Communication Major Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully complete a major in Communication Arts are expected to:

• Situate works and ideas in historical, cultural, and political contexts: students should learn to connect concepts and texts (written, oral, visual, performative, live, and mediated) to the contexts in which they are embedded;
• Analyze critically multiple forms of human expression: students should be able to critique texts and performances by applying relevant theoretical lenses, comparing and contrasting works, conducting close textual analysis, and offering evaluative judgments;
• Create meaningful original work: students should learn, apply, explain, and critically reflect upon methodologies used in creating their own works, including theatrical performances, visual productions, speeches, and written essays;
• Participate productively in the public sphere: students should cultivate an awareness of their civic roles and responsibility to various communities. They should critically engage with media and popular culture; they should appreciate and patronize the theatre and performing arts; and they should practice engagement in a range of communication-related activities on campus, in Meadville, and in their future communities.

The Communication Major

The Communication major at Allegheny teaches students to engage critically and creatively with the wider culture that surrounds them. Working from rhetorical, media studies, and production traditions, students are asked to analyze, evaluate, and produce a myriad of communication texts across media and genre.

Majors are required to have a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in departmental courses at graduation. All Communication Arts courses taken at Allegheny on a letter grade basis are included in the GPA calculation with the exception of repeated courses, for which only the most recent grade counts. Declared majors must take departmental courses on a letter grade basis. A maximum of eight transfer credits may be counted towards the major. Please note: most courses at the 100 level and some at the 200 level must be taken before a student’s senior year.