Apr 19, 2024  
2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2017-2018 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Corporate Communication and Public Affairs

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Associate Professor Sandra Duhé, Division Chair

Professor: Rita Kirk
Associate Professors: Maria Dixon, Sandra Duhé, Owen Lynch, Ben Voth
Assistant Professors: Cara Jacocks, Stephanie Martin
Senior Lecturer: Christopher Salinas
Professor of Practice: Steve Lee
Adjunct Lecturers: Trey Bowles, Christina Coats, Alise Cortez, Cole Daugherty, Matthew Jacob, Suzanne Larkin, Meredith McKee, Michele Meitl, Kimberly Millea, Jamaison Schuler, Brittany Merrill Underwood, Shana Wilcox

General Information

The Division of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs offers a B.A. and a minor in corporate communication and public affairs and a B.A. in public relations and strategic communication. In each of these programs, the division educates students to apply intellectual rigor and integrity to communication theory and practice in research, strategy, consulting, and advocacy. Students may pursue a double major in corporate communication and public affairs and in public relations and strategic communication; certain restrictions apply.

Students seeking an undergraduate degree in corporate communication and public affairs and/or public relations and strategic communication receive a broad background in the liberal arts, followed by a major curriculum that prepares them for graduate study or professional work in agencies, corporations, nonprofit organizations, government and associations, as well as cultural, legal and political institutions.

Students develop requisite communication and professional skills, gain awareness of the ethical responsibilities of communication leaders, and develop the communication and management capabilities required for success in a global environment.

In addition to major coursework in the division, students must complete a minor or an additional major. Students seeking to double major or minor in another communication-related field may need to complete more than the minimum 122 total hours required for graduation.

In addition to those requirements of the University and Meadows School of the Arts, undergraduate students planning to major or minor in corporate communication and public affairs or major in public relations and strategic communication must meet minimum GPA requirements, earn a passing score on a divisional writing examination and meet the specific requirements for their area of study outlined below.

Admission to Corporate Communication and Public Affairs. Students planning to major or minor in corporate communication and public affairs must complete DISC 1312  (or equivalent), one statistics course (STAT 2301 , STAT 2331  or ITOM 2305 ) and six hours of corporate communication and public affairs coursework (CCPA 2310 , CCPA 2327 ), with a minimum 3.000 GPA across these four courses with no grade lower than a C in any course. Once declared, students must successfully complete six hours of corporate communication and public affairs coursework (CCPA 2308  or DISC 1313  with topic introduction to news writing or CCPA 3360 , and CCPA 2375 ) before taking any additional coursework in the major.

Admission to Public Relations and Strategic Communication. Students planning to major in public relations and strategic communication must complete DISC 1312  (or equivalent), one statistics course (STAT 2301 , STAT 2331  or ITOM 2305 ) and six hours of corporate communication and public affairs coursework (CCPA 2327 , and CCPA 3300  or equivalent), with a minimum 3.000 GPA across these four courses with no grade lower than a C in any course. Once declared, students must successfully complete the remaining six hours of communication studies core coursework (CCPA 2375 , CCPA 3355 ) before taking any additional coursework in the major.

CCPA coursework may not be repeated without faculty consent and approval from the chair of corporate communication and public affairs. STAT may be repeated without CCPA consent. 

Special Requirements

  • Transfer hours for major credit may be considered on petition and with approval of the chair. Courses satisfying major requirements are expected to be taken at SMU.
  • Students must earn a grade of C (not C-) or better for coursework toward their program’s major or minor requirements.
  • Corporate communication and public affairs major coursework may not be double-counted toward the requirements for a second major or minor in advertising, fashion media, film and media arts, or journalism.
  • Students majoring in corporate communication and public affairs must select and complete a focused track in social innovation and nonprofit engagement, organizational communication, or political communication per course requirements described below.
  • Public relations and strategic communication majors may choose to double major in advertising, journalism or corporate communication and public affairs; restrictions apply to which courses may be double counted.
  • Attendance is required on the first day of class in CCPA courses to prevent being dropped from the course.
  • Students who do not meet enrollment requirements may be administratively dropped from a CCPA course.
  • Students who do not meet GPA requirements to declare a major or minor in the division will not be permitted to enroll in major or minor coursework.

Scholarships. Communication honors scholarships are awarded each year to outstanding majors in the division. The Charles Douglas Bauer Scholarship Fund and Advisory Board funds provide competitive scholarships available to division majors through an annual application process.

Pre-Law Scholars Program. The Division of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs offers a one credit hour elective course exclusively for students in SMU’s Pre-Law Scholars Program. Enrollment in the program provides preferred access for admission to the highly rated Dedman School of Law at SMU. Additional information is available from SMU’s Division of Enrollment Services.

Honors Program

Students may apply for admission to the honors track after completion of 45 hours with a 3.500 overall GPA or better. To graduate with distinction, students must take six hours of honors-designated corporate communication and public affairs courses and CCPA 4375 . Students accepted to the honors track must maintain a 3.500 or higher overall GPA in all SMU coursework to graduate with the honors distinction. The top 10 percent of each class is eligible for faculty nomination to Kappa Tau Alpha, the national communication honorary society.

Programs

    Major(s)Minor(s)

    Courses

      Corporate Communication and Public Affairs

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