Major Requirements

Major Requirements:

Satisfying the requirements for the major in Communication includes completing a minimum of 38 credits in the major and a minimum of ten courses (10), as specified below.

 

All Communication majors complete a common core of required courses that provide an overview of the discipline. Students will choose a concentration in interpersonal, organizational, or mass communication.

 

The following core courses are required of all Communication majors (starting with the class entering in Fall 2010):

 

COM 1020      Public Communication

COM 2010      Communication Methods

COM 2201      Introduction to Interpersonal Communication

COM 2301      Introduction to Organizational Communicati
COM 2401      Introduction to Mass Communication

COM 4900      Senior Seminar

 

Additional Requirements:

 

            Four (4) additional COM courses, as follows:

• At least two (2) 3000-level courses in your choice of concentration (interpersonal, organizational, or mass communication).  One of these courses must be an advanced/theory course in the concentration.

 

Interpersonal Communication focuses on how verbal and nonverbal communication shapes and is shaped by human relationships, including friendships, romances, families, and work relationships.  It concentrates on “people skills” required for success in any endeavor.  Students will gain the understanding and skills for listening, relating to and managing people, leading and influencing others, and presenting oneself effectively.  In addition, students will explore issues such as deception, attraction, identity and, gender.

 

Organizational Communication focuses on how members of organizations and society achieve their collective goals through the ongoing, mutual exchange of verbal and nonverbal messages.  It explores issues of leadership, decision-making, conflict, collaboration, identity, and technology in the public, private, and state sectors.  Many upper level classes place students in work settings to gain an understanding of the roles of communication in organizational processes and to enable students to develop a practical set of skills.

 

Mass Communication focuses on the exchange of mediated messages that are filtered through some form of technology.  It includes various channels of mass communication (TV, radio, film, newspapers, popular music, public relations, advertising, and the World Wide Web) and machine-assisted interpersonal communication (social networking websites, blogs, wikis, text messaging, and e-mail).  Students will explore theories, processes, and effects of mass communication as well as applied production of mediated messages.

 

Application to Major: Enrollment in the Communication program at Merrimack is selective. Only those students who have a 2.5 minimum GPA will be accepted. A minimum grade point average of 2.5 is required to remain in the Communication major.  To apply to the major, a student must bring proof of his or her current GPA to the Communication Arts and Sciences office.  In some cases, a faculty interview may also be required of the student.  Under most circumstances, transfer students with junior standing will not be accepted into the major.  Upon acceptance to the major, the student will be assigned to a Communication Arts and Sciences faculty advisor who will help determine the elective courses that would best suit the student’s interests and goals.