The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective.
The Edward R Murrow College of Communication
murrow.vancouver.wsu.edu
Science & Engineering Building (VSCI), Room 130
360-546-9620
Academic Director: Amy Wharton, Ph.D.; Academic Coordinator: Teresa Phimister, M.A.; Faculty: Program Director: Narayanan Iyer, Ph.D.
Washington State University Vancouver, in conjunction with The Edward R. Murrow College of Communication, offers a formal minor in communication. Students pursuing this minor in communication will be required to take at least six communication courses focused upon media literacy and media production in digital platforms, including gaining experience with online publications, social media and mobile contexts.
Schedules of Studies
Honors students complete the Honors College requirements which replace the UCORE requirements.
Integrated Strategic Communication (120 Credits)
Admission Requirements
Students are admitted directly into their desired major in the College of Communication upon admission and enrollment at Washington State University.
To remain admitted in any major in the College of Communication, a student must complete all required courses and have a minimum cumulative 2.0 GPA. COM 300 must be completed with a C or better, and only two attempts are allowed, with a "W" counting as an attempt. With an appeal to the department chair, a student may request to take COM 300 for a 3rd attempt during a summer session. All pre-requisites must be met in order to move through the Murrow curriculum. If a student fails to complete the required curriculum, they will not be able to remain admitted in the Murrow College. If a student is failing to complete academic requirements in a reasonable timeline, an advisor will work with the student to identify another academic path. Students must remain in good academic standing in order to graduate with a degree from the Murrow College.
Direct to Degree for Transfer Students
Transfer students bringing in 30 or more semester credits from an outside institution, and a 3.0 or higher transfer GPA will be directly admitted into the Murrow College. After consulting with a Murrow Professional Academic Advisor, a student transferring with junior status (60 or more semester credits), with a 3.0 or higher transfer GPA, and who has completed COM 101 or COM 105 from another institution, will be allowed to take COM 300 in their first semester at WSU with all remaining 100 level required communication courses. All transfer students are required to consult with a Murrow Professional Academic Advisor prior to enrollment at WSU.
Below is a detailed schedule of studies in a 4-year format. However, students will develop their own academic plan in consultation with their professional academic advisor through the Murrow Center for Student Success. The BA in Strategic Communication is broken down into four main categories as found in myWSU under your Academic Requirements:
1. College Core Requirements: COM 101; 102; 105; 138; 210; and 300 (18 credits).
2. Strategic Communication Degree Requirements: COM 309; COMSTRAT 310; COMSTRAT 395; COMSTRAT 301; one Advanced Media and Society course from approved list (in footnotes) (15 credits).
3. Major Requirements: ISC: COMJOUR 333; COMSTRAT 312; 380; 383; 476; and 485. (18 credits).
4. Major Upper-Division Electives and Internship: (in footnotes) (9 credits).
| First Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| COM 101 | 3 |
| COM 138 | 3 |
| ENGLISH 101 [WRTG] | 3 |
| UCORE Inquiry1 | 6 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| COM 102 [COMM] | 3 |
| COM 105 [HUM] | 3 |
| HISTORY 105 [ROOT] | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning [QUAN] | 3 |
| UCORE Inquiry1 | 4 |
| Second Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| COM 210 | 3 |
| COM 300 [M] | 3 |
| COMSTRAT 301 | 3 |
| UCORE Inquiry1 | 6 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| COM 309 | 3 |
| COMJOUR 333 | 3 |
| COMSTRAT 312 | 3 |
| Electives2 | 6 |
| Complete Writing Portfolio | |
| Third Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| COMSTRAT 310 | 3 |
| COMSTRAT 380 | 3 |
| COMSTRAT 395 | 3 |
| Major Electives or COMSTRAT 495 Internship3 | 3 |
| Electives2 | 3 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| COMSTRAT 383 [M] | 3 |
| Major Electives or COMSTRAT 495 Internship 3 | 3 |
| Electives2 | 9 |
| Fourth Year | |
| First Term | Credits |
| COMSTRAT 485 | 3 |
| Integrative Capstone [CAPS] | 3 |
| Major Elective or COMSTRAT 495 Internship3 | 3 |
| Electives2 | 6 |
| Second Term | Credits |
| COMSTRAT 476 | 3 |
| Advanced Media and Society Course4 | 3 |
| Electives2 | 8 |
Footnotes
| 1 | Must complete 5 of these 6 UCORE designations: ARTS, BSCI, DIVR, EQJS, PSCI, SSCI. One lab science (BSCI or PSCI) must be completed. |
| 2 | A maximum of 12 credits of COM/COMJOUR/COMSTRAT 495/497/499 allowed towards 120 credits required for graduation. Consult with a Murrow advisor. |
| 3 | Major Electives (9 credits): Select 300-400-level courses from COM, COMJOUR, COMSTRAT not used to meet other requirements, 3 credits of COMSTRAT 495 internship are required. A maximum of 3 credits of 497/499 may apply towards major electives. |
| 4 | Advanced Media and Society Course (3 credits): Select from COM 421, 440, 464, 471, or 479. |
Minors
Communication
The minor in Communication requires a minimum of 18 credits from any COM, COMJOUR, or COMSTRAT courses. Nine credits of COM, COMJOUR, or COMSTRAT 300-400-level coursework must be earned in WSU courses. COM 138, 199, and 399 are excluded from applying toward the minor requirements. Students may seek approval for one course to count toward the minor through WSU-approved education abroad or educational exchange. Students may be admitted to the minor after they have completed 60 total credits with a 2.7 or higher WSU cumulative GPA and have been admitted to a major outside the Murrow College of Communication. Students must adhere to the prerequisites for courses as listed in the catalog. Transfer students can be admitted to this minor after completing 60 total credits and one semester at WSU with a 2.7 or higher WSU cumulative GPA. Students must maintain a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher to remain in the minor. Check with the Murrow College Student Services Office for additional information.
