Communication

Communication | Courses | Faculty

407 Machmer Hall

Degree: Bachelor of Arts

Contact: Professor Carolyn Anderson

Office: 417 Machmer

Phone: 545-3539

Chairperson of Department: Professor Michael Morgan. Professors Carbaugh, Cronen, Hanson, Jhally, Norden; Associate Professors Anderson, Chang, Cooks, Geddes, Henderson; Assistant Professors Bailey, Ciecko, Nelson, Olbrys, Paredes, Scharrer; Adjunct Professors Brandon, Freeman, Portuges.

The Field

Communication is the latest social science discipline to emerge; however, it has an ancient heritage. Its emergence is connected with both the search for new perspectives on contemporary problems and the profusion of technologies of communication. To this department, communication is the primary social process.

The goals of the curriculum are: to develop competence in observing, describing, and criticizing communication practices; to develop understanding of the history of communication and its policies, institutions, and culture; to develop knowledge of communication theory, philosophy, and research. These goals are manifested in the studies of the interpersonal, group, and public contexts for communication and electronic media and film.

Some foci of work being done in the department include: technologies of communication and the nature of social institutions; communication and the constitution of personal identities and interpersonal relationships; communication and cultural politics; the reproduction of identities in conversation; international and intercultural communication; film history and theory; media effects; teaching and learning as communication processes; the history of ideas concerning communication; and legal and institutional regulation of communication processes and technologies.

The Major

The goal of our undergraduate curriculum is to provide a liberal education with a social science orientation. We do not approach communication as a set of skills and/or techniques; therefore we do not offer an extended program in courses focusing on the development of particular skills, such as TV or film production or public speaking. Any of the courses that deal with a specific practice of communication emphasize understanding the nature of the practice rather than developing a specific skill. For example, the primary goals of the courses in TV production are that students learn the process of producing and the criteria for evaluating a program, with a secondary goal of developing skill in handling equipment in the TV studio. This principle also applies to courses that deal with public speaking, persuasion, and advertising. Ours is an academic program which stresses theories and methods applied to the study of human communication; it is not a training program for developing individual skills and techniques, and opportunities for practical experiences are limited.

Admission to the Major

Admission to the undergraduate major is restricted. Although many first-year and transfer students are admitted directly into the Communication major when they apply for admission to the University, the major is restricted for students already on campus.

Students who are not directly admitted may apply to the major after they have completed the following three courses:

1. COMM 118 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication

2. COMM 121 Introduction to Media and Culture

3. One analytical reasoning course, i.e., completion of the General Education R2 requirement.

Students not directly admitted to the major must complete and submit a written application provided by the Department of Communication. The application includes 1) a report on grades received on the three courses listed above; 2) a written statement of the student's reasons for wanting to major in Communication, career goals, and any other information the applicant considers relevant, and 3) an up-to-date transcript. Students may apply at any time. No action will be taken, however, until grades have been received for COMM 118, COMM 121 and a General Education R2 course. Enrollment in these courses is limited.

The evaluation of the application is based primarily on: 1) performance in the three predictor courses noted above; 2) the written statement; and 3) overall academic record. Rejection at the time of University application will have no subsequent bearing on a student's admission to the major. If an application is denied, the student may reapply after at least a one-semester interval, but the department encourages students denied to pursue a different major.

Major Requirements

Students majoring in Communication must complete at least 12 courses (36 credits) in Communication. The following specific requirements apply to students entering the program in Fall 2000 or later.

1. All three of the following (9 credits):

118 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication

121 Introduction to Media and Culture

375 Writing About Communication (fulfills Junior Year Writing requirement)

2. At least one course (3 credits) from the following:

263 Introduction to Argumentation and Debate

297C Special TopicóDemocracy and Discourse

310 Persuasion Theory

312 Cultural Codes in Communication

317 Language in Contemporary Periodicals

318 Comparative Communication Theory

352 Small Group Communication

366 Approaches to Rhetorical Criticism

3. At least one course (3 credits) from the following:

222 Media Programming and Institutions

226 Social Impact of Mass Media

234 History of Electronic Media

240 Modes of Film Communication

287 Advertising as Social Communication

297E Special TopicóPopular Culture and Cultural Studies

397T Special TopicóContemporary World Cinema

4. Seven additional courses (21 credits minimum). At least 15 credits (five courses, including 375) of the total 36 credits for the major must be at the 300 level or above, and must include at least three credits from courses numbered at the 400 level or above.

Each semester a number of Special Topics (COMM 297, 397, 497, or 597) and Seminar (COMM 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 591, 592, 593, 594, or 595) courses may also be used as electives.

Please note the following restrictions:

1. All major courses must be taken for a letter grade, not Pass/Fail.

2. Only three credits of COMM 396 Independent Study may be used within the 36 credits of departmental requirements.

3. General practicum (UMASS 298Y) credits may not be counted toward the major.

4. Students must take a minimum of 21 credits (seven courses) within the Department of Communication to be eligible for graduation as a Communication major.

A maximum of 15 credits (five courses) taken at other schools or from other departments and programs at the University of Massachusetts may be counted toward the major. These courses must be directly related to the Communication major, and must receive prior approval for major credit from the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the Chief Adviser.

5. A minimum G.P.A. of 2.0 in the major is required for graduation.

Internships and International Exchanges

Communication majors are encouraged to consider international or domestic exchange programs as excellent opportunities for gaining intercultural experiences and communication instruction from different perspectives.

Internships are not required but they are useful supervised apprenticeships and introductions to many types of communication work. Directed research credits in Communication are available for independent projects designed by students to coordinate with internships.

Career Opportunities

The Communication curriculum helps prepare students for work as communication specialists in industry; local, state, and federal government agencies; educational institutions; research organizations; political organizations; and religious groups. Specific career options include: production, sales and programming positions for radio and television stations; media and communication advisers in political campaigns; intercultural organizations, non-profit groups, labor unions, and local and state government agencies; preparation for graduate study and work in research organizations; and communication consultants for personnel management, advertising, and sales organizations.

Surveys of Communication alumni indicate that they do well in finding employment. About 25 percent of the graduates work in media industries, 50 percent in business-related occupations, such as advertising, public relations, sales, and administration, and 25 percent go on to graduate work or professional schools.

Communication | Courses | Faculty