Communication and Media

Undergraduate Programs

Description

The study of communication and media prepares students to become engaged, knowledgeable, and ethical communicators, advocates, and storytellers. We inspire students to embrace media technologies, create diverse stories, think critically about social relations, and foster the public good by advancing socially responsible communication practices through education, research, and service.

Note: The online delivery option for the Media and Communication BS is intended for students who have earned an associate degree or completed the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MTC).

Majors

 Program Locations Major / Total Credits
Communication and Media BS BS - Bachelor of Science
  • Mankato
  • Online
 36 / 120
Health Communication BS BS - Bachelor of Science
  • Mankato
 48 / 120
Media Studies BA BA - Bachelor of Arts
  • Mankato
 40 / 120
Public Relations BS BS - Bachelor of Science
  • Mankato
 44 / 120

Minors

 Program Locations Total Credits
Advocacy Minor
  • Mankato
 20
Communication and Media Minor
  • Mankato
 20
Health Communication Minor
  • Mankato
 16

Policies & Faculty

Policies

Double-Counting Credits:

  • Students may not double-count courses between majors or minors in the department of Communication and Media.

COMM 110 and COMM 221W may be taken concurrently with instructor permission.

COMM 498 and COMM 499 Limits:

  • Majors may apply no more than 8 credits of COMM 498 and 4 credits of COMM 499 to fulfillment of a major. Additional credits may be applied for graduation requirements.
  • Minors may apply no more than 4 credits of COMM 498 and 4 credits of COMM 499 to fulfillment of a minor. Additional credits may be applied for graduation requirements.

Internship Requirements (COMM 497, COMM 498): In compliance with federal policy, standard expectations are 45 hours of on-site internship experience for each credit hour earned.

P/N Grading: Total credits in the department must not exceed 25 percent P/N for a major or a minor. Internships are P/N option only.

Contact Information

136 Nelson Hall
Department of Communication and Media
College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Main Office (507) 389-6417
https://hss.mnsu.edu/academic-programs/school-of-communication/

Faculty

Chair
  • Sachi Sekimoto, Ph.D.
Faculty

100 Level

Credits: 3

A course designed to improve students' understanding in communication, including the areas of interpersonal, nonverbal, listening, small group and public speaking.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-1B

Credits: 3

A course in communication principles to develop skills in the analysis and presentation of speeches.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-1B

Credits: 4

A course blending theory and practice to help individuals build effective relationships through improved communication.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-02

Credits: 4

Nature, functions, responsibilities and effects of the media in contemporary society.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-09

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 1

This course provides practical experience in writing and editing stories for campus news entities, such as the newspaper or radio station or other communications organizations, working under the supervision of a faculty advisor. Minimum of 2 hours per week. Cannot be substituted for MASS498 Internship.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-09

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 1

This course provides practical experience in public relations for campus media entities, such as university media relations, esports or sports media, and other communications organizations, working under the supervision of a faculty adviser. Minimum of 2 hours per week. Cannot be substituted for MASS498 Internship.

Prerequisites: none

200 Level

Credits: 2-4

Development of communication skills for working with others in small group situations.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Investigation of the concepts and theories of nonverbal communication. Designed to assist students in increasing their awareness and understanding of their nonverbal communication and in analyzing and understanding the nonverbal communication of others.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

The course explores communication with people from other cultures, why misunderstandings occur and how to build clearer and more productive cross-cultural relationships.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-07, GE-08

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 2

This course is designed to provide students with skills of effective listening, and the ability to apply that knowledge in a variety of educational and professional settings.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 0-4

Beginner skills-building course that introduces students to hands-on speech and debate construction and practice. Students receive one-on-one coaching in outlining, research, organization, and delivery. Requirements vary based on number of credits and course can be repeated.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-11, GE-1B

Credits: 4

Basic techniques of gathering information and writing readable and accurate media stories.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Survey of current practices and problems in the field of public relations. Emphasizes successful case histories and planning techniques.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Special interest courses devoted to specific topics within the field of communication studies. Topics vary, and course may be retaken for credit under different topic headings.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Introduction to advocacy through communication and mass media, including principles, theories, practices, and ethics.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Exploration of the basic principles of visual media design, stressing the significance of images in a mass media society. Special focus on contextualizing historial and technological changes affecting image production for mass media.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-07

Diverse Cultures: Purple

Credits: 4

xplores social media and their impacts on society through consideration of technologies, social networks, markets, communities, politics and social movements, and major companies. Special focus on individuals¿ roles as users, producers, consumers, and laborers toward becoming responsible online citizens.

