2024-2025 Academic Catalog
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.
The School of Communication offers five undergraduate majors: Advertising, Communication, Multimedia Journalism, Public Relations, and Sports Media and Analytics. These majors lead to a B.A. in Communication. The five majors, each grounded in a strong liberal arts curriculum, prepare students for careers in journalism, broadcasting, digital media production, public relations, advertising, sports media, business, public service, government, and professional specializations, such as law. Coursework in the school focuses on strategic, theoretical, and practical application of message creation, delivery, and analysis. Graduates from each major are prepared to apply their skills immediately in various professional settings or continue their studies in graduate school.
The school is organized into three curriculum divisions: Communication Studies (CMST), Journalism and Mass Communication (JMC), and Public Relations and Advertising (PR/ADV). Each division is responsible for specific majors. The three divisions share responsibility for the school's core (COMM) curriculum. The Communication Studies division coordinates the school's Communication Skills and Public Speaking offerings. The Public Relations curriculum is certified by the Public Relations Society of America.
Advertising (ADV) - This major prepares students to craft and deliver persuasive messages through paid media. Coursework explores theories, practice, and ethics of advertising. Students learn about market research, consumer behavior, account planning, media buying, brand storytelling, copy design and production, and campaign evaluation. Major courses come from the School of Communication, Pamplin College of Business, and School of Visual Arts.
Communication (COMM) - This major develops human-interaction strategies and skills relating to decision making, influence, and information exchange in face-to-face, public, and organizational contexts. As a graduate, you might consider careers in business, health, civic engagement, law, education, and ministry.
Multimedia Journalism (MJ) - This major prepares students for careers at newspapers, magazines, broadcast and cable outlets, and online news operations. The lines that separate these specialties have blurred as delivery media have converged. Courses offer both practical skills and theory as they address history, law and ethics, current controversies, and opportunities in the changing news business.
Public Relations (PR) - This major emphasizes both skill and management functions of public relations through theoretical and practical applications. Public relations spans media, organizational, corporate, and political contexts. The discipline includes investigation and analysis of public relations situations (e.g., crises, successes), message production and campaign planning, writing and presentation, and evaluation of public relations strategies. Public relations permeates many areas of corporate, nonprofit, and political work, so this major provides students a foundation for many different career paths. The public relations curriculum is certified by the Public Relations Society of America.
Sports Media and Analytics (SMA) - This major prepares students to produce and deliver sports news, consider ways to promote the sports industry, and analyze data related to sports accomplishments, fan participation, and social media. Employment opportunities are varied and include sports reporting; public relations for sports venues, teams, or athletes; and promotional work for businesses that support the fans.
The curriculum for each major is designed to provide foundational and developmental courses along with major-specific study. Students are introduced to concepts early in the undergraduate career, and the curriculum allows them to build knowledge and skills as they work on increasingly complex tasks. Students develop skills in written, spoken, and visual communication. At the foundational level, students in every major are required to take the same introductory courses.
The School of Communication offers three undergraduate minors: Advertising, Health Communication, and Strategic Communication.
Advertising This 18-credit minor introduces students from outside mass communication disciplines to basic principles of paid persuasive communication. The minor requires students to earn 15 credits from divisions within the School of Communication and 3 credits from the Marketing Department in the Pamplin College of Business.
Health Communication This 21-credit multidisciplinary minor exposes students to core Pathways learning outcomes and builds knowledge about health communication. Four introductory requirements, two mid-level electives, and a capstone course consider theoretical and practical tools used to promote and affect health behavior change.
Strategic Communication This 18-credit multidisciplinary Pathways minor is open to majors from across the university and is especially appropriate for students in business or science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines. Courseworkfour introductory requirements, one elective, and a capstone courseshows students how strategic communication works in a variety of industries. Few jobs have no communication components.
