Communication relates to how individuals, groups, organizations, societies, and cultures may establish humane and productive relationships in expressing needs, mediating problems, and pursuing goals. It is one of the oldest areas of academic study and, because of the transformation of personal and social life by the growth of media technologies, a central discipline. Students approach processes, practices and distortions involved in human communication from a critical perspective, and integrate application and theory throughout the curriculum.
Graduates of the program have successful careers in corporate and public settings, and working in media at all levels. Communication students have also continued their education in graduate programs and law schools around the country. Students are encouraged to supplement their academic work with participation in applied activities, including the Sheldon Multimedia Computer Lab, the campus radio stations (WCVF FM and WDVL Cable/FM), the campus television station (WNYF), the Applied Communication Association (ACA), which provides communication services to the community, and off-campus internships.
The department offers several awards and scholarships for entering freshmen, continuing students and graduating seniors, including the Louis C. and S. David Adler Scholarship, the Anne Bernstein Memorial Award, the Edward S. Edelman Scholarship, the Arthur R. Maytum Scholarship, and the Arlie Muller Parks Scholarship.
Internal Transfers: Students seeking to transfer into the Department of Communication from another department must have a 2.5 or above cumulative GPA to be eligible. If the student’s GPA is 3.0 or greater, he/she will be automatically admitted. If the GPA is below 3.0 (but 2.5 or higher), the student must successfully complete COMM 101 and at least one other COMM course. Grades in each COMM course must be C- or above and the cumulative GPA in COMM courses must be above 2.5. An internal application form (available from the department office) must be completed and returned to the office in order for the application request to be processed.
A major program in the Department of Communication requires 39.5 to 46.5 credit hours of study including 15.5 credit hours of core courses required by every student in the department and 24 to 31 credit hours of courses in the individual specialization. A minimum of 18 communication credit hours, including 12 credit hours within the major, must be taken at Fredonia.
Department of Communication Minimum Standards Policy:
Students in any of the communication majors must earn at last a C- grade in all courses in the major. This includes all courses taken as part of the major, both those in the department core (101, 102, 105, 155, 199, 201) and those additional courses in one of the five majors.
A student who receives a grade below C- in a course may repeat that course only once. If a student does not achieve a C- or better the second time, he/she will be required to change to a major outside of the Department of Communication.
If a course in the major is a prerequisite for another course in the major, the student will not be allowed to enroll in the second course if the grade in the prerequisite was less than a C-.
In addition, students must have, in order to graduate, a least a 2.5 average in the departmental core and in the rest of the courses in their chosen major. This does not include courses taken in the Department of Communication that do not apply to the student’s major.
Any student whose cumulative average in the major falls below 2.3 for three consecutive semesters in the department will be required to change to a major outside of the Department of Communication.
Double Major: Any student wishing to take a double major with both majors inside the communication department must take at least 15 additional credit hours in the second major (i.e., credit hours not used in the first major). Students should be aware that they may have to take more than 120 credit hours in order to accumulate the required 66 credit hours outside the department to graduate.
Minor: The department requires all students to declare and complete a minor outside the communication department or a 15 hour semester study abroad. The minor must be officially recognized by the offering department and be chosen in consultation with a Department of Communication advisor. Students electing the study abroad option are required to complete a complementary 3 credit hour course at Fredonia.
Cross-using Courses for Minors: Certain minors include some communication courses that may fulfill course requirements for that minor. Students may use (double-dip) only one COMM course (maximum 4 credit hours) required for the Communication major to fulfill course requirements for the minor.
Students who have dual majors with both majors inside the Department of Communication are still required to have a minor outside the department or to meet the criteria for the study abroad option. A second major outside the communication department will also satisfy the minor requirement.
Substitutions in requirements for majors may be made only by approval of faculty members designated for the specific majors.
Course offerings and requirements for the majors may be changed. Students are urged to see the department for the latest requirements.