Fall Semester 2000 through Summer Semester 2002
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Communication (B.A.)
At-a-Glance

Minimum hours required for major: 36

Minimum hours required for minor: 20

Joint Program Available: Political Communication with Department of Political Science

Evening Program: Yes

Foreign Study Program: Yes

Advising: 687-4630

Financial aids: Several, including Max Axelrod Scholarship, and Robert O. and Naomi W. Walker Memorial Scholarship

The purpose of communication studies is to understand communication processes and problems. The program is thus designed to examine communication behaviors as they occur in social contexts, such as mass media and social systems, public address, large organizations, small groups, and interpersonal and intrapersonal interactions. The conceptual framework of the program is based in the behavioral sciences.

The department prepares students to work in the rapidly growing communication sector, which is expected to double within the next decade, encompassing roughly half of the workforce. The department lays a strong conceptual and practical foundation in advertising, public relations, journalism, organizational communication, interpersonal communication, conflict mediation, health communication, and telecommunication.

Students elect a major in communication for a variety of reasons. Some undertake an undergraduate program as preparation for graduate study, teaching, or consulting. Others choose this major in preparation for a professional career in which communication occupies a central role.

The program is designed to provide both theoretical and practical training in communication, especially in the areas of applied research or areas designed to prepare students for communication-related professions. In several courses, for example, students are encouraged to apply in-class training to communication problems found in the urban community. In other courses, students are oriented toward professions in the fields of journalism, promotional communication, and broadcasting.

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Major Field Requirements

All majors are required to take a minimum total of 36 semester credit hours in Communication and maintain a 2.25 GPA across all communication courses to graduate with a major in Communication. Two core courses (COM 101: Principles of Communication; COM 303: Communication Inquiry), eight credit hours of theory courses, four credit hours of a capstone course, and 16 credit hours of elective courses are required for the major. Transfer students must obtain at least 20 credit hours from Communication courses at Cleveland State University.

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Areas of Emphases

Students may earn a general Communication degree or many concentrate in one or more of the areas of emphasis of advertising, electronic journalism, film studies, health communication, journalism, mediation, organizational communication management, public relations/advertising, video/audio production, or video/audio management.

Below is a list of all Communication courses. Students are encouraged to consult the Department of Communication Handbook to see how these courses apply to the specific areas of emphasis.

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Communication Minor

All minors are required to take a total of 20 credit hours in communication courses. Eight hours are to include COM 101 and COM 303. A total of 12 hours should include four hours of a theory course and eight hours of elective courses. Transfer students must obtain at least 12 credit hours from communication courses at Cleveland State University.

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Multimedia Advertising

This is an interdisciplinary program jointly offered by the departments of Art and Communication in the College of Arts & Sciences and the Marketing Department in the James J. Nance College of Business Administration. The program provides students with a breadth of information and practical know-how in advertising communication, marketing strategy, graphics, copywriting, and design. It introduces contemporary advertising theories and practices by integrating traditional media - such as print and broadcasting - with new media-such as computer graphics and the Internet.

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Requirements for an Interdisciplinary Certificate in Multimedia Advertising

The certificate program includes 16 semester hours of core courses in visual art, advertising principles, advertising applications, and marketing analysis. The following courses are prerequisites to those required for the certificate.

Prerequisites:

Required Core Courses:

Recommended Electives:

For more information please contact the appropriate department: Art Department (216) 687-2040, Communication Department (216) 687-4630, Marketing Department (216) 687-4771.

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