Program Requirements

First Semester

Course #Course TitleCreditsPrerequisites/Comments

103-102Microsoft Office Suite21st 8 WeeksThe goal of this course is to provide an introduction to Microsoft Office Suite and how it is used in academic, personal, and business environments. The students will become familiar with the Office user interface and use it as they work with Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Outlook. Navigate the Office interface by using tabs, ribbons, and groups.

699-105Document Design32nd 8 Weeks, Fall only | 801-136 or concurrent or 801-195 or 801-219 or concurrentThis course is an introduction to graphic design principles and process. It focuses on skills needed to design and layout communications. Visual language using print, iconic, and kinetic forms will be introduced.

699-107Professional/Technical Writing31st 8 Weeks, Fall only | 801-136 or concurrent or 801-195 or 801-219 or concurrentThis course provides an introduction to processes of technical and professional communication, emphasizing application of principles and problem-solving strategies to an array of assignments central to the work of career writers in the workplace.

801-136English Composition 13This course is designed for learners to develop knowledge and skills in all aspects of the writing process. Planning, organizing, writing, editing, and revising are applied through a variety of activities. Students will analyze audience and purpose, use elements of research and format documents using standard guidelines. Individuals will develop critical reading skills through analysis of various written documents.

809-198Intro to Psychology3This introductory course in psychology is a survey of the multiple aspects of human behavior. It involves a survey of the theoretical foundations of human functioning in such areas as learning, motivation, emotions, personality, deviance and pathology, physiological factors, and social influences. Additional topics include research methods, biological and environmental impacts, development, sensation and perception, consciousness, intelligence and stress. This course directs the student to an insightful understanding of the complexities of human relationships in personal, social, and vocational settings.

890-115Online Success Strategies11st 8 WeeksIn this course you will learn how to be successful in an online learning environment. You will explore the common characteristics of successful online learners as well as barriers to learning and how to overcome them. The concept of an online learning community will be examined and demonstrated through participation.

TOTAL CREDITS:15 

Second Semester

Course #Course TitleCreditsPrerequisites/Comments

699-115Editing and Proofreading31st 8 Weeks, Spring only | 801-136 or 801-195 or 801-219This course gives students skills and practice needed to edit communication for usage, capitalization, grammar, punctuation, and spelling. Students will apply theories and strategies to ensure communication products conform to industry style guides, to develop editor-writer relationships, and to provide audiences with clear ethical content.

699-117Research Basics32nd 8 Weeks, Spring only | 801-136 or 801-195 or 801-219This course introduces students to basic research skills needed to conduct professional research. Students will collect, interpret, and report data while maintaining ethical standards.

801-196Oral/Interpersonal Comm3Focuses on developing effective listening techniques and verbal and nonverbal communication skills through oral presentation, group activity, and other projects. The study of self, conflict, and cultural contexts will be explored, as well as their impact on communication.

801-197Technical Reporting3801-136 or 801-219Prepares and presents oral and written technical reports. Types of reports may include lab and field reports, proposals, technical letters and memos, technical research reports, and case studies. Designed as an advanced communication course for students who have completed at least the prerequisite introductory writing course with a grade of "D-".

804-134Mathematical Reasoning3All college students, regardless of their college major, need to be able to make reasonable decisions about fiscal, environmental, and health issues that require quantitative reasoning skills. An activity based approach is used to explore numerical relationships, graphs, proportional relationships, algebraic reasoning, and problem solving using linear, exponential and other mathematical models. Students will develop conceptual and procedural tools that support the use of key mathematical concepts in a variety of contexts. This course may be used as the first of a two part sequence that ends with Quantitative Reasoning as the capstone general education math requirement.

804-189Introductory Statistics3Students taking this course will learn to display data with graphs, describe distributions with numbers, perform correlation and regression analyses, and design experiments. They will use probability and distributions to make predictions, estimate parameters, and test hypotheses. They will learn to draw inferences about relationships including ANOVA.

TOTAL CREDITS:15 

Third Semester

Course #Course TitleCreditsPrerequisites/Comments

699-125Proposal/Grant Writing3Fall only, 1st 8 Weeks | 801-136 or 801-195 or 801-219This course is an exploration of various grant proposal forms (government, corporate, foundation), with emphasis on conceptualizing, developing, and writing proposals for real clients.

699-127Digital Media Communications3Fall only, 2nd 8 Weeks | 801-136 or 801-195 or 801-219This course will introduce how to write blogs, posts, tweets, and other updates so they resonate and are relevant to social media audiences, and encourage action, engagement, and interaction. This course focuses primarily on content writing and editing.

699-133Digital Content Writing3Fall only, 1st 8 Weeks | 801-136 or 801-195 or 801-219This course focuses on technical writing strategies and methods of designing and writing for websites that support the workplace, including Search Engine Optimization tactics.

801-141Intro to Mass Comm3Fall onlyExplores communication in media and media literacy by providing insight into the important issues that confront students as consumers and purveyors of mass media within the workforce and in society. The mass media revolution, including media technologies, the evolution of media content and platforms, including new media, the impact of media communications on business and society as a whole, media bias, and media law and ethics form the basis of the course.

809-196Intro to Sociology3This course introduces students to the basic concepts of sociology, including culture, race, socialization, gender, group behavior, deviance, social stratification, and social change. Students will use the sociological perspective to analyze major social institutions, multiculturalism, and social issues affecting our selves and society. Students will participate in a variety of experiences to strengthen and demonstrate these perspectives and skills. Critical thinking skills are emphasized, and learning activities include applying sociological theory to current issues in society. The focus is on how social factors and forces influence beliefs and behaviors, both in our personal lives and at work.

TOTAL CREDITS:15 

Fourth Semester

Course #Course TitleCreditsPrerequisites/Comments

102-188Project Management3The learner applies the skills and tools necessary to design, implement, and evaluate formal projects. Each learner will demonstrate the application of the role of project management by developing a project proposal, using relevant software, working with project teams, sequencing tasks, charting progress, dealing with variations, budgets and resources, implementing a project, and assessing the outcome.

699-131Information Design32nd 8 Weeks, Spring only | 801-136 or 801-195 or 801-219This course prepares students to design and manage information, emphasizing data visualization, accessibility, graphic organization, and instructional design strategies.

699-135Writing and Publishing31st 8 Weeks, Spring only | 801-136 or 801-195 or 801-219The course covers techniques used in informative and persuasive writing for internal and external communication. Students will use these techniques to create the kinds of messages most widely required in the workplace.

699-137Technical Documentation32nd 8 Weeks, Spring only | 801-136 or 801-195 or 801-219This course explores developer documentation as well as end user documentation. Concepts will include documenting standardization, increasing agility of documents, anticipating customer needs, choosing communication modes, analyzing documentation style, and utilizing audience analysis.

699-138Professional Comm Capstone21st 8 Weeks, Spring only | Program student; 699-105 and 699-107 and 699-115 and 699-117 and 699-125 and 699-127 and 699-133 and 699-135 and 699-131 and 699-137 or concurrentTo prepare for the professional communications internship, students produce all documentation related to the job-seeking process and participate in activities with communications professionals to polish students' job-seeking skills. Students discuss techniques for getting and keeping a job and other career-enhancing strategies. Take during the final semester.

699-139Professional Comm Internship164 Hours, Spring only | Program student; 699-138 or concurrentThis course allows students an opportunity to work in a professional environment. Students will maintain a log of work activities and complete communication-related projects under the direct supervision of the employer. Students will be evaluated by the workplace supervisor and the practicum instructor after completing a self-assessment of the internship.

TOTAL CREDITS:15