Communication
FACULTY Professors Gullifor (chair), Jacobs, Zohoori; Associate Professors Dare, Kasch, Koperski, Lamoureux, Young; Assistant Professors Banning, Bashri, Gabor, Greenman, Netzley, Pratt; Temporary Assistant Professor Smith; Lecturers Garfinkel, Lawrence, Strasma; Temporary Instructors Billman, Frazier, Thein.
Mission
Programs in the Department of Communication integrate academic study of communication with professional education in advertising, electronic media, journalism, organizational communication, and public relations. We encourage collaboration among faculty, students, external partners, and the community. We embrace and support the democratic principles of a free, open, and diverse society. Our mission is to educate students to think, act, and communicate effectively, ethically, critically, and creatively in the global environment to enrich their personal and professional lives.
Admission Requirements
- Bradley students transferring into the department must have a 2.25 grade point average for at least 12 hours of course work in order to declare a major and/or minor in the Department of Communication.
- Students transferring from other institutions must have a 2.25 overall grade point average to be admitted to a major and/or minor in the department. External transfer students not having a 2.25 overall grade point average must earn a 2.25 at Bradley for at least 12 hours of course work before declaring a major and/or minor in the department. Courses taken at other institutions must be evaluated by the Admissions Office and then by the department’s advisor for transfer students.
- Internal and external transfer students may need at least one extra semester to complete graduation requirements because of prerequisites and core course requirements in the major and/or minors.
- Current Bradley University students and external transfer students who meet departmental admission requirements and who wish to change to or add a communication major must first meet with the department chair for an initial academic advisement session. Applications may be processed at any time except during the following periods:
- Seven workdays prior to the beginning of the semester to the end of the drop/add period as defined in the academic calendar in the Schedule of Classes.
- Seven workdays prior to the beginning of early registration to the end of the early registration period as defined in the academic calendar in the Schedule of Classes.
Major Requirements
General Requirements:
- Students must earn a C or better in every core course.
- Students may not enroll in communication courses for which a core course is a prerequisite unless they have earned a C or better in the core course.
- For graduation, all department majors must have a grade point average of 2.25 for all courses taken in the major and/or minor (including courses outside the department required for the major).
- Department majors and/or minors may not apply a course to more than one requirement. See the requirements for the minor.
- The journalism minor is not open to department majors.
Course Requirements:
Must complete requirements for the core and one concentration.
Core Requirements
- COM 101 Survey of Communication 3
- COM 300 Communication Theory 3
- COM 417 Issues and Perspectives in Communications 3
Total Core Hours Required 9
Advertising Concentration
- COM 112 Introduction to Media Production (1) or IM 113 Introduction to Multimedia (3) 1-3
- COM 202 Basic Advertising Writing 3
- COM 219 Public Relations 3
- COM 220 Advertising as Communication 3
- COM 320 Advertising Creative Strategy 3
- COM 322 Media Planning 3
- COM 325 Advertising Design and Production 3
- COM 400 Communications Research 3
- COM 481 Advertising Campaigns 3
- MTG 315 Principles of Marketing 3
Advertising Concentration Electives
- COM 437 Advertising in a Global Environment 3
- COM 447 Issues and Ethics in Advertising 3
- COM 474 Advanced Copywriting 3
Total Hours Required for Concentration 28-30
Total Hours Required for Major 37-39
Electronic Media Concentration
Required Courses (15 hrs.)
- COM 203 Introduction to Electronic Media 3
- COM 204 Audio Production 3
- COM 400 Communications Research 3
- COM 415 Global Media System 3
- COM 430 Media Management 3
Plus 15 hours from electronic media tracks (12 hrs. from one track and 3 hrs. from the other, excluding COM 495).
Production Track
- COM 314 Introduction to Video: Studio Production 3
- COM 335 Introduction to Video: Field Production 3
- COM 414 Advanced Studio Production 3
- COM 435 Advanced Field Production 3
- COM 445 Nonlinear Post Production 3
- COM 495 Communication Internship 3
Operations & Strategies Track
- COM 292 Organizational Communication 3
- COM 330 Communication Law and Ethics 3
- COM 420 Media Sales 3
- COM 450 Electronic Media Programming & Promotion 3
- COM 495 Communication Internship 3
Total Hours Required for Concentration 30
Total Hours Required for Major 39
Journalism Concentration
Required Courses (16 hrs.)
- COM 112 Introduction to Media Production 1
- COM 201 Journalistic Writing 3
- COM 215 Basic Reporting 3
- COM 302 Computer-Assisted Reporting or COM 310 Broadcast News Reporting & Writing 3
- COM 330 Communication Law and Ethics 3
- COM 425 Public Affairs Reporting 3
Required Electives (12 hrs.)
