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Graduate Studies

speech communication.

Speech Communication prepares students for careers that demand excellent communication, critical analysis and leadership skills. Students in this major develop interaction and speaking skills that are applicable in a variety of contexts, including interpersonal, organizational, public, intercultural and virtual. Students learn to develop and maintain relationships, resolve conflicts, work effectively in groups, persuade audiences and provide training and instruction to others. They learn to critically analyze communication tools, interactions, texts and images and provide recommendations to enhance communication quality. They also learn to understand communication research and produce original research and creative projects that are important to the workplace and community.

 

Areas of emphasis include:
Communication Technology & Human Relationships
Communication Training & Instructional Development
Conflict Resolution
Culture & Communication
Interpersonal Relationships
Organizational Communication & Employee Relations
Public & Political Communication

Students will earn either a Bachelor of Arts degree, which requires completion of 16 hours of one foreign language, or a Bachelor of Science degree, which requires completion of at least 15 hours in a second field of interest.

speech communication curriculum.
Students majoring in Speech Communication are required to take the following courses:
     Interpersonal Communication
     Small Group Communication
     Interviewing
     Persuasion
     Media Writing

Students choose one course in research methods and statistics.

Areas of Emphasis
Speech Communication majors may choose from four areas of emphasis or have the option of creating their own area with advisor approval. Below are a few possible classes within each area.

Public and Political Communication
     Political Broadcasting
     Argumentation and Debate
     Rhetorical Theory and Criticism
     Persuasive Speaking

Organizational Communication and Employee Relations
     Comm. Leadership and Power in Organizations
     Speech Comm. in Business & the Professions
     Computer-Mediated Communication
     Conflict Mediation    

Communication Training and Instructional Development
     Advanced Public Speaking
     Communication Training & Development Skills
     Communication for Instructional Settings
     Nonverbal Communication

Interpersonal and Intercultural Communication
     Gender and Communication
     Communication and Human Relationships
     Nonverbal Commnication    
     Interpersonal Conflict

Internship & Capstone
All students are required to complete a capstone course or project, and an internship or advanced practicum in their area of interest.

Cognate Courses
The Bachelor of Science degree requires fifteen credit hours in an approved second field of concentration, to complement career goals. Students have chosen such areas as Theatre, Political Science, Psychology, Mass Communication, Journalism/Public Relations.

Minimum Credit Requirement
A minimum of125 total credit hours is required for a Bachelor’s degree. This includes the academic core as well as Speech Communication coursework.

General Electives
In addition to the required core courses, students may need a certain number of general electives to meet the minimum credit requirement.

Internships
Internships offer students an opportunity to work in real-life situations within their future career field while practicing skills learned in the classroom.

 

speech communication faculty.
The credentials of the School of Communication faculty offer an impressive blend of academic and professional experience. The school is composed of 28 full-time faculty, 20 part-time faculty and 10 graduate teaching assistants.

Dr. Shereen Bingham, Assistant Director
Interpersonal Conflict and Mediation, Public Dialogue, Gender and Communication, Sexual Harassment

Ms. Elaine Bylund
Public Speaking Fundamentals, Small Group Communication and Leadership

Dr. Robert Carlson
Organizational Communication, Communication Attitude, Communication Anxiety/Behaviors, Health Communication, Quantitative Methods, Persuasion, Interviewing

Ms. Ana Cruz
Race, Ethnicity and Culture, Interviewing, Intercultural Communication, Interpersonal Communication

Ms. Marlena Davidson
Public Speaking Fundamentals, Speech Center

Dr. Karen Dwyer
Instructional Communication, Communication Apprehension, Communication Education-Training and Development

Dr. Shannon Holland
Gender, Media Representation, Rhetorical Theory and Criticism, Argumentation

Dr. Lynette Leonard
History of Rhetoric, Rhetorical Criticism, Women’s Rhetorical Theory and Criticism, Computer Mediated Communication, Persuasion, Interviewing

Ms. Holly Miller
Argumentation and Debate, Business and Professional Speaking

Dr. Barbara Pickering
Political Communication, Rhetorical Criticism, Argumentation and Debate, Gender Communication

Dr. Marshall Prisbell
Relationship Development and Skills, Instructional Development, Nonverbal Communication, Interpersonal Conflict

Ms. Cynthia Robinson-Moore
Racial Theory, Identity, Small Group Communication, Intercultural Communication

Dr. Randall Rose
Organizational Communication, Organizational Culture, Communication Theory

Ms. Rita Shaughnessy
Public Speaking Fundamentals, Advanced Public Speaking, Speech Communication for Business and Professionals

Ms. Abbie Syrek, Director of Forensics

Dr. Paige Toller
Interpersonal Communication, Small Group Communication, Bereavement, Marital Communication, Feminism

 

UNO School of Communication
Dr. Jeremy Lipschultz, Director
http://communication.unomaha.edu/

Interested in our speech communication program?
Contact Chantel Crockett, 402-554-3244 OR ccrockett@unomaha.edu