | Industrial / Organizational Psychology | |
SOCL 362 | Social Institutions: Race, Class, and Gender | |
SOCL 375 | Diversity in American Society | |
SMC 310 | Media Diversity | |
| Total Hours | 39 | |
- *
A grade of C or above is required in all courses within the Foundational Study, Core Competencies, and Specialized Contexts Categories
Finish in Four Plans
Finish in Four Plan - Communication Studies (6003)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| ENG 100 | 3 | COMM 145 | 3 |
| MATH 109 | 3 | ENG 200 | 3 |
| Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 | HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 |
| World Lanuage, if needed OR General Elective | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences w/lab | 3 |
| Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences | 3 | General Elective/2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| COMM 200 | 3 | COMM 300 | 3 |
| Colonnade: Explorations (Social & Behavioral Sciences) | 3 | COMM 348 | 3 |
| Colonnade: Explorations (Natural/Physical Sciences) | 3 | COMM 365 | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| COMM 349 | 3 | COMM 346 or COMM 345 | 3 |
| COMM 362 | 3 | COMM in Specialized Contexts Elective | 3 |
| Colonnade: Natural/Physical Sciences (Must have 1 with lab) | 3 | 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 | Colonnade: Systems | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| COMM in Specialized Contexts Elective | 3 | COMM 494 | 3 |
| 3 | Communication Elective | 3 | |
| 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | 3 | |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||