Communication (B.A.)
This undergraduate program is offered by the College of Arts and Sciences.
Faculty
Dr. Jamey Piland, Associate Professor of Communication (program chair)
Ms. Kemberly Stephens, Visiting Instructor of Communication
Description
The Communication Program at Trinity offers valuable insight into how people mutually understand one another and work together through interaction, while providing skills and knowledge necessary to enter and become part of a strong and desirable workforce.
The Program is committed to providing quality instruction in the theoretical bases of human communication and the application of theory within a number of specific contexts. The emphasis of the Program is on interpersonal interaction and human relationships, organizational and institutional communication, public discourse and mass communication. Students choose areas of specialization and specific courses that can lead to professional or pre-professional competence in such fields as journalism, training and development, human resources, foreign service, law, politics and government, human services, social change agencies, labor-management relations, personnel, campaign and press administration, and public health. Undergraduate study in Communication can assist the student in pursuing advanced studies for a variety of careers including law, crisis communication, public policy, sustainability, dispute resolution, applied community development, the ministry, and higher education. Undergraduate students majoring in the Communication Program are encouraged to take course work in other fields and programs; typical areas for minors and double majors in recent years have included: political science, sociology, women’s studies, business, international relation, information technology, and economics.
Students in the Communication Program take advantage of the many internship and field-based opportunities available in Washington, D.C. Recent internships include prestigious organizations such as Voice of America, CBS, ABC, CNN, C-SPAN, Kennedy Center, Strathmore, Washington Nationals, Washington Mystics, as well as local television stations, public relations firms, law firms, lobbying groups, political action committees, and state and federal government.
The Communication Program offers a major and minor to students in the College of Arts and Sciences. The major consists of six required courses, six elective courses, and five courses to be taken as co-requisites. All communication majors are encouraged to minor in programs related to their personal and career interests. The minor in communication consists of six courses. The Communication Program also offers a comprehensive concentration in Journalism.
Journalism Concentration
The journalism concentration in the Communication Program at Trinity offers students an opportunity to learn and practice the skills necessary to prepare for internships and careers in the field of journalism. Students who choose the journalism concentration will be prepared to work for newspapers and magazines (both print and electronic versions), public relations firms, and book publishing companies.
Students who choose the journalism concentration must take all of the courses necessary to fulfill the requirements for a communication degree as well as take and successfully complete courses in journalism, such as COM 383 JournalismFocuses on writing and editing for newspapers and magazines, paying particular attention to the development of news concepts, news gathering, and feature stories.
3 credits, the introductory journalism course, and COM 395 Advanced JournalismDesigned to sharpen reporting and newswriting skills through practical assignments under deadline pressure and close editorial supervision.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 383. In addition, students must take the introductory communication class, COM 265 Introduction to Mass CommunicationIntroduces students to the history of mass communication. Reviews basic mass communication theory with a goal of understanding how media institutions and government regulation influence mass media and the public.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None, COM 380 The Role of the Media in SocietyInvestigates the evolution of media and the influence of mass media on previous and current society. Studies contemporary issues in mass communication including: media regulation, violence, and corporate control. Ethical questions regarding the influence of the mass media will also be examined.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 265 and COM 420 Mass Media LawAnalyzes policies and regulations governing the mass media industry (FCC & FTC). Examines ethics in mass media, and various cases on such issues as privacy and copyright laws.
3 credits. Because the field of journalism is today an electronic-based as well as a print-based medium, students in the journalism concentration must also take COM 355 Technology and Communication.
Students interested in graduate study in the field of communication should consult with program faculty and are encouraged to pursue graduate work at Trinity in Strategic Communication and Public Relations.
