Communication and Sociology

Undergraduate

Lynette Sharp Penya, Chair
ACU Box 28156
Abilene, Texas 79699-8156
Sherrod Building - Don Morris Center, Room 128

Phone: 325-674-2136
Email: penyal@acu.edu
Web: https://acu.edu/academics/arts-humanities-social-sciences/communication-sociology/

Faculty

Jonathan Camp, Associate Professor
Dorothy Collins Andreas, Associate Professor
Randall Fowler, Assistant Professor
Sheila Ritchie, College Professor and Director of Forensics
Lynette Sharp Penya, Professor
Kholo Theledi, Assistant Professor
J.D. Wallace, Professor

Communication

The Communication program offers both Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in communication. A minor in communication may be added to other majors. The department also offers a master’s degree in communication. For more information about this program, see the graduate section below. Click here to learn about scholarships available to entering freshmen and majors.

Introduction

The department’s mission is to empower students for Christian service and leadership by leveraging communication to craft strategic messages, strengthen relationships, develop teams, bridge cultures, and advocate for ideas, causes, and people. The ability to communicate well in oral and written formats is one of the top skills employers seek.

Students successfully completing a major in communication equip themselves for careers in a variety of fields, including business, healthcare, law, ministry, consulting, government, higher education, and nonprofits.

Three concentrations help students tailor their undergraduate experience:

• Corporate and nonprofit concentration. Students who choose this concentration select from courses such as crisis management, nonprofit event communication, leadership, and organizational communication. These courses develop students’ business-related knowledge and skills, preparing them for a variety of careers in profit and nonprofit contexts. Potential careers include management, training, marketing, crisis management, consulting, human resources, public relations, and social media management.
• Persuasion and advocacy concentration. Students who select this concentration will develop knowledge and skills needed to influence and advocate in a variety of contexts. Courses include civil discourse, persuasion, political communication, risk communication, and health communication. These courses provide students with a wide range of advocacy experiences and a pathway into careers such as fundraising, lobbying, risk management, mediation, campaign management, social justice advocacy, and law school.
• Communication studies concentration. This concentration provides the most flexible degree plan. Students choosing this concentration will develop knowledge and skills in the foundations of the communication field while sampling advanced coursework related to advocacy, interpersonal communication, and career paths for communication professionals. This generalist concentration equips students for teaching, ministry, communication roles in any workplace, and graduate education.  

The department staffs and operates the ACU Speaking Center housed in the campus library. The Center provides expertise in all aspects of the creation and delivery of presentations. The services are available to all students, faculty, staff, and community members.

The department is also home to Abilene Christian University’s speech and debate team, which enjoys a long and rich tradition of excellence. The nationally-ranked team is open to all majors, and competitive scholarships are available.

Study Abroad Expectations

All students are encouraged to participate in ACU’s Study Abroad program. Classes offered at Study Abroad sites vary depending on the site. Academic advisors can assist students in planning ahead for their Study Abroad experience and should be consulted during the freshman year.

Admission Requirements

Before being admitted to the program in communication, a student must satisfy the requirements listed in the ACT/SAT Placement Information  section of this catalog.

Sociology

The department offers a minor in sociology that may be added to any major.

Sociology is the scientific study of social life. Few fields have such a broad scope and relevance for research, theory, and application. The department offers courses in sociological theory, social inequality, health, race and ethnicity, gender, and social problems. Students who minor in sociology learn to understand diverse cultures and critically examine the interaction of groups and societies.

Graduate

Communication

Lynette Sharp Penya, Chair

Dorothy Collins Andreas, Graduate Director
ACU Box 28156
Abilene, Texas 79699-8156
Sherrod Building, Room 134B

Phone: 325-674-2136
Email: dca20a@acu.edu
Web: https://resgrad.acu.edu/master-of-arts-in-communication

Faculty

Jonathan Camp, Associate Professor
Dorothy Collins Andreas, Associate Professor
Randall Fowler, Assistant Professor
Lynette Sharp Penya, Professor
Kholo Theledi, Assistant Professor
J.D. Wallace, Professor

Introduction

Communication is the cornerstone for success in virtually every career field. To equip students with this essential foundation, the Department of Communication and Sociology offers a Master of Arts (M.A.) in Communication. This degree prepares students for leadership roles in a variety of contexts, including nonprofit organizations, business, international corporations, media/public relations, churches, education, advocacy, and law or doctoral studies.

The department prepares graduates to understand the nature of communication on both the theoretical and practical levels. Students study topics and skills in a wide variety of relational, group, organizational, mediated, and intercultural contexts, including, but not limited to crafting and analyzing persuasive messages, leading organizations through change, communicating with stakeholders during a crisis, conducting successful focus groups, working with individuals and companies from diverse cultures, organizing and leading trainings, representing an organization on social media, writing and analyzing survey data, and understanding how to construct and lead productive groups and teams.

