The Minor in Communication Studies

Course Requirements for the Minor: 21 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required of all candidates for this minor.

All students must complete CMST 131 or CMST 132, CMST 330, & CMST 331 with a C- or better before they can enroll in other courses.

2 courses required:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered
CMST 330	Introduction to Communication Studies	3.0	FS
This course introduces students to the communication studies major or minor. It reviews and discusses the major theories, research, and related principles of the field to create general awareness for students new to the communication discipline and emphasizes the practical and professional applications of the field, enabling students to make connections among the discipline, their daily life, and potential career choices. 3 hours lecture. (002001)
CMST 331	Communication Scholarship	3.0	FS
Prerequisites: ENGL 130 (or its equivalent) with a grade of C- or better. Writing skills course for communication studies majors that addresses issues in communication scholarship, including practical applications of theory and research in communication, communication journals and the publication process, how to conduct a scholarly literature review, how to write a scholarly research paper in communication studies, and how to write on a professional level. 3 hours lecture. (002216)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered	Course Flags
CMST 131	Speech Communication Fundamentals	3.0	FS	GE
Effective oral communication. Introduction to human communication theory. Practice in gathering, organizing, and presenting material in speeches to persuade, inform, and interest. 1 hour lecture, 2 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course. (002206)
CMST 131H	Speech Communication Honors	3.0	FA	GE
Prerequisites: Acceptance into the Honors Program. Effective oral communication. Introduction to human communication theory. Practice in gathering, organizing, and presenting material, with special emphases on evidence, reasoning, analysis, and argument. Oral advocacy of ideas with a focus on critical thinking. Open to Honors students only. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course. (002207)
CMST 132	Small Group Communication	3.0	FS	GE
This course examines communication in small group processes such as group development, group climate, leadership and roles, problem solving, and conflict. Participation in an in-class small group helps facilitate individual and group improvement. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course. (002208)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered	Course Flags
CMST 233	Foundations of Interpersonal Communication	3.0	FS
An introduction to the study of one-to-one relationships, focusing on the experience, behavior, and rules governing such interpersonal contexts as friendships, families, and employer-employee relations. Factors influencing communication are studied, such as language, perception, non-verbal, power, status, and roles. Problems of communication are identified and studied. Confidence in relating interpersonally is handled. 3 hours discussion. (002219)
CMST 255	Argumentation and Debate	3.0	FS	GE
Prerequisites: CMST 131 or CMST 132. Study of the nature of argument, including methods of analysis, research, patterns and fallacies of reasoning, use and tests of evidence, refutation, and debate as a practical application of argumentation. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course. (002221)

3 units selected from:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered	Course Flags
CMST 334	Gender and Communication	3.0	FS	GE
Using both cognitive and experiential models, this course will explore the relationships between gender and communication. Lectures/discussions/exercises will focus on such topics as self-perceptions and images of men and women, language used by and about men and women, self-disclosure and self-assertion as communicative acts, gender differences in information processing and non-verbal communication, private and public contexts for gender communication, and gender communication in organizations. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved General Education course. (002228)
CMST 335	Intercultural Communication Theories and Practice	3.0	FS	USD
Focus is on the problems of communication between cultural groupings inside and outside of the U.S. Various historical and political contexts in which intercultural communication occurs are examined. 3 hours discussion. This is an approved US Diversity course. (002229)
CMST 339A	Forensics	1.0	FS
See description for CMST 339C below. 3 hours activity. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 8.0 units. (002225)
CMST 339B	Forensics	2.0	FS
See description for CMST 339C below. 1 hour discussion, 3 hours activity. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 8.0 units. (002226)
CMST 339C	Forensics	3.0	FS
Supervised preparation for participating in intercollegiate contests in debate, persuasion, informative speaking, oral interpretation, speeches to entertain, and similar events. No more than 8 units of Forensics (CMST 139 or CMST 339) may be counted toward total University requirements. 2 hours discussion, 3 hours activity. You may take this course more than once for a maximum of 6.0 units. (002227)
CMST 354	Persuasion	3.0	FS
Basic theories of persuasion, including variables, resources, and constraints affecting persuasive discourse in diverse situations. This course aims to develop students' abilities as an observer and informed practitioner of persuasive communication. 3 hours discussion. (002220)

1 course selected from:

SUBJ NUM	Title	Units	Semester Offered
CMST 350	Foundations of Rhetorical Communication Theories and Practice	3.0	FS
Prerequisites: CMST 131, CMST 330, and CMST 331 with a grade of C- or higher. Study of representative theories of rhetoric from classical to modern times. Emphasis is on continuing questions, trends, developments, and influence upon contemporary thought, and practical applications of theory to understanding and performing rhetorical criticism. 3 hours lecture. (002217)
CMST 370	Introduction to Organizational Communication	3.0	FS
Prerequisites: CMST 131, CMST 330, CMST 331 with a grade of C- or higher. The study and survey of major content areas of organizational communication theory and research. Contemporary theories related to organizational environments are reviewed with an emphasis on technology in organizations and its relationship to communication process. Content areas include ethics, networks, diversity and cultures, changing employer-employee relations, feedback, groups, home-workplace tensions, and various emerging topics in the field. 3 hours discussion. (002222)

3 units selected from:

Any 400 level CMST course.