The Department of Communication seeks to provide students pursuing a degree in speech communication with the theoretical foundations and practical knowledge of effective communication principles. By balancing courses in speech communication with history, English, math, and other courses outside the department, students gain the broad education necessary for success in many careers.
STUDENT LEARNING OUTCOMES
- Students will demonstrate the ability to analyze scholarly works in the field and convey the information to others.
- Students will measure their perceived communication competence.
- Students will demonstrate their ability to construct and deliver effective public speeches in a variety of contexts.
- Students will discover key elements of major speech communication theories.
- Candidates with a major in secondary education will create and synthesize lessons in a comprehensive unit plan.
- Candidates with a major in secondary education will demonstrate mastery of the required standards in the TEA clinical teaching domains.
- Candidates with a major in a secondary education field will demonstrate competency of the required standards related to pedagogy and professional responsibility as specified by the Texas Education Agency.
Courses
General Education Requirements - 42 hours
English 1301, 1302, and three hours sophomore literature - 9 hours
Speech 1311 - 3 hours
History 1301 and 1302 - 6 hours
Political Science 2305 - 3 hours
Science (must be a lab science) - 4 hours
Mathematics 1342 - 3 hours
Fine Arts (three hours from music, theatre, fine arts, arts, or equivalent) - 3 hours
Physical Activity - KINE 1238 - 2 hours
Religion 1320 and 1330 - 6 hours
Psychology 3331 - 3 hours
Professional Development (See Professional Development Requirements in the Teacher Education section of the catalog) - 24
Major area of study (see below) - 30 hours
Minor - 18-25 hours
Plan II requires a minor (second teaching field) selected from those
specified in the Department of Teacher Education section - 24-25 hours
Plan III requires a minor from any available non-teacher education minor - 18 hours
Electives (to total 120 hours)
Total: Minimum one hundred twenty (120) semester hours
Completion of thirty (30) semester hours:
COMM 1301 Introduction to Mass Media
SPCH 2302 Listening
SPCH 3300 Research Methods in Communication
SPCH 3303 Small Group Communication
SPCH 3304 Argumentation and Debate
THEA 4300 Teaching Theatre in Public Schools
SPCH 4304 Advanced Public Speaking
SPCH 4306 Seminar in Instructional Communication
SPCH 4309 Advanced Interpersonal Communication
Three (3) hours of additional Speech Communication courses
Note: Other certification requirements are listed in the Department of Teacher Education Section.