Department offers five undergraduate majors

The former undergraduate curriculum was replaced in fall 2006 with five new majors, as described below. These majors will replace majors in speech communication and mass communication. Returning students who have already declared these majors may continue in these programs, or may switch to one of the new programs. New students must major in one of the new courses of study, following completion of a pre-communication program (see individual majors for description) with grades of B or better. Students declaring a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) major must complete two years of foreign language study; students declaring a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) major must complete a minor.

When will classes we offered? Consult the tentative course rotation schedule, 2007-2010 (pdf).

Management Communication.
This course of study includes organizational communication and crisis communication, the communication principles involved in business and how to manage problems when they occur.

Minor in Management Communication.

Journalism, Broadcasting, and Mass Communication Technologies.
This course of study includes print journalism, TV broadcasting, and web design.

Minor in Journalism, Broadcasting, and Mass Communication Technologies.

Public Relations & Advertising.
This course of study teaches principles and applications of advertising and PR.

Minor in Public Relations & Advertising.

Health Communication.  
This course of study is for students in health-related fields (nursing, pharmacy, etc.), for students who want to work in health-service operations (nursing homes, hospitals, etc.), and for students who want to work in health campaigns.

Minor in Health Communication.

Agricultural Communication.  
This course of study is for students who have a strong interest both in agriculture and in communication so they can work as communication specialists for agribusiness. They might work for a livestock or grain association, as the editor of a specialized publication for an agricultural group, or as the advocate for a farm/ranching organization.

Minor in Agricultural Communication

Download a pre-comm major application (PDF form):

Pre-communication course completion (if you declared prior to fall semester 2006).

Pre-communication course completion (if you declared fall semester 2006 or later).

Note: If you declared a major before fall semester 2003, you do not have to fill out this application.

For information on new minors, see curriculum links for majors.

Below are descriptions of the department's former major course requirements. Junior- or senior-status students who have already declared these majors may complete the requirements below. Requirements for the web design minor have not changed.

I. Speech Communication
II. Mass Communication
III. Internet Web Design Minor

(Updated July 2005.)

The speech communication major is designed to provide students with a theoretical basis of knowledge about human communication as well as afford students with an opportunity to gain practical communication experience. Students learn about human communication at many different levels: from person to person, in small groups and through large organizations. The major includes a 15-credit core, 15 credits of professional emphasis courses, and six credits of advanced electives. The 65 or so undergraduates in the university's speech program chose from the courses below.

Pre-communication requirements: Students need to complete 21 credits of selected courses with a grade of "B" or above to become a communication major. The courses are ENGL 110, ENGL 120, COMM 110, 112 or 114, 200 or 212, 216, SOC 110 or POLS 110 or PSYC 111.

Download speech major application (PDF).

Core (15 credits)

• COMM 114, Human Communication*
• COMM 212, Interpersonal Communication*
• COMM 216, Intro/Intercultural Communication
• COMM 320, Communication Analysis*
• COMM 401, Survey of Rhetorical Theory (capstone), or
• COMM 411 Communication Theory (capstone)
  *Majors must earn grade of "B" or better
  

Professional Emphasis (Organizational Communication, Human Communication, Rhetoric and Public Communication) (15 credits, at least 3 must be at the 400 level)

• COMM 150, Forensic Practice (may be repeated)
• COMM 214, Persuasive Speaking
• COMM 271, Listsening/Nonverbal Communication
• COMM 308, Business and Professional Speaking
• COMM 312, Oral Performance Studies
• COMM 314, Argumentation and Debate
• COMM 315, Small Group Communication
• COMM 402, Contemporary Rhetoric
• COMM 433, Legal Communication
• COMM 451, Directing Forensics
• COMM 480, Health Communication
• COMM 483, Organizational Communication I

• COMM 412, Gender & Communication
• COMM 435, Popular Culture and Mass Media
• COMM 450, Issues in Communication (may repeat with a different issue)
• COMM 485, Crisis Communication and Public Relations
• COMM 496, Field Experience (internship), up to 3 credits

Download speech minor application (PDF).