Specific course requirements for each minor are explained on checksheets. These three minors are not open to students in the Advertising, Communication, Multimedia Journalism, Public Relations, or Sports Media and Analytics majors.
University policy requires that students demonstrate their progress toward the degree by meeting minimum requirements. A student will be certified as making satisfactory progress toward a degree by meeting the following requirements:
Students who fall below the standard for either the overall GPA or the major GPA will have one semester to regain the required GPA standards. A student who fails to make satisfactory progress toward degree after that semester will be blocked from continuing in any School of Communication and Digital Media major.
Incoming freshmen and students enrolled at other institutions should follow directions for application as shown on the Admissions website.
Students enrolled in other Virginia Tech majors who wish to transfer into the School of Communication may use the online system for application.
Please see the school website for more information about majors and minors:
https://liberalarts.vt.edu/departments-and-schools/school-of-communication.html
Contact: comm@vt.edu
Director: John C. Tedesco
Associate Director: Hannah S. Deuyour
Director of Undergraduate Programs: Brandi A. Quesenberry
Director of Graduate Studies: M. Cayce Myers
Professors: C. Evia, J. A. Kuypers, M.C. Myers, and J. C. Tedesco
Professors of Practice: D. Jefferies, R. J. Reed, and W. B. Roth
Associate Professors: M. A. Duncan, R. L. Holloway, A. Holz, M. A. Horning, N. J. Logan, N. Mielczarek, S. A. Smith, B. A. Watkins, and C. L. Woods
Associate Professor of Practice: C. L. Brown and J. Combs
Assistant Professors: M. Zimmerman
Assistant Collegiate Professor: H.S. Deuyour
Assistant Professor of Practice: A. Amey
Senior Instructors: B. A. Quesenberry and S. J. Robinson
Advanced Instructors: C. H. Boor, D. Conner, B. W. Howell, D. M. Jenkins, K. M. McAllister, L. S. Purcell, S. C. Stinson, and N. Sowder
Instructors: T. H. Bennett, M. Cassady, E. Johnson, C. Thomas, A. Widgeon and J. M. Woolly
Concepts and techniques of visual storytelling for corporate and commercial communication through paid, earned, shared, and owned media. Design and production of visual messages for delivery through print, photography, videography, and online channels. Analysis of effective visual communication in advertising and public relations campaigns. Ethical consideration of visual communication choices. Pre: Sophomore standing
Introduction to health communication with a focus on current issues and perspectives, including patient-provider communication, cultural conceptions of health and illness, media portrayals of health, communication in health organizations, health communication theories, information technologies in health communication, ethical considerations, and health promotion campaigns.
Writing advertising messages for print, broadcast, and online media. Basic design and strategic messaging for visual, verbal, and video storytelling. Promotional and sales appeals for products, services, and causes. Theories of image creation and brand identity. Legal and ethical considerations in paid media.
Account planning and media buying in an agency environment. Business and market analysis for advertising clients. Research and assessment strategies for paid-media messages. Management, motivation and persuasion theories in programming. Data analysis, creative briefs, and copy testing. Selection and scheduling of media buys to deliver promotional messages through appropriate communication channels to target audiences efficiently and effectively. Legal and ethical considerations in advertising planning and management.
Social and ethical issues in commercial and corporate speech. Government regulations of advertising. Propaganda in business, social, and political communication through history. Influence of advertising on culture, social movements, and gender identity.
Selected topics in public relations and advertising. Emphasis on theoretical, practical, or ethical issues in selected contexts. May be repeated 1 time with different content for a maximum of 6 credits.
Study of issues related to the theory and practice of health communication, including interpersonal, public, organizational, political, and cultural. Junior standing required.
Planning and production of visual messages for delivery through print, photography, videography, websites, social media, and mobile applications. Theories and principles of visual communication important to individuals working in communication jobs. COURSE FEE $59. Pre: Sophomore standing
Key theories and figures in rhetoric over the past 2,500 years. Evolution of rhetorical and critical perspectives in communication. Dynamic, critical nature of persuasive communication. Methodological approaches to rhetorical criticism, ethics of message creation, communication contexts, emerging perspectives, and impact of changing culture/society on rhetorical theory.
