Program Codes:
BACOMM
Bachelor of Arts
Introduction
The curriculum of the Communication Department is designed to create professionally flexible communicators who are both non-fiction digital storytellers and multimedia specialists. All communication professionals engage in similar functions: gathering information and data, formulating audience analysis, and creating, expressing, disseminating and evaluating messages. Therefore, each graduate must be proficient in writing, speaking, digital media, and visual communication along with the ability to collect and express data, as well as organize, evaluate and plan strategically.
Students are required to complete a core sequence that covers areas of interpersonal and intrapersonal communication, research and data analysis, skill development (technical and writing), and professional development. The curriculum employs a practical approach where students build their portfolio of skills in every class.
Aside from the completion of the core classes, students in their junior and senior year working with their advisors craft a focused path based on their professional goals. These classes offer them application of communication skills through realworld experiences. The capstone is completed as an industry internship.
Upon graduation, students are prepared for entry into the communication industry in high-paying areas of content creation and management that include traditional media, social media, customer experience and strategic communication.
Mission Statement
The Department of Communication seeks to provide a wide-lens, hands-on and whole person approach to communication that will prepare students for an entrylevel position in a variety of industries in and relating to the field of communication or to pursue study at the graduate level.
To this end we:
Department Offerings
Major
Integrated Media & Strategic Communication
Minors
Communication
Social Media and Web Management
Department Standards
Communication Department majors are required to maintain a 3.0 GPA in major course work and earn a C or higher in all required courses. No major or minor course can be taken on a pass/fail basis. Students who fail to earn a grade of C or better in a required course must repeat the course.
Internship
Students majoring in communication or integrated marketing communication must complete an internship before graduation. For-credit and not-for-credit options exist, allowing students the maximum flexibility in completing the requirement. A minimum of 150 hours for the zero-credit option and 200 hours for the three-credit option must be completed to count toward graduation requirements. The department reccomends that students complete more than one internship to be competitive in the marketplace. Students must register for the course before starting the internship to count toward the graduation requirement.
Electives
Major Electives
Students choose 24 credits in consultation with their advisor to demonstrate an area of specialty within each elective cluster. Communication majors should choose courses with a COM prefix. A minor or double major outside the department may count toward this requirement.
Free Electives
Students choose free electives that may or may not relate to the Communication Department or their major. If students choose to complete a three-credit internship, no credits in this category would be required, if a student chooses a zero-credit internship, three credits would be taken in this category. Credits for a minor in another area or double major can count toward this requirement.
A bachelor’s degree in Integrated Media & Strategic Communication from Mercyhurst University prepares students to either enter the workforce at the entry level or to pursue graduate education. The learning outcomes were derived from and continue to be modified by studies of the needs of the communication industry as well as surveys and interviews with alumni who are now working in the field as well as through data collected relating to the knowledge, skills, and abilities demanded from employers in the field of communication.
We recognize that because the field of communication is multi-faceted and always expanding, it is essential to not merely teach students the skills they need to enter the workforce—the skills used today very well may be outdated within the next decade. Instead, we provide not only the most up-to-date skills to enter the field of communication but also theoretical knowledge paired with critical thinking, creativity and ethical skills which will allow our graduates to embrace and adapt to changes in the industry.
The goal of the academic program is to produce a lifelong learner who possesses a general knowledge of the many facets of communication while specializing in one or more areas within the field. Upon graduation, students will demonstrate mastery of the following learning outcomes:
Bachelor of Arts Major Requirements
Communication is interdisciplinary as professionals are engaged in similar functions (gathering information and data, creating, disseminating and evaluating messages) and must be prepared with necessary skills including writing, speaking and visual communication, as well as the ability to develop a plan, organize, evaluate and think strategically.
The communication program is designed to prepare students for entry to the communication industry in high-paying areas. Our students are equal parts data analyst, storyteller, and multimedia specialist. Students are required to complete a core sequence that covers areas of interpersonal and intrapersonal communication, research and data analysis, skill development (technical and writing), and professional development to accomplish these skills. The core sequence cultivates an improved understanding of the role, practice, and analysis of communication in media, social and economic systems.
The curriculum employs a “learn by doing” approach to expose students to the necessary knowledge and skills to enter a chosen career path and advance within their profession. In each of the courses in the curriculum, students are assigned projects appropriate for inclusion in a professional portfolio. These projects are detailed on each major course syllabus.
COMMUNICATION CORE - 30 credits ELECTIVES - 24 credits TOTAL - 54 credits
This foundational course introduces students to basic design concepts, computer literacy and software competency. Through various exercises, students will experience four of the basic types of publishing tools used by designers -- Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design and Dreamweaver.
An overview of communication in the U.S. and around the world including legal, ethical and social issues, this course examines the relationship between media and society, history of mass media and development of communication industry. This survey class examines print journalism, movie industry, media research, magazines, advertising, public relations, new technologies and more.
