Communication (BA) - Public Relations Track

Program Overview

Using a management centered approach, this program combines the theoretical concepts of persuasion, public opinion formation, and mass communication with applied research, planning, communication, and evaluation of comprehensive public relation campaigns. These campaigns are developed for non profit organizations within the community so as to provide real-world professional experiences.

Career Opportunities

Public/Community Relations
Marketing Specialist
Campaign Director
Media Planner
Corporate Affairs

Program of Study

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core IMPACTS Area : Institutional Priorities ¹		4-5
Choose one of the following communication options		3
COMM 1110	Public Speaking
Foreign Language Course Options
AMSL, ARAB, CHIN, FREN, GERM, GREK, ITAL, JAPN, KREN, LATIN, PORT, SPAN - 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002; SWAH - 1001, 1002.
Take one of the following courses		1-2
ITDS 1779	Scholarship Across the Disciplines
LEAD 1705	Introduction to Servant Leadership
PERS 1506	Perspectives 1-hour
PERS 1507	Perspectives 2-hour
Core IMPACTS Area : Mathematics & Quantitative Skills ¹		3-7
DATA 1501	Introduction to Data Science	3
MATH 1001	Quantitative Skills and Reasoning	3
MATH 1101	Introduction to Mathematical Modeling	3
MATH 1111	College Algebra	3
MATH 1113	Pre-Calculus	4
MATH 1125	Applied Calculus	3
MATH 1131	Calculus with Analytic Geometry I	4
MATH 1132	Calculus with Analytic Geometry II	4
MATH 1165	Computer-Assisted Problem Solving	3
MATH 1401	Introduction to Statistics	3
MATH 1501	Calculus I	4
MATH 2125	Introduction to Discrete Mathematics	3
STAT 1401	Elementary Statistics	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Political Science and U.S. History		6
HIST 2111	U. S. History to 1865	3
or HIST 2112	U. S. History since 1865
POLS 1101	American Government	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Arts, Humanities, and Ethics		6
Select one Fine Arts course		3
ARTH 1100	Art Appreciation
ARTH 2125	Introduction to the History of Art I– Prehistoric through Gothic
ARTH 2126	Introduction to the History of Art II– Renaissance through Modern
MUSC 1100	Music Appreciation
THEA 1100	Theatre Appreciation
ITDS 1145	Comparative Arts ²
Select one Humanities course		3
ENGL 2111	World Literature I
ENGL 2112	World Literature II
ITDS 1155	The Western Intellectual Tradition
ITDS 1774	Introduction to Digital Humanities
PHIL 2010	Introduction to Philosophy
ITDS 1145	Comparative Arts ²
Core IMPACTS Area : Communicating in Writing		6
ENGL 1101	English Composition I	3
ENGL 1102	English Composition II	3
Core IMPACTS Area : Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences ^1,3		7-11
ANTH 1145	Human Origins	3
ASTR 1105	Descriptive Astronomy: The Solar System	3
ASTR 1106	Descriptive Astronomy: Stars and Galaxies	3
ASTR 1305	Descriptive Astronomy Lab	1
ATSC 1112	Understanding the Weather	3
ATSC 1112L	Understanding the Weather Lab	1
BIOL 1125	Contemporary Issues in Biology Non-Lab	3
BIOL 1215K	Introductory Biology	4
BIOL 1225K	Contemporary Issues in Biology with Lab	4
CHEM 1151 & 1151L	Survey of Chemistry I and Survey of Chemistry I Lab	4
CHEM 1152 & 1152L	Survey of Chemistry II and Survey of Chemistry II Lab	4
CHEM 1211 & 1211L	Principles of Chemistry I and Principles of Chemistry I Lab	4
CHEM 1212 & 1212L	Principles of Chemistry II and Principles of Chemistry II Lab	4
CPSC 1105	Introduction to Computing Principles and Technology	3
CPSC 1301K	Computer Science I	4
ENVS 1105	Environmental Studies	3
ENVS 1105L	Environmental Studies Laboratory	1
ENVS 1205K	Sustainability and the Environment	4
GEOG 2215	Introduction to the Geographic Information Systems	3
GEOL 1110	Natural Disasters: Our Hazardous Environment	3
GEOL 1121	Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology	3
GEOL 1121L	Introductory Geoscience I: Physical Geology Lab	1
GEOL 1122	Introductory Geo-sciences II: Historical Geology	3
GEOL 1322	Introductory Geo-sciences II: Historical Geology Lab	1
GEOL 2225	The Fossil Record	4
PHYS 1111 & PHYS 1311	Introductory Physics I and Introductory Physics I Lab	4
PHYS 1112 & PHYS 1312	Introductory Physics II and Introductory Physics II Lab	4
PHYS 1125	Physics of Color and Sound	3
PHYS 1325	Physics of Color and Sound Lab	1
PHYS 2211 & PHYS 2311	Principles of Physics I and Principles of Physics I Lab	4
PHYS 2212 & PHYS 2312	Principles of Physics II and Principles of Physics II Lab	4
Core IMPACTS Area : Social Sciences		6
Select one Behavioral Science course
ECON 2105	Principles of Macroeconomics
ECON 2106	Principles of Microeconomics
PHIL 2030	Moral Philosophy
PSYC 1101	Introduction to General Psychology
SOCI 1101	Introduction to Sociology
Select one World Cultures course		3
ANTH 1107	Discovering Archaeology
ANTH 1105	Cultural Anthropology
ANTH 2105	Ancient World Civilizations
ANTH 2136	Language and Culture
ENGL 2136	Language and Culture
GEOG 1101	World Regional Geography
HIST 1111	World History to 1500
HIST 1112	World History since 1500
ITDS 1156	Understanding Non-Western Cultures
Core IMPACTS Total Hours		42
Health and Wellness		3
KINS 1106	Lifetime Wellness	2
or PHED 1205	Concepts of Fitness
Select one of the following		1
Any PEDS course
MUSC 1206	Body Mapping (Music Majors Only)

