Communication
Degrees and Certificates
The Department of Communication provides a great range of undergraduate and graduate programs that promote independent thinking and much inquiry.
Our undergraduate program offers a major and a minor in Communication, as well as a Business Communication minor. Our graduate program offers an M.A. in Communication, five-course graduate certificates, and a Combined B.A./M.A. program. You may also want to check out our various International Programs.
Learning Goals and Objectives
Theory
- Articulate an understanding of communication as a complex, creative, constitutive, tendentious social practice;
- Demonstrate the significance of a communication perspective to understanding complex social problems. Such problems include those that arise from cross-cultural engagement and learning in a global context, perhaps experientially, and are influenced by the interconnectedness of political, social, cultural, and environmental systems. This implies that all students will have some cross-cultural engagement, international or domestic, during their time at Villanova and especially, in the COM major.
Application
- Critically interpret, analyze, and evaluate messages;
- Design and execute a research plan on a significant communication problem to make knowledge that contributes to better understanding of communication and its significance in people’s lives;
- Select modes and create messages best suited to address particular audiences, represent particular issues, speak to particular contexts, and solve particular communication problems. This could be through various modes under the broad rubric of storytelling.
Engagement
- Identify the aesthetic, technical, and stylistic resources available and make effective, ethically appropriate choices in message creation, and be able to defend their choices;
- Facilitate purposive, productive, and collaborative interaction among individuals and groups/teams, with consideration and understanding of the identities of self and other.
Classes
COM 1100 : Public Speaking
Credits
3COM 1101 : Business & Prof Communication
Credits
3COM 1102 : COM Foundations for Engrs
Technical & professional communication: Oral & visual presentations, including technical reports; formulation/evaluation of data-driven arguments; group communication & listening skills. This course is only for students enrolled in Mechnical Engineering.
Credits
3COM 1300 : Film Analysis
Credits
3COM 1903 : Communication Internship
Credits
3COM 1906 : Communication Internship
Credits
6COM 1909 : Communication Internship
Credits
9COM 2200 : Theories of Rhetoric
Credits
3COM 2240 : Theories of Perform Studies
Credits
3COM 2280 : Theories of Persuasion
Credits
3COM 2300 : Theories of Mass Communication
Credits
3COM 2340 : Theories of Visual Com & Cultu
Credits
3COM 2400 : Theories of Interpersonal Com
Credits
3COM 2440 : Theories of Organizational Com
Credits
3COM 2993 : Communication Internship
Credits
3COM 2996 : Communication Internship
Credits
6COM 3201 : Rhetoric & Social Justice
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3202 : Rhetoric, Identity & Conflict
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3203 : Communication Law & Policy
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3204 : Rhetoric and Democracy
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3207 : African American Rhetoric
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3208 : Rhetoric and Myth
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2340 or COM 2200 or COM 2300 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3240 : Performance for Social Change
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2340 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3241 : Performance of Literature
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2400 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2440
COM 3243 : Performance Art
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2340 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3245 : Voice & Diction
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3246 : Performance of Greek Lit
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3247 : Storytelling
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2340 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3290 : Spec Top in Rhetoric & Perf
Credits
3COM 3301 : Intro to Film & Video Prod
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3302 : Advanced Film & Video Prod
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 3303 : Screenwriting
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440 and COM 1300
COM 3304 : Documentary Theory & Practice
A study of the documentary as art, propaganda, social document, and instrument for social change. After a review of theory and work in documentary, students develop their own short works. For COM majors who have taken COM 3600, this course counts as a Free Elective. For COM majors who have not taken COM 3600, this course counts as a COM 3000-level course.
Credits
3COM 3305 : Radio Broadcasting
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3306 : Audio Production
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3308 : Digital Image Production
Credits
3Prerequisites
(COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440)
COM 3321 : Interactive Media Design
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3340 : Film History
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 1300 and COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3341 : Gender and Film
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3342 : International Cinema
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2400 or COM 2440 or COM 2340
COM 3343 : Contemporary Cinema
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3351 : Media & Society
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3352 : Media & Technology
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3353 : Media & Politics
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3354 : Media Criticism
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3355 : Media Effects
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3356 : Media Audiences
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3360 : Introduction to Journalism
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3361 : Journalism Practices
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 3363 : Broadcast Journalism
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 3365 : Sports Journalism
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 3366 : Multimedia Journalism
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 3367 : Journalism Topics
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 3390 : Spec Top in Media & Film
Credits
3COM 3401 : Relational COM Studies
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3402 : Family Communication
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3403 : Intercultural Communication
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3404 : Communication & Conflict
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3406 : Gender & Communication
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3441 : Negotiation & Dialogue
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3442 : Team Based Communication
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3443 : Work Life Negotiation
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2340 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3444 : Interviewing
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3445 : COM Consulting in Organization
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3448 : Multicultural Ledrshp & Dialog
Credits
3COM 3460 : Public Relations
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3461 : Advertising
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 2200 or COM 2240 or COM 2280 or COM 2300 or COM 2340 or COM 2400 or COM 2440
COM 3462 : Public Relations Writing
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 3475 : Com Challenge in Organizations
Credits
3COM 3476 : Managing Multi Gen. Workforce
Credits
3COM 3477 : Creativity, Innov., & Entrep.
Credits
3COM 3490 : Spec Top in Interpersonal Org
Credits
3COM 3600 : Social Justice Documentary
Credits
6COM 4001 : Qualitative Research in COM
Review of basis principles of critical inquiry in the interpretive paradigm. Reading and designing qualitative research in communication through gathering and critically analyzing literature in the field and proposing an original study. Methods include ethnography and textual analysis.
Credits
3COM 4002 : Quantitative Research in COM
Review of basic principles of scientific inquiry in the empirical paradigm. Reading and designing quantitative research in communication through gathering and critically analyzing literature in the field and proposing an original study. Methods include experiments and surveys.
Credits
3COM 5050 : Senior Project
Credits
3Prerequisites
COM 4001 or COM 4002