Dec 02, 2024  
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2014-2015 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Communication Studies Major, B.A.


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College of Arts and Sciences


Department of Communication and Performance


Communication Studies Major Information


Department of Communication and Performance
ETSU Box 70667
Johnson City, TN 37614
(423) 439-7676
www.etsu.edu/cas/comm/default.aspx

The communication studies major prepares students for work in a broad range of fields that require the ability to work with diverse populations and lead others, articulate ideas and arguments effectively, and critically analyze messages. The skills garnered from the speech major easily translate into careers in law, government, health administration, patient educator, family/patient advocate, social service, the ministry, public relations, sales, training and development, management, human resources, community liaison, customer relations, and the business world at large. Communication Studies majors are natural candidates for work in social justice, civic engagement, and  diversity/equality efforts. Students will develop their skills as rhetorical critics and social scientists in the study and understanding of human communication. The department also provides a teacher education major in communication studies that requires 33 credit hours and a teaching minor that requires 24 credit hours.

General Program Information


To earn a degree from ETSU, there are specific course requirements put forth by ETSU, by the Tennessee Board of Regents (TBR), by each college, and by each department. All students must meet the degree requirements at each of these levels. Please follow the format below:

University-level Degree and Graduation Requirements


Total Hours Required for Degree: 120 Credit Hours


College of Arts and Sciences B.A. Degree Requirements


Students majoring in the College of Arts and Sciences must meet the following requirements for the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) degree. Some requirements must be taken in addition to the General Education Core, whereas others specify which courses from the General Education Core must be taken.

Foreign Languages Completion of a foreign language course numbered 2020 or above with a grade of C- or better * **
   
Mathematics Specified General Education Core: MATH 1530  or MATH 1910 
   
Non-U.S. History 3 credit hours
   
Natural Sciences General Education Core
   
Social and Behavioral Sciences General Education Core

 

* International Students whose native language is not English, and whose admission to ETSU requires them to take a standardized test of English as a foreign language (e.g., TOEFL), may substitute scores that meet the admission requirements for the foreign language requirement.
** Consult the Literature and Language Department’s placement policy listed at  www.etsu.edu/cas/litlang/documents/foreignlanguagerequirement.pdf and in the listing for Foreign Languages in this catalog.

 

TBR General Education Requirements: 41 - 42 Credit Hours


Below you will see the categories and courses specified under TBR General Education Requirements. Note that certain courses are required for this degree, specific to this major. Thus, these courses will satisfy both a TBR General Education requirement AND a requirement of this major. (Other majors may require different General Education courses.) Where specific courses are required for this major, we only list those courses under the category. If there are no specific major requirements for a category, all course options appear.
 

Communication


9 credits, consisting of 6 credits of written composition and 3 credits of oral communication.

Written Composition


Complete both of the following: 

Oral Communication


Complete one of the following:

Humanities and Fine Arts


9 credits, consisting of 3 credits of literature, 3 credits of fine arts, and 3 credits of humanities electives.

History


6 credits, consisting of both of the following:

Natural Sciences


8 credits, consisting of two of the following (some require labs which are listed directly after the lecture):

(Note: Students pursuing a Bachelor of Science in the College of Arts and Sciences must select 8 credit hours in a SINGLE laboratory science. Please see listing in College of Arts and Sciences B.S. Degree Requirements for options.)

Mathematics


Students will enroll in the appropriate general education math course during their first calendar year of enrollment at ETSU. Students required to complete learning support in mathematics must enroll in a learning support-designated section (L01-L99) of MATH 1530  during their first 15 hours at ETSU (not including summer) unless they are also required to complete learning support in reading or writing. Students needing learning support in reading or writing in addition to learning support in math should enroll in MATH 1530-Lxx immediately upon completing their other learning support requirements. Additional information may be found on the University Advisement Center website www.etsu.edu/uac/learningsupport/

Complete one of the following:

Communication Studies Major Course Requirements: 36 Credit Hours


Take the following:

One of the following advanced presentation courses:


One of the following diversity courses:


Note:


The remaining 24 credit hours must come from SPCH courses of the student’s choosing, at least 18 of which must be at the 3000 or 4000 level. Please note, SPCH 1300  does not count toward the Communication Studies major requirements.

Minor: 18 - 26 Credit Hours


Electives: 8-20 Credit Hours


Additional Information


Click here to view the Communication Studies Major (B.A.) Suggested Course Sequence 

Teaching Program Information


Speech Major Teacher Education - Students interested in pursuing a secondary education program for certification as a speech communication teacher must consult regularly with two advisors—one in the College of Arts and Sciences AND one in the Office of Student Services, 321 Warf-Pickel Hall, College of Education.

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