Prerequisites: none

Goal Areas: GE-06, GE-09

300 Level

Credits: 2

Introduces students to the study of communication and media including research and career paths.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Course is designed to provide the student with an understanding of the history, scholarly writing, and academic journals in the communication discipline, thus preparing the student for more advanced courses in the Department of Communication Studies.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

An exploration of the field of argument, addressing structure, types and critical analysis. Students will learn to identify types of reasoning, argument fallacies and pseudo-reasoning. Students will apply concepts in the construction and refutation of argument positions.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

An introduction to the theory and practice of conducting research in communication and media.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course is designed to develop the skills to complete the artistic process of studying literature through performance and sharing that study with an audience.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Designed to help students improve oral communication skills in the workplace. The emphasis is on the preparation and presentation of public messages in formats commonly used in business and professional settings. Listening as an oral communication skill in the workplace will be explored, as will the role of intercultural communication in the workplace. Individual speeches, group presentations, and interviews are the major presentations.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course is divided into two sections. First, the class explores ethical parameters involved in communication from a variety of social, cultural, and disciplinary perspectives. Second, the class investigates historic and contemporary standards and issues involving freedom of speech and press.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 0-4

Activity course involving participation in intercollegiate forensics competition and leadership/professional development. Students will build upon skills established in CMST 220 or through prior speech and debate experience to create, practice and compete in creative interpretive events, public address speeches, limited preparation events, and/or parli/LD debate. Students will also gain professional development in leadership experiences that enhance PR, team-building, and recruitment strategies for the team.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Development of skills in the analysis, application and evaluation of argumentative communication.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Discussion of and practice in reporting about public affairs and social issues, plus examination of copy editing and headline writing for traditional and new media.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Interpersonal communication skills are applied to psychological, social, and cultural theories of leadership to investigate how to successfully achieve goals through the establishment of relationships with others. Strategies of social influence, relational competence, equity and inclusion are discussed relative to the roles formal and informal leaders play across society.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Creation of photo, audio, video, and written content for multi-platform distribution. Includes critical consideration and application of content creation tools, social media management tools, and legal and ethical issues.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This is an advanced course in public presentation focused on improving presentational skills of speech delivery and language choice.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Planning, writing and delivering of broadcast news.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Students explore storytelling and other communicative practices to create and sustain the communities in which we live. Students explore rituals, symbols, and places perceived as mundane. Students analyze and reconstruct why community practices make up the foundation of our civic lives.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Special interest courses devoted to specific topics within the field of communication studies. Topics vary, and course may be retaken for credit under different topic headings.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Instruction in the fundamental concepts, terminology, techniques and applications of digital imaging in mass communication. Development of the basic skills necessary to design, create, manage and distribute photographic and video digital images in mass communication.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Addresses the principles and practices of advertising, emphasizing creative media strategies; strategic decision-making; and historical, social, legal, and economic influences. Students will research and develop an advertising implementation plan.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Practicum in typography, design, layout and production processes, including job budgeting and estimating, for newspapers, magazines, newsletters, brochures, posters, annual reports, direct mail and related print materials used public relations and journalism. Emphasis on graphic design software.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Communication impacts every facet of our experience of health and well-being. This course introduces students to the subdiscipline of health communication, its key concepts, and important theories and research in the field.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 0

Curricular Practical Training: Co-Operative Experience is a zero-credit full-time practical training experience for one summer and an adjacent fall or spring term. Special rules apply to preserve full-time student status. Please contact an advisor in your program for complete information.

Prerequisites: none

400 Level

Credits: 4

Students engage in an applied research or creative group project in a faculty member's area of interest. The project is led by the faculty member. The course may be repeated in different projects.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

A focus on the theory and practice of developing advocacy campaigns. Topics include audience research, message creation, message distribution, network analysis, and campaign effectiveness.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course is an overview of key performance studies concepts, including cultural performance, performance of everyday life, theories of play, social influence, and identity performance. Students will develop and present performances as a means to understand theoretical concepts.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Special interest courses devoted to specific topics within relationship communication. Topics vary, and course may be retaken for credit under different topic headings.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course is designed to develop an understanding of communication studies in the organizational context. The course will aid each individual in working more effectively within any type of organization through exposure to major theories and works in the area of organizational communication.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Special interest courses devoted to specific topics within the intersecting fields of rhetoric and culture. Topics vary, and course may be retaken for credit under different topic headings.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Special interest courses devoted to specific topics within field of American Public Address. Topics vary, and course may be retaken for credit under different topic headings.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This is a special interest course devoted to the development of students¿ understanding of the strategies and practices of communication in cultural contexts. The course is an experiential course involving travel, typically outside the United States.