Admission Requirements

Admission requirements for an M.A. in communication are:

1. A completed application for admission with a nonrefundable application fee;
2. An official transcript(s) in English (or translated to English) of all previous colleges attended. The transcript must indicate an earned bachelor’s degree from a regionally accredited college or university or equivalent;
3. A cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 3.0 on a 4.0 scale;
4. Two letters of recommendation;
5. A satisfactory GRE score;
6. An essay describing the applicant’s purpose for pursuing a graduate degree in communication;
7. A writing sample representing high quality work (e.g., term paper) by the applicant. 

Programs

• Communication, MA (COMS)
• Corporate Communication, MA (CCOM)

• Communication, Communication Studies, BA (COMS-COS)
• Communication, Corporate and Nonprofit, BA (COMS-COCN)
• Communication, Persuasion and Advocacy, BA (COMS-COPA)

• Communication, Communication Studies, BS (COMS-COS)
• Communication, Corporate and Nonprofit, BS (COMS-COCN)
• Communication, Persuasion and Advocacy, BS (COMS-COPA)

• Communication Minor (COMS)
• Leadership Studies Minor (LDSH)
• Sociology Minor (SOCI)

Courses

• ANTH 101 - Introduction to Anthropology
• ANTH 211 - Ethnography of U.S. Culture

• COMM 101 - Introduction to Communication
• COMM 120 - Introduction to Public Speaking
• COMM 136 - Debate Workshop
• COMM 211 - Speech and Rhetoric
• COMM 225 - Communicating Professional Identity and ePortfolios
• COMM 230 - Interview Communication
• COMM 231 - Small Group Communication
• COMM 236 - General Communication Theory
• COMM 241 - Interpersonal Communication
• COMM 291 - Survey Research Methods
• COMM 310 - Civil Discourse
• COMM 322 - Argumentation and Debate
• COMM 343 - Business and Professional Communication
• COMM 345 - Intercultural Communication
• COMM 376 - Family Communication
• COMM 383 - Communication in Multi-National Organizations
• COMM 408 - Crisis Communication
• COMM 412 - Risk Communication
• COMM 415 - Political Communication
• COMM 421 - Leadership and Communication
• COMM 430 - Conflict Management
• COMM 436 - Nonverbal Communication
• COMM 450 - Gender Communication
• COMM 460 - Health Communication
• COMM 461 - Nonprofit Event Communication
• COMM 462 - Executive Coaching
• COMM 475 - Persuasion
• COMM 483 - Professional Presentations
• COMM 485 - Organizational Communication
• COMM 486 - Training and Development
• COMM 491 - Rhetorical Theory
• COMM 492 - Rhetoric of Pop Culture
• COMM 499 - Communication Internship
• COMM 508 - Crisis Communication
• COMM 512 - Risk Communication
• COMM 515 - Political Communication
• COMM 521 - Leadership and Communication
• COMM 530 - Conflict Management
• COMM 536 - Nonverbal Communication
• COMM 545 - Intercultural Communication
• COMM 550 - Gender Communication
• COMM 560 - Health Communication
• COMM 561 - Nonprofit Event Communication
• COMM 575 - Persuasion
• COMM 583 - Communication in Multi-National Organizations
• COMM 585 - Organizational Communication
• COMM 586 - Training and Development
• COMM 601 - Residency I: Ethics & Theory in Corporate Communication
• COMM 620 - Quantitative Methods
• COMM 621 - Qualitative Research Methods
• COMM 631 - Leading Organizational Change
• COMM 636 - Seminar in Communication Theory
• COMM 641 - Seminar in Interpersonal Communication
• COMM 642 - Seminar in Communication
• COMM 675 - Seminar in Persuasion and Social Change
• COMM 683 - Cultural Case Studies
• COMM 685 - Seminar in Organizational Communication
• COMM 686 - Communication Consulting and Assessment
• COMM 687 - Principles of Rhetorical Criticism
• COMM 692 - Graduate Communication Internship
• COMM 698 - Research Project Thesis Equivalent
• COMM 699 - Master’s Thesis

• SOCI 111 - Introduction to Sociology
• SOCI 222 - Social Problems
• SOCI 355 - Social Deviance
• SOCI 368 - Sociology of the Family
• SOCI 370 - Sociology of Gender and Sexualities
• SOCI 380 - Urban and Community Studies
• SOCI 385 - Social Theory
• SOCI 388 - Crime and Delinquency
• SOCI 415 - Social Research
• SOCI 416 - Social Statistics
• SOCI 442 - Race and Racisms
• SOCI 450 - Sociology of Health and Medicine
• SOCI 460 - Ethics and Social Issues
• SOCI 480 - Inequality and Social Justice
• SOCI 498 - Sociological Practice I
• SOCI 577 - Sociology of Religion