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

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.

ENGW 253 - Foundation of Communication and Rhetoric Theory I Credits: 3
ENGW 254 - Foundations of Communication & Rhetoric Theory II Credits: 3
COMM 201 - Introduction to Mass Communication Credits: 3
COMM 202 - Communication Ethics & Law Credits: 3
COMM 301 - Communication Research Methods Credits: 3
COMM 353 - Persuasion Credits: 3
COMM 450 - Communication and Rhetoric Senior Seminar Credits: 3
COMM 482 - Communication and Rhetoric Internship I Credits: 3
COMM 499 - Senior Experience Credits: 0

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.

ART 154 - Digital Imaging Foundation Credits: 3 and
ART 355 - Web-Based Visual Design
COMM 356 - Fundamentals of Video Production And Editing Credits: 3 and
COMM 357 - Advanced Video Production and Editing
COMM 374 - Public Relations Credits: 3 and
MKT 216 - Principles of Marketing
ENGW 270 - Journalism Credits: 3 and
ENGW 271 - Advanced Journalism
or
ENGW 375 - Feature Writing
ENGW 340 - Fundamentals of Screenwriting Credits: 3 and
ENGW 341 - Advanced Screenwriting
ENGW 351 - Technical and Professional Writing Credits: 3 and
ENGW 356 - Editing for Publication

Communication and Rhetoric - Survey Courses

ENGE 357 - Theories of Grammar and the Composing Process

Take two of the following survey courses:

ENGL 201 - Survey of British Literature I Credits: 3
ENGL 202 - Survey of British Literature II Credits: 3
ENGL 203 - Survey of American Literature I Credits: 3
ENGL 204 - Survey of American Literature II Credits: 3
ENGL 205G - Survey of World Literature I Credits: 3
ENGL 206G - Survey of World Literature II Credits: 3

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.

EDU 090 - Orientation to the Personal Electronic Portfolio and Electronic Resource System Credits: 0
SPF 204 - History and Philosophy of Education Credits: 3
EDU 475 - Health Education, Child Abuse, and Violence Prevention Workshop Credits: 0
INCH 355 - Introduction to Literacy and Differentiated Learning Credits: 3
INCH 360 - Inclusive Practices in the Construction Of Meaning in Mathematics/Science/ Social Studies Credits: 3
INCH 370 - Learning Theory and Curriculum for Diverse Learners Credits: 3
INCH 372 - Developmentally Appropriate Strategies For Reading in the Content Areas Credits: 3
INCH 440 - Curriculum and Planning for Diverse Learning Credits: 3
INCH 441 - Field Work in Inclusion At the Middle Childhood Level Credits: 3
INCH 455 - Behavior Management Credits: 3
INCH 460 - Integrating the Arts and Technology for Individualized Needs Credits: 3
INCH 464 - Reflective Seminar Credits: 3
INCH 466 - Student Teaching Credits: 6
INCH 474 - Current Issues in Inclusive Education Credits: 3

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.