COMBA (Behrend Communication) Program change proposal 7-31-14 Current Bulletin Listing Penn State Erie, The Behrend College (COMBA) The B.A. major in Communication offers a liberal arts background with emphasis in mass media studies and corporate communication. It prepares students for careers in corporate communication, print and broadcast journalism, multi-media and video production, and advertising/public relations by providing an interdisciplinary study of spoken, written, visual, and technically mediated messages. For the B.A. degree in Communication, a minimum of 120 credits is required. Scheduling Recommendation by Semester Standing given like (Sem: 1-2) GENERAL EDUCATION: 45 credits (3 of these credits are included in the REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR) (See description of General Education in this bulletin.) FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR: (Included in ELECTIVES or GENERAL EDUCATION course selection) UNITED STATES CULTURES AND INTERNATIONAL CULTURES: (Included in ELECTIVES, GENERAL EDUCATION course selection, or REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR) WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM: (Included in REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR) ELECTIVES: 6-18 credits BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE REQUIREMENTS: 24 credits (See description of Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements in this bulletin.) REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR: 45 credits PRESCRIBED COURSES (13 credits)[1] CAS 202 GS(3), COMM 160(1), COMM 251(3) (Sem: 1-4) CAS 204(3), COMM 315(3) (Sem: 5-6) ADDITIONAL COURSES (14 credits) COMM 242(3) or COMM 270(3) (Sem: 1-4) CAS 211(3), CAS 212(3), CAS 213(3), CAS 215(3), CAS 252(3) or CAS 280W(3) (Sem: 5-6) CAS 271 US;IL(3), or COMM 410 IL(3) COMM 494(3) or COMM 495(3-6) (Sem: 7-8) COMM 001(1-3), COMM 002(1-3), COMM 003(1-3), or COMM 004(1-3) (2 credits total) (Sem: 1-8)[1] SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (18 credits) COMBA students are required to complete 18 credits of supporting coursework, from department approved list. Nine of these credits must be at the 400-level. In consultation with an academic advisor, students will select 9 credits from 2 of 3 Concentrations; 1. Communication Studies, 2. Strategic Communication, and 3. Journalism/Media Production. (Sem: 1-8) *Courses may count in either Prescribed/Additional or Supporting Course Categories, but not both. [1] A student enrolled in this major must receive a grade of C or better, as specified in Senate Policy 82-44. a. Proposed New Bulletin Listing: changes in red Penn State Erie, The Behrend College (COMBA) The B.A. major in Communication offers a liberal arts background with emphasis in mass media studies and corporate communication. It prepares students for careers in corporate communication, print and broadcast journalism, multi-media and video production, and advertising/public relations by providing an interdisciplinary study of spoken, written, visual, and technically mediated messages. For the B.A. degree in Communication, a minimum of 120 credits is required. Scheduling Recommendation by Semester Standing given like (Sem: 1-2) GENERAL EDUCATION: 45 credits (0-3 of these credits are included in the REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR) (See description of General Education in this bulletin.) FIRST-YEAR SEMINAR: (Included in ELECTIVES or GENERAL EDUCATION course selection) UNITED STATES CULTURES AND INTERNATIONAL CULTURES: (Included in ELECTIVES, GENERAL EDUCATION course selection, or REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR) WRITING ACROSS THE CURRICULUM: (Included in REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR) ELECTIVES: 6-18 credits BACHELOR OF ARTS DEGREE REQUIREMENTS: 24 credits (See description of Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements in this bulletin.) REQUIREMENTS FOR THE MAJOR: 45 credits PRESCRIBED COURSES (13 credits)[1] CAS 202 GS(3), COMM 160(1), COMM 251(3) (Sem: 1-4) CAS 204(3), COMM 315(3) (Sem: 5-6) ADDITIONAL COURSES (14 17 credits) [1] CAS 