Courses
The online catalog includes the most recent changes to courses and degree requirements that have been approved by the Faculty Senate, including changes that are not yet effective. Courses showing two entries of the same number indicate that the course information is changing. The most recently approved version is shown first, followed by the older version, in gray, with its last-effective term preceding the course title. Courses shown in gray with only one entry of the course number are being discontinued. Course offerings by term can be accessed by clicking on the term links when viewing a specific campus catalog.
Communication (COM)
101 [SSCI] Media and Society 3 Mass media's influence in contemporary society. Typically offered Fall.
102 [COMM] Public Speaking in the Digital Age 3 Face-to-face and mediated communication in group and professional settings. Typically offered Fall, Spring, and Summer.
105 [HUM] Communication in Global Contexts 3 Communication processes and how they influence human behavior and construction of social reality across global contexts.
138 Introduction to Communication 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; or for non-majors with an academic interest in communication. Introduction to training and discipline necessary to succeed in the field of communication; familiarization with media, news, news values, and the ability to critique news stories. S, F grading.
210 [COMM] Multimedia Content Creation 3 Applied multimedia content creation and evaluation in graphic design, audio, and video production through communication theory and practice.
225 Sports and the Media 3 Survey of the relationship between media and sports, including sports journalism, sports promotion, sports and Hollywood, sports and social change. Typically offered Spring.
275 Communication Seminar V 1-3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 9 credits. Various specialty topics in communication studies.
300 [M] Writing in Communication 3 (2-2) Course Prerequisite: COM 101; COM 102; COM 105; COM 138; admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; sophomore standing; cumulative GPA of a 2.70 or higher. Writing for a variety of communication professions, including advertising, broadcasting, print journalism, public relations, and science communication.
309 Quantitative Research Methods 3 Course Prerequisite: MATH [QUAN]; admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; sophomore standing. Measurement, questionnaire construction, sampling, data collection techniques, analysis and hypothesis testing in communication research.
320 Visual Communication 3 Course Prerequisite: COM 210 with a C or better; COM 300 with a C or better; admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; sophomore standing. Visual communication in today's print, electronic, and broadcast media to inform, educate, and persuade.
321 [DIVR] Intercultural Communication 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to any major. Culture and cultural differences, race and ethnicity, stereotypes, and intercultural communication in contexts.
325 Environmental Communication 3 Course Prerequisite: COM 101 or 105; COM 210 with a C or better; admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; junior standing. How communication shapes human understanding and decision making concerning the natural environment in local, national, and global contexts. Typically offered Spring.
415 Media Law 3 Course Prerequisite: COM 300 with a C or better; admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; junior standing. Basic concepts and theories of the First Amendment's protection of speech and press.
420 New Communication Technologies 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; junior standing. New communication technologies, their impact on communication processes, access, regulation, and communication in organization/professional contexts.
421 [CAPS] Intercultural Communication and Globalization 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to any major; junior standing. How global processes shape intercultural communication and how globalization is understood, advanced, and opposed by different groups.
440 Media Ethics 3 Course Prerequisite: COM 300 with a C or better; admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; junior standing. Foundations and frameworks of media ethics; case studies in assessing media performance.
460 Mass Media Criticism 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; junior standing. Theoretical and philosophical basis for critical analysis of mass communication.
464 Gender and the Media 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to any major; sophomore standing. How news and entertainment media shape and reinforce societal expectations of gender; consideration of race, age, class, and sexual orientation. (Crosslisted course offered as COM 464, WGSS 464.)
471 [CAPS] Stereotypes in Communication 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to any major; junior standing. Examines portrayals of social groups in the media and the impact portrayals have on perceptions, expectations, and aspirations of members of portrayed groups and nonmembers.
