DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION

Chair: Gerald L. Wilson (380-2800)
Professors: Hanna, Hermanson, Hesse, Wilson, Wright
Associate Professor: Trimble
Assistant Professors: Aucoin, Auter, Chryslee, Emig, Rosene, Ward
Instructors: Robinson

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 journalism 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: Broadcast Journalism, General Communication Studies, Organizational Communication, Print Journalism, Public Relations and Radio/TV. 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.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MAJOR IN COMMUNICATION
All Communication majors must complete the following Core Requirements: CA 110, 200, 210, and 300. In addition, 44 hrs must be completed in one of the Department's six tracks. A minimum of five different courses totaling 20 hours must be taken from courses numbered 300 or above. Credit for CA 394, CA 494, and CA 496 cannot satisfy the 20-hour, upper level requirement.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN COMMUNICATION
All communication minors must complete the Department's Core Requirements: CA 110, 200, 210, and 300. In addition, 20 additional hours of communication courses must be completed.

REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN MARKETING FOR STUDENTS IN COMMUNICATION
Students in Communication may select a minor in Marketing in the College of Business and Management Studies. MKT 371, ACC 211, ECO 214 and ECO 215 are required. Each student should consult a faculty advisor in Communication and a member of the Marketing and Transportation Department to select five (5) additional courses in the Marketing Department to complete the minor field of study (36 hours are required).

TRACKS IN COMMUNICATION
GENERAL COMMUNICATION STUDIES TRACK
This track provides a broadbased exposure to the field of Communication. In addition to the Core Requirements, students in this track must complete the following course of study:

Required: 100 or 101, 207, 210, 211 or 275, 280 and six 300 or 400-level CA courses (except 494 and 496).

ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying the personnel, human relations, or training aspects of Communication. In addition to the Core Requirements, students in this track must complete the following course of study:

Required: 100, 211 or 275, 230, 286, 430

Choose 5: 310, 365, 410, 411, 475, 496*

Choose 1 CA elective

Recommended minors: minors in the College of Business and Management Studies, Political Science, Psychology, Sociology.

BROADCAST JOURNALISM TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying radio and television journalism. In addition to the Core Requirements, students in this track must complete the following course of study:

Required: 101, 240, 244, 279, 280, 340, 350, 351 or 445

Choose 2: 250, 320, 340, 356, 380, 480, 496*, 351, or 445 if not selected above

Choose 1 CA elective

Recommended minors: Economics, History, Political Science, and Sociology.

PRINT JOURNALISM TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying news reporting, or feature or editorial writing for newspapers and magazines. In addition to the Core Requirements, students in this track must complete the following course of study:

Required: 101, 279, 280, 281, 380, 388, 445, 455, 480

Choose 1: 451, 482

Choose 1 CA elective

Recommended minors: Economics, History, Political Science, and Sociology.

PUBLIC RELATIONS TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying public relations in corporate, association, organizational or not-for-profit settings. In addition to the Core Requirements, students in this track must complete the following course of study:

Required: 101, 279, 280, 286, 386, 484, 486

Choose 2: 211, 230, 240, 244, 275, 281, 310, 351, 365, 380, 445, 455, 496*

Choose 2 CA electives

Recommended minor: Marketing minor in the College of Business and Management.

RADIO/TV TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying the electronic media: radio, television, cable, etc. In addition to the Core Requirements, students in this track must complete the following course of study:

Required: 101, 279, 280, 240, 244.

Choose 1 from each pair: 250 or 320, 340 or 356, 351 or 445

Choose 2: 250, 320, 340, 351, 356, 445 if not selected above, 243, 250, 343, 440, 455, 496*

Choose 1 CA elective

Recommended minor: Consult advisor

*this course cannot satisfy the 20-hour upper level CA major requirement.

GRADUATE STUDIES
The Master of Arts degree in communication provides education for the student who wishes to pursue either the Ph.D. degree or a career in corporate and 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 public communication and skills necessary to carry out a project.

REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION
Students are admitted each quarter. The following criteria supplement the Graduate School criteria (see Categories of Admission):

REGULAR ADMISSION

1. GRE General Test combined score of at least 1,000 on the verbal and quantitative subtests. 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 for 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 56 quarter 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 undergraduate core courses at the University of South Alabama or elsewhere: Communication Theory (CA 200 or CA 400) and Research Methods (CA 300).

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), if the GMAT is permitted in lieu of the GRE score; applicants may be admitted provisionally without submission of the score, but it must be submitted before completion of 20 hours and for Regular Standing.
   
2. Minimum GPA of 2.5
   
3. An undergraduate minor in communication or 32 quarter hours in communication; applicants with otherwise strong records may be admitted conditionally with fewer than 32 quarter 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 in order to be eligible for Regular Standing.
   

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 12 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 24 credit hours over no more than two years. No more than 20 hours taken as a non-degree student may be applied to degree status.

GRADUATE ASSISTANTSHIPS
Applicants for graduate assistantships in communication should submit an application and three letters of recommendation to the Graduate Coordinator by May 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.

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 48 approved quarter hours beyond the bachelor's degree with a minimum overall 3.0 grade-point average. At least 32 hours of these courses must be in communication. At least 36 hours of these courses must be at the 500 level. All 400 level courses must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator. A minimum of 36 quarter hours must be taken in residence at the University of South Alabama.
   
2. Complete successfully a comprehensive written examination, at least one quarter 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 quarter of residency.
   
5. Complete all requirements for the degree within five calendar years from the date of matriculation as a graduate student.

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 an approved project instead of a thesis. The student must defend orally the project during the last quarter of residency. At least 32 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.

THE CORE CURRICULUM
All candidates for the Master of Arts Degree in Communication must complete the following courses:

CA 500 Foundations of Graduate Study
CA 502 Communication Theory
CA 503 Communication Research Methods

DESCRIPTIONS OF ALL COMMUNICATIONS (CA) COURSES BEGIN ON PAGE 205.

College of Arts and Sciences