SC 210. Social Media in Society/Business
This course is designed to introduce students to developments in social media that are transforming the way we live and communicate. The class objectives are to provide students with an understanding of how those social tools relate to the practice of strategic communications including marketing, advertising, public relations, and nonprofits, as well as the impact of the social media on our society and the marketplace. The course will be a balance of academic consideration and practical application, incorporating the use of social media such as wikis, Twitter, YouTube, personal blogs, Facebook and other relevant tools. Students will participate in virtual community discourse, create content and interact with other professionals in the field and reflect critically on the experience. New applications and social networks will come and go. However, this course will help foster the skill of applying the core principles and practices of strategic communications to social media in productive, creative and intelligent ways. It will also encourage students to be flexible, open to new communication channels and willing to experiment.
(3 credits; prerequisite: JMC 101 Communication Today)
SC 301. Strategic Writing and Professional Communication
This business writing course helps develop business writing and strategic communication skills by teaching and practicing a wide variety of writing initiatives from professional online communications, including memos and business reports, electronic media kits and press releases, presentations, web site content, copywriting for advertising, white papers, and corporate proposals. The writing and presenting will include crafting and delivering positive, negative and persuasive messages, sales and fund-raising letters, new business proposals, market research reports, creative briefs, agency internal & external documents and job-search communications. Addressing today’s marketplace, guides the student through the process of creating and presenting a substantial and strategic business report. The goal is to provide every strategic communications student with the opportunity and skill to communicate clearly and persuasively with various constituent groups.
(3 credits; prerequisite: JMC 111 Professional Writing II)
SC 220. Digital Portfolio and Career Readiness
In this class, students learn the importance of designing a digital portfolio, perhaps the most critical and mandatory vehicle demonstrating a business communicator’s skill and accomplishment in the strategic communications arena, as one readies oneself for one’s career. The following areas of concentration are explored in this class: digital portfolio formatting, an evaluation of students’ professional communications strengths and weaknesses as they apply to the format of the digital portfolio, identifying one’s audience and truly focusing on them, how to organize one’s work and how to get images of 3D and oversized work into one’s portfolio. In addition, one will learn what agencies are looking for in a digital portfolio and how others have prepared for careers using digital portfolios as the centerpieces for career opportunities. Finally, this course will focus on résumé writing, interviewing skills, job searching techniques specific to the communications, marketing and agency fields and online and offline networking in the business environment.
(3 credits; prerequisite: JMC 101 Communication Today)
SC 302. Global Marketing & Communication
This course trains students to build successful Global business relationships by studying other cultures and proper business training to understand the intricate processes of accomplishing business and strategic communications in a global environment. Set in the context of intercultural business communications, the focus will be on understanding the role of culture & language, cultural rules for establishing relationships, creating and organizing resonate messages, import and export laws, comparative management and communications styles, business protocol, etiquette and Franciscan business ethics, rooted in the tradition of Luca Paccioli.
(3 credits; prerequisite: SC 301 Strategic Writing and Professional Communication)
SC 303. Digital Marketing
This course underscores the importance that digital channels play in marketers’ media options while building a proficiency in new media channels and digital marketing. As new developments in the media landscape continue to impact marketers and communications specialists, the multi-channel work of new media presents companies with enormous opportunities and considerable challenges. Students will be able to understand new media and digital marketing options, including these opportunities and challenges, so they can harness the power of “DigiMarketing” to grow a business in a strategic communications environment.
(3 credits; prerequisite: SC 301 Strategic Writing and Professional Communication)
SC 498. Stalwart Group
Semester in the Stalwart Group offers students the opportunity to act as members/employees of an advertising/PR/marketing agency in an agency setting on campus. Students will learn valuable leadership, customer service, sales, budget, and business skills. Additionally, students will foster an atmosphere of service learning, teamwork, and professionalism by working on for-profit and not-for-profit campaign projects. This experience would be structured as a seminar/lab offering 12 undergraduate credits to students.
(12 credits and 100 internship hours; prerequisite: SC 301 Strategic Writing and Professional Communication)
SC 401. Special Topics in Strategic Communication and Digital Media
The course gives students the opportunity for in-depth study of Strategic Communication and Digital Media-related issues and topics. Students may also arrange for planned independent study in Strategic Communication and Digital Media under the guidance of a faculty adviser.
(1-3 credits; school permission)
SC 499. Comprehensive Experience
Students in the Strategic Communication and Digital Media major will be expected to participate in a Program Assessment Comprehensive Interview in the fall semester of year four. The student is expected to select from a list of organizations and positions and “apply” for a position. The student will then submit a cover letter, resume and portfolio for review by the assessment committee comprised of the faculty of the Strategic Communication and Digital Media major. In preparation for the interview, students will be expected to gather information about the company, as would be expected in a professional environment. Students will be graded based on a rubric which may be viewed in Appendix C. Students will either pass/fail. Students who fail will have until the end of spring year four to make suggested corrections and present again.
(0 credits; prerequisite: Stalwart Group)
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