Minor in Marketing Communication

A minor in Marketing Communication requires 18 hours, of which up to 9 credit hours may be double counted between the COM Major and the MarCom Minor. All minors are required to take the following:

Either COM 102: Debate and Advocacy or COM 110:Public Speaking
And COM 162: Introduction to Marketing Communication

In addition, students wishing to minor in Marketing Communication will take an
additional 12 hours from the following list of which 6 hours must be at 300 level:

COM 250 Communication in Entrepreneurial Settings (3h) This course examines the contemporary workplace, including startup organizations, freelance work, and gig work. We examine how communication underpins organizational culture, teamwork, mentoring and networking, diversity programming, and more. Reading and discussion are balanced with opportunities to engage and apply tools for workplace success.

COM 262 Writing for PR and Advertising (3h) (P162) Principles and techniques of
public relations and applied advertising. Students use case studies to develop public relations and advertising strategies. Also listed as JOU 350. (D)

COM 270 Special Topics: Integrated Communication: Digital & Social Media Marketing (3h)

COM 280 Communication Internship (3h/1.5h) (only if MarCom related) Individual
communication internships to be approved, supervised, and evaluated by an
appropriate faculty adviser. Pass/Fail only. P-POI.

COM 309 Visual Storytelling (3h) The course overviews digital media as well as
studying the meaning of how visual images are used in our society. The course is
designed to look at the changing landscape of visual storytelling.

COM 315 Communication and Technology (3h) An exploration of how communication technologies influence the social, political, and organizational practices of everyday life.

COM 334: Narrative Approaches to Entrepreneurship (3h) This course uses narrative theory to examine how myths, stories, and other tropes form the basis on which we understand entrepreneurs and entrepreneurship. Attention is given to diverse and alternative stories and practices. Students will collect and analyze entrepreneur narratives.

COM 336 Organizational Rhetoric (3h) Explores the persuasive nature of
organizational messages–dealing with risk, reputation, image, legitimacy and strategic communication–including those exchanged between organizational members and those presented in behalf of the organization as a whole.

COM 346 Sports, Media and Communication (3h) Examines the role of sport in society, cultural, and institutional practice. Surveys the value represented by interpersonal and mediated messages regarding key dimensions of sport including competition, ethics, gender, and race.

COM 353 Persuasion (3h) An examination of theories and research concerning the process of social influence in contemporary society.

COM 354 International Communication (3h) An in-depth look at the role of mass media in shaping communication between and about cultures using examples from traditional and emerging media systems. (CD)

COM 357 Health Communication and Bioethics (3h) Examination of the principles
behind designing, implementing, and evaluation a health campaign, including message design and application of media theories for behavior change.

COM 362 Advanced Campaign Development (3h) Creation of fully integrated
communication campaigns for major brands, from uncovering target audience insights to articulating brand strategy and key messaging, through development of the big campaign idea and activation plans for the market. Culminates with team presentation pitches to their “client” and is designed for Communication majors who have demonstrated interest in pursuing careers in marketing communication. P-COM 262 or JOU 350.

COM 363 Communication and Consumer Behavior (3h) Focuses on understanding the
psychology of consumer purchasing behavior and how marketing communications can influence that. Examines consumer motivations, influences, decision-making processes, and behaviors as they relate to the development of a marketing communications strategy. P-COM 162.

COM 370 Special Topics: Social Media and Marketing (3h)

Students may count ONE of the following Journalism courses towards their
requirements for the Marketing Communication Minor:

JOU 270 Introduction to Journalism (3h) Fundamentals of news reporting, news writing, and news judgment. Digital skills introduced and practiced. Intensive in-class writing.

JOU 278 News Literacy (3h) Exploring the difference between news and propaganda, news and opinion, bias and fairness, citizen reporting and professional journalism with a goal of training more discriminating and thoughtful producers and consumers of news. Included: historical context of the news industry.

JOU 330 Podcasting (3h) Introduction to audio storytelling. As the world of podcasting and nonfiction audio grows rapidly, students will learn the building blocks and best practices of audio journalism, including sound editing, and interviewing, and story, and will discuss what journalism means in these changing times.


If you are majoring in communication and also minoring in marketing communication, and if you are finding it challenging to figure out what courses count for each and how to count those overall, this graphic should help you sort this out. In it, you can see what counts for the major; what counts for the minor and what can count for both. Keep in mind, though, that counting a class for both the major and minor (e.g., 102) does not mean you can count the credit twice. Overall, you will still need 120 credits to graduate.