Study and contemporary practices in digital publishing aimed at multichannel distribution for diverse audiences. Principles, standards, workflows, technologies, and strategies for ethical and accessible design and automation of content for Web, mobile, print, multimedia, and voice environments.
Focus on peer pedagogy in a communication center to support development of oral communication competence among students across disciplines. Emphasis on oral communication theory applied to one-on-one support for students oral presentations. May repeat 1 time.
Theoretical foundations of persuasion; techniques of persuasion; contemporary persuasive practice and campaigns; persuasive media strategies. Junior standing required.
Advanced critical analysis, preparation and presentation of persuasive speeches. Study of advanced rhetorical principles with emphasis on policy speeches and the use of proofs to convince, strengthen beliefs, and motivate listeners to overt action. Advanced focus on approaches to research, audience analysis, effective organization and extemporaneous delivery.
Basic theories and processes of person-to-person communication; interpersonal perception; verbal and nonverbal communication; establishment of relationships in the family and work situation. Junior standing required.
Practical reasoning and argumentation about questions of community significance, emphasizing critical thought, rhetorical strategies, and advocacy. Junior standing required.
Study of group theory and its application to a group project, including team dynamics and leadership, conflict resolution, project management, and team presentation strategies.
Theory and contemporary practice of professional oral communication, including interpersonal interaction, small group problem-solving, and public presentations. Emphasis on ethical exchanges in traditional or virtual workshops settings.
Examines how verbal, nonverbal, and visual communication create, sustain, and challenge the meaning of gender and cultural structures and practices. Junior standing.
Social impacts, key issues, and research findings related to video games, simulations, and virtual environments. Ethical, policy, and social dimensions in society; industry data and research. Prerequisite: Junior standing.
Study of advocacy campaigns with digital components. Rhetorical considerations in message construction, analysis of persuasive techniques, ethical standards, and strategies for campaign development. Senior standing required.
Methodologies, tools, and strategies for managing workflow of communication projects for Web distribution. Software tools for Web-based communication. Quantitative and qualitative methods for usability and readability of Web content. Web analytics and content metrics to support decision making.
Selected topics in media criticism. Offered on demand. Senior standing and consent required.
Selected topics in communication. Application of theory and research in selected context. Ethical and social dimensions of communication issues, policies, and effects. May be repeated with different content for a maximum of 6 credit hours. Pre: Junior standing.
Communication principles and practices for training and development. Communication roles, strategies, and products for learning in workplace environments.
In-depth study of an issue or theme in communication. Communication theories, issues, policies, effects, and contexts. Research and presentation of research. Pre: Senior standing.
Introduction to areas of research, ethical behaviors, and career paths in the discipline. Consideration of strategies for learning, accessing advising, and locating resources.
Survey of the communication discipline across areas of specialization from interpersonal to mediated and mass communication, including history and fundamental concepts, theories, contexts. Emphasis on ethical human behavior and message analysis.
Introduction to oral and written communication. 1015: Focus on oral and written communication in interpersonal, small group, and public contexts. Special emphasis on the writing process, listening, interviewing, conflict resolution, critical analysis, and communication in digital and visual media. 1016: Continued Study in oral and written communication skills for small group and public contexts. Focus on practical applications in ethical research and information gathering, audience analysis and adaptation, message development, and oral, written, and visual presentations by individuals and groups.
Introduction to oral and written communication. 1015: Focus on oral and written communication in interpersonal, small group, and public contexts. Special emphasis on the writing process, listening, interviewing, conflict resolution, critical analysis, and communication in digital and visual media. 1016: Continued Study in oral and written communication skills for small group and public contexts. Focus on practical applications in ethical research and information gathering, audience analysis and adaptation, message development, and oral, written, and visual presentations by individuals and groups.
