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DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION
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| Chair: Gerald L. Wilson
(251-380-2800) |
| Professors: Hesse, Wilson,
Wright |
| Associate Professors:
Aucoin, Rockwell |
| Assistant Professors:
Carstens, Kearney,
McPherson, Rosene,
Ward |
| Instructors: Dardeau,
Dupree, Moreau |
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Department
of Communication web site
http://www.southalabama.edu/communications/communication.html
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| 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
communication technology, journalism, public
relations, organizational communication, and
the mass media. |
| Given these goals, the
Department attempts to meet individual performance
and career needs with a flexible curriculum.
Thus, while a “core” of courses is
required of all Communication majors, 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:
Communication Technology, Interpersonal Communication
and Rhetoric, Journalism (Print Journalism and
Broadcast Journalism), Organizational Communication,
Public Relations (Public Relations and Advertising),
and Radio-Television-Film.
In brief, the Department’s commitment to
a broad-based study of communication activities
permits a more intelligent choice of career
fields. In addition, it provides a more meaningful
classroom experience during the junior and senior
years. |
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| REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR
IN COMMUNICATION |
| Communication majors must
complete the College of
Arts and Sciences Public Speaking requirement
(CA 110), plus a four-course Communication Core
consisting of Communication Theory (CA 200),
Argumentation (CA 210), Writing for Communication
Media (CA 220), and Foundations of Communication
Research (CA 300). EH 101 and 102 are prerequisites
to CA 200, 210 and 220. CA 200 is a prerequisite
to CA 300. |
| In addition to these five
courses, all Communication majors must complete
27 semester hours in one of the department’s
six tracks listed below. At
least five Communication classes must be numbered
300 or higher. |
| Note:
Credit for CA 394 and 494 cannot be
used to satisfy this requirement. |
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| GENERAL EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS
FOR COMMUNICATION MAJORS |
| General
Education Requirements for Communication. |
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| REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR
IN COMMUNICATION |
| Minors in Communication
must complete 15 semester hours including CA
110 (Public Speaking), CA 200 (Communication
Theory), CA 210 (Argumentation), CA 220 (Writing
for Communication Media), CA 300 (Foundation
of Communication Research), plus nine additional
hours in Communication including at least three
hours of upper level credit. |
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| REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR
IN THE MITCHELL COLLEGE OF BUSINESS FOR STUDENTS
IN COMMUNICATION |
| Students in Communication
may select a minor in the Mitchell College of
Business. Twenty-four semester hours are required
including MGT 300, MKT 320, ACC 211, ECO 215.
Each student should consult a faculty advisor
in Communication and a faculty member in Business
to select four (4) additional courses in Management
or Marketing to complete the minor field of
study. |
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| TRACKS IN COMMUNICATION |
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| COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
TRACK |
| This track is for students
interested in studying communication technology. |
| Required: 260,
360, 366, 445 |
| Choose One: 270,
286 |
| Choose One: 211,
230, 240 |
| Choose Three: 340,
352, 435, 453, 455, 496 |
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| INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
AND RHETORIC TRACK |
| This track is for students
interested in studying interpersonal communication
and rhetoric. |
| Required: 100,
211, 310, 400, 410, 422, 424 |
| Choose One: 315,
411 |
| Choose One: 360,
366 |
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| JOURNALISM TRACK |
| This track is for students
interested in studying print or broadcast journalism. |
| Required: 101,
270, 445, 455 |
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| Print Journalism: |
| Required: 281,
370, 387, 472 |
| Choose One: 360,
382, 388, 453, 457, 470, 481, 496 |
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| Broadcast Journalism: |
| Required: 250,
340, 350, 450 |
| Choose One: 244,
360, 382, 388, 440,
453, 457, 496 |
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| ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
TRACK |
| This track is for students
interested in studying organizational communication. |
| Required: 211,
230, 275, 286, 430 |
| Choose One: 310,
411 |
| Choose One: 400,
410, 422 |
| Choose Two: 260,
221, 360, 435, 457 |
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| PUBLIC RELATIONS TRACK |
| This track is for students
interested in studying public relations or advertising. |
| Public Relations: |
| Required: CA 101,
286, 386, 445, 484, 486 |
| Choose Two: 230,
270, 470 |
| Choose One: 211,
221, 244, 281, 321, 322, 350, 360, 370, 430,
453, 455, 496 |
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| Advertising: |
| Required: CA 101,
221, 321, 322, 445, 476 |
| Choose Two: 286,
310, 455, 470 |
| Choose One: 230,
241, 360, 386, 453, 484, 496 |
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| RADIO/TV/FILM TRACK |
| This track is for students
interested in studying radio or television. |
| Required: CA 101,
241, 340, 356, 445 |
| Choose One: 343,
344 |
| Choose Three:
244, 260, 343 (if not selected above), 344
(if not selected above), 350, 352, 360, 388,
440, 441, 453,
455, 457, 496 |
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| GRADUATE STUDIES |
| The Master of Arts degree
in communication provides education for the
student who wishes to pursue either further
graduate study beyond the master’s degree
or a career in corporate or public communication.
