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Organizational and Relational Communication, BS

Woman At Desk

Learn to speak "business" more fluently.

Learn the communication skills necessary for professional success.

In a technology-driven world, the ability to communicate effectively within a business or organization is more important than ever.  Finish your bachelor's degree with the communication skills employers are looking for.

Program Description

This online degree completion program is designed for those students who may already have earned an associate's degree or have most of their general studies completed.


Graduates of this program report meaningful gains in presentation skills, leadership skills, and group communication skills.

Who Should Consider this Degree?

  • People who seek positions in junior management, human relations, marketing or public relations
  • People who seek to increase their skills for effective communications
  • Anyone interested in expanding his or her knowledge and skills to grow professionally
  • People who have an associate's degree and are interested in pursuing a bachelor's degree
  • Employees who seek career advancement

Delivery Format

Home Campus: University of Nebraska at Kearney

Method of Delivery: 100% Online - what's this?Program can be completed fully at a distance. Courses are asynchronous, meaning students and instructor may access content at any time and do not have to be connected to the Internet at the same time. If your program includes an internship or practicum, experiences may be completed in the student's local area.

All online courses are accessed via the Internet and use a learning management system. Technology requirements may vary by program and course, but all campuses have basic recommended requirements. High-speed Internet is required.

Interaction with professors and other students may include:

  • E-mail
  • Online discussion boards
  • Phone or video conferencing
  • Other forms of electronic and print communication

Supplemental materials for some courses may include:

  • Printed material and scanned documents
  • Digital resources accessed through university libraries
  • Videos accessed via the Internet, CDs or DVDs
  • Other media

To be successful, students taking online classes should be reasonably comfortable using a computer and the Internet. Learn more about online student tips for success.

Academic Year 2012 - 2013

Tuition rates are effective for the academic year listed.  Tuition is subject to change in July of each year.

Nebraska Resident:

 TuitionDistance Ed. FeeTechnology FeeLibrary FeeTotal
Per credit hour$227.00$25.00$10.00$4.00$266.00
3 credit hour$681.00$75.00$30.00$12.00$798.00

Non-Resident:

 TuitionDistance Ed. FeeTechnology FeeLibrary FeeTotal
Per credit hour$335.00$25.00$10.00$4.00$374.00
3 credit hour$1,005.00$75.00$30.00$12.00$1,122.00

Note: A $4.00 student records fee will be assessed each semester for both resident and non-resident students.

This is a comprehensive major which totals 45 credit hours,consisting of 33 credit hours of required Organizational and Relational Communication courses and 12 credit hours of an approvedsupport track. Students may use previous course work for their support track.

Organizational and Relational Communication Core Requirements 15 Credit Hours SPCH 202, SPCH 252, SPCH 456, SPCH 459, SPCH 499
Speaking Techniques Requirements 3 Credit Hours SPCH 360
Communication Requirements 9 Credit Hours SPCH 301, SPCH 451, SPCH 452
Speech Electives 6 Credit Hours Chosen in conjunction with your adviser
Support Track Courses 12 Credit hours Each support track is a focused area of study in another discipline. Students will work with their advisors to choose classes from areas like Mass Communication, Public Relations, Travel and Tourism, Business and Management or Sociology. Selection of an appropriate support track will be based on students' goals, previous course work, and course availability.
Course Name
Course #
Credits
Core Courses

Communication Concepts in Society

SPCH 202
3

A survey of the basic concepts of communication through application to different contexts and through examination of literature and methods in communication research.

Communication Inquiry

SPCH 252
3
Prereq: SPCH 202GS or instructor approval.
Improve researching skills by applying knowledge of experimental design to analyze, evaluate, and interpret research writing within the Communication field.

Introduction to Organizational Communication

SPCH 301
3
Prereq: none.
Students in this course will be introduced to the constitutive role that communication plays within organizational settings through studying the various theoretical approaches of the organizational communication discipline.

Persuasion and Propaganda

SPCH 360
3

The study and practice of persuasion.

Leadership Communication

SPCH 451
3

A study of the characteristics, styles, roles, and strategies of leaders with emphasis on parliamentary process.

Advanced Organizational Communication

SPCH 452
3

A study of major themes of communication within the organization: scientific, humanistic, systems decision making and communication approaches.

Rhetorical Theory

SPCH 456
3

Historical study of theories of persuasive communication from early Greek and Roman times.

Communication Capstone

SPCH 459
3
Prereq: senior status.
The capstone in communication serves as a culminating experience for communication majors in the new Organizational and Social Interaction curriculum design. The course will be taught by each full time faculty member of the department with different topical foci, but each version of the course will include (1) developing a research presentation and (2) career development.

Communication Theory

SPCH 499
3

Prereq: 9 hours of core courses completed OR 6 hours completed and 3 taken concurrently. An overview of theory and major theorists in the field of communication.

Other electives may be available, consult with your adviser.

Terri Diffenderfer, MA, Senior Lecturer, Communication

Aaron Dimock, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Communication

Ralph Hanson, Ph.D., Professor, Communication

Nanette Hogg, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Communication

Christina Jackson, Ed.D, Assistant Professor, Communication

L. Jake Jacobsen, MAEd, Senior Lecturer, Communication

Akbar Javidi, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Communication

George Lawson, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Communication

Amber Messersmith, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Communication

Keith Terry, Ph.D., Professor, Communication

Rachelle Kamrath, M.A., Senior Lecturer, Communication

Elle Scholwin, J.D., Lecturer, Communication

Ching Shan Jiang, (Alex)Ph. D., Assistant Professor, Communication

Guidelines for Admittance

To participate in this degree the student must have:

  • Associate's degree or the majority of the general studies requirements completed

 

Application Checklist

  1. Apply and be admitted to Undergraduate Admissions at the University of Nebraska at Kearney.

Application Deadlines

 Fall Semester May 1 
 Spring Semester October 1
 Summer Session  March 1

 

Contact

Online Worldwide Educational Representative
Phone: 888.622.0332
E-mail: online@nebraska.edu

Program Contact
Name: Aaron Dimock
Phone: 308.865.8486
E-mail: dimockam@unk.edu

Military/Veteran Student Adviser
Name: Mary Sommers
Phone : 308.865.8520
E-mail: unkveterans@unk.edu

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