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2019-2020 Undergraduate & Graduate Catalog

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School of Communications

Director: Thompson. Professors: Ellis, Morse, Nesterenko, Perrine, Rathbun; Associate Professors: Anton, Beery, Helgert, Libman, Pednekar-Magal, Penning, Peterson, Philbin, Roberts, Roos, Schmit, Sheffield, Thompson, Veenstra, Winegar; Assistant Professors: Bell, J., Hyun, Smith, Swieringa, Velez, Wiese, Zhang.

Web Site: www.gvsu.edu/soc

For additional information about opportunities your college offers, please refer to your college's section in this catalog.

Communications is a multidisciplinary liberal arts and professional field. At Grand Valley a student may choose a major in communication studies or one of seven specialized majors.

Communication Arts includes majors in film and video production, photography, and theatre. In these fields communication is seen primarily as the creation of meaning in both original work and performance. Besides language, these fields emphasize communication by means of images, movement, and dramatic action.

The Film and Video Production and Photography programs are accredited by the National Association of Schools of Art and Design.

Mass Communications includes majors in advertising and public relations, broadcasting, and journalism. These fields deal with the communication of information to mass audiences. Studies emphasize verbal and nonverbal messages and the constantly developing technology used in these specialties.

The Health Communication major was developed in direct response to a growing need for professional communicators in the health care fields. Health communication majors are educated across a wide range of content in advertising, public relations, writing, marketing, and the health sciences.

Communication Studies draws on the resources of both communication arts and mass communications. To these it adds the rhetorical tradition that emphasizes discourse - both person to person and to audiences, by public address, argumentation, persuasion, and dialogue.

In all major fields students will be expected to acquire the theoretic insights and practical skills appropriate to related professions.

In order to create a common experience for students in the School of Communications, a common core of coursework is required of all majors. By integrating diverse disciplines and traditions, these courses help students understand the nature of human communication.

Internships

The School of Communications faculty believes that an internship can be a significant part of the individual's undergraduate program. Students may elect to take multiple internships. Students are strongly urged to work closely with their faculty advisor or internship coordinator in identifying internships that best suite their interests and career ambitions.

Scholarships

The School of Communications' Scholarships honor upper level School of Communications students who have demonstrated promise in their chosen field of study. Applicants must have declared a major in the School of Communications, be in good academic standing, and have completed a minimum of 430 semester credits. Students can request funding for a variety of needs including (but not limited to) the following: tuition, books and materials, living expenses, projects for class or independent study/senior thesis project, international or domestic travel and/or research (such as to visit museums or attend a conference). Individual scholarships will be in the $1000 range. Scholarships are not automatically renewable, but students may re-apply. Scholarship recipients are chosen by the School of Communications' Scholarship Committee. Decisions are based on the clarity and completeness of the application essay and the student's grade point. The deadline is the first Monday in February for the following academic year. Please see the School of Communications for details.

Program Requirements

The following programs are available:


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