Strategies and practice for speaking to specific audiences. Ethical considerations for message preparation, development, presentation, and evaluation. Pre: Sophomore standing.
Behavior of people working in groups. Theories and models of communication, types of groups, principles of effective teamwork. Intrapersonal and interpersonal communication and values related to group behavior, relationships, and problem solving. Ethical issues associated with group work. Pre: Sophomore standing required.
Writing and information gathering skills including news, features, press releases, and advertising copy for broadcast, print and public relations media. Sophomore Standing Required.
An examination of media influence on society. Emphasis on impact of media (such as newspapers, film, social networks, and video games) on diverse audiences and cultures. Considerations of the evolution of media; social institutions and trends related to the media; domestic, global, ethical, and legal questions posed by the media; intercultural communication; and new technologys influence on society.
Study of communication theory and practice related to diversity and the media. Analysis of ethical implications of media influences on workplace communication across disciplines. Development of a personal understanding of diversity and identity by examining media producers, audiences, workforces, outlets, and content.
Study of approaches to research in the discipline, including identification and analysis of existing research; procedures for conducting and reporting basic research in communication. Sophomore Standing required.
Study of discovery, analysis, creation, and evaluation of single medium - written or spoken or visual - presentations of ideas related to collaborative technology innovation for societal impact. Analysis of how race, class, gender, and age shape written, oral, or visual expression in the United States and vice versa. Special attention to single medium communications with stakeholders in business, government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and universities. Ethical dimensions of written, spoken, or visual communication about collaborative technology innovation for societal impact. May be repeated 2 times with different content for a maximum of 3 credits.
Study of the discovery, analysis, creation, and evaluation of multimedia presentation of ideas related to collaborative technology innovation for societal impact. Analysis of how race, class, gender, and age shape multimedia expression and vice versa. Special attention to communicating across disciplinary, organizational, and cultural differences in the workplace. Ethical dimensions of multimedia communication about collaborative technology innovation for societal impact. May be repeated 2 times with different content for a maximum of 3 credits.
Honors section.
Study freedom of speech and the press and how these freedoms apply to the press, public relations, advertising and personal speech. Consideration of First Amendment theories and jurisprudence; related ethical issues. Senior standing.
Placement in a communication industry for practical internship under supervision by a departmental advisor and a professional in the field. May be repeated for credit up to a maximum of 6 hours credit. Pre: Junior standing and consent required.
Introduction to basic technologies necessary for multimedia production. Attention to aesthetics and technical aspects of production technologies, including creation, editing, and organization of content. COURSE FEE $95.
News reporting through photography, videography, online outlets, and data visualization. Concepts of visual storytelling. Design and production tools and techniques for visual news and feature stories. News elements and journalism ethics in visual communication. Pre: Sophomore standing.
Development, concepts, and impact of sports media, including roles and responsibilities of journalists, production staff, and public relations professionals. Considerations of stakeholders behaviors and connections. Study of ethical standards and perspectives, communication in sports organizations, types of media, issues in context, and data analytics.
Producing, directing, and writing live video segments; operating control room and studio equipment including studio camera, video switcher, audio board and the creation of video graphics and written packages.
Multimedia news gathering, news writing, audio/visual storytelling, and news judgment for the print and online media. Consideration of professional strategies and standards for reporters, including legal and ethical issues.
Multimedia gathering and writing of complex news, features, and documentary; visual content and news judgment for television, print and online media; techniques of broadcast interviewing and on-camera performance. Considerations of legal and ethical issues related to the reporting of complex news.
Techniques for gathering meteorological, information, reporting weather news, and delivering weather forecasts through print, broadcast and online media. Weather information in disaster response. Ethical uses of weather information in reporting threats to public safety.
Distribution of political information; elite-mass communication; alternative models of political communication; communication and telecommunications policy.
