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Communication

Bachelor of Arts

Degree Type:
B.A.
College:
College of Arts & Sciences
Department:
Communication

Clear messaging. Stories with heart. Audience engagement. In today’s digital landscape, communication professionals are in demand more vital than ever.

Named for one of the most trusted voices in the media, the Tim Russert Department of Communication at 黑料网 offers a hands-on, experience-rich program. With small class sizes and a highly engaged faculty, you’ll participate in vibrant discussions and get plenty of one-on-one attention.

You can even customize your communication degree by choosing a concentration that best fits your career goals. Whether you want to work in public relations, advertising, publishing, broadcasting, digital content creation, or entertainment — or want to use your communication skills in a corporate, government, or nonprofit setting — 黑料网 will set you up for success.

Campus Media & Involvement

Write or edit for The Carroll News. Produce for JCTV. Host a show on W黑料网 88.7 FM. Join the nationally recognized debate team. Get involved with student chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists or the Public Relations Society of America.

Immersive Internships & Experiences

Cleveland is one of the country’s largest communication markets. Gain real-world experience and make professional connections at major media outlets, PR firms, ad agencies, nonprofit organizations, and global brands close to campus.

Exclusive Journalism Fellowship

The NBC/黑料网 Meet the Press Fellowship offers one graduating senior unprecedented access to the nation's longest-running public affairs program. Based in Washington, D.C., this paid nine-month experience has paved the way for many successful careers in journalism.

  • Campus Media & Involvement

    Write or edit for The Carroll News. Produce for JCTV. Host a show on W黑料网 88.7 FM. Join the nationally recognized debate team. Get involved with student chapters of the Society of Professional Journalists or the Public Relations Society of America.

  • Immersive Internships & Experiences

    Cleveland is one of the country’s largest communication markets. Gain real-world experience and make professional connections at major media outlets, PR firms, ad agencies, nonprofit organizations, and global brands close to campus.

  • Exclusive Journalism Fellowship

    The NBC/黑料网 Meet the Press Fellowship offers one graduating senior unprecedented access to the nation's longest-running public affairs program. Based in Washington, D.C., this paid nine-month experience has paved the way for many successful careers in journalism.

  • #1 college radio station in the world (2024)

  • 98% of Russert students complete at least one internship

  • 100% of students have access to professional development opportunities

  • 14:1 Student-to-faculty ratio

Program Overview & Outcomes

As a communication major at 黑料网, you will build strong critical thinking, writing, and speaking skills — and you’ll also develop in-demand technical skills needed in today's digital-first world.

Communication majors will learn to:

  • Create, present, and advocate ethical messages in a variety of forms for diverse audiences
  • Analyze how audiences receive, interpret, and react to messages
  • Evaluate message effectiveness
  • Apply communication theories and perspectives to specific contexts

You will also gain specialized skills and knowledge related to your concentration area; options include Integrated Marketing Communications or Digital Media.

Curriculum: What You Will Learn

The Communication program combines core communication theory with practical skills and specialized concentrations. You'll develop expertise in professional communication, media production, and strategic messaging while choosing from concentrations in Digital Media or Integrated Marketing Communication.

  • Major Required Courses

    Com3013

    COM3013

    Our global world has changed how we interact with people from diverse cultures, both face-to-face and online. You will learn the concepts and theories of communication that help you understand the interactions of values, beliefs, traditions, identities, and food in multiple cultures. We will examine issues of diversity, globalization, and social justice, communicative interactions, and power dynamics among people with different cultural, social, national, racial/ethnic, linguistic, historical, and religious backgrounds.

    Com3073

    COM3073

    Examines communication within and between organizations in a global context. Focus on management/communication theory for motivating/leading organizations in corporate, non-profit, and government settings. Students will develop awareness of their individual leadership style. Specific application of these approaches on socialization, decision-making, conflict, change, creativity, workforce diversity, ethics, and organizational culture.

    Com3093

    COM3093

    Experiential focus on survey/marketing, media, employment and sales interviews. Analysis of theory, construction of questions, developing interview structure and evaluation. Application is emphasized, and students participate both as interviewers and interviewees.

    Campaign Issues And Images

    3 Credits

    COM3113

    Offered in the fall of election years. Follows the communicative practices of the ongoing campaign. Students each focus on one campaign to develop a critical understanding of the tactics used, images portrayed, and issues raised. Develops an understanding of political campaigns through the lens of political communication theory.

    Persuasion

    3 Credits

    COM3131

    In-depth study of theories of persuasion, and a variety of case studies designed to apply these theories to the real world. Critical and ethical analysis of persuasion in contemporary culture.

