| DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION Chair:
Gerald L. Wilson (380-2800)
Professors: Hanna, Hermanson, Hesse, Wilson, Wright
Associate Professor: Rockwell
Assistant Professors: Aucoin, Chryslee, Rosene, Ward
Instructors: Dupree, Moreau, 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 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 & Rhetoric, Journalism
(Print Journalism & Broadcast Journalism), Organizational Communication, Public
Relations
(Public Relations & Advertising), and Radio-Television. 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
Communication majors must complete 15 semester hours including the Public Speaking
(CA 110) requirement in the College of Arts & Sciences, plus a four-course
Communication Core consisting of components in Communication Theory (CA 200),
Argumentation (CA 210), Writing for Communication Media (CA 220), and Foundations of
Communication Research (CA 300). EH 101 and EH 102 are prerequisites to CA 200, CA 210 and
CA 220. CA 200 is a prerequisite to CA 300.
In Addition to these 5 courses, all Communication majors must complete 27
semester hours in one of the department's six tracks listed below. In addition to CA 300,
at least five Communication classes must be numbered 300 or higher.
Credit for CA 394, 494, and CA 496 cannot satisfy the 15 hour, College of
Arts and Sciences upper level requirement.
REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN
COMMUNICATION
Minors in Communication must complete 24 semester hours including CA 110 (Public
Speaking), CA 200 (Communication Theory), CA 210 (Argumentation), CA 220 (Writing for
Communication Media), CA 300 (Foundations of Communication Research), plus 9 additional
hours in Communication including at least one additional class numbered 300 or higher.
REQUIREMENTS FOR A MINOR IN THE
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS AND MANAGEMENT STUDIES FOR STUDENTS IN COMMUNICATION
Students in Communication may select a minor in the College of Business and
Management Studies. 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 and Management Studies to select four (4) additional courses in
Management or Marketing to complete the minor field of study.
TRACKS IN COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying communication technology.
Required: 260, 360, 366, 445
Choose 1: 270, 286
Choose 1: 211, 230, 240
Choose 3: 340, 352, 435, 453, 455, 496*
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION &
RHETORIC TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying interpersonal communication and
rhetoric.
Required: 207, 211, 310, 400, 410, 422, 424
Choose 1: 315, 411
Choose 1: 360, 366
JOURNALISM TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying public relations or broadcast
journalism.
Required: 270, 370, 445, 455, 472
Print Journalism
Required: 281, 387
Choose 2: 360, 382, 388, 453, 457, 470, 481, 496*
Broadcast Journalism:
Required: 240, 350
Choose 2: 244, 340, 360, 382, 388, 453, 457, 496*
ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION
TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying organizational
communication.
Required: 211, 230, 275, 286, 430
Choose 1: 310, 411
Choose 1: 400, 410, 422
Choose 2: 260, 221, 360, 435, 457
PUBLIC RELATIONS TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying public relations or
advertising.
Public Relations:
Required: 286, 386, 445, 484, 486
Choose 2: 230, 270, 470
Choose 2: 211, 221, 240, 244, 321, 322, 350, 360, 370, 430, 453, 455, 496*
Advertising:
Required: 221, 321, 322, 445, 476
Choose 2: 286, 310, 455, 470
Choose 2: 230, 240, 360, 386, 453, 484, 496*
RADIO / TV TRACK
This track is for students interested in studying radio or television.
Required: 240, 320, 340, 356, 445
Choose 1: 343, 344
Choose 3: 244, 260, 343 (if not selected above), 344 (if not selected above), 350, 352,
360, 388, 440, 453, 455, 457, 496*
*This course cannot satisfy the 18-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 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 semester. The following criteria supplement the Graduate
School criteria (see Categories of Admission):
REGULAR ADMISSION
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.
An undergraduate major in communication or 42 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.
Satisfactory completion of these courses at the University of South
Alabama or elsewhere: Communication Theory (CA 200 or CA 400), Research Methods (CA 300).
An undergraduate course in Statistics is recommended.
PROVISIONAL ADMISSION
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 15 hours and for Regular Standing.
Minimum GPA of 2.5.
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.
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.
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 9 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.
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:
Complete at least 36 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 27 hours of these courses must be at the 500 level. All
400 level courses must be approved by the Graduate Coordinator. A minimum of 27 semester
hours must be taken in residence at the University of South Alabama.
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.
Complete a thesis representing original research.
Defend orally the thesis during the last semester of residency.
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 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.
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 501 Communication Research Methods I
CA 502 Communication Theory
CA 503 Communication Research Methods II
DESCRIPTIONS
OF ALL COMMUNICATIONS (CA) COURSES
College
of Arts and Sciences
 |
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
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