Concentrations

Overview

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BA in Communication Overview

The CSUEB BA in Communication will help to provide both hard and soft skills for placement in the areas sugh as Journalism, Media, Social Media, Video Production, Research, Public Relations, Advertising, Entertainment, and Digital Analytics to name a few.

Google, Facebook, Twitter, GoPro, Pandora, Apple, YouTube, DropBox, Pixar, LucasFilms, Adobe, Oracle, Uber, Lyft are some of the companies that call the Bay Area home. We are actively involved in helping our students land internship and entry level job opportunities at these companies. The Bay Area is also home to a number of television and radio stations, sports networks and sports teams, which provide fertile ground for our aspiring students.

The BA in Communication features the integration of theories and criticism with essential skills for media production, professional engagement, and meaningful research. Graduates will be able to make a positive, professional, and important contribution in communication theory and research, Strategic Communication, Media Production, and Communication and Media Studies. Students will study, research and analyze the perspectives that will lead to  becoming inclusive, ethical, and effective leaders and participants in global and local communities. You will acquire skills in critical analysis, speaking, writing, and visual presentations across all media. You will learn about the changing world of today’s and future media as well as the long history of the relationship between communication, self, and society and be prepared for a broad array of careers or graduate studies. All undergraduates must complete 32 units in 8 core courses in communication and select one of three concentrations:

  • Media Production emphasizing digital media production skills that converge, print, audio, visual, and video communication
  • Strategic Communication that converges the study of Advertising, Public Relations and Organizational Communication
  • Communication and Media Studies, designed to give students maximum flexibility in the 21st century job market while providing ample depth for those wishing to pursue graduate study

Numerous two and four-year program roadmaps in the University Catalog demonstrate pathways through the program. Please see an advisor to create an education plan that is customized to meet your needs.

A BA degree requires a total of 120 units:

  • The major requirements consists of 60-62 units
  • General Education & Graduation Requirements consists of 57 units ;
  • Free Electives may consist of 0 units (actual number of free elective units may depend on GE/GR units).

Note: It may be possible to double-count units within the graduation requirements or that a course may satisfy both a graduation requirement and a major requirement. Students should contact their program and AACE advisors for information.

The BA in Communication Major Requires 60-62 units total, including core and concentration classes

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Communication core coursework consists of 32 units as outlined:

All students must take one (1) from the following two courses for 4 units:

  • COMM 202 - Communication, Media and Culture Units: 4

OR
  • COMM 206 - New Media in the Digital Age Units: 4

 

All students must also take all of the following seven (7) courses for 28 units:

  • COMM 203 - Communication Theories Units: 4
  • COMM 224 - Argumentation and Advocacy Units: 4
  • COMM 240 - Visual Communication and Culture Units: 4
  • COMM 256 - Persuasion Theory and Practice Units: 4
  • COMM 304 - Quantitative Communication Research Methods Units: 4
  • COMM 305 - Qualitative Communication Research Methods Units: 4
  • COMM 433 - Discourses of Difference Units: 4

In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University’s baccalaureate requirements for graduation, which are described in the Undergrad Baccalaureate & Program Requirements chapter of the current catalog. 

BA in Communication, Communication and Media Studies Concentration

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The Communication and Media Studies BA program is designed to give students maximum flexibility in the 21st century job market while providing ample depth for those wishing to pursue graduate study. The concentration consists of 28 units outlined as follows:

Students must take the following five (5) courses for 20 units:


  • COMM 300 - History and Criticism of Communication Units: 4
  • COMM 320 - Persuasion in Media Units: 4
  • COMM 330 - Critical/Cultural Studies Units: 4
  • COMM 425 - Digital Cultures Units: 4
  • COMM 461 - Popular Culture Units: 4

 

Students must also take two (2) of the following electives for 8 units:


  • COMM 323 - Communication of Difference Units: 4
  • COMM 326 - Social Media and Social Change Literacies Units: 4
  • COMM 400 - Film, Communication and Culture Units: 4
  • COMM 416 - Communication, Technology, and Social Change Units: 4
  • COMM 417 - Game Studies Units: 4
  • COMM 418 - Organizational Change, Creativity, and Innovation Units: 4
  • COMM 420 - Organizational Transformation Units: 4
  • COMM 488 - Conflict Management Units: 4
  • COMM 497 - Issues in Communication Units: 4

BA in Communication, Strategic Communication Concentration  

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The Strategic Communication concentration converges the study of Advertising, Public Relations and Organizational Communication. It consists of 28 units as outlined as follows:

Students must take all of the following courses for 24 units:


  • COMM 310 - Introduction to Organizational Communication & Long Term Thinking Units: 4
  • COMM 321 - Research in Persuasive Communication Units: 4
  • COMM 357 - Principles of Advertising Units: 4
  • COMM 358 - Principles of Public Relations Units: 4
  • COMM 387 - Advertising Design and Production Units: 4
  • COMM 453 - Strategic Communication Campaigns Units: 4

