Mar 29, 2024  
2010-2011 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2010-2011 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Communication and Rhetoric Major with Inclusive Childhood/Middle Childhood Education Major


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Communication and rhetoric prepares students to become versatile communicators in spoken, written, and visual forms. Building on the College’s liberal arts core, and housed within the English department, the communication and rhetoric major produces proactive learners who are efficient and effective problem-solvers, proficient in the analysis of their own and others’ visual and graphic communication in both print and digital media. Graduates are well-positioned for a variety of careers, not only in typical communication-related fields such as journalism, media, advertising, and public relations, but also in the wide range of other fields that require excellent reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. In addition to classroom instruction, all students receive direct pre-professional training in the form of internships and seminar projects conducted in consultation with local businesses and communication professionals.

Students who elect to combine the communication and rhetoric major with teacher certification take the communication/rhetoric requirements, with the exception that the Professional Semester (student teaching) substitutes for the required internship (COMM 482). The education course sequences listed below substitute for the Praxis Strand, and in lieu of the COMM electives students will take any two of the six survey courses from the literature major (ENGL 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, and 206).

Students who elect to pursue teacher certification through our English education program receive special instruction in teaching methods and philosophy through the English department (in addition to their required coursework in the education department). Students are required to have a minimum GPA of 2.7 before moving into INCL 440/441 and the Professional Semester (student teaching).

Communication and Rhetoric Major Requirements


All Communication and Rhetoric Majors are required to take the following:

(24 Credits)

*For students majoring in Inclusive Childhood/Middle Childhood Education, their student teaching will count as their internship, although they may choose to do a separate internship.

Communication and Rhetoric Praxis Strand


Communication and Rhetoric students choose one or two praxis strands.   (6 Credits)
**If the schedule permits, a student seeking Teacher Certification may choose one praxis strand.

Required Courses for Inclusive Childhood/Middle Childhood Education Major


The following courses are required for the Inclusive Childhood/Middle Childhood Education major. The major prepares students for the initial teacher certification requirements in four certification areas: Childhood Education (Grades 1-6), Teaching Students with Disabilities at the Childhood Level (Grades 1-6), Middle Childhood Education - Generalist or Content Specialist (Grades 5-9), and Teaching Students with Disabilities at the Middle Childhood Level (Grades 5-9).

*Students in the Inclusive Childhood/Middle Childhood major who are pursuing a B.A. degree must take all electives in liberal arts areas in order to earn the 90 liberal arts credits that are required for the degree.

Communication and Rhetoric Major Senior Experience


The Communication and Rhetoric Senior Experience allows students to design and present a project/portfolio of work that bridges the academic and professional worlds.  Students are expected to design a project that will apply what they have learned over the course of their study.  The Senior Seminar class will provide a community in which to work on this project.  Projects will be presented at the end of the semester in a public forum. 

Sample Program for Communication and Rhetoric Major with Inclusive Education


Freshman Year


  • Arts & Sciences Perspectives I Credits: 9
  • Modern Foreign Language Credits: 6

As well as:

Sophomore Year


  • Literature Survey Credits: 3
  • Arts & Sciences Perspectives I Credits: 15
  • EDU 204 Voices of American Literature II Credits: 3

As well as:

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