Build a Brand. Tell a Story.
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE OR BACHELOR OF ARTS
Provides students with the powerful skills and communication strategies necessary to build brands and tell the stories of individuals and organizations. Businesses need people who can influence perceptions, strategically communicate goals and objectives, and create the messages they want to share. In this program, you will earn a strategic communication degree designed for success in fields like public relations, social media management, and event planning. With courses in communication, business, writing, and design, you will be equipped to succeed in diverse and dynamic industries.
Graduates of the Business Communication program will:
- Demonstrate communication competency among various publics, through oral and written communication, including speeches, presentations, research, and informal dialogue.
- Demonstrate competency in the various forms of business and public writing.
- Demonstrate competency in explaining key concepts and practices of business and other organizations through class projects, case studies, and multimedia presentations.
- Demonstrate competency in key concepts and principles in the fields of video or photography through the production of a finished portfolio or piece.
- Apply principles of publication design and layout by employing both Mac and PC software programs in business applications.
- Demonstrate competency in information technology through word processing, spreadsheets, and presentation software.
- Complete an internship that satisfies employer and program expectations.
Start Your Career Before Graduation
Our Business Communication major will position you to begin working immediately upon graduation in public relations, marketing, event planning, social media, and corporate communications. Learn how Kait Kirkwood (Business Communication ’17) turned her degree and other campus experiences into a job at a media giant.
Study Business Communication at Stevenson
Career Opportunities
Career Paths for Business Communication Majors
As a Business Communication major, you will master the latest technological tools in computer and design courses that will enable you to provide an artistic complement to the business world. Graduates of our Business Communication program embark on many rewarding career choices, including:
- Marketing/Design Account Manager
- Public Relations Specialist
- Social Media Coordinator
- Event Planner
- Event Coordinator
- Corporate Communications
- Sports Communication
- Advertising
- Community Relations
- Web Content Writer/Blogger
- Journalist/Writer
Curious about internships and job placement after you graduate? Visit our Office of Career Services.
Courses
The courses listed below are required for completion of the bachelor’s degree in business communication. Students must also complete the requirements for the Stevenson Educational Experience (SEE).
Specific pre- and co-requisites for each course are listed in the course descriptions.
Major Requirements
| FYS 100 | First Year Seminar | 1 credit |
Communication Core Required Courses - (28 credits)
| CM 101 | Public Speaking | 3 credits |
| CM 115 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 credits |
| or | ||
| CM 211 | Intercultural Communication | 3 credits |
| CM 205 | Communication Ethics | 3 credits |
| CM 255 | Small Group Communication | 3 credits |
| CM 270 | New Media Communication | 3 credits |
| CM 290 | Internship Preparation | 1 credit |
| CM 310 | Conflict Resolution and Negotiation | 3 credits |
| CM 390 | Organizational Communication | 3 credits |
| CM 401 | Internship |
Variable credits; minimum 3 credits required |
| CM 490 | Communication Capstone | 3 credits |
Business Core Required Courses - 12 credits
| MGT 204 | Principles of Management | 3 credits |
| MKT 206 | Principles of Marketing | 3 credits |
| MKT 311 | Consumer Behavior | 3 credits |
| MKT 336 | Integrated Marketing Communication | 3 credits |
Writing Core Options - Choose 9 credits - ALL classes also serve as approved electives.
| CM 253/ENG 253 | Journalism I | 3 credits |
| CM 254/ENG 254 | Journalism II | 3 credits |
| CM 303/ENG 303 | Feature Writing | 3 credits |
| CM 304/ENG 304 | Magazine Writing and Publishing | 3 credits |
| CM 305/ENG 305 | Journalism Practicum | 3 credits |
| CM 314/ENG 314 | Public Relations Writing | 3 credits |
| CM 323 | Writing for the Web | 3 credits |
| ENG 224 | Introduction to Creative Writing | 3 credits |
| ENG 324 | Creative Writing: Non-Fiction | 3 credits |
Design Core Required Courses - 9 credits
| GDES 125 | Fundamentals of Digital Media | 3 credits |
| GDES 270 | Introduction to Corporate Communication Design | 3 credits |
| PHOTO 141 | Basic Digital Photography | 3 credits |
Technology Core Requirements - Choose 3 credits from the following.
| ENG 256 | Introduction to Digital Publishing | 3 credits |
| GDES 208 | Web Design I | 3 credits |
| IS 135 | MS Office Applications | 3 credits |
| IS 260 | Presentation Theory and Application | 3 credits |
Program Elective Options - Choose 6 credits
| CM 120 | Human Communication | 3 credits |
| CM 236 | Communication Writing and Research | 3 credits |
| CM 260 | Business and Professional Communication | 3 credits |
| CM 265 | Event Planning and Publicity | 3 credits |
| CM 275 | Principles and Practices of Public Relations | 3 credits |
| CM 300 | Advanced Public Speaking | 3 credits |
| CM 380 | The Advertising Campaign | 3 credits |
| CM 402 | Special Topics in Communication | 3 credits |
| CM 445 | Communication and Leadership | 3 credits |
| ENG 225 | Topics in Creative Writing | 3 credits |
| ENG 381 | Themes in Literature | 3 credits |
| FMI 101 | Cinema I: Storytelling | 3 credits |
| FMI 102 | Cinema II: Continuity | 3 credits |
| FMI 204 | Broadcast Production | 3 credits |
| MGT 224 | Principles of Entrepreneurship | 3 credits |
| MGT 235 | Introduction to Sport Management | 3 credits |
| MKT 307 | Market Research | 3 credits |
| MKT 315 | Sports Marketing | 3 credits |
| MKT 316 | Principles of Negotiation and Sales | 3 credits |
| MKT 325 | International Marketing | 3 credits |
| SOD 395 | The Mill - Design Center | 3 credits |
Other courses as approved by advisor and department chair/coordinator/associate dean.
Explore our academic catalog for a full listing of courses, course descriptions, suggested course sequences, and more.
Minors
A minor in Communication is available. Please contact the department chair for more information.
Other Options
BA Option
Students also have the option of completing a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Communication. The student must fulfill all SEE requirements, program requirements, and complete two semesters of a foreign language from the point of placement or completion of 202 level
BS/MS Option
The BS/MS option is available for students majoring in business communication who wish to combine their bachelor’s coursework with work toward a master’s degree in one of Stevenson’s graduate programs. Students choosing this option may earn their master's degree in as little as one year after their bachelor's degree. Interested students must formally apply for entrance into a BS/MS option in their junior year. Once admitted into this program, students develop an educational plan in consultation with their undergraduate and graduate advisors. A master's degree in communication studies is available. For more information on this program, see the Stevenson University Online Catalog.
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Undergraduate Admissions
Owings Mills Campus
Garrison Hall North, Second Floor
1-877-468-6852