The department offers a thesis program. Students
who select the thesis program will demonstrate
mastery of knowledge of corporate and/or public
communication and skills necessary to conduct
communication research. Students who select
the non-thesis program will demonstrate the
mastery of knowledge of corporate and/or public
communication and skills necessary to carry
out a project. |
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| REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION |
| Students are admitted
each semester. The following criteria supplement
the Graduate School criteria (see Categories
of Admission). |
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| REGULAR ADMISSION |
| 1. GRE
General test combined score of at least 1,000
on the verbal and quantitative subtests
is recommended. Permission may be granted on
an individual basis by the
Coordinator of Graduate Study to use a GMAT
score in lieu of the GRE scores. If
the GMAT score is used, it will enter into a
formula that must compute to at least a
score of 1,000. The formula used to compute
the score of admission is: 200 x GPA
+ GMAT score. An earned master’s degree
may substitute for satisfactory GRE
General Test scores. |
| 2. An undergraduate major
in communication or 36 semester hours in communication.
A master’s degree earned in a field other
than communication may be offered as
a substitute for a major in communication; all
such requests for substitution will be
reviewed on a case-by-case basis. |
| 3. Satisfactory completion
of these courses at the University of South
Alabama or elsewhere:
Communication Theory (CA 200 or 400), Research
Methods (CA 300). An
undergraduate course in Statistics is recommended. |
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| PROVISIONAL ADMISSION |
| 1. GRE General Test
combined score of less than 1,000 on the verbal
and quantitative
subtests (a combined score) or GMAT/GPA calculated
score of less than
1,000 (200 x GPA + GMAT) is recommended. |
| 2. Minimum
GPA of 2.5. |
| 3. An undergraduate minor
in communication or 24 semester hours in communication;
applicants with otherwise strong records may
be admitted conditionally
with fewer than 24 semester hours in communication,
but will be required
to make up deficiencies in their undergraduate
course work in addition to the
normal master’s degree requirements and
to be eligible for Regular Standing. A
master’s degree earned in a field other
than communication may be offered as a substitute
for a minor in communication; all such requests
will be reviewed on a case-by-case
basis. |
| 4. Incomplete
record of undergraduate core courses (see #3
above under Regular Standing);
applicants admitted provisionally will be required
to make up deficiencies
in the undergraduate core in addition to the
normal requirements and in
order to be eligible for Regular Standing. |
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| NON-DEGREE ADMISSION |
| An applicant for admission
to the Master of Arts in Corporate and Public
Communication program who does not meet the
requirements for admission under the regular
or provisional categories, especially mature
adults with considerable work experience, may
apply for and be admitted as non-degree candidates
if approved by the department’s graduate
committee. Students must maintain a “B”
average on all courses attempted in the department
to remain in the program. |
| Upon successful completion
of nine or more credit hours of graduate core
courses with a grade of “B” or better
in each course, a non-degree student may apply
for regular admission to the program. Non-degree
students may take a maximum of 18 credit hours
over no more than two years. No more than 15
hours taken as a non-degree student may be applied
to degree status. |
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| GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS |
| Applicants for graduate
assistantships in communication should submit
an application and three letters of recommendation
to the Graduate Coordinator by February 1 at
which date review of completed applications
will commence for appointments for the following
academic year. An application may be obtained
by writing to the Graduate Coordinator. |
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| REQUIREMENTS FOR DEGREE |
| Thesis Program |
| In addition to satisfying
the requirements of the Graduate School, the
candidate for the Master of Arts Degree in Communication
must satisfy the following. |
| 1. Complete
at least 33 approved semester hours beyond the
bachelor’s degree with
a minimum overall 3.0 grade-point average. At
least 24 hours of these courses
must be in communication. At least 24 hours
of these courses must be at the
500 level. All 400 level courses must be approved
by the Graduate Coordinator.
A minimum of 24 semester hours must be taken
in residence at the University
of South Alabama. |
| 2. Complete successfully
a comprehensive written examination, at least
one semester
before graduation. The comprehensive examination
may be attempted no
more than two times. A student who fails this
examination must wait a minimum
of three months before repeating it. Failure
of the examination on the second
attempt will result in dismissal from the program. |
| 3. Complete
a thesis representing original research. |
| 4. Defend
orally the thesis during the last semester of
residency. |
| 5. Complete
all requirements for the degree within five
calendar years from the date of
matriculation as a graduate student. |
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| Non-Thesis Program |
| This program is available
to students who do not wish to conduct research
or to continue graduate study beyond the master’s
degree. Students who select the non-thesis program
will complete two additional courses for graduate
credit and an approved project instead of a
thesis. The student must defend orally the project
during the last semester of residency. At least
24 hours of courses in the non-thesis program
must be in Communication. All other requirements
of the thesis program apply to the non-thesis
program. |
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| THE CORE CURRICULUM |
| All candidates for the
Master of Arts Degree in Communication must
complete the following courses: |
