Communication Major at Shady Grove

The Universities at Shady Grove
9636 Gudelsky Drive
5119 Camille Kendall Academic Center (Building III)
Rockville, MD 20850
Phone: 301-738-6208
sgcomm@umd.edu
http://shadygrove.umd.edu/academics/degree-programs/ba-communication/

Program Director: Leah Waks, Ph.D.

The department offers an exciting curriculum that prepares students for academic and professional careers in business, government, health, education, social and human services, and related fields.  Courses offered by the department include persuasion and social influence, rhetoric and the analysis of messages, communication and new media, digital communication, organizational communication, public relations strategies, and intercultural communication.  All students in the program at Shady Grove are required to complete mandatory advising each semester.

Admission to the Major

Students interested in Communication should have an overall GPA of 2.7 or better, and a grade of "C-" or better in each of the three courses specifically required by the major (COMM250, COMM107, Statistics, or their equivalents). Applicants should also attain junior standing (56 or more transferable college credits) by the time of enrollment. For more information on admission and 1xx or 2xx-level coursework requirements, please visit the Communication website at http://shadygrove.umd.edu/academics/degree-programs/ba-communication/ or the Transfer Credit Services website at http://transfercredit.umd.edu. Requirements for the major are as follows:

1. Complete one of the following courses with a grade of "C-" or better: BMGT230, CCJS200, EDMS451, PSYC200, SOCY201, STAT100 or equivalent.
2. Complete COMM107, COMM200, COMM230, or equivalent with a grade of "C-" or better
3. Complete COMM250 or equivalent with a grade of "C-" or better
4. A cumulative GPA of 2.7 or better

Students may repeat only one of the gateway courses and that may be repeated only once in their attempt to meet the requirements.

Transfer Students

Internal and external transfer students who meet the gateway requirements specified above and have a cumulative GPA of 2.7 in all college-level coursework may apply to the program.

Appeals

All students may appeal admission decisions. Those students denied admission may appeal to the university's Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the degree program in Communication, students should be able to demonstrate the following knowledge and skills:

1. An ability to distinguish among a variety of theoretical approaches in the communication discipline and use them appropriately and effectively in academic work.
2. An ability to conduct research and write research reports employing social scientific and/or humanistic approaches in the communication discipline.
3. An ability to argue clearly and effectively in a speech.

Chair: S. Parry-Giles

Director: L. Waks

Assistant Director: R. Nuredini

Academic Program Management Specialist: S. Soza

Professors: L. Aldoory, X. Nan, S. Parry-Giles, T. Parry-Giles

Associate Professors: L. Anderson, N. Joyce, S. Khamis, B. Liu, K. Maddux, K. Namkoong, D. Pfister, A. Seate, C. Steele, C. Woods

Assistant Professors: J. Kim, S. Lee

Senior Lecturers: S. Bae, R. Mazzone, A. Nixon, J. Olson, C. Pope

Lecturers: L. Edelstein, I. Genovese, M. Kaufer, J. Soeder

The course of study for a Communication major must satisfy all of the following requirements:

Notes:

• Because the department's curriculum changes over time, the department's Undergraduate Director may approve other appropriate Communication courses to meet the requirements for each track.
• Courses required for the Communication major, but taken outside COMM, may be used to satisfy general education requirements.
• Only 3 credits of COMM386 may apply toward the major.
• No course grade below the grade of "C-" may count toward the major.
• An overall GPA of 2.0 in the major is required for graduation.

Roadmaps for all four-year plans can be found here. Select the College of your major to find the corresponding roadmap.

For more information on developing a four-year academic plan, please refer to the Student Academic Success-Degree Completion Policy section of this catalog.

Advising is available throughout the year in the Camille Kendall Academic Center, Suite 5119. Students should check Testudo for their registration date and for any mandatory advising blocks.

Undergraduate Research Experiences

Research experiences include assisting on faculty research projects, and participating in special team research projects.

Fieldwork Opportunities

To further enhance learning and career training, the department incorporates special hands-on classes such as Health Communication Campaigns, Visual Communication, and Web Design. The department also strongly promotes internship and service learning opportunities with local and state businesses and institutions, and encourages students' participation in student-run clubs.

Internships

The department's internship program helps communication majors gain professional experience, build a professional portfolio, and take the first steps toward a career. The department structures its internship program around a course, COMM386: Experiential Learning, offered each school term.

Student Societies and Professional Organizations

Social and academic activities are available to students by participating in the following student organizations: the Undergraduate Communication Association and the Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society.

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

The department offers the Chaim and Miriam Bentzlovitch Scholarship to students who exhibit academic excellence. Each year the department distributes a call for applications through email.