One course (3 hrs.) from:
- COM 315 Intercultural Communication Theory 3
- COM 386 Media, Race, and Gender 3
- COM 415 Global Media Systems 3
Two courses (6 hrs.) from:
- ART 228 Basic Digital Photography 3
- COM 204 Audio Production 3
- COM 307 News Feature Writing 3 (Course cannot be used to satisfy two areas.)
- COM 323 Newspaper Editing and Design 3
- COM 335 Introduction to Video: Field Production 3
- COM 340 Magazine Production 3 (Course cannot be used to satisfy two areas.)
- COM 345 Photojournalism & Documentary Photography 3
- COM 365 Digital Photography 3
One course (3 hrs.) from:
- COM 307 News Feature Writing* 3
- COM 314 Introduction to Video: Studio Production 3
- COM 340 Magazine Production1 3
- COM 414 Advanced Video-Studio Production 3
- COM 435 Advanced Video-Field Production 3
- COM 494 Communication Expedition (journalism focus; consent of advisor) 1-3
- COM 495 Internship max. 3
Total Hours Required for Concentration 28
Total Hours Required for Major 37
Organizational Communication Concentration
Required Courses (13 hrs.)
- COM 112 Introduction to Media Production 1
- COM 201 Journalistic Writing 3
- COM 219 Public Relations 3
- COM 292 Organizational Communication 3
- COM 392 Case Studies in Organizational Communication 3
Communication Concepts and Processes (Choose 6 hrs.)
- COM 303 Rhetorical Theory 3
- COM 305 The Persuasive Process 3
- COM 315 Intercultural Communication 3
- COM 393 Interpersonal & Small Group Communication 3
Elective Courses (Choose 6 hrs.)
- COM 316 Researching Communication and Organizational Culture 3
- COM 394 Communication and Conflict Management 3
- COM 395 Interviewing Communication: Process and Strategy 3
- COM 396 Innovation, Computer-Mediated Communication, and Organizational Change 3
- COM 397 Virtual Teams, Communication and Collaboration 3
- COM 398 Communication Training and Development 3
- COM 399 Computer-mediated Communication 3
- COM 430 Media Management 3
Elective Outside the Communication Department (3 hrs.)
One course that closely complements the study and practice of organizational communication, selected with advisor consent from outside the department 3
Total Hours Required for Concentration 28
Total Hours Required for Major 37
Public Relations Concentration
Required
- COM 201 Journalistic Writing 3
- COM 112 Introduction to Media Production (1) or IM 113 Introduction to Multimedia (3) 1-3
- COM 215 Basic Reporting 3
- COM 219 Public Relations 3
- COM 220 Advertising as Communication 3
- COM 327 Public Relations Writing 3
- COM 383 Desktop Publishing 3
- COM 400 Communications Research 3
- COM 480 Public Relations: Case Studies & Campaigns 3
25-27 hours
Required Non-Communication Courses
- ATG 157 Accounting Principles-Financial 3
- ECO 100 Introduction to Economics or ECO 221 Principles of Microeconomics 3
Total Hours Required for Concentration 31-33
Total Hours Required for Major 40-42
Sports Communication Concentration
Required
- IM 113 Introduction to Multimedia 3
- COM 160 Sports, Media, and Society 3
- COM 201 Journalistic Writing 3
- COM 260 Sports Writing and Announcing 3
- COM 265 International Issues and Ethics in Sports 3
- COM 360 Digital Journalism 3
- COM 400 Communications Research 3
- COM 460 Sports Promotion and Publicity 3
27 hours
Required Non-Communication Courses
- ATG 157 Accounting Principles-Financial or MTH 111 Elementary Statistics 3
Required Electives
-
Students should select 6 hours from this list of electives, with at least 3 hours from the junior/senior level 6
- COM 215 Basic Reporting
- COM 219 Public Relations
- COM 220 Advertising as Communication
- COM 292 Organizational Communication
- COM 310 Broadcast News Reporting and Writing
- COM 335 Introduction to Video: Field Production
- COM 415 Global Media Systems
- COM 420 Media Sales
- COM 430 Media Management
- COM 491 Topics in Communication*
- COM 494 Communication Expedition*
- COM 495 Communication Internship
* Must be sports related. Requires approval of department chair. No more than three hours from COM 491, 494, and 495 combined may count toward the major.
Total Hours Required for Concentration 33
Total Hours Required for Major 42
Minor Requirements
The Department of Communication offers a minor in Journalism. It is not open to department majors.
Journalism
- COM 101 Survey of Communication 3
- COM 201 Journalistic Writing 3
- COM 215 Basic Reporting 3
- COM 302 Computer-Assisted Reporting, or COM 310 Broadcast News Reporting & Writing 3
- COM 323 Newspaper Editing and Design, or COM 335 Field Production 3
- COM 330 Communication Law and Ethics 3
- COM 345 Photojournalism & Documentary Photography or COM 425 Public Affairs Reporting 3
Total Hours Required for Minor 21