College of Liberal Arts
Undergraduate major
/
Bachelor of Arts
Professionals in organizational communication analyze how internal communication solutions promote organizational success.
Organizational communicators are observers, auditors, interviewers, managers, and coaches who build and train teams, bridge information gaps, coordinate efforts, analyze information flow, resolve conflicts, and understand and work to improve organizational systems and cultures.
Any student admitted to Metropolitan State University may declare the Professional Communication - Organizational Communication Track as a major.
Once you’re admitted as an undergraduate student and have met any further requirements your chosen program may have, you may declare a major or declare an optional minor.
Apply to Metropolitan State: Start the journey toward your Professional Communication BA: Organizational Communication Track now. Learn about the steps to enroll or, if you have questions about what Metropolitan State can offer you, request information, visit campus or chat with an admissions counselor.
Get started on your Professional Communication BA: Organizational Communication Track
More ways to earn your degree: Metropolitan State offers the flexibility you need to finish your degree. Through programs at our partner institutions, you can find a path to getting your Professional Communication BA: Organizational Communication Track that works best for you.
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3 credits
Students learn public speaking principles and techniques well enough to prepare, deliver, and evaluate informative and persuasive speeches. Videotaping and self-assessment are integral components of this class as is writing. Some speeches require students to research and critically analyze information. The six to eight class presentations include topics pertaining to the corporate world, community life, the political arena or human services. Students are expected to write well and will outline each presentation. Overlap: COMM 103P Public Speaking Proficiency Test.
3 credits
This assessment is designed for students who wish to have prior learning in public speaking evaluated. Students who participate serve as an audience for other students. Assessment covers the student's knowledge and application of the theories and techniques of preparation, presentation and evaluation of public speeches. This assessment is evaluated satisfactory/nonsatisfactory only. No other letter grade is assigned. Overlap: COMM 103 Public Speaking Proficiency Test.
Full course description for Public Speaking Proficiency Test
4 credits
A student completing this course understands the process of finding, synthesizing, evaluating, and documenting sufficient and reliable information appropriate to a variety of purposes including upper division coursework, senior capstone papers or professional writing, and communication tasks. Students also explore a number of the contemporary issues surrounding information in society, have opportunities to use and/or visit primary resource collections and learn a variety of research techniques. Specific sections of the course will structure assignments around a course theme identified in the class schedule. Prior themes have included Civil Rights, Holocaust and Genocide, Crime and Punishment, Food, Immigration, and Health Care. Both themed and non-themed sections are offered every semester as are online and in-class sections.
4 credits
This course is designed to provide students with the opportunity to effectively promote and advocate for events, organizations, or issues using a variety of social media and multi-media. Students will combine online writing (or blogging) with other forms of social networking and media (wikis, YouTube, Facebook, and/or Twitter) to build a comprehensive online initiative promoting a timely and relevant issue or event either of their choosing or provided by the instructor. Students will increase their knowledge of online rhetoric, audience research, planning for media events, script or treatment writing, and evaluation of communication programs.
4 credits
Intercultural Communication has a global perspective and engages students in reflectively thinking about the growing interdependence of nations and peoples. Students develop their ability to apply a comparative perspective to cross-cultural communication episodes in interpersonal interactions. Students research topics of interest that compare two or more cultures in some aspect of their social, economic, or political values and practices. Through field experiences, in class exercises, and readings, students learn the dynamics and skills needed to engage in respectful and sensitive communication with others whose beliefs, values, and attitudes are different than their own. Students are engaged in e-discussions with students from around the globe for 5 weeks. This requires some knowledge of D2L.
Full course description for Intermediate Intercultural Communication
4 credits
This course covers theory and practice of communication in small task-oriented groups. Communication topics include team management, models of group problem solving and decision making, leadership, building cohesiveness, resolving conflict, managing diverse views, negotiating roles, and norms. Students learn to interact productively in small task groups as members and leaders. Numerous group activities, group assignments and laboratory work require an extended class time and group meetings outside of class. Overlap: COMM 351T Communication in Work Groups Theory Seminar.
