Bachelor of Arts in Communication

The world needs people who can communicate

Everyone has a story to tell. With Trine University’s Bachelor of Arts with a major in communication, you can help tell it better.

The experience: Practical opportunities that complement your coursework

In addition to the professionally focused coursework, you will put the skills you learn to use in on-campus experiences and internships.

Communication majors have the opportunity to call sporting events and work with the Trine Broadcasting Network to produce podcasts. You also can gain experience working for the Sports Information, Marketing or Admission offices. If you are interested in event promotion or journalism, you can participate on the HAC media team, which provides media coverage for events in the Jannen School.

The degree: Choose your specialty

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in communication program offers a comprehensive communication core, with coursework covering multiple media and optional training for specialized professional areas.

• COM+Criminal Justice: This professional track is ideal if you want to attend law school, communicate for law enforcement, or are interested in journalism related to legal proceedings. Students in this track earn a criminal justice minor.
• COM+Sports and Recreation: This professional track prepares you to work in marketing and communication for sports organizations, and/or sports broadcasting.
• COM+Environment: Carry out your passion for sustainability in this interdisciplinary track, which draws on biology and civil engineering to prepare you for work as a communication expert in a conservancy organization, government departments such as the EPA, or state or national park.
• COM+Strategic Focus: This professional track provides training that allows you to pursue specific career goals not addressed in specific COM+ tracks. Specific content will be decided in consultation with an advisor and the department chair.

Trine University is developing additional COM+ options. For more information on these or on existing programs, contact Jeanette Goddard, Ph.D., chair of the Department of Humanities and Communication.

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in communication curriculum requires the completion of 120 hours of course work. The average course load is 15 hours based on eight semesters.

General Education – 42 credit hours

• ENG 143 College Composition or ENG 133 Technical Communication
• SP 203 Effective Speaking
• FLM 203 Film Appreciation
• HUM 203 Humanities Seminar
• PSY 113 Principles of Psychology
• COM 123 The History of Media
• COM 163 Interpersonal Communication
• COM 203 Media and Society
• Social Science Elective – 3 credit hours
• Literature course – 3 credit hours
• Math elective - 3 credit hours
• Science elective - 3 credit hours
• Math or Science elective - 3 credit hours
• General Education - 3 credit hours

Program Requirements – 48 credit hours

Communication Core

• COM 111 Communication Practices and Professions
• COM 213 Business Communication
• COM 233 Intercultural Communication
• COM 263 Communication Theories and Research
• COM 293 Argumentation and Debate
• COM 301 Media Practicum (taken twice) (2)
• COM 433 Media Law and Ethics
• COM 4013 Senior Capstone Internship
• or COM 4281 Senior Communication Proposal
• and COM 4292 Senior Communication Project

Public Relation Core

• COM 153 Principles of Public Relations
• COM 253 Event Planning and Promotion
• COM 353 Public Relations Writing and Production
• COM 363 Rhetoric and Persuasion
• COM 453 Public Relations Planning and Campaigns

Digital Media Core

• COM 183 Writing for Media
• COM 243 Digital Media Creation
• COM 343 Web Content Management
• COM 383 Advanced Writing for the Media

Additional Requirements – 45 credit hours

• UE 101 University Experience
• Free Electives – 14 credit hours

Choose from one of the following professional preparation tracks

COM+Criminal Justice - 15 credit hours

• LE 103 Introduction to Criminal Justice
• LE 153 Juvenile Justice
• LE 253 Probation, Parole, and Community Corrections
• LE 263 Introduction to Criminal Law and Justice
• LE 273 Criminal Procedures and Evidence

COM+Sports - 15 credit hours

• EXS 103 Teaching of Sports Skills I
• EXS 123 Teaching of Sports Skills II
• EXS 203 Risk of Sports
• EXS 221 Officiating
• EXS 483 Professional Development in Exercise Science

COM+Environment - choose 15 hours

• BIO 124/124L Principles of Biology II and Laboratory
• BIO 214/214L Conservation and Laboratory
• BIO 222 Florida Keys Trip
• BIO 334/334L Environmental Biology and Laboratory
• EAS 213 Physical Geography
• CE 3101 Environmental Engineering Laboratory
• CE 3103 Environmental Engineering (CH 114 prerequisite waived for COM+ majors)
• CE 4113 Environment Remediation

COM+Theater

• THE 103 Intro to Theater
• COM 323 Advanced Public Speaking
• COM 423 Arts & Non-Profit Communication

Choose 9 hours:

• THE 203 Theater Production
• THE 303 Special Topics (can be repeated)

COM+Esports

• EXS 223 Esports Analytics
• EXS 253 Esports Administration
• HIS 283 History of Gaming
• SM 393 Sport Psychology
• CSIT 163 Using Programming Language to Solve Problems

COM+Strategic Focus

Choose at least 15 hours in consultation with your COM major advisor.

These courses must be approved by the HAC department chair to ensure they meet the professional track requirements.

The result: Be prepared for a communications career

Over the past five years, 100 percent of communication majors have been employed in the field, including areas such as:

• Sports communication
• Media production
• Social media management
• Journalism and broadcasting
• Public relations
• Corporate and organizational communication

Careers

The Bachelor of Arts with a major in communication students have career possibilities that include:

• Public Relations Manager or Consultant
• Marketing Coordinator
• Special Event Planner or Publicist
• Director of Corporate Communications
• Newscaster or Sports Announcer
• Reporter or Editor
• Director of Sports Information
• Media Account Manager
• Director of Development
• Webmaster or Web Designer
• Radio Station Manager
• Media Buyer
• Professional Fundraiser
• Community Affairs Coordinator
• Communication Professor
• Press Secretary or Spokesperson
• Alumni Relations Coordinator
• Public Information Officer
• Blogger
• Communications Consultant
• Non-profit Communication Director
• Video Producer or Editor