Explores the role of the mass media in contemporary American politics by examining the development of media as sources of social and political influence. Study of news organizations, their coverage of electoral and issue campaigns, and their impact on candidates and voters. Includes the role of new technologies in campaigns. Pre: Junior Standing.
Numeracy and data analysis in news reporting. Data sourcing and visualization in storytelling. Ethical and legal issues in data use. Careers in data journalism.
Study of the theory and practices related to sports communication in fields such as public relations or reporting. Topics may include print, broadcast, and online news; college sports information; social media; crisis management; and media relations. May be repeated once with different course content. Junior standing.
Theory and practice of sports journalism, including strategies for writing and broadcasting sports information. Study of ethics and professional standards. Junior standing required. Fee $95.
Audio and video play-by-play sports reporting and commentary for broadcast and online media. Game research and preparation techniques. Voice pacing, inflection, delivery, airtime management, and ad-libbing skills. Command and use of game statistics. Ethical issues in sports play-by-play reporting and commentary. COURSE FEE $67.
Evolution of print, broadcast, and online sports coverage into a leading form of entertainment in the United States. Economic, political, and cultural influences of sports and sports betting in U.S. society. Sports portrayals, personalities, and scandals in movies, music, radio, and television through U.S. history. Ethical perspectives on sports as entertainment.
Game statistics and data analysis in sports reporting. Data visualization in sports storytelling. Data sources, sports performance trends, and predictions. Ethical and legal issues in sports data use.
Impact of mass media on individuals and on society; methods for documentation of media effects; research about effects on various demographic groups such as children, elderly, and minorities; effects of advertising; effects of interactive and time shift technologies. Junior standing required.
Comparative perspectives on global communication systems; problems with the flow of information; roles of international organizations; mass communication and national development; implications for conflict resolution; selected case studies. Senior standing required.
Introduction to analytic techniques for social media platforms. Quantitative and qualitative analytic techniques. Design, implementation, and analysis of experimental and observational studies of how people use and engage with social media platforms and how platforms themselves can be used to drive engagement with content. History and trending topics in social media use. Ethical issues involving social media and big data.
Broadcast management procedures; programming; sales and advertising. Senior standing required.
Interpretive and creative photography applied to journalism; cameras, films, photography techniques; history of photography as communication; advanced darkroom techniques. Junior standing required.
Development and function of the editorial page; writing of editorials, reviews, and personal columns; examination of role of letters and syndicated columns and cartoons; problems editorial writers face in their jobs and communities. Junior standing required.
The writing of feature material (as opposed to the reporting of hard news), plus detailed examination of several article types from a wide variety of contemporary magazines and newspapers. Junior standing required.
Selected topics in multimedia journalism; emphasis on critical analysis of issues in journalism, and application of media to disseminate information. May be repeated for credit up to a maximum of 6 credit hours with different content.
Study of social media as a professional communication and media tool. Emphasis on foundations in communication theory and contemporary approaches.
Advanced study of on-air performance for broadcasters. Professional behaviors and strategies for developing conversational writing, broadcast style, interviewing, reporting, and anchoring. Fee $95.
Discussion of issues related to professional communication ethics; emphasis on recognizing ethical issues, applying theoretical models and critical thinking skills to ethical issues in multimedia journalism, public relations, and communication studies. Includes research on topics related to communication ethics. Pre: Junior standing.
Discussion of free expression on the Internet; an examination of how First Amendment law; state laws and federal communication policies impact the multiple kinds of speech that take place in cyberspace; examination of the history and development of the Internet and the future of free speech in cyberspace. Pre: Senior standing.
Discussion of free expression on the Internet; an examination of how First Amendment law; state laws and federal communication policies impact the multiple kinds of speech that take place in cyberspace; examination of the history and development of the Internet and the future of free speech in cyberspace. Pre: Senior standing.
