Communication Bachelor of Arts Degree (Offered online)

The Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication is designed to examine the nature of mediated, organizational, and public relations communication processes through theoretical grounding and applied knowledge. Students will learn essential writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills professionally relevant to careers in communication. The program curriculum is devised to provide students with significant communication training and internship opportunities. The Communication Degree is designed to prepare students to serve as public communication professionals within corporate, non-profit, government, healthcare, and education settings. This program also provides excellent preparation for graduate study in communication as well as law.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this program, students will be able to:

Utilize communication to embrace difference.
Explain the importance of persuasive communication in civic life.
Critically analyze messages intended for diverse audiences.

Required Courses

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
General Education Requirements		31
Students should consult with their advisors to determine if specific courses are necessary in order to satisfy the General Education requirements within this major.
Communication Core Requirements
COMX 300	Exploring Comm Studies	3
COMX 320	Prin of Organizational Comm	3
COMX 330	Principles of Media Studies	3
COMX 341	Public Advocacy	3
COMX 351	Principles of Public Relations	3
COMX 400	Communication Theory	3
COMX 401	Communication Law and Ethics	3
COMX 426	Leadership and Communication	3
COMX 431	New Media Skills	3
COMX 460	Research Methods	3
COMX 481	Campaign Planning	3
COMX 499	Capstone	3
Subtotal		36
Emphases
Select one emphasis from the following:		9
Media Studies Emphasis
COMX 435	Media Criticism
COMX 482	Gender, Media, and Society
Communication Elective (Select from list below)
Organizational Communication Emphasis
COMX 424	Risk Crisis & Comm
COMX 427	Organizations and Diversity
Communication Elective (Select from list below)
Public Relations Emphasis
JRNL 270	Reporting the News
COMX 456	Case Studies in Public Rltns
Communication Elective (Select from list below)
Language Requirement (See Below)		14-15
Electives		29-30
Total Minimum Credits		120

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Communication Electives
Select course to fulfill remaining elective credits, in consultation with advisor.
COMX 340	Visual Rhetoric	3
COMX 420	Issues in Organizational Comm	3
COMX 434	Political Communication	3
COMX 436	Pop Culture & Cultural Studies	3
COMX 438	Multicultural Mass Comm	3
COMX 452	Issues in Public Relations	3
COMX 480	Health Communication	3
COMX 491	Special Topics	3
COMX 492	Independent Study	1-3
COMX 498	Internship/Cooperative Educ	1-9

Note: Substitutions can be made with advisor or consent. Students must earn a grade of “C” or above in courses used to satisfy major or minor requirements in the Communication Department. The Department of Communication offers a BA in Communication Arts online. Check the university website for details at www.msubillings.edu

Certain courses in this program have prerequisites; students should check the course descriptions for required prerequisites.

Communication Degree Language Requirement

Bachelor of Arts Majors in Communication are encouraged to consider taking two years of a modern language.

The Department of Communication offers the following four options for the modern language requirement:

Complete the standard language requirement for a Bachelor of Arts for a total of 14 credits.
Complete the 101-102 active skills sequence in one modern language plus six credits of cultural studies courses selected from List One (below) for a total of 14 credits.
Complete 101-102 active skills sequence in one modern language and six credits in statistical and research method selected from List Two (below) for a total of 14 credits.
Complete six credits in statistical and research methods selected from List Two (below) along with nine credits selected from List One for a total of 15 credits.

List One

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
SPNS 150	The Hispanic Tradition ^*	3
ANTY 220	Culture & Society ^*	3
PHL 271	Indian Philsphies & Religions	3
PHL 272	Chinese Philsphies & Religions	3
RLST 303	Greek & Roman Mythology	3
NASX	Select from offerings
Other Cultural Studies in consultation with Advisor

List Two

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
STAT 141	Intro to Statistical Concepts ^*	3
STAT 216	Introduction to Statistics ^*	4
STAT 341	Intro Probability & Statistics	4
Other statistical and methods courses in consultation with Advisor

*: May satisfy General Education requirements.

Suggested Plan of Study

This sample schedule is a suggested plan for students to follow in completing the Bachelor of Arts program in Communication. Due to course schedule changes and staff assignments, students may not be able to follow the plan exactly. This suggested plan is not a substitute for careful advising by departmental faculty. Students should consult with their advisors to plan classes before registering each term.

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
First Year
Fall
WRIT 101	College Writing I	3
COMX 111	Intro to Public Speaking	3
Modern Language		4
General Education		6
Total		16
Spring
Modern Language		4
COMX 212	Intro to Intercultural Comm	3
General Education		6
Total		13
Second Year
Fall
COMX 300	Exploring Comm Studies	3
Modern Language		3
General Education w/Lab		4
General Education		3
Total		13
Spring
COMX 320	Prin of Organizational Comm	3
Modern Language		3
General Education		9
Total		15
Third Year
Fall
COMX 341	Public Advocacy	3
COMX 330	Principles of Media Studies	3
Electives		9
Total		15
Spring
COMX 351	Principles of Public Relations	3
COMX 431	New Media Skills	3
Electives		6
Total		12
Fourth Year
Fall
COMX 400	Communication Theory	3
COMX 460	Research Methods	3
COMX 482	Gender, Media, and Society	3
Electives		6
Total		15
Spring
COMX 426	Leadership and Communication	3
COMX 481	Campaign Planning	3
COMX 401	Communication Law and Ethics	3
Electives		6
Total		15

MSU Billings Catalog