This course explores theories and research methods used in communication; specifically, the course demonstrates how theory guides practice and the nature of theory as it is used in the field of communication. Further, the course provides students with the concepts, methods and tools through a conceptual and practical understanding of primary, secondary, qualitative and quantitative research. Through readings, discussion, research, writing and in-class activities, students will learn how communication theories are developed, analyzed, evaluated and applied to real-world situations and will develop skills needed to criticize research literature and apply basic research methods to understand a research problem.
Students are given basic instruction in producing video utilizing computer software. Instruction combines theoretical concepts with practical field experience.
(Complete 3 courses from each of the following 2 categories and 2 classes from the last category. In order to graduate a student needs at least 3 courses at the 300 level & 2 courses at the 400 level in major cluster electives) Other General Theory, Planning or Management course with approval
This course is designed to help students develop an informed, critical and practical understanding of new communication media. Students will explore the goals and methods of various media industries, identify the effects media has on the culture, understand benefits and potential negative effects of media content, and identify techniques to become more media literate as individuals and a society.
This course prepares future professional communicators to make informed media decisions, through understanding the historical, legal and ethical context for judgment of issues in mass media through in-class discussion, simulation and modeling. The legislative, regulatory and case law that governs professional communication with an emphasis on the law's role in protecting or in inhibiting communicators' activities is covered.
COMM-185
This class explores the power of professional communication and the responsibilities it creates for practitioners. Various codes of ethics available within the industry will be explored and students create a personal code of values and principles of practice to guide their decision making in the field.
Students are exposed to the theories of and major case studies in crisis communication. Techniques and strategies in crisis communication are explored and students apply their knowledge through a crisis management project.
This course takes an in-depth look at search engines, search engine optimization, social networks, social media platforms and online advertising to offer students an advantage in many positions involving marketing, consulting and brand management both on the buyer and seller side of social media. Students with an interest in entrepreneurship will also find the course useful as new businesses often rely on digital marketing. Students will have the opportunity as part of the class to earn a Google AdWords certification. Further, students will participate in the Google Online Marketing Challenge as their term-long project.
This course ties together print, broadcast, and computer skills, theory and practice, for the new digital media world. Students are challenged to extend their knowledge by creating specific digital content for a campus media (Merciad, Laker TV, WMCE, podcasts).
Other Skills course with approval
Students learn preparation of copy and news packages for radio, television and streaming video. This course includes videography, video and audio editing and news programming.
Practical training and theoretical concepts of the process of selecting visual and aural components for editing. Classroom instruction centers on basic editing principles and utilizes numerous examples.
COMM 183, COMM 240
Students will practice developing, executing and evaluating complex communication plans for clients or communities to reach set goals and/or objective. In addition, the course content covers client management, budgeting and bidding.
This course focuses on gathering information and relaying it to a mass audience through various technologies, including blogs, websites and podcasts. Content includes online journalistic writing (using video, copywriting and photography), identifying and creating elements of a good story, merging research into writing, and synthesis of information.
COMM-184
Other Professional Extensions course with approval
This course provides students an opportunity to explore a topic of interest that may not be offered by the communication curriculum but is important for the student's career. The topic and learning objectives are determined by the faculty supervisor and student and are approved by the department chair.
A Communication minor complements a variety of majors and allows students to refine their professional and creative skills. The minor includes six courses. (For non-majors only)
COM 101 Communication in Society 3 credits
COM 102 Interpersonal Communication 3 credits
COM 260 Introduction to Social Media 3 credits
Three more electives from the COM prefix or departmentally approved electives (two courses must be 300-level or higher)
Social Media and Web Minor
The Social Media and Web minor couples with a student’s chosen major to harness the power of convergence in a network of related coursework and skill sets by training students in the professional use of emerging technologies and web-based communication. Combined with their major field of study, the Social Media and Web Minor prepares students to be skilled practitioners in the new media landscape. The courses enable students to participate in the virtual forum of cyberspace, to use proper protocols informed by communication theory and to adapt as protocols change. Students who are Communication Majors may pursue the Minor Electives Cluster in Website Design in the Art Department, while Graphic Design Majors may pursue the Minor Electives Cluster in Communication.
Social Media and Web Minor Required Courses
ART 128 Basic Computer Design 3 credits
ART 221 Digital Imagery 3 credits
ART 321 Introduction to Website Design 3 credits
COM 260 Intro to Social Media 3 credits
Minor Electives Cluster (Chose one - if courses in the minor cluster are required for your major, please take the opposite cluster)
ART 225 Computer Illustration Technology 3 credits
ART 325 Intermediate Website Design 3 credits
OR
COM 202 Contemporary Media Literacy 3 credits
COM 240 Digital Video Production I 3 credits