Communication Arts BA/BS

Communications is an academic discipline that encompasses all forms of human communication. The broad range of communicative skills acquired from the study of this discipline may be applicable in any successful career or activity. Graduates with a degree in Communication Arts enter a wide variety of occupations, including radio and television broadcasting, public relations, technical editing, sales, government and academic administration, and teaching, to name a few. A number go on to graduate and professional schools. This major provides students with an understanding of communication in a variety of contexts (e.g., interpersonal, intercultural, organizational, political, and mass communication) and prepares them to be effective and well-rounded communicators. Participation in co-curricular activities such as public speaking competitions, speech and debate, and as staff for the campus newspaper and radio stations are available to students.

All Communication Arts graduates are required to complete:

  1. An exit exam,
  2. A portfolio, and
  3. A senior research project with accompanying symposium presentation.

General Education Requirements

Written Communication
Select one of the following:6.00
WRITING AND RHETORIC I
and WRITING AND RHETORIC II
COLLEGE WRITING AND RESEARCH
Oral Communication
Select one of the following:3.00
FUNDAMENTALS OF ORAL COMMUNICATION
PUBLIC SPEAKING
Mathematical Ways of Knowing
Select one of the following:3.00-5.00
MATH IN MODERN SOCIETY
FINITE MATHEMATICS
COLLEGE ALGEBRA
COLLEGE ALGEBRA AND TRIGONOMETRY
STATISTICAL REASONING
CALCULUS I
STATISTICAL METHODS FOR THE SCIENCES
MATHEMATICS FOR ELEMENTARY TEACHERS II
FINITE MATHEMATICS
MATH FOR TECHNOLOGY
STATISTICAL REASONING
Humanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing
Select one course from two categories:6.00-8.00
Literature
LITERATURE AND IDEAS
WORLD CLASSICS
INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE
NATIVE AMERICAN LITERATURE
MYTHOLOGIES
Arts
INTRODUCTION TO ART
THE ART AND HISTORY OF THE MOTION PICTURE
INTRODUCTION TO THE ARTS
SURVEY OF MUSIC
MUSIC IN AMERICA
WORLD MUSIC
HISTORY OF MUSICAL THEATER
SURVEY OF THE THEATER
Language
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND HISTORY
ELEMENTARY SPANISH II
Scientific Ways of Knowing
Select one course from two disciplines; one lab7.00-8.00
INTRODUCTION TO BIOINFORMATICS
CONCEPTS OF BIOLOGY
PLANTS AND PEOPLE
BIOLOGY IN FILM
HUMAN BIOLOGY
HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I
CONCEPTS OF CHEMISTRY
GENERAL, ORGANIC AND BIOCHEMISTRY
PRINCIPLES OF CHEMISTRY I
INTRODUCTION TO COMPUTER SCIENCE
INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC SCIENCE
PHYSICAL GEOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO EARTH SYSTEMS
GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS
INTEGRATED SCIENCE II
INTEGRATED SCIENCE I
INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL SCIENCES 1
NATURAL SCIENCE FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATOR
GENERAL PHYSICS I
GENERAL PHYSICS II
PHYS SCIENCES FOR ELEMENTARY EDUCATORS
DESCRIPTIVE ASTRONOMY
PHYSICS FOR SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS I
Social & Behavioral Ways of Knowing
Select from two disciplines:6.00
CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
WORLD PREHISTORY
INTRODUCTION TO NATIVE AMERICAN STUDIES
PRINCIPLES OF MACROECONOMICS
PRINCIPLES OF MICROECONOMICS
INTRODUCTION TO GEOGRAPHY
WORLD HISTORY I
WORLD HISTORY II
UNITED STATES HISTORY I
UNITED STATES HISTORY II
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
HUMAN RELATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS
AMERICAN NATIONAL GOVERNMENT
INTERNATIONAL POLITICS
COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT
INTRODUCTION TO GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY
LIFESPAN DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY
INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
SOCIAL PROBLEMS
DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
HUMAN RELATIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS
Diversity
Select one of the following:4.00
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE
ELEMENTARY SPANISH I
Integrative Seminar: Ethics & Values
Select one of the following:3.00
ID 300A - 300Z (see course descriptions for options)
HELLS CANYON INSTITUTE
Foreign/Heritage Language
Select courses in the chosen foreign/heritage language numbering 101, 102, 201, and 20212.00
Total Credits38.00-43.00

