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BA in Professional Communication


Communication-the human connection-is the key to personal and career success.

- Paul J. Meyer

In school, your classmates would panic when a teacher assigned a term paper or a speech. Not you. You enjoyed the challenge of deciding the message that needed to be shared and developing a strategy to make that happen. Back then, you realized that you couldn't write term papers for a living. Now, though, you've thought about how critical clear, effective communication is for all types of organizations. And it's given you a career path that plays to your strengths and talents.

Organizations can have the most technically knowledgeable staff available. Yet if they cannot share and apply their expertise and knowledge, the organization is unlikely to succeed. Trained communications professionals can ensure that their organizations grow, thrive and succeed by analyzing, improving and coordinating the ways in which their organizations communicate-both internally and externally.

The Professional Communication major addresses organizational communication strategies that prepare students for ethical decision making and leadership in business contexts. Students engage in studying sophisticated theories of conflict and crisis management, strategies for corporate and community relations, small group and team management, and sensitivity to gender and cultural issues in the marketplace.

Through the major coursework, students learn to:

  • Identify appropriate and effective communication strategies for corporate audiences
  • Communicate effectively and appropriately through written messages in the form of memos, e-mail communication, meeting minutes, executive summaries, agendas and special purpose letters for contemporary workplace contexts
  • Design public messages reflecting corporate identity and image for organizational stakeholders
  • Identify communicative strategies for conflict resolution in organizational contexts
  • Design and deliver public presentations marked by clear organization, compelling language, public evidence, sound reasoning and effective vocal and nonverbal delivery, including eye contact, vocal variety and appropriate gestures
  • Identify communicative goals appropriate to leadership, peer-to-peer and decision-making workplace contexts

Required Courses

  • Human Communication in a Technological Age 
  • Communication in the Marketplace 
  • Intercultural Communication 
  • Communication Ethics
  • Integrative Capstone

Additional Courses

Students choose two of the following courses:

  • Public Speaking
  • Business and Professional Communication
  • Presentational Communication

Students choose five of the following courses:

  • Persuasion
  • Communication and Community Relations
  • Argumentation
  • Conflict Management in Organizations
  • Communication Management
  • Integrated Marketing Communication: Coordinating Ad and PR
  • Nonprofit Development and Philanthropy Communication
  • Interpersonal Communication
  • Organizational Communication