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2017-2018 Academic Catalog | Communication (B.A.)- CAS

Communication (B.A.)

This undergraduate program is offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.

Faculty

Dr. Jamey Piland, Associate Professor of Communication (program chair)
Dr. Matthew Bates, Assistant Professor of Communication
Dr. Raúl Tovares, Associate Professor of Communication

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 minors and double majors in recent years have included: political science, media technology studies, human relations, sociology, psychology, women's studies, business, international studies, information technology, and education.

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 and minor to students in the College of Arts and Sciences. The major consists of six required courses, six elective courses, and five courses to be taken as co-requisites. All communication majors are encouraged to minor in programs related to their personal and career interests. The minor consists of six courses.  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 Strategic Communication and Public Relations.

Major Requirements

Required Courses (18 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

COM 201
COM 265
COM 290
COM 383
COM 391
COM 488

Elective Courses (18 credits)

TWO of the following courses:

COM 250
COM 306
COM 340
COM 365
COM 370
COM 392
COM 395
ISYS 341

FOUR of the following courses:

COM 225
COM 301
COM 302
COM 305
COM 312
COM 315
COM 335
COM 355
COM 360
COM 375
COM 380
COM 385
COM 388
COM 401
COM 420
COM 450
COM 482
POLS 471
SSC 201
SSC 300

Co-requisite Courses (15 credits)

ALL of the following courses:

ECON 100
COM 150 or PHIL 150
MATH 110
PSYC 101
SOCY 100

Minor Requirements

Required Courses (18 credits)

BOTH of the following courses:

COM 201
COM 265


FOUR additional communications courses, excluding COM 391 and COM 488

Program Policies

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

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

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
COM 224
COM 225
COM 250
COM 265
COM 290
COM 301
COM 302
COM 305
COM 306
COM 312
COM 315
COM 335
COM 340
COM 355
COM 360
COM 365
COM 370
COM 380
COM 383
COM 385
COM 388
COM 391
COM 392
COM 395
COM 400
COM 415
COM 420
COM 430
COM 450
COM 482
COM 488


Trinity reserves the right to change, without prior notice, any policy or procedure, tuition or fee, curricular requirements, or any other information found on this web site or in its printed materials.

Questions may be directed to the Office of Academic Affairs at academicaffairs@trinitydc.edu.

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