Communication Studies
Communication Studies
Chairperson: Professor Hill; Professor: Huffman; Associate Professors: Crane, Leeman, R.W.; Assistant Professors: Doerfel, Freitag; Lecturers: Carusi, Drummond, Hofer, Kinzey, Leeman, C.B.
The Communication Studies program offers training in the practice and theory of communication across a variety of contexts. Among these are public communication, interpersonal communication, small group communication, organizational communication, public relations and mass communication. In addition, students examine specific types of communication such as argumentation, debate and persuasion.
BACHELOR OF ARTS
Admission Requirements. Students matriculated at UNC Charlotte and planning to change to or declare Communication Studies as their major must have an overall GPA of at least 2.0, and no grade less than C in COMM 1101 or its equivalent, and COMM 2100 or its equivalent.
Transfer students from other institutions must meet all general requirements for admission to the University. Acceptance into the Communication Studies major requires that they have no grade less than a C in COMM 1101 or its equivalent, and COMM 2100 or its equivalent.
Matriculated and transfer students who do not meet
requirements for admission to the program because of special circumstances may petition the Department of Communication Studies for acceptance into the program.
Degree Requirements. The program leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Studies is a 120 semester hour program, including 54 hours in CORE, Concentration, and related course work requirements in the major, and 32-53 hours in general education requirements for the baccalaureate degree.
Core Requirements (24 hours)
All students complete 24 hours of CORE requirements designed to provide a thorough understanding of fundamental communication processes. The CORE requirements are structured into four major categories:
General Theory/Skills (12 hours)
COMM 1101 Introductory Speech (3)
COMM 2100 Intro. to Communication Theory (3)
COMM 2101 Introduction to Rhetorical Theory (3)
COMM 3101 Persuasion (3)
Research Methodology (6 hours)
STAT 1222 Introduction to Statistics (3)
COMM 3100 Communication Research Methods (3)
Macro-Context (3 hours)
COMM 3120 Communication & Mass Media (3) or
COMM 3130 Communication & Public Advocacy (3) or
COMM 3141 Organizational Communication (3)
Micro-Context (3 hours)
COMM 2103 Argumentation & Debate (3)
or
COMM 2105 Small Group Communication (3) or
COMM 2107 Interpersonal Communication (3)
Concentration Requirements (12-21 hours)
Students must also complete 12-21 hours of course work in a specific concentration of study. Courses which are required within a particular concentration or used as electives within the concentration cannot simultaneously be used to fulfill CORE requirements. The concentrations are designed to provide students with the opportunity to pursue more extensive study in the communication context most relevant to their professional and social goals. Four concentrations of study are offered:
Mass Media (12 hours)
The Mass Media concentration is designed for students interested in the development and critical analysis of the media as a cultural force. Contemporary issues in media criticism are explored. Students may also receive limited exposure to media production.
Students choosing this concentration complete the following courses:
COMM 3120 Communication and Mass Media (3)
COMM 4101 Media and the Law (3)
Students will complete 6 hours selected from the following courses:
ARTA 2219 History of Photography (3)
COMM 2120 Black Images in the Media (3)
COMM 3121 Mass Communication and Society (3)
COMM 3050 Topics in Communication (3)*
COMM 4102 Federal Interpretation of the First Amendment (3)
COMM 4410 Communication Internship (3)*
ENGL 2106 Film Criticism (4)
FORL 3160 European Cinema (3)
GERM 3160 Survey of German Films (3)
HIST 3000 American History & Culture through Film (3)
JOUR 2160 Introduction to Journalism (3)
JOUR 3160 NewsWriting (3)
JOUR 3161 News Editing (3)
POLS 3104 Mass Media and Government (3)
POLS 3107 Political Influence of the Media (3)
RELS 3212 Film and Identity (3)
SOCY 2112 Popular Culture (3)
SPAN 4050 Topics in Film of Peninsular Spain (1-2-3)(1-2-3G)
SPAN 4050 Topics in Latin American Film (1-2-3) (1-2-3G)
* with approval of advisor
Organizational Communication (12 hours)
The Organizational Communication concentration is designed for students whose careers will benefit from an understanding of the communication processes that occur within organizational contexts. Students explore both the theory and practice of organizational communication.
All students choosing this concentration will complete the following courses:
COMM 3141 Organizational Communication (3)
COMM 4141 Advanced Organizational Communication (3)
Students select 3 hours from the following:
COMM 2105 Small Group Communication (3)
COMM 2107 Interpersonal Communication (3)
Students select 3 hours from the following:
AAAS 2201 Introduction to Human Relations (3)
ANTH 4120 Intercultural Communication (3)
COMM 3050 Topics in Communication (3)*
COMM 4410 Communication Internship (3)*
ENGL 2116 Technical Communication (3)
MGMT 3160 Business Communication (3)
PHIL 2175 Professional Ethics (3)
PSYC 2171 Introduction to Industrial/Organizational Psychology (3)
PSYC 3114 Motivation (3)
SOCY 4112 Sociology of Work (3)
SOCY 4115 Sociology of Corporations (3)
* with approval of advisor
Communication and
Public Advocacy (12 hours)
The Communication and Public Advocacy concentration is designed for those students desiring a well-developed background in the use, theory, construction and analysis of public messages. The course of study provides training in individual public communication skills and provides a foundation for the analysis and evaluation of advocacy discourse.
All students choosing this concentration complete the following courses:
COMM 2102 Advanced Public Speaking (3)
COMM 2103 Argumentation & Debate (3)
COMM 3130 Communication & Public Advocacy (3)
Students select 3 hours from the
following:
COMM 3050 Topics in Communication (3)*
COMM 3131 African-American Oratory (3)
COMM 3403 Debate Practicum (2)
(May be repeated but no more than 3 hours will apply to meeting this elective
requirement.)