Major Requirements
Required Courses (27 credits)
ALL of the following courses:
COM 150 Critical Reasoning and Oral ArgumentationThe course is designed to improve the capacity for reasoning and to gain the strategies necessary for assessing the variances in messages in everyday interactions. The course also assists students to construct convincing arguments and critically evaluate the claims and premises in written and oral communication. The course fits into the larger first year curriculum by giving a set of methodological tools with which to critique complex arguments, assess the sufficiency and relevance of social scientific evidence, and prepare creative and well-reasoned arguments in a variety of written and oral communicative contexts.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None or PHIL 150 Critical Reasoning and Oral ArgumentationThe course is designed to improve the capacity for reasoning and to gain the strategies necessary for assessing the variances in messages in everyday interactions. The course also assists students to construct convincing arguments and critically evaluate the claims and premises in written and oral communication. The course fits into the larger first year curriculum by giving a set of methodological tools with which to critique complex arguments, assess the sufficiency and relevance of social scientific evidence, and prepare creative and well-reasoned arguments in a variety of written and oral communicative contexts.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
COM 201 Interpersonal CommunicationOffers an introduction to the fundamental theories and principles of interpersonal communication with emphasis on analyzing and assessing the communication skills necessary to create and sustain effective communication in personal and professional relationships.
3 credits
Core Area II: Understanding Self, Society, and Nature
COM 265 Introduction to Mass CommunicationIntroduces students to the history of mass communication. Reviews basic mass communication theory with a goal of understanding how media institutions and government regulation influence mass media and the public.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
COM 290 Public SpeakingExamines theory and practice of public speaking. Students will prepare and present informative and persuasive speeches. Audience analysis, research, speech organization, delivery and effective persuasive strategies will be covered.
3 credits
FLC Area I
Core Area I: Skills for Work and Life
COM 383 JournalismFocuses on writing and editing for newspapers and magazines, paying particular attention to the development of news concepts, news gathering, and feature stories.
3 credits
COM 391 Applied Communication: Directed InternshipProvides on-the-job training in communication through approved field-work study programs.
3 credits
Prerequisite: Junior status (56 completed credits)
COM 488 Senior Seminar: CommunicationEncourages students to review their study of communication from variety of different perspectives. Students are required to prepare a major research project in an area of interest that highlights their understanding of the communication field.
3 credits
Prerequisite: Senior status (88 completed credits)
ONE additional course in Statistics
MATH 110 Introduction to StatisticsThis course presents the basic principles of statistics with applications to the social sciences. Topics include descriptive statistics, graphical representations of data, normal probability distributions and the Central Limit Theorem, linear correlation and regression and probability theory. This course also offers an introduction to the use of statistical software. Formerly MAT 110 Introduction to Statistics.
3 credits
Prerequisites: MATH 102, MATH 108, MATH 109 or higher level mathematics course.
SSC 255 Statistics for the Social SciencesStatistics for the Social Sciences introduces students to the use of social science data for identifying, explaining, and interpreting patterns of human behavior and interactions. Students will be introduced to the techniques social scientists use to summarize data used in census and other publicly available social science data, for example the General Social Survey (GSS). Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, numerically and graphically describing distributions, the normal curve, relationships between continuous and categorical variables, statistical inference, hypothesis testing and bivariate linear and multiple linear regression. The objective of the course is for students to understand how statistics can be used to answer social science questions. Students, drawing from publicly available social science data, will learn how to formulate social science research questions and hypotheses, choose the appropriate statistical analyses, conduct the analyses using statistical software and interpret their findings. The course will also challenge students to explore the appropriateness of data for shaping social policies, as well as how data can be used to reinforce structures of inequality.
3 credits
Pre-requisite: MATH 109
ONE course in Research Methods
SSC 350 Interdisciplinary Research MethodsThis course introduces students to research methods used in a variety of social science and interdisciplinary studies. It is designed for undergraduate students in sociology, political science, international affairs, and other disciplines. Topics of emphasis include crafting research questions, hypothesis formation, quantitative and qualitative research techniques, data collection, and initial/basic data analysis. As part of the course, students will complete a number of mini-projects to practice these skills. (Formerly SSC 250.)
Elective Courses (18 credits)
TWO of the following courses:
COM 250 Public Relations IFocuses on public relations in various settings (in-house consulting, nonprofit organizations) and the strategies, tools, and skills used by practitioners.
3 credits
COM 305 Minority Images in American MediaExamines how minorities (racial, ethnic, sexual, etc.) and other categories of the socially marginalized (the poor, the homeless) have been portrayed throughout the twentieth century in American entertainment media, from being made "invisible" to being stereotyped, and the impact of these images. Combines theoretical approaches and insights with a historical overview to increase students' awareness of the ideological nature of media images.
