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Pamela Caraccioli, adjunct
professor in the department of communication studies,
works with music and biological science student
Bryan Lowery
'10 and Shannon
Reid '08, a business
administration major, on PowerPoint presentations
for their class Com 210 "Critical Thinking
and Public Speaking." |
A new minor at SUNY Oswego in communication and social
interaction aims to bolster the interactive knowledge
and ability of students not majoring in that field.
“I think it’s going to appeal to a broad
range of majors,” program coordinator Nola Heidlebaugh,
a professor of communication studies, said of the minor
that becomes official this fall. “We’ve
never had a communication minor before. There has been
a lot of interest expressed. We’re pleased to
have responded to that.”
Around 20 percent of those taking communication courses
are enrolled in other majors, coming from such programs
as anthropology, business, English, music, psychology,
sociology and theatre. In addition, many students come
through the “Foundations of Communication”
or “Critical Thinking and Public Speaking”
general education courses and discover the many applications
of the field.
“This minor will build on the interpersonal and
public speaking courses, and that area of communication,”
Heidlebaugh said. Because many courses to meet those
needs already exist, the added minor doesn’t require
creating new classes or much reorganization of resources.
In exploring the possibility of adding the minor, planners
found an increased need for understanding the theory
and practice of communication, and avenues to learn
more about communication as it relates to organizations,
ethics, conflict resolution, aging, cognition, rhetoric,
multiculturalism and media literacy.
Core requirements are “Foundations of Communication,”
“Critical Thinking and Public Speaking”
and “Introduction to Mass Media,” as well
as either “Interpersonal Communication”
or “Group Interaction and Discussion.”
Another six-credit sequence would include two courses
from either of two tracks. The minor is capped by a
theory and research requirement from either the “Communication
Theories” or “Qualitative Communication
Research Methods” classes.
Those pursuing the minor would gain additional knowledge
in persuasion — which Heidlebaugh said is useful
to all students — as well as public address and
organizational communication. She added that, depending
on what courses the student chooses, there are opportunities
to add depth in conflict management, interpersonal communication,
intercultural communication and qualitative analysis.
Some courses from outside the communications program
could conceivably be substituted, such as ones that
teach qualitative research, with advisers’ permission,
Heidlebaugh said.
The creation of the minor comes in tandem with forthcoming
revisions to the college's human communication major,
she added.
—Tim Nekritz M ’05 |
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To May 2007 E-Newsletter |
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