Department of Strategic Communication

Bachelor of Science

Steven Seidman, Associate Professor and Chair

The Department of Strategic Communication offers two degree programs -- a bachelor of science in communication management and design and a bachelor of science in integrated marketing communications -- and minors in communication management and design and integrated marketing communications. Students interested in the major or minor in communication management and design should contact Professor Steven Seidman, chair of the Department of Strategic Communication. Students interested in the major or minor in integrated marketing communications should contact Professor Scott Hamula, program director of the integrated marketing communications major and minor.

Communication Management and Design, B.S.
Integrated Marketing Communications, B.S.
Communication Management and Design Minor
Integrated Marketing Communications Minor

Communication Management and Design, B.S.

Communication management and design is a unique interdisciplinary program providing a comprehensive education in the theory and practice of both human and media-based communication by all types of organizations. Majors learn to create and manage interpersonal and mediated communication in such areas as meeting and event planning, workplace collaboration, internal corporate communication, government and stakeholder relations, fund-raising, training and workforce development, and promotional campaigns. Students learn skills such as presentation-media design, research and evaluation, website development, project management, team building, and appraisal of new media. In addition, they learn to assess critically and take leadership roles in such initiatives as globalization, performance improvement consulting, the virtual workplace, e-learning, simulations, and gaming.

There is ample opportunity to apply what is learned to real-world situations. Class projects and internships put students in the role of consultant to businesses and nonprofit organizations, where one might conduct a communication audit, produce a promotional video, devise a crisis communication plan, or develop a newsletter or annual report.

All majors take a common core of courses in which they develop essential design, production, management, and presentation skills. Beyond that, the student selects one of two concentrations within the major by the conclusion of the sophomore year: corporate communication or instructional technology. Concentrations help students focus their studies on particular interests or careers. Our graduates are employed in a wide range of positions, including event coordinator, corporate communication specialist, web developer, learning consultant, community relations associate, and museum educator.

Corporate Communication Concentration

The corporate communication concentration focuses on communication in organizations, providing the theoretical and practical context for examining how informal and formal communication occurs in organizations, including leadership styles, the impacts of technology and diversity, and the creation and change of corporate culture. Students gain a set of skills and concepts that can be applied in areas such as conflict management, workforce diversity initiatives, meeting planning and facilitation, employee communication, speechwriting, and crisis communication.

Instructional Technology Concentration

The instructional technology concentration addresses the application of theories in communication, systems, educational psychology, and management to such areas as designing and managing corporate training and development programs, developing computer-assisted learning software, creating job aids and incentive programs, designing and producing technical manuals, designing courses and educational materials, and analyzing and solving workplace performance problems. Students gain a set of skills that can be applied in areas such as instructional design, training, performance technology, technical communication, and management and evaluation of learning and performance systems.

Capstone

At the conclusion of the curriculum, students take a set of courses that synthesizes the concentrations and addresses ethical, managerial, research and evaluation, and critical issues in organizational communication. These courses serve as a transition between the curriculum and professional practice. The designated capstone course in the program is STCM 43400 Management of Strategic Communication.

Academic Policies

In addition to the general College guidelines for academic standing and the Park School academic policies, communication management and design majors are required to maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.50 in all communications school courses, as well as an overall cumulative GPA of 2.50. Courses at level 1 are open to seniors only by permission of the instructor. One-credit minicourses do not count as required communication management and design electives. All majors must complete a minimum of 60 credits outside communications, which includes the distribution requirements, and a minimum of 60 credits in courses designated as liberal arts (LA).

B.S. in Communication Management and Design

Requirements for the Major

*Denotes a liberal arts course

Departmental requirements

Supplemental requirements

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Additional Requirements for Concentrations

Communication management and design majors can declare only one concentration. A concentration must be declared by the end of the sophomore year. Students in a concentration must take at least 9 credits at level-3 or above in their concentrations beyond the departmental and supplemental requirements. These may include one supplemental course in the concentration.

A maximum of 3 credits of STCM 41200 Workshop in Strategic Communication, STCM 49000 Internship, STCM 49800 London Internship, and/or STCM 49900 Independent Study may be applied in total.

Additional requirements for the corporate communication concentration

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Additional requirements for the instructional technology concentration

Choose two of the following 3-credit courses:

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Summary

Integrated Marketing Communications, B.S.

Scott Hamula, Associate Professor and Director

The integrated marketing communications program is built on the merging of specific coursework from the Roy H. Park School of Communications strategic communication department and the School of Business. This degree teaches students about the newly converged fields of advertising, public relations, sales promotions, and marketing. Students learn how these specialized areas are combined into seamless communications programs that affect the various publics of businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and governmental agencies.

Academic Policies

In addition to meeting general College guidelines for academic standing and Park School academic policies, majors in integrated marketing communications are required to maintain an overall cumulative GPA of 2.50.

Students wishing to pursue a major in integrated marketing communications should plan carefully and limit themselves to the business courses required within the major in order to adhere to the policy that undergraduate students who are neither accounting nor business administration majors may not register for more than 29 credit hours of business coursework (i.e., ACCT xxxxx, INTB xxxxx, MGMT xxxxx, FINA xxxxx, MKTG xxxxx, HRM xxxxx, PROD xxxxx, GBUS xxxxx, BINT xxxxx, BGRD xxxxx). Students with junior or senior ranking who are accepted into the integrated marketing communications degree may not be able to meet all degree requirements without studying for an extra semester or two.

Advising Note

Students with a double major in integrated marketing communications and business who are interested in applying to the master of business administration program should contact the dean's office in the School of Business for information on a curriculum bridge of five business courses that can be taken during the summer following graduation, before entrance into the M.B.A. program in the fall.

B.S. in Integrated Marketing Communications

Requirements for the Major

All majors must complete a minimum of 60 credits outside communications, which includes the distribution requirements, and a minimum of 50 percent of their credits (normally 60 credits) in courses designated as liberal arts (LA).

*Denotes a liberal arts course

Communications course requirements

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Business course requirements

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Other course requirements

Summary

Minor in Communication Management and Design

Steven Seidman, Associate Professor and Coordinator

A minor in communication management and design is a systematic introduction to human and mediated communication in organizations. Students develop knowledge of basic principles and practices of corporate communication, instructional technology, and media design and production, and apply this knowledge to specific organizational settings. Information concerning application deadlines and admission criteria is available in the department office. Students must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 in order to apply to the minor, but this minimum does not guarantee acceptance.

This minor is not open to communication management and design majors.

Required courses for the minor

Choose two of the following:

Minor in Integrated Marketing Communications

Scott Hamula, Associate Professor and Director

The minor in integrated marketing communications, offered in cooperation with the School of Business, provides broad-based knowledge of the theories and applications of the newly converged realms of advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and marketing. The minor provides knowledge and application of the persuasive processes used in integrated marketing communications in print, broadcast, web-based, and other media.

This minor is not open to integrated marketing communications and sport media majors. Applications for the minor are accepted once per semester; contact the dean's office or department office for deadlines. Space is limited and acceptance is competitive. Students must have a 2.75 minimum cumulative GPA to apply, but this minimum is not a guarantee of acceptance.

Required courses for the minor

Additional requirements for the minor

All prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of B or better to qualify the student for placement in advanced courses.