Communication / 29
The Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Bachelor of Science in Communication each have options for concentrated study in one of four areas: Public Relations (comprehensive, no minor required), Organizational Communication (comprehensive, no minor required), Interpersonal Communication (minor required), and Rhetoric (minor required).
The Public Relations options combine communication courses with appropriate coursework in management, marketing and mass communication to provide a broad preparation for various careers within the public relations field. No minor is required for these programs.
The Organizational Communication options augment the studies of communication theory and performance with courses in management, psychology and writing designed to prepare students for the myriad of careers within organizational communication.
The Interpersonal Communication options, allow students to pursue more traditional liberal arts degrees appropriate as broad foundations for professional pursuits or graduate study.
The Rhetoric options provide a solid foundation for the study of communication theory as well as preparation for graduate study in the field of communication.
The comprehensive Bachelor of Science in Education in Speech/Theatre (55 hours) prepares students to teach and direct speech and theatre in secondary schools. This major does not require a minor and, when completed under the B.S.Ed., Secondary Education Program, meets the State of Missouri teacher certification standards for grades 9-12.
The non-comprehensive Bachelor of Science in Education in Speech/Theatre (38 hours) requires a minor. This major, when completed under the B.S.Ed., Secondary Education Program, also meets the State of Missouri teacher certification standards for grades 9-12.
The minor in Communication is comprised of 24 hours. Minors are required to take the 15-hour communication core, and an additional 9 hours in an area of emphasis (Public Relations, Organizational Communication, Interpersonal Communication or Rhetoric).
A minor in Speech/Theatre Education (32 hours) is available to students majoring in another area. This minor, when completed under the B.S.Ed., Secondary Education Program, meets the State of Missouri teacher certification standards for grades 9-12.
The department also offers an endorsement in Speech/Theatre for students seeking Missouri Middle School (grades 5-9) certification. The middle school program is advised through the College of Education and Human Services.
Test-Out Policy
Test-out is available for COM 29102, Fundamentals of Oral Communication. For further information, contact the director of the COM 29102 program.
Please refer to the “Departmental Test-Out” information contained in the “Academic Policies” section of the catalog for policy information. Students should contact the department for additional details.
Portfolio Requirement
Successful completion of all communication degrees requires the presentation of an academic and professional portfolio during the student’s senior year. Immediately upon declaring a communication major, the student must request a portfolio packet from his/her advisor.
Speech/Theatre Education Directing Requirement
All candidates for the B.S.Ed. degree with a secondary speech/theatre major or certifiable minor must demonstrate their ability to direct a complete theatrical presentation that is approved by and acceptable to department faculty. Opportunities for meeting this requirement will be discussed with the academic advisor and include lab series, second stage, and external venue shows. THEA 43373 Directing must be successfully completed prior to attempting this requirement.
Advanced Standing Requirement
Students majoring in the communication programs must complete Freshman Seminar (1 hour), English Composition (6 hours), Oral Communication (3 hours), and Mathematics (3-4 hours) by the end of the sophomore year. A student must achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.00 for all courses listed above. No departmental major may be enrolled in and pursue advanced departmental courses (numbered 300 or above) until these courses and the specific advanced standing requirements for the student’s major are met.
Students seeking exemption, or who are not granted advanced standing in communication may appeal by submitting a written petition to the dean of the College of Business through the chair of the department.
Communication Majors
Students seeking a major or a minor in communication are expected to demonstrate a capacity to integrate principles of spoken and written communication and sufficient commitment to expand their knowledge in order to successfully pursue advanced study.
To achieve communication advanced standing a student must have completed at least six hours of 200-level courses or equivalent in communication.
Speech/Theatre Education Majors
Students seeking a major in speech/theatre education are expected to demonstrate a capacity to integrate, from the required communication and theatre core courses, principles of common formal language, process of seeing, and perception of content, as well as sufficient commitment to expand their knowledge in order to successfully pursue advanced study.
No speech/theatre education major may be enrolled in and pursue advanced communication or theatre courses (numbered 300 and above) until advanced standing has been granted. Speech/theatre education minors must complete the required communication and theatre core courses with a grade of “C” or better in all core courses prior to being enrolled in and pursuing advanced communication and theatre courses.
To achieve speech/theatre education advanced standing, a student (1) must have no grade lower than “C” in any communication or theatre core course and (2) must demonstrate his/her readiness for advanced communication and theatre courses by satisfactorily responding to written and oral questions related to the required communication and theatre core courses.
Speech/theatre education majors may apply for advanced standing during the trimester they are completing the required communication and theatre core courses. Transfer speech/theatre majors seeking to enroll in advanced communication or theatre courses must apply for advanced standing at the time of registration. There will be a review of each transfer student’s portfolio of work in the first week of their first term.