101GS(3), CAS 175GH(3), COMM 100GS(3), COMM 110GH(3), COMM 118GS(3), COMM 150GA(3), COMM 168GH (3), or COMM 180GS (3) (Sem: 1-2) COMM 242(3) or COMM 270(3) (Sem: 1-4) CAS 211(3), CAS 212(3), CAS 213(3), CAS 215(3), or CAS 252(3) or CAS 280W(3) (Sem: 56) CAS 271 US;IL(3), or COMM 410 IL(3) COMM 494(3) or COMM 495(3-6) (Sem: 7-8) COMM 001(1-3), COMM 002(1-3), COMM 003(1-3), or COMM 004(1-3) (2 credits total are to be drawn from 2 different courses/areas) (Sem: 1-8) [1] SUPPORTING COURSES AND RELATED AREAS (18 15 credits) [1] COMBA students are required to complete 18 15 credits of supporting coursework, from department approved list. Nine of these credits must be at the 400-level. In consultation with an academic advisor, students will select 6-9 credits from 2 of 3 Concentrations; 1. Communication Studies, 2. Strategic Communication, and 3. Journalism/Media Production. (Sem: 1-8) Note: the details of these “Supporting Course Concentrations” do not appear on the website but are included here to clarify the changes being proposed. Supporting Course Concentrations: Select 2-3 courses from: Communication Studies Corporate Communication Area: CAS 250(3), CAS 252(3)*, CAS 271(2)*, CAS 340(3), CAS 352(3), CAS 360(3), CAS 404(3), CAS 426W (3), CAS 452(3), CAS 471(3) OR Interpersonal and Small Group Communication Area: CAS 203GS (3)*, CAS 250(3), CAS 271US;IL (3)*, CAS 360(3), CAS 403(3), CAS 404(3), CAS 450W (3), CAS 471(3) OR Rhetoric and Public Address Area: CAS 201GH (3)*, CAS 211(3)*, CAS 212(3)*, CAS 213(3)*, CAS 272(3) GH, CAS 302(3), CAS 375(3), CAS 404(3), CAS 415(3), CAS 478(3) OR Select 2-3 courses from: Strategic Communication Advertising Area: COMM 320(3), COMM 421W (3), COMM 422(3), COMM 424(3), COMM 428E(3) OR Public Relations Area: COMM 370(3), COMM 372(3), COMM 471(3), COMM 472(3), COMM 473(3), COMM 428E(3) OR Select 2-3 courses from: Journalism/Media Production Filmmaking Area: CAS 415(3), COMM 242(3)*, COMM 346(3), COMM 337W(3), COMM 338(3), COMM 339 (3), COMM 439(3) OR Broadcast Journalism Area: COMM 205 GS (3), COMM 260W (3)(asterisk removed), COMM 282(3), COMM 360(3), COMM 406(3), COMM 410(3)*, COMM 470A-B-C (3), COMM 481(3) OR Multimedia Area: COMM 270(3)*, COMM 339 (3), COMM 363(3), COMM 410(3)*, COMM 439(3), COMM 470A-B-C (3), COMM 481(3), GD 100 GA (3) *Courses may count in either Prescribed/Additional or Supporting Course Categories, but not both. [1] A student enrolled in this major must receive a grade of C or better in all prescribed, additional, and supporting courses, as specified in Senate Policy 82-44. a. Provide a list of newly created courses; a list of current courses, which are being added to the program; a list of changed courses; and a list of courses that will be removed from the program. No newly created courses. Courses being added: Additional Course Category: CAS 101GS, CAS 175GH, COMM 100GS, COMM 110GH, COMM 118GS, COMM 150GA, COMM 168GH, COMM 180GS Supporting Course Category: CAS 272, CAS 404, COMM 339, COMM 372, COMM 410, COMM 428E, COMM 439, and COMM 481 Courses Being Deleted: Additional Course Category: CAS 211, CAS 213, CAS 215, and CAS 280W. Supporting Course Category: CAS 211, CAS 213, CAS 403, CAS 452, CAS 471, COMM 337W, COMM 338, and COMM 363 b. In instances where a requirement is selected from a department list, or area, include a copy of the list of courses that are acceptable for meeting that requirement. Add COMM 260W and CAS 450W to the list of approved “W” courses for the COMBA major. Other approved should include COMM 421W, and CAS 426W. See specific changes to Additional and Supporting Course Categories listed above under b. above. c. Provide a justification statement that explains the reason for each of the changes. An estimate of expected enrollment and effects, if any, on existing programs should be addressed. Course changes necessitated by the program revision should be submitted simultaneously with the program proposal. 