Department of Communication

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION

Chair: James L. Aucoin (251) 380-2800

Professors: Aucoin, Wilson

Associate Professors: Mark, Murphree, Rockwell, Ward

Assistant Professors: DuProc Taylor, Glover, Lunceford, Moody, Toelken

Senior Instructors: Dardeau, Dupree Taylor

Instructors: Bush, Huling, Rigsby, Sparks

Department of Communication web site
http://comm.southalabama.edu

The primary objectives of the Communication Department are: to understand and teach the functions, processes, and effects of communication; to attempt to influence communication environments in which we live in a contributory way; and to provide professional preparation for communication-oriented careers, including advertising, communication technology, journalism, public relations, organizational communication, and the mass media of digital cinema and television.

Given these goals, the Department attempts to meet individual performance and career needs with a flexible curriculum. Students select one of the six tracks offered and confer with their advisors to plan their courses of study. These focused areas of study are not a vocational education, but they will help to prepare students for several employment possibilities.

The six tracks, or concentrated areas of study, offered in Communication are: Advertising and Brand Communication, and Journalism (Print Journalism and Broadcast Journalism), Organizational Communication, Public Relations, and Digital Cinema and Television. Students pursuing a degree in Communication also must have a minor in another discipline.

All first-time freshmen must successfully complete CAS 100: First Year Experience as a degree requirement. Students must enroll during their first term at USA, except for summer-entry students who must enroll in the fall semester following entry.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN COMMUNICATION

Communication majors must complete the College of Arts and Sciences Public Speaking requirement (CA 110) and 42 semester hours in one of the department’s six tracks listed below.

At least five communication classes must be numbered 300 or higher and must be taken at USA. Only three hours of credit from CA 394 or CA 494 can be used to satisfy this requirement.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS FOR MASS COMMUNICATION CONCENTRATIONS: ADVERTISING, JOURNALISM, PUBLIC RELATIONS, AND DIGITAL CINEMA AND TELEVISION

At least 80 hours in courses outside the Department of Communication are required, with at least 65 semester hours being completed in the College of Arts and Sciences.

GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS FOR COMMUNICATION MAJORS

General Education Requirements for Communication are specified in the College of Arts and Sciences Section. Communication majors and minors may use CA 222, Rhetoric Culture and Society, in the Humanities and Fine Arts Section.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN COMMUNICATION

Minors in Communication must complete a total of 21 hours to include CA 110 (Public Speaking), CA 200 (Communication Theory), and 15 additional hours in communication including 9 upper division hours. Students may elect to focus on a communication track as listed below:

Advertising
Broadcast Journalism
Broadcast News: CA 220, 250, 350, 450, 451
Documentary News: CA 451, 452; choose 1 from CA 220, 250, 350
Interpersonal Communication: CA 211, 275, 315, 330, 411
Media/Film Studies: CA 101, CA 222; choose 3 from CA 343, 344, 351, 352
Multimedia Story Telling: CA 220, 350, 3370, 382, 482
Organizational: CA 220, 230, 330, 430, 435
Print Journalism: CA 220, 281, 370, 445; choose 1 from CA 385, 455, 472
Public Relations: CA 220, 286, 386, 484, 486
Digital Cinema/TV: CA 241, 244, 340, 440; choose 1 from CA 441, 343, 344,
351
Rhetoric: CA 210, 222, 422, 424; choose 1 from CA 310, 410, 425

TRACKS IN COMMUNICATION

Advertising & Brand Communication

This concentration focuses on all aspects of advertising in American society, including creative, media and research, as well as advertising's impact on audiences and institutions. Students in this track will be asked to choose a specialization of Account Planning & Management or Visual Communication. Students will be prepared to develop and implement advertising campaigns.

Required: CA 101, CA 221, CA 300, CA 310, CA 321, CA 322, CA 445, CA 476, CA 478

Choose all classes from Group A or Group B :

A. Account Planning & Mangement: CA 321, CA 384, CA 470, CA 474

B. Visual Communication: CA 271, CA 360, CA 371, CA 471; In addition to communciation courses, these students must take ARS 121, ARS 122, and ARS 123.

Choose Two: CA 241, CA 286, CA 340, CA 358, CA 383, CA 455, CA 496

Communication Arts

This area is the traditional speech commuication track, providing students with skills that will serve them well in many chosen careers. Students will get a theoretical background in rhetoric and combine that background with a selection of general communication courses.

