Communications (BA)

The communications department at Simmons is an interactive, student-centered learning environment that employs a creative approach to communication education led by a faculty of professionals and scholars. Students become lifelong learners committed to excellence. They find a balance between an in-depth understanding of concepts and theory, and the practical skills needed to produce media content in a variety of professional settings including business, education, social services, journalism, broadcasting—TV, radio, video, and Internet—newspapers, magazines, public relations, advertising, and graphic design. This balance prepares our students for jobs today— and for the jobs of tomorrow—because they have also learned to adapt to the demands of the rapid changes in technology. Our approach is highly interdisciplinary—collaborating with and within the disciplines of political science and international relations, computer science, art, sociology, and cinema and media studies—and highly experiential. This program of study culminates in advanced coursework and capstone experiences like the Senior Seminar in Storytelling, and in internships, independent study, and Studio Five—the department’s student-run, professional communications workplace. Each student majoring in communications is required to take 40 semester hours of study in the Department of Communications.

The department’s academic program includes three areas of concentration within the Communications major and three joint majors. They are:

  • Concentration in Graphic Design
  • Concentration in Journalism
  • Concentration in Media Arts
  • Major in Public Relations and Marketing Communication (Joint major with School of Business)
  • Major in Web Design and Development (Joint major with Computer Science)
  • Major in Arts Administration (Joint major with Management and Art and Music)

Program Requirements:

The Communications Core Requirements

The major requires three core courses that explore the areas of media and society, writing and editing, visual communication and the technology currently driving emerging media. A blend of theory and hands-on, practical projects prepare students for further developmental work in one of the department’s areas of concentration.

COMM 121Visual Communication

4

COMM 122Media Writing Bootcamp

4

COMM 124Media, Messages and Society

4

Students should complete the three core courses by the end of the second year of study in a four-year program. A student should declare their major at the end of the sophomore year. In this recommended sequence, the student would complete the core and then declare an area of concentration.

Concentration Requirements

Each concentration has three or four required courses, normally taken in sequence. These courses can be taken during the first two years of a student’s program, concurrently with core requirements, provided the student takes the necessary prerequisite core courses first.

Students may choose between two and three electives from a list of courses relevant to each area of concentration. This allows students optimum flexibility and an opportunity to build competencies across areas of the discipline.

Senior Seminar/Storytelling (Capstone Experience)

This required capstone course extends the theoretical underpinnings offered while providing students with an opportunity to develop a senior project that reflects and synthesizes all they have learned in the department. The course explores the many roles stories play in the shaping of human experience, the elements that comprise successful narratives, and the ways that digital technologies may disrupt our conventional understanding of how stories are shared.

Independent Learning Options (Capstone Experiences)

Students majoring in communications have four opportunities to complete the departmental requirement of 8 credits of independent learning. Students may take a maximum of 20 credits of independent learning.

COMM 350Independent Study

4

COMM 370Internship

Variable

COMM 380Field Experience

Variable

COMM 390Studio 5: A Communication Workplace

4

Concentrations in the Communications Major

Graphic Design Concentration

Students may pursue a graphic design concentration focusing on print, web, and/or multimedia design.

Graphic Design Requirements:

The following three studio art courses:
ART 111Draw What You See

4

ART 112Color Studio

4

ART 138The Poetry of Photography

4

Plus one of the following courses to satisfy the art history requirement:
ART 141Introduction to Art History: Egypt toýThe Renaissance

4

ART 142Introduction to Art History: Baroque to the 20th Century

4

Design History courses offered elsewhere with consent of design advisor.

(Requirements outside the Communications Department may be taken concurrently with the core requirements)

Communications Core plus four required courses:

COMM 210Introduction to Graphic Design: Principles and Practice

4

COMM 240Intermediate Graphic Design I: Typography

4

COMM 248Intermediate Graphic Design II

4

COMM 340Advanced Design

4

Two electives, at least one must be at the 300-level
COMM 244Web I: Design for the World Wide Web

4

COMM 246Digital Imaging for Design

4

COMM 262Media Convergence

4

COMM 320Media and the First Amendment

4

COMM 323Digital Cultures: Communication and Social Media

4

COMM 328Special Topics in Communications

4

COMM 333Web II

4

COMM 328: when appropriate

Journalism Concentration

Students may pursue a concentration in journalism focusing on print, web, and multimedia platforms.

Journalism Requirements:

Communications Core plus four required concentration courses
COMM 260Journalism

4

COMM 263Broadcast, Narrowcast, Interactivity

4

COMM 265Editing Copy and Proof

4

COMM 320Media and the First Amendment

4

Three electives, at least one must be at the 300-level
COMM 163Radio Operations and Performance

4

COMM 181Public Speaking & Group Discussion

4

COMM 244Web I: Design for the World Wide Web

4

COMM 262Media Convergence

4

COMM 269Globalization and Intercultural Communication

4

COMM 310Feature Writing

4

COMM 315Blogging & Opinion and Editorial Writing

4

COMM 312Health Communications

4

COMM 323Digital Cultures: Communication and Social Media

4

COMM 327Culture of the News

4

COMM 328Special Topics in Communications

4

COMM 328: when appropriate

Media Arts Concentration

Students may pursue a media arts concentration that combines the crafting of oral, written, and visual messages and narratives across multiple platforms.

Media Arts Requirements

Communications core plus four required courses
COMM 120Communications Media

4

COMM 210Introduction to Graphic Design: Principles and Practice

4

COMM 240Intermediate Graphic Design I: Typography

4

COMM 262Media Convergence

4

Three elective courses, at least one must be at the 300-level
COMM 163Radio Operations and Performance

4

COMM 220Video Production

4

COMM 222Animation

4

COMM 244Web I: Design for the World Wide Web

4

COMM 246Digital Imaging for Design

4

COMM 248Intermediate Graphic Design II

4

COMM 260Journalism

4

COMM 263Broadcast, Narrowcast, Interactivity

4

COMM 269Globalization and Intercultural Communication

4

COMM 320Media and the First Amendment

4

COMM 323Digital Cultures: Communication and Social Media

4

COMM 327Culture of the News

4

COMM 328Special Topics in Communications

4

COMM 333Web II

4

COMM 340Advanced Design

4

COMM 328: when appropriate