Program Requirements

Major Courses
COMM-201INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION3.00
COMM-202INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION3.00
COMM-301MEDIA RELATIONS3.00
COMM-310ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION3.00
COMM-320PERSUASION3.00
COMM-330PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION3.00
COMM-345INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION3.00
COMM-380ETHICAL ISSUES IN COMMUNICATION3.00
COMM-384COMMUNICATION THEORY3.00
COMM-440SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING3.00
COMM-498SENIOR RESEARCH PROJECT DESIGN3.00
COMM-499RESEARCH PROJECT AND SEMINAR IN COMMUNICATIONS3.00
Select 12 credit of any COMM or from the following:12.00
FOUNDATIONS OF MANAGEMENT THEORY
PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING
LEADERSHIP
PUBLIC RELATIONS
WRITING FOR A DIGITAL AUDIENCE
ADVANCED WRITING AND COMMUNICATION
SURVEY OF PROFESSIONAL WRITING
PROFESSIONAL WRITING CAPSTONE
ADOBE INDESIGN
ADOBE PHOTOSHOP
PRINCIPLES OF DESIGN I
PHOTOSHOP PHOTOGRAPHY
PRINCIPLES OF ACTING
Foreign/Heritage Language
Select 12 credits of language if selecting a Bachelor of Arts degree
Select 4 credits of language if selecting a Bachelor of Science degree
Electives
Select 22 elective credits22.00-34.00
Total Credits70.00-82.00

Sequential Plan of Study

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
FallCredits
COMM-101
FUNDAMENTALS OF ORAL COMMUNICATION
or PUBLIC SPEAKING
3.00
COREScientific Ways of Knowing 3.00
NP-102
NEZ PERCE LANGUAGE AND HISTORY
or ELEMENTARY SPANISH II
4.00
CORESocial & Behavioral Ways of Knowing 3.00
ENGL-101 WRITING AND RHETORIC I 3.00
 Credits16.00
Spring
ENGL-102 WRITING AND RHETORIC II 3.00
COREHumanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing 3.00
COREHumanistic & Artistic Ways of Knowing 3.00
CORESocial & Behavioral Ways of Knowing 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
 Credits15.00
Second Year
Fall
COMM-202 INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION 3.00
COREMathematical Ways of Knowing 3.00
Program RequirementCOMM 200/300/400 Level 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 2.00
 Credits14.00
Spring
COREScientific Ways of Knowing 4.00
COREIntegrative Seminar: Ethics & Values 3.00
COMM-201 INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION 3.00
Program RequirementCOMM 200/300/400 Level 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 2.00
 Credits15.00
Third Year
Fall
COMM-301 MEDIA RELATIONS 3.00
COMM-320 PERSUASION 3.00
COMM-380 ETHICAL ISSUES IN COMMUNICATION 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
 Credits15.00
Spring
COMM-310 ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION 3.00
COMM-330 PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION 3.00
COMM-384 COMMUNICATION THEORY 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
 Credits15.00
Fourth Year
Fall
COMM-345 INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 3.00
COMM-498 SENIOR RESEARCH PROJECT DESIGN 3.00
Program RequirementSelect COMM Track course 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
 Credits15.00
Spring
COMM-440 SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING 3.00
COMM-499 RESEARCH PROJECT AND SEMINAR IN COMMUNICATIONS 3.00
Program RequirementCOMM 200/300/400 Level 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
ElectiveElective Credits 3.00
 Credits15.00
 Total Credits120.00

Graduates with a BA/BS in Communication Arts go on to obtain careers in a variety of fields:

  • Radio and Television Broadcasting
  • Public Relations
  • Technical Editing
  • Sales
  • Teaching
  • Government and Academic Administrations
  • Media
  • Law