 

Students must choose one (1) course from the following for 4 units:


  • COMM 314 - Journalism Theory and Practice Units: 4
  • COMM 326 - Social Media and Social Change Literacies Units: 4
  • COMM 328 - Multimedia Reporting & Writing I Units: 4
  • COMM 361 - Professional Speaking in Strategic Communication Units: 4
  • COMM 362 - User Experience Research and Design Units: 4
  • COMM 398 - Internship Units: 1-4
  • COMM 410 - Organizing Cultures of Innovation and Empathy Units: 4
  • COMM 420 - Organizational Transformation Units: 4

BA in Communication, Media Production Concentration 

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The Media Production concentration consists of 30 units as outline as follows:

  • Students must take one (1) of the following for four (4) units: 

  • COMM 312 - Media History and Social Justice Units: 4

  • OR

  • COMM 314 - Media Theory and Practice Units: 4

  •  

    Students must take ALL of the following courses for 19 units:

  • COMM 328 - Multimedia Reporting & Writing I Units: 4
  • COMM 333 - Photojournalism Units: 3
  • COMM 335 - Visual and Multimedia Storytelling I Units: 3
  • COMM 337 - Podcasting and Radio Units: 3
  • COMM 435 - Visual and Multimedia Storytelling II Units: 3
  • COMM 495 - Pioneer Media Production Units: 3

  •  

    Students must also choose one (1) from the following three (3) courses for 4 units:

  • COMM 316 - Media and Government Units: 4

  • OR

  • COMM 318 - Media Law and Ethics Units: 4

  • OR 

  • COMM 428 - Multimedia Reporting and Writing II Units: 4

 

  • All Multimedia Journalism concentration students must take the following Capstone Project for 3 units to complete the major:

  • COMM 493 - Capstone: Social Justice Project Units: 3

 

 

In addition to major requirements, every student must also complete the University’s baccalaureate requirements for graduation

Communication Minor  

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The Communication Minor requires students to take six (6) core courses and one (1) elective course for 28 units total.

Core requirements: Students must take the following 24 units:

  • COMM 202 - Communication, Media and Culture Units: 4
  • COMM 203 - Communication Theories Units: 4
  • COMM 300 - History and Criticism of Communication Units: 4
  • COMM 304 - Quantitative Communication Research Methods Units: 4
  • COMM 305 - Qualitative Communication Research Methods Units: 4
PLUS
  • COMM 206 - New Media in the Digital Age Units: 4
or
  • COMM 240 - Visual Communication and Culture Units: 4

Elective: Students must take one (1) of the following courses for 4 units selected in consultation with an advisor:

  • COMM 310 - Introduction to Organizational Communication & Long Term Thinking Units: 4
  • COMM 312 - Journalism History and Social Justice Units: 4
  • COMM 314 - Journalism Theory and Practice Units: 4
  • COMM 316 - Media and Government Units: 4
  • COMM 318 - Journalism Law and Ethics Units: 4
  • COMM 320 - Persuasion in Media Units: 4
  • COMM 321 - Research in Persuasive Communication Units: 4
  • COMM 323 - Communication of Difference Units: 4
  • COMM 326 - Social Media and Social Change Literacies Units: 4
  • COMM 328 - Multimedia Reporting & Writing I Units: 4
  • COMM 330 - Critical/Cultural Studies Units: 4
  • COMM 357 - Principles of Advertising Units: 4
  • COMM 358 - Principles of Public Relations Units: 4
  • COMM 361 - Professional Speaking in Strategic Communication Units: 4
  • COMM 362 - User Experience Research and Design Units: 4
  • COMM 387 - Advertising Design and Production Units: 4
  • COMM 400 - Film, Communication and Culture Units: 4
  • COMM 410 - Organizing Cultures of Innovation and Empathy Units: 4
  • COMM 416 - Communication, Technology, and Social Change Units: 4
  • COMM 417 - Game Studies Units: 4
  • COMM 418 - Organizational Change, Creativity, and Innovation Units: 4
  • COMM 420 - Organizational Transformation Units: 4
  • COMM 425 - Digital Cultures Units: 4
  • COMM 428 - Multimedia Reporting and Writing II Units: 4
  • COMM 430 - Media Studies Units: 4
  • COMM 453 - Strategic Communication Campaigns Units: 4
  • COMM 455 - Communication, Media, and Society Units: 4
  • COMM 461 - Popular Culture Units: 4
  • COMM 465 - Identity and Difference in Media Units: 4
  • COMM 480 - Moral Economies of Digital Media Units: 4
  • COMM 485 - Future of Media and Society Units: 4
  • COMM 488 - Conflict Management Units: 4
  • COMM 497 - Issues in Communication Units: 4
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