475 Communication Seminar 3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 9 credits. Course Prerequisite: Admitted to any major; junior standing. Topics with a broad array of interdisciplinary expertise including elements of communication, public policy, sociology, the humanities, and psychology.
479 Youth and the Media 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to any major; junior standing. Effects of media messages on children and adolescents, and developing responsible and effective programming for youth.
481 Mobile Media 3 Course Prerequisite: COMSTRAT 310 or COM 320; junior standing. Theories, strategies, practices for strategic communication via mobile platforms.
490 Web Design and Usability 3 Course Prerequisite: COMSTRAT 310 or COM 320; admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; junior standing. Web design with an emphasis on user-centered design and usability.
497 Practicum in Communication V 1-3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 6 credits. Course Prerequisite: By college permission only; admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication. Practicum experience for students in Communication. Faculty directed. S, F grading.
499 Special Problems V 1-4 May be repeated for credit. Course Prerequisite: By interview only. Independent study conducted under the jurisdiction of an approving faculty member; may include independent research studies in technical or specialized problems; selection and analysis of specified readings; development of a creative project; or field experiences. S, F grading.
561 Multimedia Content Creation 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to an online degree program or graduate certificate in communication. Exploration and application of strategies to communicate ideas clearly, concisely, and effectively through multimedia content.
562 Crisis Communication in Global Contexts 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to an online degree program or graduate certificate in communication. Prepare, plan, and execute crisis communication and management to protect the continuity of an organization's image and mission.
563 Ethics for Professionals 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to an online degree program or graduate certificate in communication. The understanding, discussion, and application of key theories of individual and institutional ethics; the articulation and defense of ethical reasoning.
564 Research Methods for Professionals 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to an online degree program or graduate certificate in communication. Understanding the role of research in media and related organizations and its application to organizational decision making through quantitative and qualitative research methods including research design, questionnaire construction, sampling, data collection techniques, and variable measurement.
580 Topics in Communication 3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 12 credits. Contemporary, specialized, or technical topics in communication.
800 Doctoral Research, Dissertation, and/or Examination V 1-18 May be repeated for credit. Course Prerequisite: Admitted to the Communication PhD program. Independent research and advanced study for students working on their doctoral research, dissertation and/or final examination. Students must have graduate degree-seeking status and should check with their major advisor/committee chair before enrolling for 800 credit. S, U grading.
Journalism And Media Production (COMJOUR)
333 [M] Reporting Across Platforms 3 Course Prerequisite: COM 210 with a C or better; COM 300 with a C or better; admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication. Instruction in reporting, writing and editing news stories suitable for publication and on-air presentation.
350 News and Society 3 Course Prerequisite: COM 101; COM 102; COM 105; COM 138; admitted to a major in the College of Communication; sophomore standing. Fundamentals of historic, contemporary, and emerging models of news production; social contexts and effects, alternative sources, and critiques of news.
360 Writing for Television 3 (2-3) Course Prerequisite: Admitted to a major in the College of Communication. Theory and practice of writing scripts: analysis of dramatic, comedic, commercial, documentary scripts; writing scripts for each genre.
466 Documentary Video 3 (2-3) Course Prerequisite: Admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication. Video editing for news reporting; feature-length editing for news and public affairs topics; documentaries; visual storytelling.
481 Media Entrepreneurship 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; junior standing. Lessons from local and network television guests about their businesses, reaching customers, and entrepreneurial ideas within the evolving media landscape; final project focusing on an entrepreneurial idea. Typically offered Spring.
495 Broadcasting Professional Internship V 2-12 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 12 credits. Course Prerequisite: COM 300 with a C or better; admitted to a major in the College of Communication. S, F grading.
499 Special Problems V 1-4 May be repeated for credit. Course Prerequisite: By department permission. Independent study conducted under the jurisdiction of an approving faculty member; may include independent research studies in technical or specialized problems; selection and analysis of specified readings; development of a creative project; or field experiences. S, F grading.
Health Communication And Promotion (COMHLTH)
570 Health Communication and Behavior Change 3 Application of behavior change theories to construction and evaluation of health communication campaigns.
571 Communicating Health in Practice 3 Health communication and promotion across a variety of settings and mediums, from interpersonal to promotional campaigns.
572 Communicating Health to Specialized Populations 3 Literature and theory of cross-cultural communication and cultural aspects of health.
573 Communicating Health in a Digital Landscape 3 Development and implementation of health-related content through a variety of digital platforms.
574 Health Message Design and Effectiveness 3 Behavior change theories as they relate to health communication message design and evaluation.
Strategic Communication (COMSTRAT)
275 Strategic Communication Seminar V 1-3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 9 credits. Various specialty topics in strategic communication.
285 [EQJS] Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in Communication Organizations 3 Core concepts from the world of DEI research applied to daily communications and relationship management in personal and professional settings.