3 credits
COM 306 Visual CommunicationProvides both a theoretical/critical and a practical introduction to the study of visual communication. This course is divided into three parts: visual manipulation, visual literacy and the role of visual images in society, and visual communication skills. Students study how film editing works, how images can be juxtaposed for persuasive effect, whether or not images can "lie" and whether or not viewing skills are comparable to language skills.
3 credits
COM 370 Publicity and Media RelationsExamines the role of the publicist in various organizations. Also looks at the basics of media relations, testing and evaluating publicity, and using publicity as a tool. Students are expected to produce publicity campaigns.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 250
COM 392 SpeechwritingConcentrates on the preparation of speeches for other people to deliver, emphasizing the need to adapt to another person's ideas and style.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 290
COM 395 Advanced JournalismDesigned to sharpen reporting and newswriting skills through practical assignments under deadline pressure and close editorial supervision.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 383
TWO of the following courses:
COM 225 Intercultural CommunicationApplies basic principles of intercultural communication to the analysis of specific situations involving cultural differences. Emphasis is on the influence of culture on the communication process, including differences in values, assumptions, and communication. Models of intercultural communication analysis are developed and applied to issues dealing with relations between a dominant society and subcultures, social change, and international relations.
3 credits
Core Area I: Skills for Work and Life
COM 360 Small Group CommunicationExplores effective communication skills, leadership styles and functions, and conflict management in problem-solving groups. Examines various theories regarding small group interaction. Provides practical experience with problem-solving groups.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 201
COM 375 Conflict and CommunicationIntroduces theory and experiential learning in the role of communication in conflict management. The focus is on interpersonal interactions, including dyadic and small group levels in various settings such as friendships, marriage, family, and the workplace.
3 credits
Gen Ed Capstone
COM 388 Gender and CommunicationExplores theory and methods for examining communication and gender roles. Topics include gendered communication, gender and media, family communication, gendered violence, gender and education, and gender and institutions.
3 credits
Gen Education: Capstone Seminar
TWO of the following courses:
COM 315 Management CommunicationIntroduces contemporary theories, approaches, and functions of communication in managing, including management of people, processes, technologies and structures, with emphasis in relationship maintenance, small group teams and oral presentation skills. The development of practical and critical thinking skills for decision making, organization design, motivation, leadership and cultural diversity in organizations. Particular attention is paid to how information technologies are changing the context and process of management.
3 credits
FLC Seminar II
COM 355 Technology and Communication
COM 380 The Role of the Media in SocietyInvestigates the evolution of media and the influence of mass media on previous and current society. Studies contemporary issues in mass communication including: media regulation, violence, and corporate control. Ethical questions regarding the influence of the mass media will also be examined.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 265
COM 385 Organizational CommunicationExamines how organizations are created and maintained through communication and the influence of culture. The course explores various types of organizational cultures, structures, and processes. Topics include: organizational conflict, leadership and management, problem solving, decision making, organizational and corporate culture, organizational ethics, and diversity in organizations.
3 credits
COM 420 Mass Media LawAnalyzes policies and regulations governing the mass media industry (FCC & FTC). Examines ethics in mass media, and various cases on such issues as privacy and copyright laws.
3 credits
COM 450 Women In OrganizationsFocuses on the dynamic relationship among gender, power, race, sexuality and class in women's organizational lives. Provides an in-depth exploration of critical feminist theory and research in organizational communication. Emphasis is on the perspectives of diverse women in multiple contexts. Topics include Women in Leadership, Sexual Harassment and Feminist Organizational Theory.
3 credits
General Education: Leadership
COM 482 Leadership and CommunicationExplores the dynamics of communication, leadership, power and authority in organizations. The course provides an overview of traditional and contemporary approaches to leadership. Topics include: cross-cultural communication and leadership, charismatic and transformational leadership, followership, power and organizational politics.
General Education Requirements: Applications (Leadership Area)
3 credits
Minor Requirements
Required Courses (18 credits)
BOTH of the following courses:
COM 201 Interpersonal CommunicationOffers an introduction to the fundamental theories and principles of interpersonal communication with emphasis on analyzing and assessing the communication skills necessary to create and sustain effective communication in personal and professional relationships.
