Courses include the study of rhetorical and communication theory, and the application of that theory in public speaking and group communication. The program allows each student to develop a degree focus by consulting with a faculty advisor in the selection of advanced speech communication courses, courses in a minor, and elective courses. Students may qualify for an internship course to prepare for communication-related work in private and public institutions. Recent surveys of employers indicate that effective communication especially oral communication is a quality highly desired by firms offering positions to liberal arts graduates. The career interests of speech communication majors vary.
Some students pursue advanced degrees in communication, law, business or the ministry.
Others take communication-related positions in marketing and sales, training and personnel, public relations, mass media, and related areas of business, industry and government. Still others prepare for teaching careers. Course selections must be made in accordance with the appropriate catalog as determined by the College of Liberal Arts. New Student Orientations Students who have been officially accepted by the College of Liberal Arts as SCOM majors must attend a New Student Orientation Meeting conducted by the SCOM Coordinator of Undergraduate Advising. The meeting is used to explain general degree requirements, to explain required courses in Speech Communication, and to access how a student's credits apply toward the B.A. in Speech Communication.