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Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
120 Credits
The Communication Studies program examines the process of human communication as well as the creation, dissemination, effects, and criticism of communication messages. Courses focus on interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, and media studies and emphasize both theory and practice.
Faculty offer classes based on their wide-ranging expertise in media criticism, social media, intercultural communication, health communication, media effects, intimate communication, propaganda, public relations, and visual communication, among others. Throughout a course of study, students may analyze communication-related current events, participate in communication scenarios, critique media artifacts, author press releases, edit photographs, or develop communication campaigns.
Professionals who hold communication degrees work in diverse industries including healthcare, advertising, public relations, media, higher education, financial services, and non-profit.
This program is part of the School of Humanities & Social Sciences.
Degree Requirements
You must complete a total of 42 credit hours in Communication Studies: Communication and Culture (CMCL), Speech (SPCH), Journalism (JOUR) or Telecommunication (TEL) areas. A minimum of 36 credit hours must be taken at the 300 level or above, with at least 18 in the major. A minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 is required in major core and major elective courses. A minimum grade of C is required in CMCL-C 490.
Note: The information below reflects requirements as of April 2016. Students who entered the program prior to April 2016 should review the IU East catalog matching their year of entry.
Major Core (18 credits)
- CMCL-C 205 Intro. to Comm. & Culture
- SPCH-S 122 Interpersonal Communication
- JOUR-J 110 Foundations of Journalism and Mass Communications
- CMCL-C 405 Communication Theory
- CMCL-C 424 Communication Research Methods
- CMCL-C490 Capstone in Communication and Culture
Specialized Core (9 credits)
Choose one from each area:
- Media
- CMCL-C 315 Advertising and Consumer Culture
- CMCL-C 337 New Media
- SPCH-S 303 Propaganda and Persuasion
- (Inter)Cultural Communication
- CMCL-C 427 Cross-Cultural Communication
- CMCL-C 440 Organizational Communication
- CMCL-C 450 Gender and Communication
- Relational Communication
- CMCL-C 304 Communication and Social Conflict
- CMCL-C 307 Health Communication
- CMCL-C 380 Nonverbal Communication
Major Electives (15 credits)
Choose any five courses from offerings in CMCL, SPCH, JOUR or TEL, not yet completed. Students should discuss their career goals with their advisor when selecting these courses. New courses may be added to this list at any time; consult with your advisor for details. Offerings may include:
- CMCL-C 223 Business and Professional Communication
- CMCL-C 225 Discussion & Decision Making
- CMCL-C 334 Current Topics in Communication
- CMCL-C 340 Love and Romance in the Media
- CMCL-C 341 Sex and Violence in the Media
- JOUR-J 205 Sophomore Seminar in Digital Media and Storytelling
- JOUR-J 210 Visual Communication
- SPCH-S 333 Public Relations
- SPCH-S 323 Speech Composition
- SPCH-S 324 Persuasive Speaking
- SPCH-C 325 Interviewing Principles and Practices
- TEL-T 283 Intro to Television Production
- TEL-T 490 WCTV Communication Studies Internship
- TEL-T 498 Projects in Telecommunication
- Internship: If you major in communication studies at IU East, you may complete an internship with an organization in cooperation with the communication faculty as one of your major electives.
Electives
Choose additional courses to reach 120 credit hours total.
Program Requirements
First-Year Seminar (0-3 credits)
- UCOL-U 101 or HON-H 100 - A passing grade is required in the First Year Seminar course. This course is mandatory for all beginning freshmen and for transfer students with no more than 12 credit hours of transferring coursework. This course must be taken in the first semester after admission to Indiana University East.
World Languages & Cultures (0-14 credits)
This requirement may be met in one of the following ways:
- Completing Intermediate II (fourth semester) of a non-English language
- Completing a 300-400 level course in a non-English language, or an approved study abroad course that meets this language requirement.
- Receiving credit for non-English language courses via placement exam for Intermediate II (fourth semester).
Careers
Here is a partial list of career possibilities obtained from the National Communication Association.
- Community Relations Director
- Publications Editor
- Museum Curator
- Editor
- Publicist
- Marketing Copywriter
- Career and Training Advisor
- Advertising Executive
- Script Writer
- Newspaper Publisher
- Speechwriter
- Sports Marketer
- Public Affairs Director
- Media Relations
- TV Production
- Video Editing
- Technical Writing
General Education Requirements
Recommended General Education Coursework:
- Written Communication Skills: ENG-W 270
- Quantitative Reasoning: MATH-H 111
Remaining General Education Requirements can be fulfilled as you and your advisor see fit.