Core (9 credits)

• COMM 114, Intro to Human Communication
• COMM 212, Interpersonal Communication
• COMM 216, Intercultural Communication

Professional Emphasis (6 credits): Choose two classes from the Professional Emphasis section of the major.

Advanced Electives (6 credits): Choose from any 400-level course listed in the Professional Emphasis or Advanced Elective section of the major; COMM 496 may not be used for elective credit in the Speech Communication Minor.

Note: Students who wish to major in Speech Communication Education need to apply to the School of Education for admission to the teacher education program.

Mass communication offers you the opportunity to explore the breadth of an integrated major. Faculty here believe mass communication graduates need to be prepared for a variety of communication positions. A specialized, concentrated approach in one segment of the industry does not adequately reflect what media professionals do: print journalism people often end up in public relations; public relations people often go into advertising; broadcast people may end up in print; etc.

NDSU's 300 or so mass comm majors gain theoretical knowledge applicable to all those fields, and more, but do not declare a "concentration" or "emphasis" in any one area. Students, do, however, specialize in their area of interest, choosing as electives classes that match their career goals. Students with a mass communication major are prepared for careers in mass media and communications fields, including public relations, newspaper and magazine journalism, radio and television journalism and production, and graduate study. Below are requirements for the undergraduate degree.

Pre-communication requirements: Students need to complete 21 credits of selected courses with a grade of "B" or above to become a communication major. The courses are ENGL 110, ENGL 120, COMM 110, 112 or 114, 200 or 212, 216, SOC 110 or POLS 110 or PSYC 111.

Download mass communication major application (PDF).

Core (21 credits)

• COMM 112, Understanding Media and Social Change*
• COMM 200, Introduction to Media Writing*
• COMM 310, Advanced Media Writing
• COMM 313, Editing Processes, or COMM 445, Advanced Television Production (COMM 445 students must have completed COMM 345)
• COMM 320, Communication Analysis*
• COMM 411, Communication Theory
• COMM 431, Communication Ethics
  *Majors must earn grade of "B" or better

Professional Specialization (6 credits)
Two of the following:

• COMM 242, Advanced News Photography (photojournalism)
• COMM 260, Principles of Internet Web-Based Design.
• COMM 261, Introduction to Web Development.
• COMM 345, Principles of Broadcast Production
• COMM 362, Principles of Design for Print
• COMM 370, Principles of Public Relations
• COMM 425, Specialty Writing
• COMM 445, Advanced Broadcast Production
• COMM 472, Public Relations Campaigns

Advanced Mass Communication Electives (6 credits)
Two of the following:

• COMM 434, Communication Law
• COMM 435, Popular Culture and the Mass Media
• COMM 436, Issues in Mass Communication (may repeat with a different issue)
• COMM 442, Information Technology in Mass Media
• COMM 443, Mass Media and Public Opinion
• COMM 496 Field Experience (internship), up to 3 credits

Additional Requirements (3 credits)
One of the following:

• ENG 215, Writing for Work
• ENG 320, Practical Writing
• ENG 358, Intermediate Composition
• ENG 454, Language Bias

• BUSN 350, Foundations of Management
• BUSN 360, Foundations of Marketing
• BUSN 461, Advertising and Integrated Marketing Communication

• COMM 214, Persuasive Speaking
• COMM 216, Intercultural Communication
• COMM 308, Business and Professional Speaking
• COMM 312, Oral Performance Studies
• COMM 315, Small Group Communication
• COMM 340/341, Social Research Methods/Lab
• COMM 483, Organizational Communication I

Download mass communication minor application (PDF).

Core (12 credits)

• COMM 112, Introduction to Mass Communication and Social Change
• COMM 200, Intro to Media Writing
• COMM 310, Advanced Media Writing
• COMM 431, Communication Ethics

Professional Specialization: (6 credits, chosen from any course listed in the Professional Emphasis section of the major)

Advanced elective: (3 credits, chosen from any communication course listed in the Advanced Elective, Core, or Professional Emphasis sections; COMM 496 may not be used for elective credit in the Mass Communication minor)

Minor in Internet Web Design (21 credits)

Coordinator: Ross Collins, associate professor of communication.