3 credits
Core Area II: Understanding Self, Society, and Nature
COM 265 Introduction to Mass CommunicationIntroduces students to the history of mass communication. Reviews basic mass communication theory with a goal of understanding how media institutions and government regulation influence mass media and the public.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
FOUR additional communications courses, excluding COM 391 and COM 488
Program Policies
Advanced Placement:
Credits earned through AP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the communication major or minor.
CLEP Policy:
Credits earned through CLEP examinations do not fulfill requirements of the communication major or minor.
Grades in Major Courses:
Students are required to earn a grade of “C” (2.0) or better in all courses counted to fulfill requirements for the major.
Pass/No Pass:
No course fulfilling major requirements in the communication program may be taken Pass/No Pass, with the exception of COM 391 which is graded Pass/No Pass.
Senior Assessment:
Students will complete a comprehensive assessment in the Senior Seminar. The comprehensive assessment will include the preparation of a communication research project on a topic approved by the professor. Students must earn a grade of “C” or better on this project.
Study Abroad:
Students should take advantage of the many communication related study abroad programs.
TELL Policy:
Students may apply a maximum of 12 credits to major requirements earned through TELL.
Transfer Credits:
Transfer credit will be awarded after appropriate program review and approval.
Course Descriptions
COM 201 Interpersonal CommunicationOffers an introduction to the fundamental theories and principles of interpersonal communication with emphasis on analyzing and assessing the communication skills necessary to create and sustain effective communication in personal and professional relationships.
3 credits
Core Area II: Understanding Self, Society, and Nature
COM 224 Cross-Cultural CommunicationCross-cultural Communication examines basic principles of communication in multi-cultural contexts. Students will analyze the impact of cultural assumptions and values on understanding and communication between individuals and among communities.
This course is only open to students in the Associate's Degreee Program. No other students are allowed to register for this class.
3 credits
COM 225 Intercultural CommunicationApplies basic principles of intercultural communication to the analysis of specific situations involving cultural differences. Emphasis is on the influence of culture on the communication process, including differences in values, assumptions, and communication. Models of intercultural communication analysis are developed and applied to issues dealing with relations between a dominant society and subcultures, social change, and international relations.
3 credits
Core Area I: Skills for Work and Life
COM 250 Public Relations IFocuses on public relations in various settings (in-house consulting, nonprofit organizations) and the strategies, tools, and skills used by practitioners.
3 credits
COM 265 Introduction to Mass CommunicationIntroduces students to the history of mass communication. Reviews basic mass communication theory with a goal of understanding how media institutions and government regulation influence mass media and the public.
3 credits
Prerequisites: None
COM 290 Public SpeakingExamines theory and practice of public speaking. Students will prepare and present informative and persuasive speeches. Audience analysis, research, speech organization, delivery and effective persuasive strategies will be covered.
3 credits
FLC Area I
Core Area I: Skills for Work and Life
COM 305 Minority Images in American MediaExamines how minorities (racial, ethnic, sexual, etc.) and other categories of the socially marginalized (the poor, the homeless) have been portrayed throughout the twentieth century in American entertainment media, from being made "invisible" to being stereotyped, and the impact of these images. Combines theoretical approaches and insights with a historical overview to increase students' awareness of the ideological nature of media images.
3 credits
COM 306 Visual CommunicationProvides both a theoretical/critical and a practical introduction to the study of visual communication. This course is divided into three parts: visual manipulation, visual literacy and the role of visual images in society, and visual communication skills. Students study how film editing works, how images can be juxtaposed for persuasive effect, whether or not images can "lie" and whether or not viewing skills are comparable to language skills.
3 credits
COM 315 Management CommunicationIntroduces contemporary theories, approaches, and functions of communication in managing, including management of people, processes, technologies and structures, with emphasis in relationship maintenance, small group teams and oral presentation skills. The development of practical and critical thinking skills for decision making, organization design, motivation, leadership and cultural diversity in organizations. Particular attention is paid to how information technologies are changing the context and process of management.
