Apr 24, 2024  
2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
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2022-2023 Undergraduate Catalog [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

Corporate Communication and Public Affairs

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Associate Professor Sandra Duhé, Division Chair

Professors: Rita Kirk, Zannie Giraud Voss
Associate Professors: Maria Dixon, Sandra Duhé, Owen Lynch
Assistant Professor: Piyawan Charoensap-Kelly
Senior Lecturer: Christopher Salinas
Professors of Practice: Doric Earle, Jim Hart, Megan Heber, Kim Commerato Lance, Steve Lee
Adjunct Professors: Christina Coats, Dustin Grabsch, Rosanne Hart, Matthew Jacob, James Jillson, Maria May, Maureen Mixtacki, Liz Navarro, Andrea Perez, Natalie Voigts

General Information

The Division of Corporate Communication and Public Affairs offers a B.A. and a minor in corporate communication and public affairs, a B.A. in public relations and strategic communication, and minors in arts management and in arts entrepreneurship. 

The major and minor in corporate communication and public affairs and the major in public relations and strategic communication educate 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. 

The minor in arts entrepreneurship provides an overview of how to develop and launch a new arts venture, either for-profit or nonprofit. The minor in arts management provides an overview of how professional arts organizations are managed, with an emphasis on understanding the practical issues facing today’s arts manager. Students may complete both a minor in arts entrepreneurship and a minor in arts management by completing all requirements for each minor, but no single course may count for elective credit toward each minor. A dual minor in arts management and arts entrepreneurship requires 15 credits in the core AMAE classes and 12 credit hours of electives for a total of 27 credit hours.

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 120 total hours required for graduation.

In addition to those requirements of the University and Meadows School of the Arts, undergraduate students wishing to major or minor in corporate communication and public affairs or major in public relations and strategic communication must meet minimum GPA requirements and meet the specific admission requirements for their area of study outlined below.

Admission to Corporate Communication and Public Affairs. To declare a major (or minor) in corporate communication and public affairs, students must complete the following courses with a cumulative minimum 3.000 GPA and no grade lower than a C among them. 

Admission to Public Relations and Strategic Communication. To declare a major (or minor) in public relations and strategic communication, students must complete the following courses with a cumulative minimum 3.000 GPA and no grade lower than a C among them​. 

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. 

Grade Requirements

Students must earn a grade of C (not C-) or better for coursework toward their program’s major or minor requirements.

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 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 outlined in the description of the major.
  • 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.
  • Public relations and strategic communication majors may use credits in CCPA 3300  and/or CCPA 4386 , toward a double major in corporate communication and public affairs.
  • Public relations and strategic communication majors may not use credits in CCPA 3300 , CCPA 3310 , CCPA 3335 , CCPA 3355 , CCPA 3360 , CCPA 3382 , CCPA 4125 , CCPA 4130 , CCPA 4225 , CCPA 4320 , CCPA 4325 , CCPA 4335 , CCPA 4338 , CCPA 4340 , CCPA 4386 , CCPA 4394 , CCPA 4395 , CCPA 4396 , CCPA 4397 , or CCPA 5306  toward elective credit for a minor in corporate communication and public affairs.
  • Attendance is required on the first day of class in CCPA courses to prevent being dropped from the 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 without a petition approved by the chair.

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

      Arts Management and Arts Entrepreneurship
      Corporate Communication and Public Affairs

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