Identify recent trends in the innovation of new communications technologies; storage, transmission, and display systems of mediated communication: optical disc, common carriers, telecommunication-computer linkages, high-definition TV, and virtual reality; information industries and society; markets for new and existing telecommunication services. Junior standing required.
Production of news content for social networks, mobile applications and web-based content management systems. Preparation of news and feature stories on deadline in a newsroom setting. Collection of information from diverse sources. News judgment. Production requirements for online platforms. Audience engagement. Ethical and legal issues in news reporting. Design/lab studio. COURSE FEE $95.
Production of news content for broadcast. Preparation of news and feature stories on deadline in a newsroom setting. Collection of information from diverse sources. News judgment. Videography and digital editing. Broadcast performance. Ethical and legal issues in news reporting. Design lab/studio. $95 COURSE FEE.
Gather, formulate, and deliver sports stories to diverse audiences through print, online, and broadcast channels. Produce sports news on deadline in a newsroom setting. Ethical and legal issues in sports journalism. Design lab/studio. COURSE FEE $95. Pre: Senior standing.
Principles of public relations practice; public relations in organizations; responsibilities of the public relations practitioner; legal and ethical considerations; role of public relations in society; history of the field and key people who influenced its development; choosing appropriate communication channels/media.
Analysis of contemporary and historic public relations cases. Emphasis on theories, research techniques, planning methods, implementation strategies, evaluation standards, and ethical considerations in public relations programs and campaigns.
Selected topics in public relations and advertising. Emphasis on theoretical, practical, or ethical issues in selected contexts. May be repeated 1 time with different content for a maximum of 6 credits.
Analysis and implementation of contemporary academic and professional research tools for public relations. Emphasis on development of research designs, assessment and evaluation of public relations programs and campaigns, and implementation of ethical research practices and standards.
Advanced writing and editing used to structure and present information in public relations practice. Includes message development, message design for delivery through various media, copyediting skills and tools, strategies for dissemination, and legal and ethical issues in public relations writing.
Examines communication theories, strategies and tactics that corporations use in their public relations efforts to reach and influence publics. Prepares students for in-house public relations work and familiarizes them with expectations of corporate clients. Introduces students to the important role communication plays within and between for-profit, nonprofit, and government institutions. Emphasis on the influence of corporate culture, ethics and values on communication styles. Junior standing required.
Explores role of communication in corporate social responsibility. Emphasis on the ethical implications of communicating the need to generate profits with the need to ensure that corporate actions do not harm important stakeholders such as employees, investors, customers, and communities.
Examines communication theories, strategies, and tactics that sports organizations use in their public relations efforts. Introduces students to the dynamic relationship between sports organizations, media, and fans. Study of ethics and professional standards in sports public relations. Emphasizes the role of public relations in sports as a strategic communication and management function.
Role of communication in complex organizations; communication networks, communication and management, message systems, decision-making; relationships between organizational theory and communication.
Public Relations (PR) administration issues related to budgeting, strategy, legal issues, and campaigns in an organization. Emphasis on PR theory and ethics.
Public relations campaign research, planning, implementation and evaluation. Emphasis on applying theory in campaign contexts; executing applied research; setting objectives; developing strategic plans, messages and budgets; carrying out courses of action; and evaluating results.
Communication theories of risk, crisis, emergency, and public/private issue management. Legal and ethical considerations in issue management and crisis communication. Communication strategies and tactics for issue and crisis management. Reputation management and image restoration as they relate to risk, crises, emergencies, and issues.
Research and theory in strategic communication. Cultural awareness of diverse publics. Relationship, reputation, crisis, and issue management in interpersonal, group, organizational, and corporate communication contexts. Ethical standards in strategic communication. Corporate social responsibility.
Addresses complexities of public relations research, planning, implementation, and evaluation required for professional certification. Includes special emphasis on public relations legal and ethical practices. Senior standing.Fee $150.
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