Communication, B.A.

Program of Study

The Bachelor of Arts in Communication degree program provides students with a comprehensive knowledge of the nature of communication, its varied forms and uses, and its multiple social, cultural, and cognitive effects. Courses introduce students to the significance of communication within their own lives, showing its relevance to the complex relationships they enter into as participants in families, communities, and organizations; as representatives of one or more cultures; and as consumers of information distributed through mediated channels.

As the world becomes more complex, so do the forms of communication needed to interact. This is especially evident within contemporary institutions where gender, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and social class differences must be negotiated on an ongoing basis through everyday communication activities. The study of communication in everyday settings is essential for:

• Judging whether communication processes are effectively meeting the needs of institutions and the people involved with them;
• Analyzing systems of communication in order to identify areas for change;
• Devising plans to improve communication practices and systems.

Student Learning Outcomes

The Bachelor of Arts in Communication teaches analytical, critical, and practical skills that will help students to understand and improve communication practices and systems in all types of social settings. More specifically, students who graduate with a B.A. in Communication will be able to:

1. Make knowledgeable and relevant contributions to intellectual conversation pertaining to communication phenomena.
2. Argue convincingly and respond constructively to positions regarding the problems, applicable standards, and communication practices, enabling improved functioning of communication processes and systems.
3. Conceptualize and appreciate the point of view of one’s counterparts in communicative interaction while attempting respectfully to incorporate their viewpoints into one’s own.
4. Analyze forms and contexts of communication from a variety of intellectual perspectives (philosophical, historical, theoretical, and practical).
5. Make cooperative, civil, appropriate, and timely contributions in talk, written, and mediated discourse, to advance the direction and purpose of the communication event.

Career Opportunities

Communication is increasingly recognized as an extremely significant, multifaceted phenomenon that deserves our focused attention. Increasingly, both private and public sectors are emphasizing the importance of communication skills in their hiring decisions and assessments of potential for career success. Consistently, business leaders have identified that potential employees must have effective communication skills and be able to work collaboratively with people of diverse backgrounds.

The growing telecommunications and digital information industries are very receptive to communication majors, as are private and public organizations and agencies, which often hire communication majors as specialists and consultants to improve organizational communication. A communication degree offers interesting career opportunities in the areas of business management, public health communication, community relations, government, public affairs, international trade, conflict mediation, advertising and market research, foreign service, teaching, and law.

Preparation

High school students should take four years of English, including composition. Social Science and civics courses, including History and Economics, are encouraged. A familiarity with computers is also desirable.

Transfer Students

Community college transfer students may transfer a maximum of nine (9) lower-division units in Communication. Students must have earned a grade of C+ (2.5) or higher in the coursework to be counted for credit toward the major.

Special Conditions for the Bachelor of Arts in Communication

All courses counted toward the major, including Preparation for the Major courses, must be completed with a grade of C (2.0) or better. A minimum of eighteen (18) units of upper-division credits must be earned at CSUSM.

No more than six (6) hours of independent study and/or internship may be applied toward the major. Independent study may be applied to field distribution requirements at the discretion of the instructor under whose supervision the student is doing the study. Communication majors must complete nine (9) upper-division units selected from at least two of the social sciences.

General Education (51 Units)

General Education Requirements 

Preparation for the Major (9 Units)

Major Requirements (39 Units)

Upper-Division Communication Courses

Upper-division Communication courses are grouped into three categories. These categories are: Communication Theory and Methods (CTM), Communication, Culture and Social Context (CCSC), and Mass Communication (MC). Specific courses under these designations are given below and described within the Communication course listings.

Minimum Total (120 Units)

Students must take a sufficient number of elective units to bring the total number of units to a minimum of 120