Academic Programs Catalog

College of Communication Arts and Sciences

Department of Communication

Undergraduate Program
Communication Leadership and Strategy

The goal of the major in Communication Leadership and Strategy is to train students in the communication principles, strategies, and initiatives used to further an organization’s goals, mission, or values. It is a multidisciplinary professional communication field, drawing upon communication practices found in related disciplines, including interpersonal, organization, and mass communication and research analytics. The major is designed to equip students to: engage in comprehensive audience and information-environment analysis, use excellent interpersonal, organizational and leadership skills with diverse audiences, conduct formative and post-campaign research, understand social media analytics, engage in rapid response crisis communication for organizations, and create strategic plans that leverage multiple communication competencies to inform, influence, and motivate internal and external stakeholders. Undergraduate work in strategic communication creates greater awareness of large-scale organizational goals and how to use communication, leadership, and strategy to achieve them. Students will learn how to integrate various vertical communication functions such as public relations, information operations, analytics, and advertising into overall grand strategy. Majors will commonly pursue careers in strategic communication, information operations, political strategy, or corporate communication.

Requirements for the Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Leadership and Strategy

  1. The University requirements for bachelor's degrees as described in the Undergraduate Education section of the catalog; 120 credits, including general elective credits, are required for the Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication Leadership and Strategy.

    The University's Tier II writing requirement for the Communication Leadership and Strategy major is met by completing one of the following courses: Communication 475 or 480.  Those courses are referenced in item 3. below.
  2. The requirements of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences for the Bachelor of Arts degree.
  3. The following requirements for the major:
    a. All of the following courses (38 credits):
    COM 100 Human Communication 3
    COM 225 An Introduction to Interpersonal Communication 3
    COM 240 Introduction to Organizational Communication 4
    COM 275 Effects of Mass Communication 3
    COM 280 Principles, Practices and Ethics of Strategic Communication 4
    COM 300 Methods of Communication Inquiry 4
    COM 325 Interpersonal Influence and Conflict 3
    COM 340 Leadership and Group Communication 3
    COM 380 Crisis Communication and Rapid Response 3
    COM 475 Communication Campaign Design and Analysis (W) 4
    COM 480 Capstone in Communication Leadership and Strategy 4
    b. One course from each of the following areas (a minimum of 8 credits):
    Research Methods and Analytics
    ADV 442 Digital Analytics 3
    COM 301 Special Topics in Communication Science, Analytics and Research Methods 3
    MI 220 Methods for Understanding Users 3
    MI 350 Evaluating Human-Centered Technology 3
    MI 355 Media and Information Research 3
    PLS 202 Introduction to Data Analytics and the Social Sciences 3
    PSY 295 Data Analysis in Psychological Research 3
    PSY 342 Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination 3
    SOC 281 Social Research Methods 4
    SOC 282 Quantitative Analysis for Social Research 4
    STT 200 Statistical Methods 3
    Computer-Mediated Communication and Social Media
    ADV 420 New Media Driver’s License 3
    ADV 431 Monitoring and Measuring Social Media of Brands 3
    COM 302 Special Topics in Health Communication 3
    COM 304 Special Topics in Interpersonal Communication 3
    COM 305 Special Topics in Mediated Communication 3
    JRN 203 Visual Storytelling 3
    MI 101 Understanding Media and Information 3
    MI 201 Introduction to Information Science 3
    MI 305 Media and Information Policy 3
    MI 462 Social Media and Social Computing 3
    Culture and Diversity
    ANP 200 Navigating Another Culture 2
    COM 310 Intercultural Communication 3
    COM 320 Diversity and Communication 3
    COM 440 Organizational Communication Structure (W) 4
    JRN 475 International News and Government Dynamics 3
    MI 480 Information and Communication Technologies and Development 3
    PR 310 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in Public Relations and Advertising 3
    PSY 342 Stereotypes, Prejudice, and Discrimination 3
    SOC 161 International Development and Change 3
    SOC 215 Race and Ethnicity 3