1. Additional Course Category: Our goals are simple. We want to enable first year students to count a communication-related 100 level General Education course toward the COMBA major. These courses are often tied to our First Year Seminars and serve as a valuable introduction to the field of communication and a recruiting tool/opportunity for the COMBA major. Without this change, there is a disincentive for students to take such credits since they would “only” count in the elective category. As introductory courses, these offerings are the first time students encounter the formal study of communication and as such we anticipate the change will positively influence enrollment. 2. Updated courses: CAS 272, COMM 339, COMM 372, COMM 428E, and COMM 439 were not available when the major was last revised. We believe COMM 339-439 allow more flexibility for our production students than COMM 337W-338. CAS 404 is a useful additional 400 CAS selection for COMBA majors, and once approved can also serve as a non-business support course. 3. We believe the broad description of CAS 212 Professional Public Speaking is sufficient to cover a variety of types of advanced speaking situations students will encounter. We will continue to alternate this course with CAS 252, Business and Professional Speaking. 4. The reason we seek to delete CAS 211 and 213 is listed above; CAS 212 is sufficient for this need. Enrollments have not supported offering CAS 452 and CAS 363. 5. The minor change requiring practicum hours in more than one area is designed to enforce the original program faculty intent that students take practicum credits in more than one practicum area (i.e. newspaper, radio, TV/video) rather than only one area. 6. Supporting Course Concentrations: Increasing the Additional Course Category by 3 credits and decreasing the Supporting Course Category by 3 credits requires that students take 2-3 courses per concentration instead of 3 courses per concentration. We believe that the increased flexibility will help students arrive, in conjunction with their academic advisor, at appropriate academic and career course combinations within these concentrations. We anticipate this flexibility will positively influence enrollment and student satisfaction. 7. Asterisks: Under the Supporting Course Category, Journalism/Media Production Concentration, “Broadcast Journalism Area,” was improperly marked with an asterisk in the 2012 version. COMM 260W is not in the prescribed/additional categories of courses, but may be taken as a supporting course and fulfill the “W” requirement. 8. The adds and drops to the list of supporting courses outlined in b. above are simply to up-date the list of our current course offerings based on enrollment demand and faculty/program resources and capability. d. Documentation of the necessary consultation. A one-page prospectus was submitted by Dr. John Magenau to the Office of Undergraduate Education and shared at the May 1, 2014, ACUE meeting. Approval is attached. The proposal was sent for consultation to the following individuals: Name and contact information Comment Jennifer K. Wood, Ph.D. Associate Professor Communication Arts & Sciences 3550 Seventh Street Road Penn State New Kensington New Kensington, PA 15068 jkwood@psu.edu 724-334-6727 Dear Rod, I think it’s an excellent idea to include 100-level CAS and COMM courses to the Additional Course offerings and your rationale explains that well. In the COMMCC program, COMM 100 serves as a gateway course for our majors, and is often indispensable in that regard. In addition to helping with recruitment and retention, occasionally we have a student Response Name and contact information Comment Response who learns as a result of taking COMM 100 that she doesn’t want to major in Communications; that is a good thing to learn as a first year student! If you’d like a more formal response, please let me know. Yours, Jennifer Tom Smith, Abington Dear Rodney Troester, Tom These changes seem fine to me. I agree that double counting Gen. Ed courses in a major can further attract students otherwise inclined toward it. We plan to move forward as the Gen Ed folks decide what to do. Likely there will be many changes to make. One issue to be aware of: is that discussions about the Gen Ed revisions include setting up "firewalls" between the new Gen. Ed theme courses and