¹: The hours applied in the Institutional Priorities; Mathematics & Quantitative Skills; and Technology, Mathematics, and Sciences areas must add to 18 credit hours.
²: ITDS 1145 Comparative Arts, though listed under both Fine Arts and Humanities, may be taken only once.
³: At least 4 of the credit hours in this area must be in a lab science course.

Major Requirements

Course List
Code	Title	Credit Hours
Core Requirements
Complete the core requirements for this program		45
Core Total		45
Field of Study Requirements -- 18 hrs
Select nine credits from the following (You can select one of the GFA course options and a Grade of C or better is required for all GFA courses.)		9
GFA 1000	Introduction to On-Set Film Production
GFA 1040	Intro to Film & TV Post-Production
GFA 1500	Introduction to Digital Entertainment, Esports, & Game Development
COMM 2105	Interpersonal Communication
COMM 2115	Intercultural Communication
COMM 2136	Group Communication
COMM 2137	Introduction to Mass Communication
Select one of the following:		3
COMM 2545	Selected Topics in Communication
Foreign Language 2002
Take the following two courses:
Foreign Language 1002		3
Foreign Language 2001		3
Field of Study Requirements Total		18
Required for the Major: 33 hrs
Theory & General Concepts
COMM 3256	Communication Theories	3
COMM 4000	Communication Exit Assessment	0
Select one of the following		3
COMM 4116	Communication Ethics
COMM 4125	Free Speech and Free Expression
Select one of the following:		3
COMM 3157	Qualitative Communication Research
COMM 3255	Quantitative Communication Research
Media Production Requirements
COMM 3235	Interactive Media Production	3
COMM 3257	Video Production I	3
Required for the Major -- Writing Requirements
COMM 3242	Writing for Media	3
COMM 4108	Social and Digital Media Writing	3
COMM 4143	Strategic Media Writing	3
Public Relations Requirements
COMM 3141	Introduction to Public Relations	3
COMM 4141	Public Relations Management	3
COMM 4142	Public Relations Campaigns	3
Required for the Major Total		33
Major Electives -- 9 hrs
Media Production		3
Select one of the following:
COMM 4257	Video Production II
COMM 4259	Integrated Web Design
Public Relations Electives		3
Select one of the following:
COMM 3236	Video Editing
COMM 3240	Podcasting 1
COMM 3125	Modern Media and Culture
COMM 3135	Persuasion
COMM 3146	Political Communication
COMM 4125	Free Speech and Free Expression (If not used in Required for the Major)
COMM 4135	Crisis Communication
COMM 4145	Organizational Communication
COMM 4147	Advertising Campaigns
Non-program Electives:		3
Select one of the following:
MGMT 3115	Principles of Management
MKTG 3115	Principles of Marketing
Major Electives Total		9
General Electives -- 18 hrs		18
Select any 1000 level or above courses. Suggested options are COMM and GFA courses. A Grade of C or better is required for all GFA courses.
General Electives Total		18
Total Credit Hours		123

