A.S. Communications

A.S. Communications Program Information

Available online at Franklin University .

Create messaging for a mobile multi-screen world. This program integrates media courses with applied communication. Learners gain a comprehensive understanding of communication and a depth of knowledge about how media influence and engage audiences across communication platforms. Tell compelling stories using the latest communication tools and tactics!

Great messaging requires images and text that work together to inspire change, promote ideas, and influence behavior. Enhance your skill set with video or photography as well as document design. Franklin University's Communications program equips you to create, design and shape messaging that strategically supports achieving specific goals.

Courses in this program cultivate skills such as communications planning, visual and media literacy, message development, audience research, and communications design. The curriculum emphasizes creative messaging, tailoring projects, and collaborating to achieve strategic goals.

Learners create a customized communications portfolio that displays skills in visually appealing messaging, ethical communications, audience research, and strategic communication planning. The Communications program provides a broad understanding of the communications discipline while helping students demonstrate in-demand skills.

Communications students must have the following in addition to the University's General Technology Requirements: Broadband access and Web Cam

Curriculum & Course Descriptions

60 Semester Hours
Fundamental General Education
English Composition
ENG 120 - College Writing (4)

In this course, students acquire the writing competencies necessary for completing analytical and argumentative papers supported by secondary research. A variety of assignments, beginning with personal reflections, build upon one another, as students develop ideas that respond to, critique, and synthesize the positions of others. Students systematize and organize knowledge in ways that will help them in all their courses. The course also emphasizes the elements of critical reading, effective writing style, appropriate grammar and mechanics, clarity of language, and logical and cohesive development. It culminates in submission of an extended, documented research paper.

Mathematics
MATH 215 - Statistical Concepts (4)

This course introduces you to statistics with applications to various areas. The course covers both descriptive and inferential statistics. Topics included are: sampling techniques, data types, experiments; measures of central tendency, measures of dispersion, graphical displays of data, basic probability concepts, binomial and normal probability distributions, sampling distributions and Central Limit Theorem; confidence intervals, hypothesis tests of a mean, or a proportion for one or two populations, and linear regression.

OR MATH 160 - College Algebra (4)

This course is designed to prepare students for Applied Calculus and Discrete Mathematics and to provide the mathematical background needed for the analytic reasoning used in other courses. Topics include functions and their graphs, including exponential and logarithmic functions; complex numbers; systems of equations and inequalities; matrices; basic principles of counting and probability; and other selected topics. Note, this course has proctored exam(s).

OR

Choose either MATH 140 Introduction to Quantitative Reasoning or MATH 150 Fundamental Algebra as the prerequisite. MATH 150 must be selected for MATH 160. Course can count as a University elective.

Science

6 credits from the following types of courses:
Two courses from the Science discipline. One course must have a lab component.

Social and Behavioral Sciences

6 credits from the following types of courses:
Choose from the Anthropology, Economics, Geography, History, Political Science, Psychology, or Sociology disciplines. Choose course from two different disciplines to meet degree requirements.

Arts & Humanities

6 credits from the following types of courses:
Choose from the Art, English Literature, Fine Arts, Humanities, Music, Philosophy, Religion or Theater disciplines.

Additional General Education
PF 121 - Basic Learning Strategies (2)

This course prepares students to be successful lifelong learners both academically and in their chosen careers. Franklin courses require a high level of self-directed learning and focus on the skills required in the workplace and the classroom that are easily transferrable between the two environments. The course includes strategies for time management, goal setting, reading comprehension, and advancing communication skills, including the use of electronic tools to participate in virtual environments.

OR PF 321 - Learning Strategies (2)

This course prepares students to be successful lifelong learners both academically and in their chosen careers. Franklin courses require a high level of self-directed learning and focus on the skills required in the workplace and the classroom that are easily transferable between the two environments. The course includes strategies for advancing communication skills, including the use of electronic tools to participate in virtual environments. The assignments and activities in the course are created to closely simulate teamwork found in the workplace.

COMM 150 - Interpersonal Communication (4)

By using applied critical and creative thinking, students in this course will develop a set of communication skills that will enhance their personal and professional relationships and endeavors. This course will focus on skill development in key areas such as self, perception, listening, verbal messages, conversations, relationships, conflict management, persuasion, and presentation skills.

