Speech Communication

MORE INFORMATION
Barbara Penington, chair
Communication Department
Heide 459
(262) 472-1983
Fax:
(262) 472-1419
uwwcomm@uww.edu
Web site

Admissions Office
UW-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI 53190
(262) 472-1440
Fax:
(262) 472-1515
uwwadmit@uww.edu
Web site

The speech communication major, housed in the Communication Department and the College of Arts and Communication, a generalist degree that provides students with the opportunity to gain both theoretical and hands-on knowledge in preparation for a variety of careers. Students may choose to specialize in one of the following areas: electronic media, organizational communication, interpersonal communication or public relations. Upon graduation, speech communication students will have had extensive coursework and gain a proficiency in whichever oral or written form of communication is stressed.

Speech communication majors at UW-Whitewater can gain valuable experience producing, directing and performing on the Cable 19 campus television station and WSUW-FM radio. Writing labs provide experience for public relations students.

All students majoring in speech communication also are required to complete a university-approved minor before graduation. The combination of the major/minor can be as traditional or unique as the students' career interests. This enables our students to acquire a specialized set of skills and competencies to help them succeed in their chosen career paths.

The College of Arts and Communication is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

The UW-Whitewater speech communication major offers students either professional preparation in such fields as public relations, radio and television, or liberal arts study in areas such as organizational communication and interpersonal communication. Specific career options include:

• Public relations
• Announcing, directing or producing programs for radio or television
• Corporate, retail or personal sales
• Government
• Corporate training and development programs
• Communication consultant
• Preparing for study in law or the ministry
• Earning an advanced degree and teaching college-level speech communication courses

All faculty members in the Communication Department hold doctoral degrees, and academic staff members have at least a master’s degree. Graduate assistants do not teach classes. In addition to teaching evaluations that are among the highest in the college, faculty and academic staff are actively involved in research/scholarship and service to the university and community. The department faculty and staff includes teaching, research and service award winners. Several staff members have extensive professional experience in fields such as public relations, radio and television. No classes are taught by teaching assistants.

Speech communication students need to possess good speaking, writing and listening skills. They should enjoy working with people, have a love for the use of language and be enthusiastic and energetic. High school students planning to major in speech communication are encouraged to enroll in speech, theatre, journalism, social studies and English courses. Participation in debate, forensics, theatre and journalism cocurricular activities is recommended.

The faculty in the Communication Department have received many awards. Bill Johnson, electronic media, was awarded a prestigious Fulbright Scholarship to Peru. John Luecke received the President’s Award from the Wisconsin Chapter of the Public Relations Society of America.

Internships are available in all areas and assist students in gaining practical work experiences that may lead to full-time employment. Some companies that employ speech communication majors include:

• Alternative Living Specialist, Inc.
• Disney World
• Embassy Suites
• March of Dimes
• Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance
• Six Flags Great America
• Swiss Colony
• Wisconsin State Government
• Zeppos and Associates

Speech communication majors can find placement in a number of public and private organizations in the areas of public relations, broadcast and print media and organizational communication. The placement rate, on average, for graduates is above 90 percent.

The Communication Department is affiliated with the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) and Alpha Epsilon Rho (AERho), a professional society for students interested in radio or television. Communication majors may also join the local chapter of Zeta Phi Eta.

Speech communication majors can choose an emphasis from four areas, including public relations, electronic media, organizational communication and interpersonal communication. A partial list of required classes for each emphasis is as follows:

Public relations

• Principles of Public Relations
• Public Relations Tactics I and II
• Public Relations Strategies
• Public Relations Planning
• Persuasion and Cross-cultural Communication

Electronic media

• Foundations of Electronic Media
• Foundations of Video Production
• Fundamentals of Audio Production
• Senior Electronic Media Project

Organizational communication

• Communication and Interviewing Persuasion
• Introduction to Organizational Communication
• Small Group Communication
• Listening Behavior
• Communication Theories
• Communication Research Methods
• Cross-Cultural Communication
• Advancements in Organizational Communication
• Communication Needs Analysis

Interpersonal communication

• Interpersonal communication
• Family Communication
• Communication research methods
• Cross-Cultural Communication
• Other courses in applied persuasion, or health communication

The Department offers a minor in multimedia. This interdisciplinary minor includes “core” courses in Introduction to Multimedia Studies, Multimedia Aesthetics, Multimedia Production I (Web Development) and Production II (Local Media), Writing for Multimedia, and Interactive Communication and Advanced Media Production. The minor is available for students for both journalism and communication majors.