Communication

Communication

The Communication curriculum is designed to give a liberal understanding of human communication and media and to prepare students for academic or professional fields including those in business, the arts, journalism, industry, education, health and public service, as well as graduate study. To receive the B.A. in Communication, the student must show an understanding of communication in historical, philosophical, ethical, social, political and cultural dimensions, and the student must demonstrate skill in the art of written and oral communication.

Students are encouraged to expand their education beyond the classroom through directed learning experiences. Internships and directed research are available to students with a 3.0 grade point average in their major and a 2.0 GPA in all subjects.

The department is guided by the belief that a careful study of the process of communication enables people 1) to integrate and exchange knowledge 2) to achieve goals 3) to effect social action and 4) to analyze and evaluate the uses of oral and written communication in the conduct of human affairs. This requires a liberal education in arts, sciences and humanities.

Throughout the study of communication at Rockhurst, emphasis is placed upon the ethical responsibility of the communicator to develop intellectual and moral integrity.

Business Communication

The Business Communication major offers a Bachelor of Arts degree that draws courses from within the departments of Communication and the Helzberg School of Management. Through communication courses, students examine the theory and practice of space communication in a variety of contexts, including interpersonal interactions, organizations, small groups, and the mass media. Students also take courses in marketing, economics, accounting, and management, as well as upper division journalism or English courses in business writing, technological writing, writing for the marketplace, and writing for the media.

The Business Communication major prepares students for a wide variety of careers as communication specialists in business, industry, government, and nonprofit organizations. For example, students may choose such diverse fields as media relations, investor relations, public relations and advertising, or employee communication. The curriculum is not designed to develop an expertise in any specific area, but rather to provide extensive coverage in a variety of pertinent areas.

The curriculum encompasses a number of core courses and electives which are chosen in consultation with the major advisor.

Strategic Communication

The Strategic Communication major focuses on the critical and analytical thinking and practical skills required in contemporary communication. Courses are designed to help students understand how strategic communication can support personal, professional, and organizational objectives.

Students learn to engage in written and oral communication that is goal-oriented, mindful, and ethical. They develop the ability to critique and create effective messages for specific audiences and situations. Through real-world problem solving, Strategic Communication majors learn to apply communication tools and strategies across a variety of communication contexts. Our students gain the skills that are necessary to become effective, strategically oriented communication professionals, regardless of industry.

Programs

• Business Communication, B.A.
• Communication, B.A., Human Communication Track
• Communication, B.A., Mass Communication Track
• Strategic Communication, B.A.

• Communication Minor