Professional Communication Major (36 Credits)

The Professional Communication major addresses organizational communication strategies that prepare students for ethical decision-making and leadership in business contexts. Students will engage sophisticated theories of conflict and crisis management, strategies for corporate and community relations, small group and team management, and sensitivity to gender and cultural issues in the marketplace.

Through the major coursework, students will learn to:

• Identify appropriate and effective communication strategies for corporate audiences;
• Communicate effectively and appropriately through written messages in the form of memos, e-mail communication, meeting minutes, executive summaries, agendas, and special purpose letters for contemporary workplace contexts;
• Design public messages reflecting corporate identity and image for organizational stakeholders;
• Identify communicative strategies for conflict resolution in organizational contexts
• Design and deliver public presentations marked by clear organization, compelling language, public evidence, sound reasoning, and effective vocal and nonverbal delivery, including eye contact, vocal variety, and appropriate gestures;
• Identify communicative goals appropriate to leadership, peer-to-peer, and decision making workplace contexts.

Five Required Courses

• COMM 201 Human Communication in a Technological Age
• COMM 206 Communication in the Marketplace
• COMM 407 Intercultural Communication
• COMM 494W Communication Ethics
• COMM 497 Integrative Capstone

Students choose 2 of the following courses:

• COMM 102 Public Speaking
• COMM 202 Business and Professional Communication
• COMM 303 Presentational Communication

Students choose 5 of the following courses:

• COMM 304W Persuasion
• COMM 350 Communication and Community Relations
• COMM 402 Argumentation
• COMM 418W Conflict Management in Organizations
• COMM 427 Communication Management
• COMM 436 Integrated Marketing Communication: Coordinating Ad and PR
• COMM 445 Nonprofit Development and Philanthropy Communication
• COMM 454W Interpersonal Communication
• COMM 456W Organizational Communication