majors, so the changes you're proposing may have to be undone when the new Gen. Ed program comes into existence in Fall 16. Perhaps you should talk with someone on your campus involved with the Gen Ed Task Force or one of its subcommittees. FWIW Margaret Signorella Greater Allegheny I like the changes you have made in your program. Zack Furness Greater Allegheny I appreciate you including me in the loop and I look forward to seeing the proposed changes for the COMBA program. Name and contact information Comment Samuel P. Winch, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Humanities and Communications Communications Graduate Program Coordinator School of Humanities Penn State Harrisburg 777 West Harrisburg Pike Middletown PA 17057 (717) 948-6391 Dear Rod, These changes sound like a positive step, giving first-year students an incentive to explore the communications major, and keeping your program description up to date. I support the proposal. best wishes, —Sam Bob Trumpbour, Ph.D. Chair, AEJMC Council of Divisions Associate Professor of Communications Pennsylvania State University 3000 Ivyside Park, Cypress 102 Altoona, PA 16601 (814) 949-5769 Rod, John Chapin Penn State Beaver Rod, Comm 100 is required for CommCC. It has attracted new majors and acts as an "intro to everything" for new majors. We also routinely petition Comm 150 to count as a GA for our majors (current policy says students can't take courses in their major as gen eds. This makes good sense. I am in support of what you propose here. I wish you luck with the changes. Thanks! Two thumbs up from Beaver. John MARY LOU NEMANIC Penn State Altoona Campus Hi Rod, Thanks for sending this. I'm okay with the changes. mun1@psu.edu Should I formally approve on Angel? Best, Mary Lou Response Name and contact information Comment Marie Hardin mch208@psu.edu Associate Dean Undergraduate Education, College of COMM We are A-OK with this proposal, Rod. Thanks. Have a good commencement weekend. —mh Catherine Dunning Catanach, APR Program Coordinator Penn State Berks Communication Arts and Sciences Office Ph. 610.396.6159 142 Franco Hi Rod, Dr. Mary Mino Assoc. Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences Penn State DuBois No response received I'm fine with your changes. Thanks, Catherine Dr. Wayne McMullen Assoc. Professor of Communication Arts and Sciences Penn State Brandywine Dr. William Bachman Sr. Inst. of Communications Penn State Wilkes-Barre Dr. Allen Larson Assoc. Professor Penn State New Kensington Dr. John Gastil Head and Professor Dept. of CAS, College of the Liberal Arts College of Communication: Dr. Anthony Olorunnisolo Head of Department of Film, Video and Media Studies Professor of Media Studies Dr. Ford Risley No response received Response Name and contact information Comment Head of Department of Journalism Professor of Journalism Dr. Matthew Jackson Head of Department of Telecommunications Professor of Telecommunications Dr. Michel Haigh Assoc. Professor of Advertising and Public Relations Dr. Robert Baukus Head of Department of Advertising and Public Relations Assoc. Professor of Advertising and Public Relations Dr. Robert Speel Associate Professor of Political Science Chair, H&SS Academic program and Policy Committee Penn State Erie, the Behrend college The AP&P Committee approved the proposal with the stipulation that communication courses not double count for general education for communication majors, since that affects whether COMBA majors can take other general education courses. Dr. Steven Hicks Director, School of Humanities and Social Science Penn State Erie, the Behrend college I support the proposal Response ACUE consultation took place during the period July 31 – August 15, 2014. The following responses were collected: Name Comments Stephanie L. Knight Associate Dean, Undergraduate and Graduate Education, College of Education Professor, Department of Educational Psychology Dr. David Christiansen Associate Vice President for the Commonwealth Campuses and Senior Associate Dean for Academic Programs You have my support Dawn. Dawn, The University College supports this proposal. David Behrend Response