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Communication Studies

The act of communication takes many forms. We communicate through speech, writing, and nonverbal means, through art, technology, popular culture and, particularly in this day and age, through the mass media. Through its communication studies program, the offerings of other departments, and through internships and extracurricular activities, Manhattanville provides an exciting, well-rounded approach to communication in theory, history, analysis and practice. Communication Studies at the undergraduate level prepares students for careers in broadcasting and film, advertising, public relations, and archival and research work, as well as publishing, management, and the health professions. Students also undertake graduate work in fields from media studies and production to law and business.

Faculty and Professional Interests

David Lugowski (Director) – Film history and theory, mass communication, communication theory, gender, sexuality and communication

Christine Dehne – Video art, video and television production, computer animation and new media, gender and performance, feminism

Other Affiliated Full-time Faculty

Jeff Bens – Screenwriting and narrative writing

James Frank – Photography, computer graphics, interactive design

Gillian Greenhill Hannum – History of photography

Nancy Harris – Images of women in popular culture, gender and society

Van Hartmann – Film studies, film and literature

Geoffrey Kidde – Music technology and communication

John Murray – Mass media in sociological contexts

Adjunct Faculty

R. Bruce Brasell – Film studies and mass communication, documentary, genre, gender and cultural studies

Jeanne Christie – Speech, interpersonal, and small group communication

Christopher D’Amico – Mass communication, gender, sexuality and communication

C. Tony Ely – (Studio Manager) TV, video and digital media production

Louis Garcia de Quevedo –TV, video and digital media production

N. John Proctor – Media convergence and "new" journalism, blogging and media writing,, communication theory

Anthony Rudel – Public relations, advertising, journalism, media ethics

Randye Spina –Speech, advertising studies, business, small group, and interpersonal communication

Communication Studies Major Requirements

A major in Communication Studies consists of twelve courses, plus a senior seminar or other evaluation (see below). At least nine of the twelve courses in the core and the concentrations must be liberal arts in nature. Students must pass COMM 1001 (or transfer in a comparable course) with a grade of C+ or better before declaring the major.

Students should therefore plan to take COMM 1001 during their first three terms of study. Other course grades must be C or better to qualify for major credit. No single class can fill more than one slot in meeting major requirements. No other department’s majors or minors can be substantially or wholly incorporated within a Communication Studies major. Independent studies cannot replace core classes or the senior evaluation; see department about the possibility of one elective being replaced by an independent study if pre-approved by the chairperson. Internships are highly recommended for students but are not "liberal arts" and do not count for major credit.

The major includes a core of seven courses:

• Introductory communication studies: COMM 1001 (no substitutions from within M’ville are allowed; only this course or a parallel transferred-in course from another institution are permitted)
• One course in public speaking and interpersonal communication: COMM 2009 (no substitutions of other M’ville courses are allowed; only this course or an equivalent transfer course are permitted)
• One course in communication theory: COMM 2090 (no substitutions of other M’ville courses are allowed; only this course or a parallel transferred-in course from another institution are permitted)
• One of the following courses in written communication: ENW 2040, ENW 4003, ENW 4004, ENW 4011, ENW 4012, DTH 3244. Some courses have pre-requisites.
• One of the following courses in film, photography or broadcasting history and criticism: ARH 1030, ENG 2079, ENG 2083, ENG 2088, ENG 2089, ENG 4010, ENG 4020, COMM 3030. Some of the ENG courses have pre-requisites.
• One course in the production of visual or aural communication (all are non-liberal arts)**: COMM 2050, ART 3004, ART 3062/4063, ART 3064, ART 4004/4013, ART 3035/4008/4010/4048 /4049, ART 4067, ART 4076, ART 4090, MUAT 1005, MUAT 2011. Check with Studio Art and Music about courses that have prerequisites.
• One seminar, requiring a research paper: ARH 3072, COMM3038, COMM 3044, COMM 3046, COMM 3054, COMM 3070, COMM 3071, COMM 3072, COMM 3080, SOC 3050, SOC 3088, ENG 3075, ENG 3173, ENG 4030. Check with the relevant department (ARH, ENG, SOC) about any course pre-requisites; these must still be met.

Besides the core, five additional courses will comprise two concentrations. Students take three elective courses in one area and two in another. Two concentrations MUST be chosen from the three below. The five courses must come from at least two departments and must include at least two 3000-level (or advanced 4000-level, approved by the director) courses. Example: DTH 4004 Acting for the Camera is an introductory-intermediate level elective, like COMM’s 1000 — and 2000 — courses, whereas DTH 4015 Acting for the Camera II counts as an advanced elective. At least three of the five electives must be liberal arts. Classes counting as electives within concentrations cannot be double-counted in the core or as the senior evaluation.

