Undergraduate Course Offerings

The Department of Communication schedules over 55 undergraduate courses in support of its three concentrations and two minors. Some courses are offered more regularly than others. Please see your major or minor advisor for information about course scheduling.

Graduate course information is available on the graduate pages of the departmental Web site. 

Major Coursework

All communication majors are required to take Public Speaking (COMM 104), Introduction to Communication Theory (COMM 210) and Communication Research Methods (COMM 301). COMM 104 students and other students who need assistance with oral presentations are strongly encouraged to seek assistance in the Speaking Lab, which is located in the Addlestone Library.

Corporate and Organizational Communication students take core courses in organizational communication and marketing. Media Studies majors complete coursework in media writing, law, and theory. Communication Studies students take courses that develop competencies in oral advocacy and performance. Please see the course catalog for a complete list of the courses approved for each concentration.

All three concentrations allow students to choose elective courses that match their interests. For example, many students in the department complete the three-course sequence in public relations (COMM 235, COMM 335, and COMM 435).

The department offers several special-topics courses during each academic year. In recent years, these course topics have included Health Communication, Integrated Marketing Communication, Videogame Research, and Baseball, Myth, and the Meaning of Life.

Students should regularly consult with their major advisors, as well as reviewing their Cougar Trail degree audits and the departmental Web site, to learn more about communication courses and degree requirements.

Technology Resources

Communication students take courses in several smart classrooms and computer labs on campus. The department's primary computer lab includes two laser printers and 30 computer terminals equipped with software for word processing, layout and editing, digital photography, and Web design. Open computer laboratory hours are available in the typical semester.

Computing resources are available in the Addlestone Library for use in non-linear editing (e.g., Casablanca® non-linear editing system, Final Cut Pro®, Adobe Premier Pro®). The department makes a variety of camcorder models available for use in production and digital media courses, including the Canon XH-A1 HDV and the Panasonic AG-DVX 100B, along with appropriate lighting packages, microphones, and other production equipment.

Classroom Participation Technology

Some courses in the Department of Communication encourage classroom participation with i>clicker®, a two-way radio frequency classroom response system.  Classroom response systems (also called personal response systems or audience response systems) allow instructors to receive immediate, real-time feedback from students on the content being discussed.  Much like the "Ask the Audience" feature on the "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire" game show, classroom response systems collect votes from student remotes and create graphs based on those responses. 

i>clicker is used at over 250 colleges and universities.  To learn more, please see www.iclicker.com, which includes a student “frequently asked questions” (FAQ) document.  (This summary of the i>clicker is adapted from the i>clicker Web site.)

Photojournalism and Video Production

College of Charleston Communications Museum

Located in the historic Elliot House at 58 George Street, the College of Charleston Communications Museum houses a remarkable collection of antique radios, televisions, phonographs, telephones, magic lanterns, motion picture projectors, and other items related to the communication and broadcasting industries.  Communication faculty regularly take advantage of the museum's large and impressive collection for instructional purposes.  The museum also offers individual and group tours, a variety of educational programs for grades K-12, and other events related to current issues and communications history.

Textbooks

The Department of Communication is not responsible for the accuracy of textbook information available at the campus bookstore or on the bookstore's Web site. For a variety of reasons, that information will not always be current. Students are strongly encouraged to check with individual faculty or to attend the first class session before purchasing their textbooks. Communication students should never purchase textbooks from suppliers who do not allow returns.