OR SPCH 100 - Speech Communication (4)

This basic public-speaking course intends to improve the student's ability to think critically and to communicate orally. Theory and practice are provided in various speaking situations. Each student is required to speak before an audience, but class work also involves reading, gathering and organizing information, writing, and listening.

ENG 220 - Research Writing: Exploring Professional Identities (4)

This is an intermediate course focusing on the composition of research papers. Students in this course prepare to be active participants in professional discourse communities by examining and practicing the writing conventions associated with their own fields of study and work. By calling attention to the conventions of disciplinary writing, the course also prepares students for upper-division college writing and the special conventions of advanced academic discourse. Course activities include three extended research papers, semi-formal writing addressing interdisciplinary communication, and readings fostering critical engagement with disciplinary conversations.

OR ENG 205 - Business & Professional Writing (4)

This is an advanced composition course focusing on writing for business and professional purposes. Students will review the writing conventions commonly expected within business and professional environments, as well as strategies for analyzing rhetorical situations within those environments. Coursework includes analysis, revision, and research exercises, as well as substantial practice in composing business correspondence. The final project is an extensive, researched business proposal developed in stages and presented to the class. Students will be encouraged to relate course materials to their major programs and workplace experiences.

Professional Core
COMM 202 - Introduction to Mass Media (3)

In this course students learn how to critically engage and make sense of the media around us and become media literate consumers who are knowledgeable and self-critical of mass media content. In addition to introducing students to the use of media, in both contemporary and historical contexts, this course will help students develop the analytical tools that they can use to examine media content, intent, context, and subtext in order to explore what and how we learn from the media, and how media shape our perceptions in regard to race/ethnicity, gender, class, sexuality, geography, and education as well as how media operate and exert their influence on individuals and society.

COMM 205 - Professional Communication (2)

In this course students will learn how to apply principles of intelligent visual design to professional communication and self-presentation. The focus will be on helping students reframe how to look outward to the professional world, and how to get professionals to view them as great employees and collaborators. How do you seek information to better understand organizations and professional opportunities? How do you present yourself to employers or prospective clients? Throughout the course students will receive professional mentoring and participate in an informational interview. Students will enhance their skills in impression management and communication through social media such as Linked In, blogs, and digital portfolios. Each assignment is tailored to fit the students? professional goals and career path. This course is intended for all academic majors.

COMM 211 - Theories of Communication (3)

In this course, we address what communication theory is and learn more about several specific theories applied in current communication research. Students will also explore how theories of communication and media can be useful in practice.

Technical Credit

4 credits from the following types of courses:
Computer programming and/or computer literacy, Journalism and Media, Digital Arts or Digital Communication Arts, Graphic design, web development, video game design, video production, and/or video camera use or photography.

Major Area Required
COMM 315 - Communication Ethics (4)

This course examines the strategies involved in effective, ethical communication in professional contexts. Students examine principles of ethical organizational communication and the temporal/cultural/social forces behind those principles, as well as apply reasoning and critical thinking in individual and group assignments. Comparing values and perspectives from diverse cultures, students will respond to cases in an intercultural professional environment.

COMM 335 - Communication in Groups and Teams (4)

The course examines current theories and best practices of working collaboratively in professional contexts. Students apply these concepts to analyze their own work experience, generating strategies for how to improve their performance in work groups. Students will learn basic project management skills and work in online virtual teams to complete a final communication project.

COMM 321 - Organizational Communication (4)

The course examines the role of communication in organizations. Students will learn the major theories of organizational communication, identifying and defining primary concepts, and applying them to discussions of real-world situations. The role of technology, corporate culture, leadership, teamwork, ethics, and diversity in communication is examined. Effective communication in global organizations and critiques of organization communication systems and structures are also presented.

OR COMM 400 - Intercultural Communication (4)

This course provides an overview of issues, processes, and theories involved with communicating with individuals from different cultures. Topics include thinking and communicating in global contexts and professional relationships in diverse environments.

Additional Requirements

All students are required to pass College Writing (ENG 120), and either Basic Learning Strategies (PF 121) or Learning Strategies (PF 321) prior to enrolling in any course at the 200 level or above. Students who enroll at Franklin with 30 or fewer hours of transfer credit are required to pass PF 121 Basic Learning Strategies in place of PF 321 Learning Strategies. Interpersonal Communication (COMM 150) or Speech Communication (SPCH 100) must be taken prior to enrolling in any course at the 300 level or above. Students must also meet the University algebra competency requirement.