Communications (BA)
The Department of Communications at Simmons is an interactive, student-centered learning environment that employs a creative approach to communication education led by a faculty of professionals and scholars. Students develop a balance of in-depth understandings of concepts and theory and the practical skills needed to produce media content in a variety of professional settings including business, education, human services, journalism, entertainment, politics, public relations, social media, advertising, and design. This balance prepares our students for the jobs of today, as well as for the jobs of tomorrow, because they have also learned to adapt to the demands of rapid changes in media and technology. Our approach is highly interdisciplinary: collaborating with and among the disciplines of political science and international relations, public health, computer science, art, sociology, and cinema and media studies. This program of study is highly experiential, culminating in advanced coursework and capstone experiences like internships and Studio Five, the department’s student-run, professional communications agency.
Communications offers major concentrations in Design, Journalism, and Integrated Media, as well as joint majors in Public Relations and Marketing Communications (with the School of Management) and Interaction Design and Web Development (with the Department of Data Science and AI). The course requirements for these programs follow.
Degree Requirements
Majors complete 42 credits in Communications, including 3 required core courses, 2 1-credit technology courses, 4 courses in their concentration (Design, Journalism, or Integrated Media), 2 Communications courses outside their concentration, and an independent learning Capstone.
Step One: Core Requirements
All Communications students take a three-course introductory core.
Step Two: Technology Courses
All students complete at least two-credits of technology skill-based courses.
| COMM 110 | Introduction to 2D Design Technology | 1 |
| COMM 112 | Introduction to Animation & Motion Graphics Technology | 1 |
| COMM 114 | Introduction to Audio and Video Editing | 1 |
Step Three: Concentration Courses
Students take four courses in one of the concentrations, as detailed below, and 2 Communications courses outside of their concentration. At least two of these six courses are at the 300 level.
|
Design |
Integrated Media |
Journalism |
Step Four: Capstone
Students take at least 4 credits of an independent learning Capstone in the senior year:
Concentrations in the Communications Major
Design Concentration
Students in the Design Concentration complete the Communications Core, 2 Technology courses, 4 courses in the Design concentration, 2 Communications courses outside Design, and a Capstone.
Design Concentration Courses:
Integrated Media Concentration
Students in Integrated Media complete the Communications Core, 2 Technology courses, 4 courses in the Integrated Media concentration, 2 Communications courses outside Integrated Media, and a Capstone.
Integrated Media Courses:
Journalism Concentration
Students in the Journalism Concentration complete the Communications Core, 2 Technology courses, 4 courses in the Journalism concentration, 2 courses Communications courses outside Journalism, and a Capstone.
Journalism Courses: