College: Applied Studies
Degree: BA, BS
Specialized Admission: No
Address: 108 Office Building; Panama City Campus
Phone: (850) 770-2178
Email: asexton@fsu.edu
*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is ONLY available at the Panama City, FL campus. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning. Contact the College of Applied Studies for specifics.*
Students in the Professional Communication major at the Panama City campus will receive a broad understanding of fundamental communication processes. The overall program combines courses that are theoretically based with those that are professionally oriented. Courses include interviewing, persuasion, communication research methods, principles of advertising, introduction to public relations, writing of public relations, communication for organizing and a communication internship. Students in professional communication may pursue careers in marketing communication, organizational communication and information and media, as well as prepare for graduate study.
18 hours outside major coursework and beyond General Education.
Note: State-wide common prerequisites are always under review. For the most current information and for acceptable alternative courses, visit the “Common Prerequisites Manual.” This is available from the “Student Services” section of http://www.flvc.org .
Admissions Requirements for Professional Communication Major
All students must meet the University-wide baccalaureate degree requirements summarized in the “Undergraduate Degree Requirements” chapter of this General Bulletin. In order to enroll in the College of Applied Studies, an undergraduate must be certified by the Division of Undergraduate Studies or be a transfer student with fifty-two or more semester hours of accepted credit with a 2.00 GPA. World language completion (or exemption) is also required. Under certain circumstances, students may be admitted without these, but will be required to complete both while enrolled in the program in addition to other program requirements. These students must complete the General Education requirements while enrolled in this program.
In addition, there are alternative criteria for admission to the program:
1. Completion of an AA degree from a Florida public college with a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.0 on a 4.0 scale. The AA degree shall include the completion of the Florida State general education requirements.
2. Transfer students from a regionally accredited postsecondary institution. These students must have sixty or more semester hours of transferable credit, to include six hours of freshman English composition and six hours of mathematics/statistics. Transfer students must have a minimum of a 2.0 GPA. These students must have completed 36 hours of general education coursework to include (6) hours Quantitative & Logic, (6) hours English Composition, (3) hours Social Science, (3) hours History, (3) hours Humanities & Cultural Practice, (3) hours Ethics, (6) hours Natural Sciences and (6) hours Additional Approved General Education coursework.
Transcripts for students entering with more than the specified hours for the AA will be evaluated for whether any of the hours are applicable to the degree. Hours applicable will be subtracted from the nominal sixty (AA or transfer) required to a maximum of fifteen hours of underclass hours. Transcripts for transfer students will be evaluated in a similar fashion and some upper-level hours may be accepted to a maximum of thirty hours because the last thirty hours must be taken at FSU. Hours not applicable to the Public Safety and Security degree will not be transferred to avoid a possibility of a student incurring an excess hours charge.
3. Current students at FSU (either campus) - These students must have fifty-two (52) or more semester hours of credit, to include six hours of freshman English composition and six hours of mathematics/statistics. Students must have a minimum of a 2.00 GPA. These students must complete the General Education requirements while enrolled in this program.
Diversity Requirement:
Students transferring with 60 or more credit hours must complete one (1) diversity course. All other students must complete two (2) diversity courses. SPC 4710 Interracial/Intercultural Communication will count towards this requirement. Courses taken at a previous institution may, if equivalent, be used to satisfy this requirement.
Major Program of Studies at FSU: 36 hours
No grade below a C minus will be accepted for any course in the major. Maintenance of a 2.00 cumulative GPA is required. The College of Applied Studies reserves the right to refuse admission or discontinue enrollment of any student at any time, if, in the judgment of the faculty, the student does not meet departmental or major standards.
Core Classes for Professional Communication Majors: (24 hours)
ADV 3008 (3) Principles of Advertising
COM 3120 (3) Communication for Organizing
COM 3310 (3) Communication Research Methods
COM 4945r (3) Communication Internship
PUR 3000 (3) Introduction to Public Relations
PUR 3100 (3) Writing for Public Relations
SPC 4360 (3) Interviewing
SPC 4540 (3) Persuasion
Additional Communication Classes for Professional Communication Majors: (12 hours)
Students must complete an additional 12 hours of electives with the prefixes COM, ADV, PUR, MMC, RTV, or SPC at the 3000/4000 level, earning a final grade of C minus or better in each.
Students who are admitted into the combined BS/MS degree in Communication may be permitted to dually count up to twelve (12) credit hours of graduate communication coursework at the 5000 level or above towards both the BS and the MS degree. Interested students should consult with their faculty advisor for more information about the combined program.
Major Tracks:
Communicating in a Diverse World (15 hours in the following courses-)
One of the following:
MMC 2000 Introduction to Mass Media (3),
COM 3120 Communicating for Organizing (3)
One of the following:
SPC 4711 Gender and Communication (3)
COM 3432 Media and Representation (3)
Each of the following:
SPC 4710 Intercultural Communication (3)
COM 4xxx Global Communication (3)*
COM 4603 Internet and Society (3)
*COM 4xxx courses are being approved
Digital Media Communication (12 hours in the following courses-)
COM 3521 Introduction to Digital Media Campaigns (3)
RTV 3001 Media Techniques (3)
COM 4470 Desktop Multimedia (3)
COM xxxx Introduction to Digital Communication, Strategy and Planning (3)*
*COM xxxx courses are being approved
Communication Internship COM 4945: (3-15 hours)
This class is typically done in the last semester of your program.