4 credits
This course examines communication patterns and systems functioning in modern organizations in sectors such as government, nonprofit and corporate. Course simulations and topics include analysis of organizational communication models, formal and informal communication networks, external and internal communication channels, the changing shape of future organizations, mentoring, ethics, diversity, technologies, and the purpose of communication research.
4 credits
This course is designed to provide an understanding of the health care industry and the theory and practice of face to face and mediated forms of communication by health care administrators, managers, providers, and patients. Students will analyze both common and best practices in health care campaigns, training, public relations, patient satisfaction, patient advocacy, administration, media covering health issues, and public education. Significant focus is given to issues of race and racism, and how social constructions of race and racism affect perspectives and create disparities in health care access, communication, and outcomes experienced by different populations.
4 credits
The advanced study of organizational communication concentrates on current communication topics within organizations such as interaction within a diverse workforce, changing an organizational culture, initiating technology change, ethics and research. Students craft communication solutions and recommendations for specific organizational improvements. Students complete case studies, community-based projects, and final major research projects.
Full course description for Advanced Organizational Communication
4 credits
This course is designed to introduce students to their First Amendment rights to freedom of religion, freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom of assembly and freedom to petition. It will also explore citizens' corresponding responsibilities and our frequent disagreements over these rights and responsibilities. Through course assignments students will develop a greater capacity to engage in civic activities by understanding the First Amendment, being able to more fully articulate their personal view of their First Amendment rights and responsibilities, refining their research and analysis skills, and developing their expertise in oral argumentation.
Full course description for Individual Rights and Public Discourse
4 credits
This course focuses on both theoretical and practice aspects of negotiation and mediation which are applicable to both professional and personal situations. Using lecture, role play, individual and group exercises, students gain the knowledge and skills necessary to be effective negotiators and mediators. Focus will include conflict resolution styles, verbal and nonverbal communication, attentive listening skills, perception, persuasion, ethics, agreement building and power. Special emphasis will be placed on mediation as a facilitated negotiation process. This course meets all Minnesota Supreme Court requirements for certification under Rule 114 of the Minnesota General Rules of Practice. Students who complete this course will be eligible for placement on the state mediation roster as a qualified neutral.
Full course description for Negotiation And Mediation Skills
4 credits
This course is for people who want to understand how public relations establishes relationships with various stakeholders through communication. It outlines elements of the public relations process: research and planning, setting objectives, developing strategies, implementing programs and evaluating results. Overlap: COMM 381T Public Relations Theory Seminar.
4 credits
This course studies the ways research is carried out: its purpose and design, justification and links to preceding work; data identification, collection and analysis; basic statistical concepts; and the interpretation, application and implications of findings. Students will work directly with data, reports, journal articles, and/or community-based research to develop their skills in interpreting, writing, and presenting quantitative and qualitative findings to a variety of audiences they may encounter in their professional careers.
1-4 credits
This course rotates topics and may include such things as: presentational communication topics; storytelling as performance and persuasion; relational communication, for example nonverbal communication; and organizational communication such as organizational public relations.
4 credits
Designed as an introduction to visual literacy, this course surveys many of the media formats that define today's image-dominant culture. Various examples of print advertising, photography, film, television and multimedia are explored; the focus is equally on principles and concepts from both the fine and applied arts, and draws from history as well as the present day.
4 credits
As consumers of media, citizens should be prepared to assess the messages they receive from sources such as social networks, broadcast, and other media. However, in contemporary society, consumers are also communicating information about themselves, most of which is harvested without their knowledge or understanding. This course prepares students to consider their position as communicators in an interconnected world, where the information they provide about themselves is stored, retrieved, analyzed and used to sell, promote, control, or otherwise influence citizen and consumer behavior.
Full course description for Big Data and the Connected Citizen