Prerequisites: none

Diverse Cultures: Gold

Credits: 4

This course interrogates difference as a communicative production. Students will examine social identities - in the form of race, social class, sex/gender/sexuality, age, and ability - as socially constructed communication phenomena used to understand the self and others. The course will involve both historical and contemporary investigations of how social identities have been produced through time, and how they continue to affect - and be affected by - everyday communication practices. In short, this course will investigate the dynamic relationship between culture and identity, and how communication facilitates that relationship.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This class uses a critical and cultural approach to explore the intersections of gender, race, and media across multiple media platforms, including film, television, news, social media, and other emerging media.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

The course provides explanations and analysis of the historical evolution of American mass communication from the colonial period of the 1600s to the present. Students will study media history within the broader contexts of American social and cultural history. Developing a deeper understanding of how mass media evolved will lead to a deeper and more effective comprehension of the roles and effects of mass communication in today's society.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

The course fulfills secondary licensure requirements for Communication Arts and Literature. First, the course covers teaching methods and materials needed to develop units for communication courses in grades 5-12. Second, the course covers methods and techniques in the development of competitive speech programs in grades 5-12.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Crisis Communication is an integral part of public relations. A crisis communications strategy is critical for organizations of every size. This course examines crisis typologies, theoretical approaches and applications, and crisis management and communication strategies.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

A critical analysis of contemporary social movement discourse and the means for advocacy by a movement. We examine communication theories, issues, trends, social movement processes, advocacy strategies, and how it all ties back into the field of contemporary communication studies.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Grassroots campaigning is a proven strategy of civic discourse, engagement, and advocacy. Grassroots organizing works from the bottom up and is uniquely suited to engage historically marginalized constituencies and to amplify the voiced of traditionally excluded populations. This course emphasizes a practical, skills-based approach grassroots advocacy using communication strategies and tactics.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Practical skill in the development of public relations writing including news releases, brochures, public service announcements, pitch letters, annual reports.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Course is designed to give students a theoretical understanding of competitive speech and debate.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

In this advanced nonfiction writing course, students will analyze examples of professional media writing and employ techniques to create a portfolio of persuasive, informative, and personal writing for a variety of media markets.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

A course designed for students who have a general interest in communication studies. Content of each special topics course will be different. May be retaken for credit.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This theory and research-oriented course examines the relationship between communication and conflict, and is designed to provide students with knowledge and skills in dealing with conflict situations.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Exploration of historic and contemporary examples of strategic public relations successes and failures. Analysis of public relations practices related to these cases, including planning, communication, evaluation exercises and management responsibilities.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Trains students in mass communication production within the contexts of agriculture, food, and life sciences to create multimedia content about science, technology, and other complex agricultural issues. Drawing on interviews, research, and theories, students will create targeted, multimedia campaigns for expert and general audiences.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course is designed to provide students with the theoretical foundations necessary to both participate and critique arguments. Students will engage contemporary theories of argumentation and apply those theories in discussion and formal debate.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

This course focuses on the theory and criticism of mass communication in global contexts. It trains students to analyze and evaluate global media in cultural contexts toward becoming media literate consumers and producers. Course is taught in English.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Special interest courses devoted to specific topics within health communication. Topics vary, and course may be retaken for credit under different topic headings.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 4

Hands-on production of interactive documentary content for online audiences. Special focus may include web series, docu games, interactive documentary, and virtual and augmented reality.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 2

Focused on guiding students through the final steps in their major including career preparation, networking, interviewing, and the job or graduate school application process.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-4

Discussion and hands-on experience involving mass media activities. Topic varies.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1

Students synthesize research and learning and/or prepare portfolios and job application materials. Course must be taken in the last semester in the major.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-12

First-hand experience in the classroom assisting a faculty member.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 2-4

.

Prerequisites: none

Credits: 1-2

Directed research on a mass media topic chosen by the student.

Prerequisites: none