    Com3123

    COM3123

    Role of narrative in everyday communication practices, from conversations to interviews to persuasive messages. Verbal and nonverbal narratives. Narrative across multiple genres and media.

    Com3153

    COM3153

    The combination of free speech and the internet makes the global transmission of ideas nearly instantaneous. This provides wonderful opportunities for important advocacy, but also makes it easier to disperse fake news and other BS wildly and widely. Unfortunately, falsehoods spread more quickly than the truth. People must learn to protect themselves and their constituents. Developing the critical thinking skills to recognize and understand BS, and the persuasive skills required to explain it to people ranging from family to experts within a field, is essential. This growing field, often referenced as bulls*** studies, analyzes the phenomenon’s causes, trends, and implications. It provides tools for identifying falsehoods and fallacies, and spots problems in advertisements, fake news, political claims, big data, academic journals, and other contexts. The course provides guidance on how to call BS ethically and effectively, especially given the tendency of people to cling to falsehood even more tightly once it is identified.

    Com3362

    COM3362

    Survey of world cinema from 1893 to the present. Examines movies as a business, a social phenomenon, a series of technological innovations, and an art form. Filmmakers in every historical period from all over the world have worked to both distinguish their work from that of Hollywood and to draw upon some approaches innovated by the Americans. We will examine how meaning in films is conditioned by the uses of camera, editing, lighting, sound and acting, explore the impact of technological developments on film production, the influence of culture on storytelling and evaluate the importance of genre and the legacy of individual “auteurs” throughout the history of cinema and explore various film theories. Through the lens of history, we can connect storytelling across borders with our own history and values and will see that some values are not limited by borders or time period, because, as human beings, we share common values and concerns. Prerequisite: EN 125 or EN 1250 or equivalent.

    Com3383

    COM3383

    Investigates American cinema's origins and development, the rise of the studio and star systems. Study of the American cinema's use of genres and the development of a film narrative style. Investigates film techniques and develops a language for discussing the art of film. Studies the origin and development of classic Hollywood style and its use by film directors today. Students practice active, critical viewing and complete research and writing about American film.

    Com3453

    COM3453

    History, problems, roles, struggles, and contributions of major ethnic groups in the U.S. in relation to mass media. Stereotyping, access limitations, evolution of ethnic media, issues, and problems in American mass media systems.

    Com3493

    COM3493

    Survey of major topics in U.S. communication law that are essential knowledge for all communication professionals, who must be aware of the risk of lawsuits as well as their constitutional and legal rights. Examines how interpretation of the First Amendment has evolved over time through landmark Supreme Court decisions. Segments on defamation (libel and slander), broadcast and internet regulation, commercial speech, copyright, privacy rights, public access to information and places, the rights of student media, and international communication law.

    Com1301

    COM1301

    In communication, the audience matters because all effective communication is tailored to an audience. However, the study of audience also encompasses different dimensions, conceptions, and uses of any individual or group who receives a message. This course introduces students to a wide range of audience matters, including how communicators analyze, target, develop, empower, commodify, ignore, and survey audiences. The course explores how audiences receive, interpret, create, and co-create messages. The communication process is understood more clearly once the role of the audience is appreciated.

    Com1401

    COM1401

    Surveys the evolution of media and communication technologies; theories and models of communication; media effects on society and culture, and trends in newspapers, magazines, books, radio, television, film, the internet, social media, advertising, public relations, visual messages, media law and ethics, and global connections.

    Com2051

    COM2051

    Students develop the communication skills required for professional communicators across a broad set of communication media, including individual and team presentations, written texts, and digital interactions. Primary focus is on strategic thinking combined with writing that produces effective messages aimed at different audiences. The E-portfolio that is required for the major is established within this course. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details. Prerequisite: COM1251 or COM125 Public Speaking and sophomore standing.

    Com2081

    COM2081

    How people establish, maintain, and alter relationships with friends, strangers, work associates, and family members in professional, personal, and cross-cultural contexts. Discussion and application to professional and personal settings of theories of interpersonal communication, the role of self-awareness and culture, perception, diversity, verbal and nonverbal messages, listening, conflict, power, and ethics in relationships.NOTE: Not open to students with credit for COM 209.

    Com3041

    COM3041

    Building on the department goal of understanding target audiences, students will explore qualitative and quantitative methodologies for defining and reaching audiences, and demonstrate an understanding of demographics, psychographics, primary and secondary research, survey design, focus groups, benchmark research (pre-and-post campaign assessment), one-on-one interviews, ethnography, narrative analysis, experimental design, case studies, and more.

