Communication (B.A.)

This undergraduate program is offered by the School of Professional Studies.

Faculty

LewisP@trinitydc.edu

Description

The Communication program at Trinity offers a liberal education, emphasizing the scientific and artistic basis of communication. The program is committed to providing quality instruction in the theoretical bases of human communication and the application of theory within a number of specific contexts. The emphasis of the program is on interpersonal interaction and human relationships, organizational and institutional communication, public discourse and mass communication. Students choose areas of specialization and specific courses that can lead to professional or pre-professional competence in such fields as journalism, training and development, human resources, foreign service, law, politics and government, human services, labor-management relations, personnel, campaign and propaganda administration, and public health. Undergraduate study in Communication can assist the student in pursuing advanced studies for a variety of careers including law, the ministry, and higher education. Undergraduate students majoring in the Communication program are encouraged to take course work in other fields and programs; typical areas for double majors in recent years have included human relations and business.

Students in the Communication program take advantage of the many internship and field-based opportunities available in Washington, D.C. Recent internships include prestigious organizations such as National Geographic, CNN, C-SPAN, CBS, Kennedy Center, as well as other local television stations, public relations firms, lobbying groups, and political offices.

The Communication program offers a major to students in the School of Professional Studies. The undergraduate major consists of six required courses, six elective courses, and four courses to be taken as co-requisites. The Communication program also offers a comprehensive concentration in Journalism.

Journalism Concentration

The journalism concentration in the Communication program at Trinity offers students an opportunity to learn and practice the skills necessary to prepare for internships and careers in the field of journalism. Students who choose the journalism concentration will be prepared to work for newspapers and magazines (both print and electronic versions), public relations firms, and book publishing companies.

Students who choose the journalism concentration must take all of the courses necessary to fulfill the requirements for a communication degree as well as take and successfully complete courses in journalism, such as COM 383, the introductory journalism course, and COM 395. In addition, students must take the introductory communication class, COM 265, COM 380, and COM 420. Because the field of journalism is today an electronic-based as well as a print-based medium, students in the journalism concentration must also take ISYS 243.

Students interested in graduate study should consult with program faculty and are encouraged to pursue graduate work at Trinity in the Graduate Program of Communication.

Major Requirements

Required Courses (18 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

COM 201 Interpersonal Communication
COM 265 Introduction to Mass Communication
COM 290 Public Speaking
COM 383 Journalism
COM 391 Applied Communication: Directed Internship
COM 488 Senior Seminar: Communication

Elective Courses (18 credits)

TWO of the following courses:

COM 250 Public Relations I
COM 306 Visual Communication
COM 340
COM 365 Advocacy and Argument
COM 370 Publicity and Media Relations
COM 395 Advanced Journalism
COM 392 Speechwriting
ISYS 243 Web Page Design

FOUR of the following courses:

COM 225 Intercultural Communication
COM 301
COM 302
COM 305 Minority Images in American Media
COM 312
COM 315 Management Communication
COM 355 Communication, Technology and Design
COM 360 Small Group Communication
COM 375 Conflict and Communication
COM 380 The Role of the Media in Society
COM 385 Organizational Communication
COM 388 Gender and Communication
COM 401 Theories of Interpersonal Communication
COM 420 Mass Media Law
COM 450 Women In Organizations
COM 482 Leadership and Communication
POLS 471 Politics and The Media
SSC 201
SSC 300

Co-requisite Courses (15 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

ECON 101 Microeconomics I
MATH 110 Introduction to Statistics
PHIL 103 Reasoning and Argumentation
PSYC 101 Introductory Psychology
SOCY 100 Introduction to Sociology

Program Policies

Advanced Placement:
Credits earned through AP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the communication major.

CLEP Policy:
Credits earned through CLEP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the communication major.

Grades in Major Courses:
Students are required to earn a grade of “C” (2.0) or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major.

Pass/No Pass:
No course fulfilling major requirements in the communication program may be taken Pass/No Pass, with the exception of COM 391  which is graded Pass/No Pass.

Senior Assessment:
Students will complete a comprehensive assessment in the Senior Seminar. The comprehensive assessment will include the preparation of a communication research project on a topic approved by the professor. Students must earn a grade of “C” or better on this project.

Study Abroad:
Students should take advantage of the many communication related study abroad programs.

TELL Policy:
Students may apply a maximum of 12 credits to major requirements earned through TELL.

Transfer Credits:
Transfer credit will be awarded after appropriate program review and approval.

Course Descriptions

COM 201 Interpersonal Communication
COM 224 Cross-Cultural Communication
COM 225 Intercultural Communication
COM 250 Public Relations I
COM 265 Introduction to Mass Communication
COM 290 Public Speaking
COM 301
COM 302
COM 305 Minority Images in American Media
COM 306 Visual Communication
COM 312
COM 315 Management Communication
COM 335 International Communication
COM 340
COM 355 Communication, Technology and Design
COM 360 Small Group Communication
COM 365 Advocacy and Argument
COM 370 Publicity and Media Relations
COM 380 The Role of the Media in Society
COM 383 Journalism
COM 385 Organizational Communication
COM 388 Gender and Communication
COM 391 Applied Communication: Directed Internship
COM 392 Speechwriting
COM 395 Advanced Journalism
COM 400 Independent Study
COM 415 Conflict in the Workplace
COM 420 Mass Media Law
COM 430 Written and Oral Briefings
COM 450 Women In Organizations
COM 482 Leadership and Communication
COM 488 Senior Seminar: Communication