Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communication & Media

Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of a major in communication and media, the student will be able to:

• Examine ways communication impacts interaction and behavior between individuals.
• Apply appropriate technology in the development and dissemination of media messages.
• Develop an enhanced understanding of how communication theories are linked to today’s contemporary media practices.
• Design media messages for diverse target audiences.
• Comprehend the field of communication to confidently enter the workforce.
• Develop effective communication strategies based on ethical principles and respect for diversity.

Admission To The Program

Students must formally choose and declare a major no later than the completion of 60 credit hours, by completing the Degree Program, Major, and/or Minor Declaration Request form and submitting it to the Academic Advising Center.

University Degree Requirements (120 credit hours)

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media, students must complete at least 120 credit hours. Students are required to complete a minimum of ten courses (30 credit hours) of upper-level courses (300-level and above) as part of their 120-credit hour degree requirement at AUK, of which at least 18 credit hours need to be taken in the major.

• General Education Requirements (42-46)
• Major Requirements Composed of: (60)

• • • ​COMM Core Courses (12)
    • COMM Concentration Courses (24)
    • COMM Electives (21)

• Free Electives (21)

University Degree Requirements (120 credit hours)

To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Media, students must complete at least 120 credit hours. Students are required to complete a minimum of ten courses (30 credit hours) of upper-level courses (300-level and above) as part of their 120-credit hour degree requirement at AUK, of which at least 18 credit hours need to be taken in the major.

• General Education Requirements (42-46)
• Major Requirements Composed of: (60)

• • • ​COMM Core Courses (12)
    • COMM Concentration Courses (24)
    • COMM Electives (21)

• Free Electives (21)

The internship program provides students with an opportunity to demonstrate their capacity for leadership, teamwork, and business activity in the context of work experience. Internships are completed in the junior or senior year and while in residency at AUK.
 
The student is limited to a maximum of 6 credit hours of internship. A maximum of 3 credit hours (taken in increments of 1, 2, or 3 credit hours) may be applied toward any one major. If a student takes an additional 1-3 credit hours of internship, those credits may be counted towards a student’s second major, minor, or as free electives. For the duration of the semester, students are responsible for working 40 hours per semester for each credit hour. Students are to refer to the various programs’ internship handbook for further details of the internship process, requirements, and method of assessment.

Mission and Vision

The Department of Communication and Media educates students to be ethical, analytical, and creative leaders in a multimedia and multicultural society. Providing a first-class liberal arts education to undergraduates, the COMM major is designed to help students become better consumers and producers of public information, strengthen their understanding of the role of communication in their personal, professional, and civic lives, and prepare them for private and public sector leadership positions in communication-related and other fields.
  
To accomplish this, the communication and media program employs a flexible approach, exposing students to various branches such as advertising, journalism, public relations, and others. Laboratory courses sharpen students’ skills, lectures provide firm theoretical grounding, and internships enable students to view the profession from a variety of perspectives.

Values

• Academic excellence and student success

• Ethical communication, professionalism and competency

• Strong student-faculty relationship

• Practical and hands-on learning

• Continuous intellectual and professional growth for faculty and students

• Service to students, college, university, and profession

• Sustaining faculty excellence in research