Learning Goals
“Teachers, especially at the college level, cannot force students to learn. Rather, the instructor must empower the student to assimilate the information into his or her own understanding of the world.”
–Jenny Stark, Digital Media Faculty
Review and development of the undergraduate program is on going
in a formal process that links the Curriculum Committee with other
committees and with the full faculty. The department has conducted
its own assessment of needs and priorities and has acted on periodic
Program Reviews as well as requests by administration. As a result,
the undergraduate curriculum continues to be refined and strengthened.
The Communication Studies Department has three core learning objectives
for all majors. Students graduating in Communication Studies should
be able to:
- Construct well-reasoned arguments, avoiding fallacious reasoning
- Demonstrate the ability to competently evaluate communication research
- Design and present effective messages
| Concentration/Major | Code | Objective 1 | Objective 2 | Objective 3 |
| General | COMS | ComS 2, 100B | ComS 100C & Advanced Method Course | Required Upper Div. Core Courses |
| Organizational | OCOM | ComS 2, 100B | ComS 100C & Advanced Method Course | Required Upper Div. Core Courses |
| Media | MCOM | ComS 2, 100B | None in Telecom & New Media | Required Upper Div. Core Courses |
| Digital Media | DMCS | None | None | Required Upper Div. Core Courses |
| Public Relations | PRCS | ComS 2, 100B | ComS 100C & ComS 171 | Required Upper Div. Core Courses |
| Journalism | JOUR | Required Lower Div. Core Courses | None | Required Upper Div. Core Courses |
Interpersonal-Small Group Assessment Outcomes
Students graduating in this option should be able to:
- Understand the major theories of interpersonal and small group communication
- Demonstrate communication skills needed to effectively work with others individually and in group settings
- Demonstrate empathy for others.
Courses required for students to guide them to achieve these objectives include:
-
ComS 8 Interpersonal Communication
- ComS 105 Small Group Communication
- An option of one of the upper division Interpersonal Communication courses:
- ComS 143 Theories of Interpersonal Communication
- ComS 163 Self and Society
- ComS 182 Senior Seminar in Interpersonal Communication
- As well, students regularly choose electives in related areas of communication, such as ComS 116 Intercultural Communication and ComS 119 Conflict Management.
Intercultural –International Assessment Outcomes
Students graduating in this option should be able to:
- Recognize and explain commonly accepted taxonomies for describing cultural variability and communication styles
- Develop an understanding of the basic skills for communicating with people from different cultures and recognize barriers to effective intercultural competencies
- Understand the patterns of information exchange among major global regions and the role of governments
Courses required for students to guide them to achieve these objectives include:
- ComS 116 Intercultural Communication
- ComS 174 International Communication
- ComS 188 Senior Seminar in Intercultural Communication (required beginning 2004 catalog)
- As well, students regularly choose electives in related areas of communication, such as interpersonal and small group.
Criticism and Public Communication Assessment Outcomes
Students graduating in this option should be able to:
- Identify and evaluate rhetorical elements in public messages (visual, oral and written)
- Demonstrate knowledge of basic rhetorical and critical perspectives from classical and modern traditions
Courses required for students to guide them to achieve these objectives include:
- ComS 166 Persuasion
- ComS 167 Systems and Theories of Rhetoric
- ComS 168 Approaches to Rhetorical Criticism
- ComS 69 Television Criticism
- As well, students regularly choose electives in related areas of communication, such as ComS 152 Freedom of Speech and ComS 151 Visual Communication.
Organizational Communication Assessment Outcomes
Students graduating in this option should:
- Be knowledgeable in theories of organizational communication
- Be able to conduct appropriate research in order to analyze communication organizational settings
- Demonstrate understanding of effective leadership skills, group processes, and the function of communication networking in organizations.
Courses required for students to guide them to achieve these objectives include:
- ComS 145 Organizational Communication
- A choice of either
- ComS 180 Senior Seminar in Organizational Communication
- ComS 181 Senior Seminar in Small Group Communication
- ComS 189 Practicum in Communication Training.
- As well, students regularly choose electives in related areas of communication, such as ComS 119 Conflict Management, ComS 116 Intercultural Communication, ComS 105 Small Group Communication and 166 Persuasion.
Mass Communication Assessment Outcomes
Students graduating in this option should be able to:
- Understand the history of systems of American mass communication
- Demonstrate knowledge of contributions from social scientific research that explain the historical progression of mass communication theory, patterns of media use and their consequences
- Demonstrate knowledge of critical analyses of the social and ideological functions of mass communication relation to political and economic structures.
Courses required for students to guide them to achieve these objectives include:
- ComS 120 History of the Media
- ComS 150 Mass Com Theories and Effects.
TeleCommunication Studies and New Media Assessment Outcomes
Students graduating in this option should be able to:
- Discuss the social political, economic and technical implication of new communication media
- Identify major issues associated with adoption of new communication media
- Explain the impacts of new media on communication in interpersonal, organizational and mass communication contexts
Courses required for students to guide them to achieve these objectives include:
- ComS 106 Introduction to Digital Media
- ComS 190 Innovation in Telecommunication: Technologies and Issues
- ComS 191 Senior Seminar in TeleCommunication Studies and Multimedia
- Two courses from these:
- ComS 117 Multimedia Communication
- ComS 150 Mass Communication Theories and Effects
- ComS 153 Mass Media Law and Regulation
- ComS 178 TeleCommunication Studies Management.
