COURSE CURRICULUM

The Business Applications Option in Communication is a structured pathway within the Communication major that combines core communication theory with practical business education and real-world professional experience. It is designed for students who want to use communication skills in business-oriented careers such as marketing, advertising, organizational leadership, human resources, sales, or corporate communication. In this option, students first complete the standard communication foundation courses in media studies, persuasion, and language and social interaction, along with higher-level communication analysis and advanced electives that build critical thinking about media, messaging, and human interaction. Alongside these communication courses, students take business-focused classes through the Paul College of Business and Economics, beginning with ADMN 400 Introduction to Business, which provides a broad overview of how organizations function, how decisions are made, and how different business areas connect. Students also complete an internship course (CMN 599 Internship), which is a key requirement and gives hands-on professional experience in a real workplace setting, allowing them to apply communication and business concepts directly to industry environments. In addition, students choose two elective courses from areas such as management (MGT 520 Topics in Management or MGT 535 Organizational Behavior) and marketing (MKTG 520 Topics in Marketing or MKTG 530 Survey of Marketing), which help them understand consumer behavior, organizational structure, leadership, branding, and strategic communication in business contexts. Overall, this option blends liberal arts communication training with applied business knowledge and experiential learning, making it especially useful for students who want career readiness in business-related fields or who may pursue graduate study in business, communication, or management later.