Required: CA 100, CA 211, CA 222, CA 310, CA 315,CA 411, CA 422, CA 424, CA 455

Choose 5: Choose 5 other courses (15 hours) from the communication course listing

Digital Cinema and Television

This track focuses on the practical aspects of digital television and film production. Students will gain a broad theoretical understanding of media while participating in hands-on field and high definition studio production. Students will also gain an understanding of the historical, aesthetic, and management side of media production.

Required: CA 101, CA 240,, CA 241, CA 320, CA 340, CA 341, CA 356, CA 440, CA 445

Choose 1: CA 443, CA 444

Choose 4: CA 230, CA 244, CA 250, CA 260, CA 275, CA 288, CA 351, CA 352, CA 357, CA 358, CA 360, CA 366, CA 382, CA 441, CA 443 (if not selected above), CA 444 (if not selected above), CA 452, CA 453, CA 455, CA 470, CA 482, CA 496

Journalism

Backed by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, journalism promises to provide citizens with useful information about public issues and be a watchdog on powerful institutions, including government and business. Students in the journalism track choose between print - newspapers, magazines and newsletters - and broadcast news, but also receive cross-training to provide them with as broad a range of skills as possible within the confines of an academic degree.

Required: CA 101, CA 220, CA 260, CA 350, CA 370, CA 382, CA 445, CA 455, CA 482

Print Journalism

Required: CA 281, CA 288, CA 385 or CA 387, CA 472

Choose 1: CA 244, CA 300, CA 481, CA 496

Broadcast Journalism

Required: CA 250, CA 450, CA 451, CA 452

Choose 1: CA 244, CA 288, CA 300, CA 496

Organizational Communication

The study of organizational communication involves the understanding of four interlocking perspectives: theoretical analysis of interconnections between social/organizational structures and symbolic action; contextual analysis of external and internal environments; structure analysis of human patterns of relationships and interdependence; and process analysis of communication behaviors. This track provides students with both theoretical and practical opportunities: students develop analytical, critical, and systems thinking; students also develop tangible artifacts, such as modules and surveys. Possible career paths include consulting, managing, recruiting, selling, and training. This track provides a solid foundation for those who wish to pursue graduate studies.

Required: CA 100 or CA 101, CA 230, CA 275, CA 300, CA 330, CA 430, CA 435, CA 436, CA 445

Choose 4: Choose 4 other curses (12 hours) from the communication course listing.

Public Relations

The Public Relations track includes a comprehensive series of course requirements designed to give students a broad understanding of public relations and related fields, as well as an understanding of current theories and ethical principles surrounding the profession. Talented and skilled public relations professionals are in great demand in disciplines such as employee relations, speechwriting, financial public relations/investor relations, educational public relations, fundraising, international public relations, government public affairs, political, healthcare and sports public relations.

Required: CA 101, CA 220, CA 221, CA 286, CA 300, CA 381, CA 386, CA 445, CA 484, CA 486

Choose 4: Choose 4 other courses (12 hours) from the communication course listing.

GRADUATE STUDIES

The Master of Arts degree in Communication is a broad-based degree program that integrates theoretical and research components of mass communication and organizational and rhetorical communication. The program is designed to prepare recent graduates and experienced professionals for doctoral studies, professional advancement, and personal enrichment.

The department's graduate faculty combines applied knowledge with communication theory and works to engage students to think critically as they address communication practices and issues. Courses examine how communication creates, sustains, and changes personal lives, organizations, political and cultural institutions, and society.

The program curriculum consists of 34 credit hours, including a 10: hour core, elected courses from the communication and other university departments, and a final project or thesis.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION

All applications must receive approval from the Graduate Program Coordinator, the Director for Graduate Studies for the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Graduate Dean. Students are admitted each semester and must meet the following requirements:

REGULAR ADMISSION

GRE/GMAT Scores

Students must submit a satisfactory score on the general portion of the Graduate Record Examination or the Graduate Management Admissions Test. The scores required for regular admission are:

	GRE - For exams taken after November 1, 2011, the required score is 297 or more combined points on the quantitative and verbal portions. For exams taken prior to November 1, 2011, the required score is 1,000 or more combined points on the quantitative and verbal portions.
	GMAT - A combined score of 1000 or more when calculated as follows: 200 x undergraduate GPA + GMAT score.
	Earned graduate degree - An earned graduate degree may substitute for graduate entry exam scores. Students must submit a written request along with evidence of the degree to the graduate coordinator for review.