3 credits
FLC Seminar II
COM 335 International CommunicationStudies information flows across the boundaries of nation-states and the impact of such information flows on international and national communication policies. In addition, the course examines how international communication affects local governments, religions and cultures.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 265
COM 355 Technology and Communication
COM 360 Small Group CommunicationExplores effective communication skills, leadership styles and functions, and conflict management in problem-solving groups. Examines various theories regarding small group interaction. Provides practical experience with problem-solving groups.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 201
COM 365 Advocacy and ArgumentProvides opportunities for critical analysis and development of argumentative and rhetorical skills. Students engage in active and formal debate on a variety of policy and value propositions.
3 credits
Prerequisite: PHI 103
COM 370 Publicity and Media RelationsExamines the role of the publicist in various organizations. Also looks at the basics of media relations, testing and evaluating publicity, and using publicity as a tool. Students are expected to produce publicity campaigns.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 250
COM 380 The Role of the Media in SocietyInvestigates the evolution of media and the influence of mass media on previous and current society. Studies contemporary issues in mass communication including: media regulation, violence, and corporate control. Ethical questions regarding the influence of the mass media will also be examined.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 265
COM 383 JournalismFocuses on writing and editing for newspapers and magazines, paying particular attention to the development of news concepts, news gathering, and feature stories.
3 credits
COM 385 Organizational CommunicationExamines how organizations are created and maintained through communication and the influence of culture. The course explores various types of organizational cultures, structures, and processes. Topics include: organizational conflict, leadership and management, problem solving, decision making, organizational and corporate culture, organizational ethics, and diversity in organizations.
3 credits
COM 388 Gender and CommunicationExplores theory and methods for examining communication and gender roles. Topics include gendered communication, gender and media, family communication, gendered violence, gender and education, and gender and institutions.
3 credits
Gen Education: Capstone Seminar
COM 391 Applied Communication: Directed InternshipProvides on-the-job training in communication through approved field-work study programs.
3 credits
Prerequisite: Junior status (56 completed credits)
COM 392 SpeechwritingConcentrates on the preparation of speeches for other people to deliver, emphasizing the need to adapt to another person's ideas and style.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 290
COM 395 Advanced JournalismDesigned to sharpen reporting and newswriting skills through practical assignments under deadline pressure and close editorial supervision.
3 credits
Prerequisite: COM 383
COM 400 Independent Study
COM 415 Conflict in the WorkplaceThe course examines the key concepts in organizational conflict, from a communication perspective. The course will provide opportunities for gaining insights into the complexities of conflict in work life. Topics include: diagnostic and intervention techniques for changing elements in a conflict; the role of power; language; goals; culture and gender in creating, sustaining and managing conflict in professional settings.
COM 420 Mass Media LawAnalyzes policies and regulations governing the mass media industry (FCC & FTC). Examines ethics in mass media, and various cases on such issues as privacy and copyright laws.
3 credits
COM 430 Written and Oral BriefingsProvides students with the necessary framework for developing analytical skills for written and oral communication in complex and ambiguous situations. Information produced under conditions of uncertainty and risk requires highly developed skills in the quick collection and analysis of data. Communication becomes essential when information is processed quickly, incrementally and often with pressure for early interpretation. This course will assist students with acquiring and demonstrating the analytic and research skills necessary for competent written and oral briefings. Topics for this course include: elements of argumentation; critical decision making; tolerance for uncertainty; analysis, observation and message formation; accuracy and evidence in information gathering and message design; and modes of delivery in public communication.
3 credits
Prerequisites: COM 290
COM 450 Women In OrganizationsFocuses on the dynamic relationship among gender, power, race, sexuality and class in women's organizational lives. Provides an in-depth exploration of critical feminist theory and research in organizational communication. Emphasis is on the perspectives of diverse women in multiple contexts. Topics include Women in Leadership, Sexual Harassment and Feminist Organizational Theory.
3 credits
General Education: Leadership
COM 482 Leadership and CommunicationExplores the dynamics of communication, leadership, power and authority in organizations. The course provides an overview of traditional and contemporary approaches to leadership. Topics include: cross-cultural communication and leadership, charismatic and transformational leadership, followership, power and organizational politics.
General Education Requirements: Applications (Leadership Area)
3 credits
COM 488 Senior Seminar: CommunicationEncourages students to review their study of communication from variety of different perspectives. Students are required to prepare a major research project in an area of interest that highlights their understanding of the communication field.
3 credits
Prerequisite: Senior status (88 completed credits)