The Communication program’s mission is to generate and share knowledge about human communication in a variety of social contexts and to teach applications for ethical and effective interaction in personal and professional settings. The program is designed to prepare students for careers in organizational settings, responsible citizenship, critical thinking about communication phenomena in society, as well as advanced studies in the field of communication. We offer courses covering human communication in a variety of contexts, which are reflected in the program’s three areas of emphasis: 1) Professional Communication, 2) Interpersonal Communication, and 3) Advocacy and Social Justice.
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the baccalaureate degree, students in communication are expected to:
- Describe the Communication discipline and its central questions
- Employ communication theories, perspectives, principles, and concepts.
- Create messages appropriate to audience, purpose, and context.
- Demonstrate the ability to accomplish communicative goals.
- Critically analyze messages.
- Ethically utilize communication to embrace difference and influence public discourse.
Major, Bachelor of Arts in Communication (46 hours) - 2.5 GPA and C grades or better required for Major Requirements, Area of Emphasis, and COMM Electives
In addition to satisfying the degree requirements of the B.A.C., students in Communication must complete the following:
Applied Communication: 9 hours
- Cultural Requirement: 3 hours
- Civic Responsibility Requirement: 3 hours
- Integrative Learning Requirement: 4 hours
- Applied Communication Electives: 9 hours
Additional ADV/COMM/JOUR/MDIA Elective: 3 hours of coursework (excluding COMM 1990 , COMM 3060 , COMM 3990 , COMM 4890 , COMM 4900 , COMM 4910 )
Additionally, each student must complete a career focus (at least 15 hours) with a grade of C or better in each course taken as part of the career focus. The specific courses used to fulfill the career focus must define an occupational area. Career foci have been developed by the Communication faculty, and may be reviewed on the program’s website. Students may also design their own career focus with the approval of their advisor and the program. Students may include one course for their major in groups IV, V, or VI.
Students enrolled in the Communication B.A.C. major must earn a grade of C or better in each Group I course to remain in the program. Students must also complete COMM 1020 before they can take most other COMM courses. Students must also complete COMM 2010 before they can take some 3000- and 4000-level courses. These requirements apply to majors and non-majors on the main campus, with the exception of communication majors in the Colleges of Education and Human Development and BGSU Firelands, unless they seek admission to the Communication program on the main campus.