Communication

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Faculty/Staff

Brett Hadley Chair; Alison Hill

Adjunct: Glen Robinson

Mission

The mission of Southwestern Adventist University's Department of Communication is to prepare students to be effective Christian communicators. This includes developing skills in personal interaction, writing, speaking, creating media content, and managing the elements of communication technology. In addition, knowledge comes from learning about new forms of interaction in the areas of radio, television, film, online media, advertising, and public relations.

Aims of the Department

The aims of Southwestern Adventist University's Department of Communication are to:

  • Develop in students the essential skills necessary to enter careers in the communication field of their choice or to enter graduate school.
  • Prepare students for executive responsibilities at some point in their careers.
  • Establish a connection between communication and a relationship with Jesus Christ.
  • Instill in students a desire for long-term growth in communication.
  • Help students to develop and grow their creative process and vision.

Student Learning Objectives

Upon completion of coursework within the Communication Department, majors should be able to:

  • Describe the Communication discipline and its central questions
  • Employ communication theories, perspectives, principles, and concepts
  • Create messages appropriate to the audience, purpose, and context
  • Critically analyze messages
  • Demonstrate the ability to accomplish communicative goals, while applying ethical communication principles and practices

Facilities and Internships

Communication majors at Southwestern Adventist University choose one of the department's three emphasis areas of study:

  • Advertising & Public Relations (ADPR)
  • Online Media (OLME)
  • Radio-TV-Film (RTVF)

The department also offers minors in each emphasis, as well as Communication and Speech. Many communication students acquire valuable training and experience at the following facilities on the campus:

  • 88.3 The Journey, KJRN
  • The Studios at Southwestern and KGSW TV 18.1
  • The Communication Mac Lab
  • The department's three audio/video editing suites
  • Working on real world projects for commercial use

Our Communication Department encourages all upper-division majors to complete an off-campus internship in their major emphasis. Even before graduation, and sometimes as a direct result of communication internship positions, many of our majors are hired by these firms, and communication alumni from Southwestern who have continued their education through graduate school have done so very successfully.

Department Policies

Withdrawing from or Repeating Courses

Communication majors or minors may withdraw from or repeat a course in their area of emphasis or minor only one time.

Multiple Communication Majors/Minors

A student cannot earn either two communication majors or both a communication major and minor in different emphasis areas. This is because there are similar core course requirements and because career preparation in two academic fields is preferable to only one.

Communication Competencies

Competence in both oral and written communication is required for progress in each of the emphases and minors offered by the department. Competence in oral communication is considered to be the completion of required Speech performance courses with a grade of C- or above.

Writing is a major component of upper-division communication courses. The department requires all students to have passed ENGL 220 Research Writing or its equivalent before enrolling in any upper-division course.