Undergraduate requirements

Students must submit official copies of undergraduate transcripts indicating the following:

	A minimum grade point average of 3.0.
	A major in communication or 15 semester hours in communication. A bachelor's degree in a field related to communication with or a master's degree earned in a field other than communication may be offered as a substitute for a major in communication. Students must submit written request for review to the graduate coordinator.

International Students

	International students must submit documentation of TOEFL test scores of at least 525.
	Students who are required to take the English Language Proficiency Examination and whose scores suggest an English language deficiency must take the appropriate English as a Second Language courses. These courses are not counted as part of the 34-hour degree program.

PROVISIONAL ADMISSION

Students who do not meet the requirements for regular admission may apply for provisional admission if they meet the following standards.

GRE/GMAT Scores

	GRE - For exams taken after November 1, 2011, the required score is 286 or more combined points on the quantitative and verbal portions. For exams taken prior to November 1, 2011, the required score is 800 or more combined points on the quantitative and verbal portions.
	GMAT - A combined score of 800 or better when calculated as follows: 200 x undergraduate GPA + GMAT score.

Undergraduate requirements

Students must submit official copies of undergraduate transcripts indicating the following:

A minimum grade point average of 2.5 on all undergraduate work or a 2.75 on the last 64 hours of undergraduate work. Students with a GPA below 2.5 may want to consider enrolling in undergraduate classes to increase their GPA average before applying to graduate school. Students with less than a 2.5 undergraduate GPA will not be admitted under any circumstances. USA course work completed after graduation is automatically averaged into the final GPA. The USA Office of Academic Records computes transfer credit averages and can advise students in determining when the minimum GPA has been met.

An undergraduate minor in communication or 15 semester hours in communication.

Provisional students will be eligible for regular standing after accruing at least nine 500-level semester hours (usually three courses) taken for graduate credit toward the degree requirements with at least a 3.0 GPA. Applications for regular status must be submitted prior to completion of 16 credit hours. Provisional students who do not have a 3.0 GPA after completing 16 hours of course work will be subject to dismissal from the program.

NON-DEGREE ADMISSION

Students may register for and complete up to 15 hours without formal entrance into the program.

DEGREE REQUIREMENTS AND COURSES

Students must complete a minimum of 34 semester hours of credit in approved 500-level courses. This includes at least three hours for thesis or project work. A minimum of 24 semester hours must be completed at the University of South Alabama. At least 24 semester hours must be taken in communication. All students are required to complete a thesis or a final project.

Core Courses

For students with an undergraduate degree in communication, the normal requirements consist of the following four courses.

	CA 500, Introduction to Graduate Studies in Communication. Students must take CA 500 before or concurrently with the first 500-level class.
	CA 501, Communication Research Methods (generally offered in the spring semester)
	CA 502, Communication Theory (generally offered in the fall semester)
	CA 503, Communication Research Methods II (generally offered in the spring semester)

Although students are advised to take CA 501, 502, and 503 sequentially, they are not required to do so.

Remaining Courses

With advisor approval, students may take nine of the 34 required graduate hours outside of the communication department. Students should work closely with their advisors to develop a plan of study.

Directed Studies - CA 594

Directed study courses involve independent study of a communication topic. The purpose is to provide study in an area of specialization not covered by an existing course.

	The student must submit a topic proposal to a graduate faculty member. Once the topic is approved, both the faculty member and the student must sign a contract describing student expectations and outcomes and grading criteria.
	The student can register for between one and three credit hours in CA 594 courses with course requirements determined accordingly.
	The student may take a maximum of six hours in directed study coursework.

Grade Requirements

	A minimum of a 3.0 GPA on all work attempted is required for graduation.
	Courses in which a student receives a "D" or below will not be counted toward the degree program.
	A maximum of two courses with a grade of "C" will be counted toward the degree program.
	Students receiving three grades of "C" or below, regardless of the overall GPA, will be dismissed from the program.
	A student who receives a failing grade in a course for graduate credit may be dismissed from the program.

Time Limitations

	All degree requirements must be completed within seven calendar years.
	Most students who take nine hours per semester complete the degree within a two-year period.
	The time required for degree completion depends on how many courses a student can take each semester and the ability of that student to complete the thesis or final project.

Course Load

Two or three courses (6-10 credit hours) per semester constitute a full-time course load.

DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL COMMUNICATION (CA) COURSES

College of Arts and Sciences