One of the most widely sought skills in organizations today is the ability to communicate effectively. Meeting the communication challenges of organizations requires an understanding of an expanded body of knowledge related to individual behaviors, group behaviors and the organizational context within which these behaviors occur.
Research reveals mastery of communication skills contributes to successful job performance.
Students will develop a theoretical base on which to build problem-solving, organizational strategies, listening, rhetorical sensitivity, confidence, and presentational skills. The major blends the traditional disciplines of business and speech communication to meet contemporary organizational communication needs. In its exploration of the interrelationship between organizations and communication, organizational communication represents one of the most rapidly expanding fields of study going into the twenty-first century. The major consists of a core of five speech communication courses, one technical writing course, a sequence of three courses which emphasize marketing, management, or professional communication or human resources and three elective courses. A minimum of 45 credits is needed to complete the major, with at least 24 credits earned at McKendree College.