Organizational Communication, Learning, and Design

Bachelor of Science

Gordon Rowland, Associate Professor and Chair

Organizational communication, learning, and design (OCL&D) is a unique, interdisciplinary program providing a comprehensive education in the theory and practice of human and media-based communication within organizations. Students prepare to assume roles as communication professionals in media design and production, public information, education and training, employee communication, meeting and special events planning, technical writing, interactive media and website design, and promotional communication. These skills and concepts are presented and applied in a variety of contexts --- business and industry, media production houses, consulting firms, health care providers, educational institutions, social service agencies, and government.

The breadth and depth of the curriculum provides majors with the background to become communication generalists within small organizations (designing desktop-published newsletters, writing annual reports, creating training media, writing speeches and press releases, and recruiting new employees) or to become specialists within a more focused context such as corporate video production, interactive multimedia design, conflict resolution, instructional technology, or diversity training.

All majors take a common core of courses that provides basic communication design, production, and presentation skills as well as ethical, managerial, and research concepts and issues in the field. This core introduces three focus areas within the major: organizational media design and production, workplace communication, and learning and performance systems. Focus areas help students select electives that relate to their interests and intended careers.

· Organizational Media Design and Production

This focus area offers courses that prepare students to design, produce, and manage media programs. These courses include

225-23400	Introduction to Promotional and Instructional Video
225-33400	Promotional and Instructional Video Practicum
225-27000	Slide Imaging: Techniques and Applications
225-35000	Interactive Multimedia
225-24000	Organizational Writing and Publishing

Applications of this area include corporate video for marketing or for employee communication and training, interactive multimedia for education or point-of-information systems, slides and graphics for support of speeches and sales presentations, and desktop publishing for newsletters, brochures, and technical manuals.

· Workplace Communication

For students with special interests in human communication in organizations, this focus area provides 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, and speech writing. Courses in this area include

225-24000	Organizational Writing and Publishing
225-25100	Communication and Organizational Conflict
225-31000	Organizational Speech Writing and Interviewing
225-36000	Communication in Culturally Diverse Organizations
225-32000	Organizational and Participatory Leadership
225-42000	Seminar in Organizational Culture and Communication

This area provides 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.

· Learning and Performance Systems

This area is for students who want to pursue interests in education, training, technical communication, and related fields. Courses include

225-38000	Computer-Assisted Learning
225-34500	Performance Technology
225-35000	Interactive Multimedia
225-33000	Technical Communication

Students prepare for positions as instructional designers, performance technologists, technical writers, and managers and evaluators of learning and performance systems. Students apply theories of 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.

Departmental academic policies

In addition to the general College guidelines for academic standing and the Park School academic policies, organizational communication, learning, 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 OCL&D electives. All majors must complete a minimum of 60 credits outside communications, and a minimum of 50 percent of their credits (normally 60) in courses designated "LA" (liberal arts).

B.S. in Organizational Communication, Learning, and Design

Requirements for the Major

Departmental requirements Credits

225-10100	How Organizations Communicate and Learn	3
225-10800	Human Communication in Organizations	3
225-11100	Presentation Support Media	3
225-21000	Designing Learning Systems	3
225-25000	Computer Applications in Organizations	3
225-34000	Research and Evaluation in Organizational Communication, Learning, and Design	3
225-43400	Management of Organizational Communication, Learning, and Design	3
225-45000	Organizational Communication and Technology	3

Additional requirements

	Organizational communication, learning, and design courses (excluding internship), 6 credits of which must be at level 3 or above	15
	Total	39

Supplemental requirements

377-xxxxx	Introductory writing course (except 377-10100; placement based on verbal SAT and a writing sample)	3
377-31200	Professional Writing	3
882-22000	Principles of Management	3
	Total	9

Summary

	Departmental requirements	39
	Supplemental requirements	9
	Electives	72
	Total, B.S. in organizational communication, learning, and design	120

Minor in Organizational Communication, Learning, and Design

Gordon Rowland, Associate Professor, Coordinator

Not open to organizational communication, learning, and design or applied psychology majors.

A minor in organizational communication, learning, and design is an introduction to the various areas that are integrated in the program. The minor combines theory with application in organizational communication settings in the areas of organizational media design and production, workplace communication, and learning and performance systems. Students wishing to declare an OCL&D minor must consult with the minor coordinator and typically will need to successfully complete an introductory OCL&D class (for example, 225-10100, How Organizations Communicate and Learn) before the minor is approved.

Required courses for the minor Credits

225-10100	How Organizations Communicate and Learn	3
225-10800	Human Communication in Organizations	3
225-11100	Presentation Support Media	3
225-21000	Designing Learning Systems	3
	Any two courses in OCL&D (at least one at level 3 or above, excluding internship)	6
	Total	18

All CATALOGS