Program Map

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall		Credit Hours
ENGL 1101	English Composition I (minimum grade of C)	3
Select one of the following:		3
MATH 1001	Quantitative Skills and Reasoning (or higher)
MATH 1101	Introduction to Mathematical Modeling (or higher)
COMM 2137 or COMM 2105	Introduction to Mass Communication or Interpersonal Communication	3
Social Science	Behavioral Science Course	3
HIST 2111 or HIST 2112	U. S. History to 1865 or U. S. History since 1865	3
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
ENGL 1102	English Composition II (minimum grade of C)	3
Institutional Priorities	ITDS 1779 (2), LEAD 1705 (2), PERS 1506 (1; may be repeated with different topic), PERS 1507 (2)	2
COMM 2136	Group Communication	3
Technology, Mathematics, and Science	Lab Science Course	4
Institutional Priorities	COMM 1110 Public Speaking or foreign language 1001, 1002, 2001, 2002. COMM 1110 is the recommended choice for Communication majors.	3
	Credit Hours	15
Second Year
Fall
POLS 1101	American Government	3
Technology, Mathematics, and Science	Math/Science/Tech (preferred course is CPSC 1105 Introduction to Information Technology)	3
Select one of the following:		3
COMM 2105	Interpersonal Communication
COMM 2545	Selected Topics in Communication
Art, Humanities, and Ethics	Humanities Course	3
Art, Humanities, and Ethics	Fine Arts Course	3
KINS 1106 or PHED 1205	Lifetime Wellness or Concepts of Fitness	2
	Credit Hours	17
Spring
FL 1002	Foreign Language 1002	3
Technology, Mathematics, and Science	Non-lab Science	3
Select one of the following:		3
COMM 2545	Selected Topics in Communication
Remaining COMM Elective ¹
COMM 3256 or COMM 3255	Communication Theories or Quantitative Communication Research	3
COMM 3242	Writing for Media	3
	Credit Hours	15
Third Year
Fall
FL 2001	Foreign Language 2001	3
COMM 3235	Interactive Media Production	3
COMM 3141	Introduction to Public Relations	3
COMM 4108	Social and Digital Media Writing	3
Social Science	World Culture Class	3
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
MGMT 3115 or MKTG 3115	Principles of Management or Principles of Marketing	3
COMM 3698	Junior Internship (recommended Area I course)	3
COMM 3257	Video Production I	3
COMM 4143	Strategic Media Writing	3
Health and Wellness	PEDS Course	1
General Elective ²		3
	Credit Hours	16
Fourth Year
Fall
COMM 4142	Public Relations Campaigns	3
COMM 3157 or COMM 3256	Qualitative Communication Research or Communication Theories	3
COMM 4257 or COMM 4259	Video Production II or Integrated Web Design	3
COMM 4116	Communication Ethics	3
General Elective ²		3
	Credit Hours	15
Spring
COMM 4698	Senior Internship (recommended Area I course)	3
COMM 3125	Modern Media and Culture	3
COMM 4141	Public Relations Management	3
General Elective ²		3
General Elective ^{2, 3}		3
COMM 4000	Communication Exit Assessment	0
	Credit Hours	15
	Total Credit Hours	123

¹: GFA 1000 Introduction to On-Set Film Production is a 6-credit course. (Could be used for a certificate in Film Production, or an Associate of Arts degree in Film Production.)
²: Note on general elective: This could be used for a minor.
³: GFA 4000 Film, Television, and Digital Entertainment Internship/Apprenticeship is a 6-credit course. (Could be used for a certificate in Film Production, or an Associate of Arts degree in Film Production.)

A 2.5 GPA is required in all major classes.

Admission Requirements

There are no program specific admission requirements.

Additional Program Requirements

There are no program specific academic regulations.

Academic Catalog 2024-2025