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The Department of Communication offers a major in Communication leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree.

The Communication major prepares students to be well-informed, responsible citizens, as well as creative and ethical communication practitioners. Such preparation is achieved by providing students with the historical and theoretical background to analyze and understand global culture dominated by media and dependent on effective communication. Our program manifests this balance of theory and practice in courses, a widely respected internship program, and student involvement in a variety of campus and community organizations.

Through growing awareness and engagement with local and global issues our students advance their knowledge and skills with the goals of establishing professional careers, pursuing graduate studies, and improving the quality of our communities. Communication majors have found the curriculum to be a strong foundation for entering graduate programs in journalism, communication, law, and other disciplines. Graduates obtain entry-level jobs with television and radio stations, video production facilities, newspapers, public relations firms, social service agencies and other industry and non profit organizations. They work as writers and journalists, broadcasters, producers and production assistants, managers, sales representatives, public relations practitioners, and creative personnel in virtually all segments of society where effective communication knowledge and skills are critical.

The campus supports an active chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, the National Honor Society in Communication, and qualified students are inducted into the society each year.

Current and new majors should make a point of meeting their advisors frequently to plan programs that will meet graduation requirements and to explore the many opportunities available at the University and in the community.

Facilities

The Department maintains a television studio, digital camcorders, field production equipment, non-linear editing suites, audio production labs, and digital image processing and multimedia production workstations. Additionally, the University supports a number of student‑run media organizations relevant to Communication majors, including a radio station, a weekly newspaper, and a campus-wide cable television channel.

Internships

The Internship Program in the Department of Communication offers qualified students an opportunity to gain valuable experience with professional communication organizations while earning college credit. Experiences vary, depending upon regulations and restrictions that are set by each agency. Internships are available with local, regional, national, and international agencies. Among the available opportunities in public relations/marketing, broadcasting, and journalism are sites in Boston, New York, Hartford, Springfield; London, England; and Dublin, Ireland.

Changing of Major

Any student seeking to change to the Communication major must have a 2.5 GPA and complete a departmental application.

Field Placement

The following course requires departmental and/or faculty approval:

• COMM 0305 - Communication Internship
    

(Credits earned for COMM 0305  may not be substituted for the Required Major Core, Concentration Requirements, or Concentration Electives).

Programs

• Communication Minor
• Communication, Communication and Culture Concentration, B.A.
• Communication, Journalism Concentration, B.A.
• Communication, Public Relations Concentration, B.A.
• Communication, Student-Defined Concentration, B.A.
• Communication, The Media Arts and Analysis Concentration, B.A.
• Film Studies Minor

Courses

 Beginning fall 2008, the MCOM course prefix was changed to COMM.

• COMM 0101 - Introduction to Mass Communication
• COMM 0102 - Introduction to Human Communication
• COMM 0106 - Video Production I
• COMM 0108 - Introduction to Film
• COMM 0201 - Introduction to Communication Technology
• COMM 0202 - Introduction to Photography
• COMM 0203 - Principles of Public Relations
• COMM 0204 - Writing for the Media
• COMM 0206 - Video Production II
• COMM 0207 - Communication Ethics
• COMM 0209 - Global Communication
• COMM 0211 - Representation in the Media
• COMM 0212 - Film and Gender
• COMM 0213 - Global Film Studies
• COMM 0216 - Issues in Advertising
• COMM 0220 - Communication and Conflict
• COMM 0221 - Communication Theory
• COMM 0222 - Intercultural Communication
• COMM 0223 - Web Page Design and Construction I
• COMM 0230 - Audio Production I
• COMM 0233 - Documentary Film
• COMM 0235 - The History of Journalism
• COMM 0240 - Communication History
• COMM 0245 - The Silent Film
• COMM 0275 - Journalism I
• COMM 0280 - International Seminar
• COMM 0300 - Food: Communication, Community, and Civic Engagement
• COMM 0301 - International Conflict Resolution
• COMM 0303 - Persuasive Communication
• COMM 0305 - Communication Internship
• COMM 0307 - Communication Law
• COMM 0308 - Multimedia Journalism
• COMM 0309 - Broadcast Journalism
• COMM 0310 - Digital Video Editing
• COMM 0312 - Media Criticism
• COMM 0314 - Senior Thesis/Project
• COMM 0316 - Special Topics in Communication
• COMM 0317 - Health Communication
• COMM 0318 - Social Media, Social Context
• COMM 0319 - Media Literacy
• COMM 0320 - Foundations of Communication Research
• COMM 0321 - Political Communication
• COMM 0322 - Professional Communication
• COMM 0323 - Interpersonal Communication
• COMM 0325 - Photojournalism
• COMM 0328 - Audio Production II
• COMM 0329 - Crime and the Media
• COMM 0330 - Issues in the Media Industries
• COMM 0331 - Web Page Design and Construction II
• COMM 0332 - Writing for the Interactive Media
• COMM 0335 - Media, Technology, and the Future
• COMM 0336 - Advanced Public Relations
• COMM 0339 - Journalism and Society
• COMM 0340 - Organizational Communication
• COMM 0342 - Public Relations Writing
• COMM 0375 - Journalism II
• COMM 0394 - News Editing
• COMM 0395 - Sports Writing
• COMM 0399 - Independent Study

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