Shippensburg University > Catalog > 2001/2003 Undergraduate Catalog

College of Arts and Sciences
Speech and Theatre Arts Department

• Introduction
• Speech Communication (B.A.)
• Speech and Theatre Arts Department Minors (2)

Introduction

The Department of Speech and Theatre Arts offers an undergraduate program leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree.

Both the major and minor in speech communication attempt to maximize a bank of communication skills which are applicable to situations in careers and private lives. These skills include listening, interpersonal communication, problem solving in groups and as individuals, public speaking, information exchange through speaking and interviewing, persuasion, resolution of conflict, and communication within and between different cultures and groups. These skills are developed through the teaching of communication principles and theories and applying them to practical communication experiences in and out of class.

Features

The African-American communication track is unusual in its goal of cultural inclusion, not just diversity. As with the women’s communication track, the goal is to expand communication experiences and strategies to prepare students to communicate more effectively what are normally cultural and group barriers.

A personalized advisement procedure encourages students to make as many private appointments with advisors as useful to receive specific help not only in selecting courses, but in choosing and preparing for careers.

Internships are tailored to the career plans of each individual student and provide access to the career opportunities described.
Career Opportunities

Speech communication majors enter virtually any field which requires interpersonal or public communication. Graduates are currently working in such diverse fields as pharmaceuticals, computer software, hotels, insurance, apparel, and media. Those jobs most accessible fall under several headings: various forms of selling, customer relations, human resources, personnel, management, public relations, radio/television, and higher education. Majors are encouraged to determine what kind of job would interest them. Then they are advised to find an internship in that field either their junior or senior year, that provides experience and contacts for future employment.

Speech Communication (B.A.)

 (Of the 11 courses for this major, each student must select at least four at or above 300-level.)
Required Core (21 crs.)
SPE105 Introduction to Human Communication
SPE160 Introduction to Intergroup/Intercultural Communication
SPE200 Discussion
SPE255 Speech Criticism
SPE351 Public Speaking
SPE205 Interviewing
 or
SPE303 Effective Listening
SPE402 Oral Communication Theory
Choice of Concentration (15 crs.)
 Select one of the following four concentrations. Nine credit hours must be chosen as approved by the student’s adviser.

A.  Applied Communication Concentration
Choose courses from:
SPE104 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
SPE205 Interviewing
SPE212 Voice and Diction
SPE221 Oral Interpretation
SPE303 Effective Listening
SPE305 Problems in Interpersonal Communication
SPE352 Debate
SPE375 Resolving Conflict Through Communication
SPE394 Speech Internship

B.  Rhetorical/Communication Theory Concentration
Choose from:
SPE240 Dramatic Narrative Film
SPE353 American Public Address
SPE356 Contemporary African Public Address
SPE450 Development of Oral Persuasion

C.  African-American Communication Concentration
Choose from:
SPE239 African-Americans in Film
SPE256 African-American Communication
SPE356 Contemporary African-American Public Address
SPE357 Rhetoric of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King
SPE358 African-American Public Address

D.  Women’s Communication Concentration
SPE334 Women Speakers in America
SPE336 Voices of African-American Feminism
SPE355 Gender and Communication
SPE373 Popular Culture and Gender Construction
SPE374 Feminist Perspective on Communication Theory and Methods of Research

Note: All students completing a Bachelor of Arts degree are required to attain intermediate level proficiency in a foreign language. Intermediate proficiency may be satisfied by the completion of six credits of intermediate level course work in a foreign language, or four years of a foreign language in high school, or satisfactory completion of a proficiency examination.

Speech and Theatre Arts Department Minors

Communication Interaction Elective (3 crs.)
A. Interpersonal and Group Communication
 SPE104 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
 SPE200 Discussion
 SPE205 Interviewing
 SPE305 Problems in Interpersonal
      Communication
B. Public Communication
 SPE351 Public Speaking
 SPE352 Debate
Communication Performance Elective (3 crs.)
 Speech Production and Performance
 SPE212 Voice and Diction
 SPE221 Oral Interpretation
Communication Analysis (3 crs.)
A. Message Analysis
 SPE225 Speech Criticism
 SPE303 Effective Listening
 SPE353 American Public Address
B. Communication Theory
 SPE101 Fundamentals of the Communication Process
 SPE402 Oral Communication Theory
 SPE450 Development of Oral Persuasion
Courses in Special Areas
SPE160 Intergroup/Intercultural Communication
SPE240 The Dramatic Narrative Film
SPE380 Seminar in Speech
SPE393 Selected Topics in Speech
SPE375 Resolving Conflict Through Communication
SPE355 Gender Communication

A course in an area not taken above and selected from Communication Interaction or Communication Analysis (3 crs.)
Electives (6 crs.)
Any two courses listed above.
Conditions
Four different areas must be represented.
Two courses must be at the 300 or 400 level.

Theater Minor – 18 crs.

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