Communication (B.A.)

Marymount University’s B.A. in communication prepares students for 21st century communication careers. The communication degree program capitalizes on our location next to the nation’s capital by connecting students with exciting opportunities to gain real-world experience. Students acquire the skills to create journalistic, persuasive, and strategic communication materials and campaigns for face-to-face, digital, print, and broadcast media. All communication majors complete an internship during their time at Marymount. Course assignments include the creation of materials for professional portfolios that are an asset to students seeking jobs and internships. In addition to practical skills, courses give students a foundation in communication theory, research, and ethics so that they may become responsible and effective communication professionals. Communication courses prepare students for many different types of communication fields as well as graduate and law school. Courses in the major hone students’ critical, analytic, writing, and presentation skills.

Upon successful completion of the communication major, students will be able to

demonstrate the effective use of research skills and the ability to gather data from diverse sources;
apply communication concepts and theories in the use and presentation of images and information;
write correctly and clearly in forms and styles appropriate for the communication professions, audiences, and purposes they serve;
demonstrate oral communication skills and an ability to accomplish communicative goals with a target audience; and
apply tools and technologies appropriate for the communication professions in which they work.

A minor in communication is also available. Please see the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences minors section for details.

Minimum Grade Requirements: There is a minimum grade requirement of C- in COMM 100, COMM 101, COMM 206, and COMM 209 for all communication majors.

Program Requirement: It is recommended that communication majors purchase a personal computer.

Transfer Courses: Transfer courses for the communication major should have direct equivalences to Marymount's communication courses. If they do not, a maximum of two courses will be counted toward satisfying the electives in the major requirement.

Degree Requirements — Communication

This degree requires a total of 120 credits.

Liberal Arts Core and University Requirements

See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core for details. Communication majors will satisfy the three-course university Writing Intensive (WI) requirement in the following way: COMM 209 Contemporary Journalism (required for all majors), and by choosing COMM 304 Media Criticism, COMM 315 Writing for Digital Media, and other WI courses in the Liberal Arts Core or university electives.

Communication Majors will satisfy the Liberal Arts Core Social Science requirements (SS-1 and SS-2) by choosing from COMM 201 Research Methods in Communication, COMM 220 Intercultural Communication, COMM 360 Communication and Gender, or COMM 402 Organizational Communication, and other SS courses in the Liberal Arts Core.

Major Requirements

Students will take the following coursework in a sequence determined in collaboration with an advisor. Note: If students opt to take more than two courses in the digital media category, the additional courses may substitute for electives in the major. Some courses also satisfy Liberal Arts Core and/or University Requirements.

Required

Four (4) courses required for a total of twelve (12) credits.

COMM 100	Introduction to Media Communication	3
COMM 101	Public Speaking	3
COMM 206	Introduction to Public Relations	3
COMM 209	Contemporary Journalism *	3

Senior Requirements

Two (2) courses required for a total of six (6) credits.

COMM 400	Internship *	3
COMM 425	Senior Seminar in Communication *	3

Digital Media

Choose at least two (2) courses for a total of six (6) credits.

COMM 204	Video Production: Multimedia Communication	3
COMM 307	Broadcast Writing and Delivery	3
COMM 315	Writing for Digital Media *	3
GMD 200	Digital Publishing	3
GMD 308	Web and Social Media Design	3

Electives in the Major

Choose at least seven (7) courses for a total of twenty-one (21) credits.

COMM 201	Research Methods in Communication *	3
COMM 220	Intercultural Communication *	3
COMM 302	Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques	3
COMM 304	Media Criticism *	3
COMM 310	Career and Professional Communication	3
COMM 360	Communication and Gender *	3
COMM 399	Topics in Communication	3
COMM 401	Public Relations Case Studies	3
COMM 402	Organizational Communication *	3
COMM 403	Principles of Communication Law	3
COMM 421	Project	1
COMM 433	Research *	1
GMD 205	Video Production: Promotional and Informational Communication	3

Sample Degree Plan — Communication

Please note that this is a sample plan; all students should consult with an advisor in making course selections.

Year One — Fall

COMM 100	Introduction to Media Communication	3
COMM 101	Public Speaking	3
EN 101	Composition I *	3
CNCT 100	Connections *	3
MA	Mathematics (MT) core course *	3-4

EN 101: WR core course

Year One — Spring

COMM 206	Introduction to Public Relations	3
EN 102	Composition II *	3
TRS 100	Theological Inquiry *	3
	Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course *	3
	Natural Science (NS) core course with lab *	4

EN 102: WR core course

TRS 100: TRS-1 core course

Year Two — Fall

COMM 209	Contemporary Journalism *	3
	One (1) communication digital media course
EN	Introductory Literature (LT-1) core course *	3
HI	Introductory History (HI-1) core course *	3
	Introductory Social Science (SS-1) core course in a second discipline *	3

COMM 209: DSINQ and WI core course

Communication digital media course: See Major Requirements above for course selections.

Year Two — Spring

	One (1) communication digital media course
PH 100	Introduction to Philosophy *	3
	Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced Literature (LT-2), or Advanced History (HI-2) core course *	3
	Advanced Theology/Religious Studies (TRS-2) or Theological Ethics (TRS-E) core course *	3
	One (1) elective	3

Communication digital media course: See Major Requirements above for course selections.

PH 100: PH-1 core course

Year Three — Fall

	Two (2) communication elective courses
PH	Advanced Philosophy (PH-2) or Philosophical Ethics (PH-E) core course *	3
	Advanced Social Science (SS-2) core course *	3
	One (1) elective - GP course if not already completed *	3

Communication elective courses: See Major Requirements above for course selections.

Year Three — Spring

	Three (3) communication elective courses
	One (1) elective	3
	One (1) elective - 2nd WI course if not already completed *

Communication elective courses: See Major Requirements above for course selections.

Year Four — Fall

COMM 400	Internship *	3
	Two (2) communication elective courses
	One (1) elective - 3rd WI course if not already completed *
	Introductory Social Science (SS-1) in a third discipline or Second Natural Science (NS) core course *	3

Communication elective courses: See Major Requirements above for course selections.

Year Four — Spring

COMM 425	Senior Seminar in Communication *	3
	Fine Arts (FNA), Advanced Literature (LT-2), or Advanced History (HI-2) core course *	3
	One (1) elective - 3rd DSINQ course required if not already completed *	3
	Two (2) electives	6

COMM 425: DSINQ core course

* Fulfills Liberal Arts Core/University Requirements. See University Requirements and the Liberal Arts Core and the Course Descriptions for further information.