Communication Studies (B.A., B.S.)

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Students will intentionally engage with diversity in ways that increase awareness, content knowledge, cognitive sophistication, and empathic understanding of the complex ways individuals interact within systems and institutions leading to opportunities for equal access to participation in educational and community programs for all members of society.
2. Students will be able to demonstrate cognitive, effective, and behavioral skills that support effective and appropriate interaction in a variety of cultural contexts.
3. Students will be able to demonstrate the cultivation of knowledge, skills, values and motivation that will enable them to make a difference in the civic life of communities and promote the quality of life in a community and engage in activities of personal and public concern that are both individually life enriching and socially beneficial to the community.
4. Students will recognize when there is a need for information and identify, locate, evaluate and effectively and responsibly use and convey that information to address the need or problem at hand.
5. Identify the theoretical and philosophical foundations of the field of Communication Studies.
6. Describe and apply communication theory to make sense of human symbolic action.
7. Compare and contrast the major research methodological approaches in the field.
8. Prepare and present ethical and effective messages in interpersonal, small group, and public contexts.
9. Accurately describe and critically evaluate complex messages.
10. Identify information needs, efficiently retrieve and critically evaluate the credibility of information, using reliable sources in the creation of ethical and effective messages.
11. Engage ethically and effectively with individuals and groups that are different from their own experience.
12. Demonstrate the reasoning and advocacy skills necessary for ethical participation in the social world.  
13. Students will interact with other students and evaluate the effort put into team tasks, interactions with others, and the quantity and quality made to team discussions.

Departmental Requirements (21 hours)

• SPCM 201 - Interpersonal Communication (C) [SGR #3]
• SPCM 203 - Communication Symbols & Society
• SPCM 305 - Communication Research (C)
• SPCM 405 - Theories of Communication (C)
• SPCM 425 - Philosophy of Human Communication

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• Select two of the following (total 6 credit hours):

• SPCM 410 - Organizational Communication (C)
• SPCM 418 - Environmental Communication
• SPCM 422 - Persuasion (C)
• SPCM 440 - Health Communication (C)
• SPCM 460 - Family Communication (C)
• SPCM 470 - Intercultural Communication (C)

Electives (12 hours)

The remaining 12 hours in the major are to be selected from any courses with a SPCM prefix. Three courses (9 hours) must be upper-division (300- and 400-level) courses. 

Four-Year Program Guides and Costs

USD encourages students to take 15 credits per semester or 30 credits within the year in order to graduate in 4 years. To help students complete their academic degree program in four years, we provide a sample academic plan. Please work with your academic advisor to confirm your plan.

• Communication Studies, B.A. 4-year plan guide  
• Communication Studies, B.S. 4-year plan guide  

Related Programs:

• Secondary Education, B.S.Ed.-Communication Studies Education specialization 4-year plan guide  

State Authorization - It Matters Where You Live

If your learning placement course (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) or your online course will be taken outside South Dakota, please reference the State Authorization webpage.

State Authorization

Secondary Education - Communication Studies Education specialization (B.S.Ed.)

See Secondary Education-Communication Studies Education specialization (B.S.Ed.)  for requirements.