285 (Effective through Summer 2024) Diversity, Equity, Inclusion in Communication Organizations 3 Core concepts from the world of DEI research applied to daily communications and relationship management in personal and professional settings.
301 Foundations of Persuasion 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication. Theories of persuasion and social action; study of strategies and techniques for the persuasive use of language and other symbols.
310 Digital Content Promotion 3 Course Prerequisite: COM 210 with a C or better; admitted to a major or minor in the College of Communication; sophomore standing. Practice and promotion of public relations and advertising through digital and social media.
312 Principles of Public Relations 3 Principles, theories, methods and objectives of public relations; public relations problems and practices.
380 Advertising Principles and Practices 3 Advertising history, theory and practice by advertising agencies and organizations.
383 [M] Media Strategies and Techniques for Public Relations 3 Course Prerequisite: COM 210 with a C or better; COM 300 with a C or better; admitted to a major in the College of Communication. Development of creative content for persuasive public relations campaigns through different media.
395 Introduction to Integrated Strategic Communication and Management 3 Course Prerequisite: COMSTRAT 312 or 380; sophomore standing. Analysis and application of strategic communication theory and concepts to influence attitudes and purchasing behavior.
475 Strategic Communication Seminar in Public Relations 3 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 9 credits. Course Prerequisite: Admitted to any major; junior standing. Theory, methods, and applications of communication and campaign management; political communication, health communication, freedom of expression, special audiences.
476 Consumer Insights and Branding 3 Course Prerequisite: COM 309; admitted to a major in the College of Communication. Advertising account planning based on a thorough understanding of target audiences and consumer research; linking client objectives, account management, creative and media planning.
477 Message Design for Communication Campaigns 3 Course Prerequisite: COMSTRAT 310; admitted to a major in the College of Communication; junior standing. Theory-based design, market testing, and evaluation of messages for positive social outcomes.
478 Health Communication 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. Mediated communication in disease prevention and health intervention.
483 Risk Communication 3 Course Prerequisite: Junior standing. Research on perceptions of risk among stakeholders about complex environmental and natural resource issues.
485 [M] Public Relations Management and Campaigns 3 Course Prerequisite: COM 309; COMSTRAT 312; COMSTRAT 383; admitted to a major in the College of Communication; senior standing. Application of public relations principles, management, persuasion theory and research methods to public relations issues.
495 Strategic Communication Professional Internship V 2-12 May be repeated for credit; cumulative maximum 12 credits. Course Prerequisite: By permission only; COM 101; COM 102; COM 105; COM 138; COM 210 and 300, both with a C or better; admitted to a major in the College of Communication. S, F grading.
499 Special Problems V 1-4 May be repeated for credit. Course Prerequisite: Admitted to a major in the College of Communication; by interview only. Independent study conducted under the jurisdiction of an approving faculty member; may include independent research studies in technical or specialized problems; selection and analysis of specified readings; development of a creative project; or field experiences. S, F grading.
561 Persuasion for Professional Communicators 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to an online degree program or graduate certificate in communication. Introduction to theories, concepts, strategies, and processes of persuasion and social influence.
562 Creative Media Strategies and Techniques 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to an online degree program or graduate certificate in communication. The strategies, processes, procedures and steps involved in creating marketing communications materials for a variety of different media.
563 Professional Digital Content Promotion 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to an online degree program or graduate certificate in communication. The application of writing, critical thinking, and persuasion skills to the practice and promotion of PR and advertising in both digital and social media outlets.
564 Consumer Behavior and Brand Development 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to an online degree program or graduate certificate in communication. Tactics and strategies for consumer analysis and brand development; skills necessary for uncovering consumer insights to link client objectives, account management, creative development, and media planning.
565 Professional Marketing Communication Management and Campaigns 3 Course Prerequisite: Admitted to an online degree program or graduate certificate in communication. An overview of behavior change theories with a focus on strategic marketing campaign design and evaluation; learning to use theory and research to more effectively plan, design, execute and evaluate strategic communication campaigns.
701 Master's Independent Capstone Project and /or Examination V 1-6 May be repeated for credit. Course Prerequisite: Admitted to an online degree program or graduate certificate in communication. Capstone project or final examination for professional master's degree under the Graduate School. The credits will include a balloted evaluation of the student's completion of the program's capstone/examination requirements by the program's graduate faculty. Students must have graduate degree-seeking status and obtain approval from their major advisor/committee chair before enrolling for 701 credit. S, U grading.
702 Master's Special Problems, Directed Study, and/or Examination V 1-18 May be repeated for credit. Course Prerequisite: Admitted to the online master's program in strategic communication. Independent research in special problems, directed study, and/or examination credit for students in a non-thesis master's degree program. Students must have graduate degree-seeking status and should check with their major advisor/committee chair before enrolling for 702 credit. S, U grading.