    Com3051

    COM3051

    Ethical theories and their application to ethical issues in public, private and mediated communication; role of communication in expressing and realizing individual and social values. Use of case studies. Prerequisite: Junior standing.

    Com4998

    COM4998

    Supervised and directed experiential learning in a position relevant to a major sequence of study. Course assignments will provide artifacts for enhancement of the student’s e-portfolio. Prerequisite: Senior standing; 2.0 GPA; COM major; permission of Communication department. This course is REQUIRED of all seniors and is only offered in the Spring. Students may look for the combination of COM 4907 (only in Spring of senior year) and COM 4997 (Summer immediately before or after senior year) as an alternative.

    Com4907

    COM4907

    CAPSTONE ALTERNATIVE (1) This course provides an opportunity to reflect critically and constructively on your academic experiences as you prepare for graduation. This includes determining how your summer internship relates to your coursework in Communication, your professional skills, your career goals, and your sense of what it means to have meaningful work that contributes to your personal development and your political and social concerns. As you move from being students to professionals, many issues come up that are often challenging. We will meet with experts from different areas to learn more about best practices for a successful transition. Distribution: Capstone and Oral Presentation (OP). Equivalency: COM490. Offered: Every Spring.

    Com4997

    COM4997

    Supervised and directed experiential learning in a position relevant to a major sequence of study. Course assignments will provide artifacts for enhancements of the student’s e-portfolio. Credit hours do not apply to major; does not fulfill the capstone requirement. Prerequisite: Senior standing; 2.0 GPA; COM major; permission of Communication department.

  • Concentration: Digital Media

    Com2552

    COM2552

    This course teaches the fundamentals of digital media content creation, from pre-production to post-production. Students learn and practice the theories and basic principles of storytelling, design, content evaluation, development, workflow, creation, and audio and visual content delivery. They also learn to use professional production tools and software. The course equips students with skills for advanced knowledge in digital media production, preparing them to create content suitable for distribution on various media platforms. Additional fees apply to this course. Please see the section schedule for amount details.

    Com3602

    COM3602

    Students develop the foundations for effective media writing -- clear, concise writing and relevant, engaging storytelling. Course work emphasizes how communication goals, audience, and medium influence message creation. Students advance their skills while writing pieces such as blog posts, video and audio scripts, social media posts, and other cross-channel communications. Prerequisites: COM 255 or COM 2552; or COM 270 or COM 2702.

    Com4552

    COM4552

    Acquaints students with the theorists, theories, and research that help us understand the role of the medium in media studies—mass media, digital media, other forms of emerging media such as machine learning and AI technologies. It looks at these in relation to media effects, the human mind, social interactions, culture, economy, politics, and media representations and mediation. Prerequisite: Senior Standing, COM 255 or 2552, COM 304 or COM 3041 and one 300 or 3000 level digital media elective. This course is REQUIRED of all Digital Media seniors and is only offered in the Spring.

  • Concentration: Integrated Marketing Communication

    Com2702

    COM2702

    Overview of IMC in order to understand the function of and connectivity among advertising, public relations, promotion, and interactive media as key components of the marketing mix.

    Com3602

    COM3602

    Students develop the foundations for effective media writing -- clear, concise writing and relevant, engaging storytelling. Course work emphasizes how communication goals, audience, and medium influence message creation. Students advance their skills while writing pieces such as blog posts, video and audio scripts, social media posts, and other cross-channel communications. Prerequisites: COM 255 or COM 2552; or COM 270 or COM 2702.

    Com4692

    COM4692

    This course explores theories, principles, practices, and methods of research in advertising and public relations across a variety of communication channels and media platforms. Case studies help students apply theories to analyze the advertising and public relations practices of different organizations, such as businesses, nonprofit organizations and government agencies. Prerequisite: Senior Standing, COM 270 or COM 2702, COM 304 or COM 3041, and one 300 or 3000-level IMC elective. This course is REQUIRED of all IMC seniors and is only offered in the Spring.

Related Programs

Still deciding on your program of study at 黑料网 or considering a second major? Here are some other academic areas to explore.

Complementary Minors

  • “The Tim Russert Department of Communication made me the person I am today. My extracurricular activities, many of my accomplishments and the position I am in today post graduation would not have been possible without the department. This includes the amazing faculty and staff that make the Tim Russert Department of Communication a home for me even in my professional career.”

    Laken Kincaid Political News Assistant, PBS NewsHour

Where Our Alumni Go

黑料网 Communication majors find career success in a variety of roles and industries.

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