Overview
Do you want to master your one-on-one communication with others and apply that valuable skill to an organizational setting? If you do, then the Strategic Organizational Communication Track is the right choice for your communication and career needs. In this track students choose two of three certificates in professional communication, interpersonal networking and sports communication.
With the professional communication certificate, you’ll learn presentational speaking skills while utilizing various technologies; gain experience engaging in employee, performance, and persuasive interviews; and learn the strategies and skills necessary for organizational mediation and arbitration.
With the interpersonal networking certificate, you’ll enhance your face-to-face and mediated communication skills in various relationships; explore the issues of gender and communication in a variety of contexts; and learn how to manage your image or personal brand.
With the sports communication certificate, you’ll evaluate sports information campaigns; learn the relationship between sports and communication; and you may either learn the legal and ethical considerations for sports media practitioners, the techniques of sports reporting, or the ethical components of journalism and sports information distribution.
| COURSE | TITLE | S.H. |
|---|---|---|
| FIRST YEAR REQUIREMENT -STUDENT SUCCESS | ||
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar | 1-2 |
| or YSU 1500S | Youngstown State University Success Seminar | |
| or HONR 1500 | Intro to Honors | |
| General Education Requirements | ||
| ENGL 1550 | Writing 1 | 3-4 |
| or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 with Support | |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations required for major | 3 |
| GE: Math Course *any approved GE Math course, MATH 2623/2623C recommended | 3 | |
| Arts and Humanities (6 s.h.) | 6 | |
| Natural Sciences (7 s.h) *Two different science courses, one must include a lab | 7 | |
| Social Science (6 s.h.) | ||
| CMST 2600 | Communication Theory Required for Major | 3 |
| GE Social Science Course | 3 | |
| General Education Electives (6 s.h.) | ||
| CMST 2610 | Intercultural Communication required for major | 3 |
| GE Elective Course | 3 | |
| Major Requirements | ||
| CMST 1500 | Exploring Communication | 3 |
| CMST 2630 | Social Media Literacy | 3 |
| CMST 2654 | Community Engagement & Relations | 3 |
| CMST 2655 | Communication in Groups | 3 |
| CMST 2656 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| CMST 3700 | Designing Communication Research | 3 |
| CMST 3756 | Interviewing | 3 |
| CMST 4896 | Communication Internship | 3 |
| or CMST 4859 | Organizational Cultures | |
| Required Support Courses | ||
| JOUR 2602 | Media Writing | 3 |
| MCOM 2624 | Communication Technology - Photo and Video | 3 |
| MCOM 3780 | Presentational Literacy | 3 |
| ENGL 3743 | Introduction to Public, Professional and Technical Writing | 3 |
| Strategic Organizational Communication Track Requirements | 15-18 | |
| Students select two certificates from the three listed below. | ||
| Certificate in Professional Communication *CMST 1545 and CMST 3756 are required in the Core | ||
| Presentational Speaking | ||
| Conflict Management and Negotiation | ||
| Certificate in Sports Communication *CMST 2600 is required in the Core | ||
| Sports Communication Message Design | ||
| Theory of Sports and Communication | ||
| Sports Field Production 1 | ||
| Certificate in Interpersonal Networking *CMST 2600 and CMST 2656 are required in the Core | ||
| Gender Communication | ||
| Personal Brand Communication | ||
| Interpersonal Communication Relationships | ||
| Pick 2 additional CMST electives 3700 level or higher | 6 | |
| Capstone (3 s.h.) | ||
| CMST 4899 | Senior Project | 3 |
| Free Electives *Hours will vary based on what is needed for 120 SH | 22 | |
| Student must complete a minimum of 39 SH of Upper-Level Courses (3700-5800) | ||
| Total Semester Hours | 120-125 | |
| Year 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall | S.H. | |
| CMST 1500 | Exploring Communication | 3 |
| CMST 1545 | Communication Foundations | 3 |
| ENGL 1550 or ENGL 1549 | Writing 1 or Writing 1 with Support | 3-4 |
| YSU 1500 | Success Seminar or Youngstown State University Success Seminar or Intro to Honors | 1-2 |
| GE MATH requirement | 3-5 | |
| Semester Hours | 13-17 | |
| Spring | ||
| CMST 2600 | Communication Theory | 3 |
| CMST 2656 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| ENGL 1551 | Writing 2 | 3 |
| GE: Arts and Humanities | 3 | |
| GE Elective Course | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 1 | |
| Semester Hours | 16 | |
| Year 2 | ||
| Fall | ||
| CMST 2630 | Social Media Literacy | 3 |
| CMST 2654 | Community Engagement & Relations | 3 |
| CMST 2655 | Communication in Groups | 3 |
| GE: Arts and Humanities | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3-1 | |
| Semester Hours | 15-13 | |
| Spring | ||
| MCOM 2624 | Communication Technology - Photo and Video | 3 |
| JOUR 2602 | Media Writing | 3 |
| GE Lab Science | 4 | |
| Communication Studies Elective | 3-5 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 16-18 | |
| Year 3 | ||
| Fall | ||
| CMST 3700 | Designing Communication Research | 3 |
| MCOM 3780 | Presentational Literacy | 3 |
| Certificate Course | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| GE: Social Science | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| CMST 2610 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| CMST 3756 | Interviewing | 3 |
| Certificate Course | 3 | |
| Certificate Course | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Year 4 | ||
| Fall | ||
| CMST 4859 or CMST 4896 | Organizational Cultures or Communication Internship | 3 |
| ENGL 3743 | Introduction to Public, Professional and Technical Writing | 3 |
| Certificate Course | 3 | |
| Certificate Course | 3 | |
| Communication Elective | 3-4 | |
| Semester Hours | 15-16 | |
| Spring | ||
| CMST 4899 | Senior Project | 3 |
| GE: Natural Science | 3 | |
| Certificate Course or Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Free Elective | 3 | |
| Semester Hours | 15 | |
| Total Semester Hours | 120-125 | |
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Regardless of track, students graduating with a B.A. degree in communication studies will:
1. Collect, analyze, and report qualitative and quantitative data, demonstrating information literacy, critical thinking, and problem solving.
2. Effectively employ mediated communication technologies, including their features, functions, and applications, to competently communicate across different mediums.
3. Create professional, coherent, organized, and persuasive oral and written messages, which adapt to various purposes, audiences, and platforms.
4. Embrace individual and cultural differences, respect diverse perspectives, and create messages that accommodate differences to be prepared for multicultural workplaces.
5. Develop skills in leadership, professionalism, conflict management, and teamwork in preparation for career readiness.
6. Apply communication theory and concepts to personal and professional contexts, including intrapersonal, interpersonal, team, organizational, and mediated.