COMM 4410 Communication Internship (3)*
ENGL 4165 Language and Culture (3)
POLS 3104 Mass Media and Politics (3)
POLS 3110 North Carolina Student Legislature (3)
POLS 3163 Model United Nations (3)
* with approval of advisor
Public Relations (21 hours)
The Public Relations concentration is designed to provide students with a general background in public relations. Students examine both the theory and practice of public relations.
Students choosing this concentration should complete the following courses:
JOUR 2160 Introduction to Journalism (3)
COMM 3145 Communication & Public Relations (3)
COMM 3245 Public Relations Writing (3)
COMM 4145 Public Relations Lab (3)
COMM 4410 Communication Internship (3)
Students select 6 hours from the
following:
COMM 2102 Advanced Public Speaking (3)
COMM 3050 Topics in Communication Studies (3)*
COMM 3141 Organizational Communication (3)
COMM 4101 Media and the Law (3)
COMM 4141 Advanced Organization Communication (3)
COMM 4410 Communication Internship (3)*
ENGL 2116 Technical Communication (3)
JOUR 3160 News Writing (3)
JOUR 3161 News Editing (3)
JOUR 3162 Feature Writing (3)
* with approval of advisor
Related Course Work (9-18 hours)
All students in the Mass Media, Organizational Communication, and Public Advocacy tracks must complete 18 hours of related course work excluding any courses applied to Core Requirements or Track requirements. Students in the Public Relations track must complete 9 hours of related course work excluding any courses applied to Core Requirements or requirements within that track. All related course work must be approved by the student's advisor. An approved second major or a minor may be used to satisfy this requirement.
COMMUNICATION STUDIES MINOR
The minor in Communication Studies consists of 21 semester hours, which must include: two core courses, COMM 1101 (Introductory Speech) and COMM 2100 (Communication Theory); 1-2 required courses within the track of study; and an additional 9-12 semester hours to be selected from a list of approved courses. Additional electives are possible with prior approval. COMM 3050 (Topics in Communication Studies), COMM 3880 (Independent Study), and COMM 4410 (Communication Internship) may be included as part of the hours of electives with prior approval of the Departmental Chairperson, although these courses may not be substituted for a required course. A maximum of six hours of electives may be cross-applied between tracks for students pursuing double minors. Students must attain an overall GPA of 2.0 in all coursework within the minor. In addition, students must fulfill general education requirements and requirements for their major. Students planning to declare a Communications Studies minor should consult with the Departmental Chairperson.
TRACKS WITHIN THE MINOR
Mass Media is a track of study designed for students interested in the development of the media as a cultural force and contemporary issues in media criticism. In addition to COMM 1101 and 2100, each student must take COMM 3120, and 12 hours of electives selected from: ARTA 2219;COMM 2120, 3101, 3121, 4101, 4102; FORL 3160; GERM 3160; HIST 3000; JOUR 2160; POLS 3104, 3107; RELS 3212; SOCY 2112; SPAN 4050.
Organizational Communication is a track of study designed for students anticipating careers involving communication in organizational settings. In addition to COMM 1101 and 2100, each student must take COMM 3141, and 12 hours of electives selected from: AAAS 2201; ANTH 4120; COMM 2105, 2107, 3101, 4141; ENGL 2116; MGMT 3160; PHIL 2175; PSYC 2171, 3114; SOCY 4112, 4115.
Public Advocacy is a track of study designed for those students seeking a well-developed background in the general theory and practice of public communication. In addition to COMM 1101 and 2100, each student must take COMM 2102 and 12 hours of electives selected from: COMM 2101, 2103, 3101, 3130, 3131, 3403 (limit four hours); POLS 3110, 3163.
Public Relations is a track of study designed for students anticipating careers in the public relations context. The track emphasizes understanding the theory and practice of the role of public relations in society. In addition to COMM 1101 and 2100, each student must take COMM 3145, JOUR 2160, and 9 hours of electives selected from: COMM 2102, 3050, 3101, 3141, 4101, 4141, 4145; ENGL 2116, JOUR 3160, 3161, 3162; POLS 3103
JOURNALISM MINOR
The minor in journalism provides an introduction to journalism areas such as writing, editing, feature writing, layout and design, and related communication and media issues. It is designed for students who have completed ENGL 1101 and 1102. The minor consists of 18 hours of coursework including:
JOUR 2160 Introduction to Journalism
JOUR 3160 News Writing
JOUR 3161 News Editing
The nine (9) hours of elective coursework needed to complete the minor may be chosen from:
ENGL 4204 Expository Writing (3)
JOUR 3162 Feature Writing (3) (or other JOUR courses offered by the Communication Studies
Department.)
JOUR 3050 Topics in Journalism (3)
ARTS 2235 Photography I (3)
ARTS 3250 Visual Communication and Design I (3)
ARTS 3251 Visual Communication and Design II (3) or an equivalent layout course
COMM 3120 Communication and the Mass Media
POLS 3103 PublicOpinion and the Mass Media POLS 3104 Politics and the Mass Media
Note: Students may count JOUR 3160, 3161, and 3162 toward the major in English or toward the minor in Journalism; students may not count the same courses toward both.
With their adviser's approval, students in the Communication Studies major may count as related course work any course used to fulfill requirements for the Journalism minor as long as that course is not simultaneously being used to fulfill either CORE or TRACK requirements of the major.
[Page Contents] [Top of Page]
[College of Arts and Sciences]
[UNC Charlotte Catalog] [UNC
Charlotte Home]
[College of Arts and Sciences Home Page]