The three concentrations are:

Interpersonal and Public Communication

Note: COMM 2010 is recommended for both the two-course and three-three versions of this concentration. No more than one DTH or MGT course can be taken in this concentration. Some courses have pre-requisites required by their home departments.

Video, Audio and Broadcasting Studies

Note: No more than one DTH or two ART courses can be taken in this concentration. COMM 4025 can be taken twice within this concentration. Some courses have prerequisites required by their home departments.

Film and Photography Studies

Note: no more than one DTH, two ENG, or two ART courses can be taken in this concentration. Check with ARH, ART, DTH, ENG/ENW about pre-requisites they require for specific courses they offer; these must still be met.

The senior seminar/senior evaluation requirement can be met in one of three ways:

• Students can take an additional seminar from among those listed for the core, provided that it is in a different area of study (e.g. film studies, mass communication, interpersonal communication) than their core seminar; see the program director for approval about eligible courses.
• Students interested in media production who have taken the advanced digital media course COMM 4025 at least once can take it an additional time during their senior year.
• Students interested in graduate study in the field or who are highly motivated and show the talent for advanced, independent research can present a proposal with a full bibliography and, if approved by a majority of full-time faculty actively affiliated with Communications, undertake COMM 3998 Advanced Research Project the following term. The proposal and the project cannot be completed during the same term.

Students should take at least one other class besides COMM 1001 (such as Oral Presentation, Introduction to Film Criticism, Journalism, Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication, or Introduction to Digital Media/TV Production) during their first two years at the College.

Prerequisites for Art classes should also be taken during one‘s first two years.

It is highly recommended that Theories of Communication be taken in the fall of one's junior year and not delayed until senior year. A first seminar course should be taken during junior year as well.

Communication Studies Transfer Credits

For students wishing to major in Communication Studies, no more than 6 courses can be transferred to Manhattanville and applied toward the major from other academic institutions. For students wishing to minor in Communication Studies no more than 3 courses can be transferred to Manhattanville and applied toward the minor.

Students wishing to transfer courses from another institution to be used for either their Communication Studies major or minor must receive written approval of the Program Director. This written approval should then be placed in the student‘s Portfolio.

Communication Studies Honors and Distinction

Distinction will be conferred on graduating seniors who have a 3.6 G.P.A. in coursework for the major, a grade of A - or higher on their senior evaluation/seminar and who have contributed to the program. Students who maintain a 3.7 G.P.A. within the major and meet the other requirements listed here will be granted honors. The department also awards the Mark C. Meachem Prize at graduation to one or more seniors who have combined academic achievement with outstanding collegiality and service.

Communication Studies Minor Requirements

A minor in communication studies consists of six courses; the one production course is not liberal arts. Please keep in mind that no one course can be used for both one’s major and one’s minor. Internships and independent studies cannot be used for minor credit.

• Introductory communication studies: COMM 1001
• One course in speech and interpersonal communication: COMM 2009
• One of the following courses in written media communication: ENW 2040, ENW 4011, ENW 4012, ENW 4003, ENW 4004, DTH 3244. Check with ENG/ENW and DTH about any pre-requisites.
• One of the following courses in film or photography studies: ARH 1030, ENG 2079, ENG 2080, ENG 2083, ENG 2088, ENG 2089, ENG 3075, ENG 2079, ENG 3173, ENG 4010, ENG 4020, ENG 4030. Check with ENG and ARH about any pre-requisites.
• One of the following in the production of visual or aural communication**: COMM 2050, MUAT 1005, MUAT 2011, MUAT 3011 or any Studio Art course listed as acceptable for the Comm Studies major. Check with Studio Art and Music about courses that have pre-requisites.
• One of the following upper-level courses, typically requiring a research paper: ARH 3072, COMM 3038, COMM 3044, COMM 3046, COMM 3054, COMM 3030, COMM 3070, COMM 3071, COMM 3072, COMM 3080, ENG 3075, ENG 3173, ENG 4030, SOC 3050, SOC 3088. Note that most of these courses have prerequisites set by their departments.

Note: Any one course may not cover two areas; six courses are still required for the minor. Some COMM courses (e.g. COMM 2021, 2022, 2030) cannot be used to satisfy the minor.

Internships: Manhattanville’s location enables students to take advantage of the considerable resources of Westchester county and New York City to obtain internships with non- and for-profit companies, newspapers, radio stations, advertising and public relations firms, television and other media production companies, and more. Students with sufficient communication studies backgrounds have interned with TV and radio programs, leading PR and publishing firms, and independent filmmakers. Communication Studies internships can be done during summers or the regular school year and are taken for non-liberal arts credit. They cannot replace courses for the major or minor.

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