Communication Studies
Program Description
The Communication Studies department offers a wide variety of courses and special programs to meet the needs of our students. Whether you aspire to become a communication specialist, enhance your marketability in the workplace, or improve your people skills, our faculty and advisers can help you identify the right program to meet your needs. Coursework involves collaboration, presentation, listening, cross-cultural understanding, rhetorical analysis, argumentation, and professional communication. The program includes application of these foundational principles in a collaborative and supportive environment.
The National Association of Colleges and Employers rated oral communication as the highest among attributes necessary in achieving professional success. More and more businesses and occupations prefer to hire employees who possess strong communication skills. When evaluating applicants, four-year universities look favorably upon students with strong backgrounds in communication. Effective communication skills assist in individual development and enhancement of human relations.
Learn more about the program on the Communication Studies website.
Associate Degree for Transfer
This program also offers an Associate Degree for Transfer. Learn more and review the degree requirements on the Communication Studies AA-T listing.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Students will be able to identify patterns of communication in a variety of contexts.
- Students will be able to utilize appropriate methods of communication in critical thinking and/or communication situations.
Career Opportunities
Communication Studies students often find careers in mass media, corporate training, consulting, advertising/marketing, education, law, sales, human resources, healthcare, social media, government, telecommunications, social services, public relations, and political campaigning.
Award Type(s)
- AA = Associate in Arts Degree
- CA = Certificate of Achievement
Units Required
- Major: 30
- Certificate(s): 15-25
Additional Information
Note: If the student is interested in a concentration in either Rhetoric or Intercultural Communication, please see a Communication instructor for advisement.
Associate Degree Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| English Proficiency | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| ENGL 1A | COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| ENGL 1AH | HONORS COMPOSITION & READING | 5 |
| ENGL 1S & ENGL 1T | INTEGRATED COMPOSITION & READING and INTEGRATED COMPOSITION & READING | 8 |
| or equivalent | ||
| Mathematics Proficiency | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| MATH 105 | INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA | 5 |
| MATH 180 | QUANTITATIVE REASONING | 5 |
| or any MATH course approved for Foothill GE Area V, Communication & Analytical Thinking | ||
A minimum of 90 units is required1 to include:
- Completion of one of the following general education patterns: Foothill General Education, CSU General Education Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC)
- Core courses (15 units)
- Support courses (15 units)
| 1 | Additional elective course work may be necessary to meet the 90-unit minimum requirement for the associate degree. |
Note: All courses pertaining to the major must be taken for a letter grade. In addition, a grade of "C" or better is required for all core and support courses used for the degree or certificates.
Core and Support Courses
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| COMM 1A | PUBLIC SPEAKING | 5 |
| or COMM 1AH | HONORS PUBLIC SPEAKING | |
| COMM 2 | INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | 5 |
| COMM 4 | GROUP DISCUSSION | 5 |
| Support Courses | ||
| Select 15 units from the following: | 15 | |
| ARGUMENTATION & PERSUASION | ||
or COMM 1BH | HONORS ARGUMENTATION & PERSUASION | |
| INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION STUDIES | ||
| MASS COMMUNICATION | ||
| GENDER, COMMUNICATION & CULTURE | ||
| INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| CAREER & LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION IN THE GLOBAL WORKPLACE | ||
| Total Units | 30 | |
Certificate Requirements
Certificate of Achievement in Communication Studies II
- Units: 25
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Select 10 units from the following: | 10 | |
| PUBLIC SPEAKING 1 | ||
or COMM 1AH | HONORS PUBLIC SPEAKING | |
| MASS COMMUNICATION 1 | ||
| INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 1 | ||
| CAREER & LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION IN THE GLOBAL WORKPLACE 1 | ||
| And 15 units from the following: | 15 | |
| PUBLIC SPEAKING 1 | ||
or COMM 1AH | HONORS PUBLIC SPEAKING | |
| ARGUMENTATION & PERSUASION | ||
or COMM 1BH | HONORS ARGUMENTATION & PERSUASION | |
| INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION STUDIES | ||
| GROUP DISCUSSION | ||
| MASS COMMUNICATION 1 | ||
| GENDER, COMMUNICATION & CULTURE | ||
| INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION 1 | ||
| CAREER & LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION IN THE GLOBAL WORKPLACE 1 | ||
| Total Units | 25 | |
| 1 | May be completed only once for credit to satisfy certificate requirements. |
Certificate of Achievement in Communication Studies I
- Units: 15
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| COMM 1A | PUBLIC SPEAKING 1 | 5 |
| or COMM 1AH | HONORS PUBLIC SPEAKING | |
| or COMM 2 | INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION | |
| And 10 units from the following: | 10 | |
| PUBLIC SPEAKING 1 | ||
or COMM 1AH | HONORS PUBLIC SPEAKING | |
| ARGUMENTATION & PERSUASION | ||
or COMM 1BH | HONORS ARGUMENTATION & PERSUASION | |
| INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION 1 | ||
| INTRODUCTION TO COMMUNICATION STUDIES | ||
| GROUP DISCUSSION | ||
| MASS COMMUNICATION | ||
| GENDER, COMMUNICATION & CULTURE | ||
| INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION | ||
| CAREER & LEADERSHIP COMMUNICATION IN THE GLOBAL WORKPLACE | ||
| Total Units | 15 | |
| 1 | May be completed only once for credit to satisfy certificate requirements |