Minor Coursework: (12 hours or more)
Professional Communication majors must fulfill minor requirements outside the Communication major. Students should check with minor department for specific requirements. Minors must be approved by an advisor.
Language Requirement
All students must meet the foreign language admission requirement. Students do not have an additional language requirement for the B.S. degree. The B.A. degree requires proficiency in a foreign language through the collegiate intermediate (22XX) level.
Digital Literacy: (0-3 hours beyond major requirements)
CGS 2060 (3), CGS 2100 (3), EME 2040 (3) or other University-approved course will fulfill the requirement for this major.
Oral Communication Competency/Fluency: (0-3 beyond major requirements)
Students must demonstrate the ability to orally transmit ideas and information clearly. COM 3110 Communication for Business and the Professions or SPC 4620 Strategic Speechmaking will satisfy this requirement.
Minimum Program Requirements - Summary
Total Hrs. Required 120
General Education 36
Major Coursework 36
Minor Coursework 12
Language Requirement 0-12
Digital Literacy 0-3
Oral Communication Competency 0-3
Electives to bring total credits to 120
Advising
Panama City Campus Academic Advising and Student Success Center
Address: Holley Academic Center, Panama City, FL 32405-1099
Phone: (850) 770-2288
Email: advising@pc.fsu.edu
Faculty
Brian Parker
Address: Holley Academic Center, Office A-111-E, Panama City, FL 32405-1099
Phone: (850) 770-2295
Email: bparker@fsu.edu
Laurie Lawrence
Address: Holley Academic Center, Office A-111-H, Panama City, FL 32405-1099
Phone: (850) 770-2249
Email: llawrence@fsu.edu
Sandra Pugh
Address: Holley Academic Center, Office A-111-B, Panama City, FL 32405-1099
Phone: (850) 770-2274
Email: spugh@fsu.edu
Erika Goines
Address: Holley Academic Center, Office A-211-A, Panama City, FL 32405-1099
Phone: (850) 770-2260
Email: egoines@fsu.edu
William Hoffman
Address: Holley Academic Center, Office A-211-BB, Panama City, FL 32405-1099
Phone: (850) 770-2217
Email: wbh24b@fsu.edu
Mapping is FSU’s academic advising and monitoring system. Academic progress is monitored each Fall and Spring semester to ensure that students are on course to earn their degree in a timely fashion. Transfer students must meet mapping guidelines to be accepted into their majors. View the map for this major at www.academic-guide.fsu.edu/.
1. A minimum of 45 hours at the 3000 level or above, 30 of which must be taken at this University.
2. Half of the major course semester hours must be completed in residence at this University.
3. The final 30 hours must be completed in residence at this University.
4. The B. A. degree requires a foreign language through the intermediate (2XXX) level or equivalent.
Salary Information: For more information go to: National Association of Colleges and Employers (www.naceweb.org) or the Occupational Outlook Handbook (www.bls.gov/ooh/home.htm) provided by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Representative Job Titles Related to this Major: Information specialist, radio/TV executive, media manager, public opinion researcher, speech writer, online content manager and many others.
Representative Employers: Advertising/PR agencies, government organizations, production Companies, radio/TV, Universities, Video Production Companies, virtually any company that requires communication/marketing communications specialists.
ACADEMIC MAP (Effective Summer 2025 and after)
*Please Note: Face-to-face/in-person instruction of this program is ONLY available at the Panama City, FL campus. This program is NOT available via Online/Distance Learning.*
This map is a term-by-term sample course schedule. The milestones listed to the right of each term are designed to keep you on course to graduate in four years. The Sample Schedule serves as a general guideline to help you build a full schedule each term. The General Education and Elective courses must be selected to satisfy all area and diversity requirements unless your program meets these requirements with major courses. Milestones are courses and special requirements necessary for timely progress to complete a major. Missing milestones will result in one of two types of map registration stops. The first level (Degree Map Off-track) is placed following grade posting if the student has missed a milestone (course and/or GPA) for the first time in the major. If a student is in non-compliance with milestones for two (2) consecutive semesters (excluding summers), a Major Change Required stop is placed on the student's registration.
Students in Professional Communication will receive a broad understanding of fundamental communication processes. The overall program combines courses that are theoretically based with those that are professionally oriented. Courses include interviewing, persuasion, communication research methods, principles of advertising, introduction to public relations, writing for public relations, communication for organizing and a communication internship. Students in professional communication may pursue careers in marketing communication, organizational communication, and information and media, as well as preparation for graduate study.
For admission into the major in Professional Communication the following requirements must be met:
•Completion of an AA Degree from a Florida public institution or completion of the FSU General Education requirements
Under certain circumstances students who have not completed the above requirements for entry into the major may be permitted to take communication courses while completing certain General Education course requirements. Prior to entry, students must have satisfied the following requirements:
•Completion of two FSU General Education math courses
•Completion of two FSU General Education English courses
•Completion of all but 6 hours FSU General Education course requirements
Mapping Coordinator: Angie Sexton
Email: asexton@fsu.edu
Sample Schedule and Required Milestones by Term
| Sample Schedule: Term 1 hrs |
| ENC1101 Freshman Composition3 |
| 1st GE Core Mathematics3 |
| GE History3 |
| GE Core Natural Science w/ Lab4 |
| Required Milestones: Term 1 |
| Complete ENC1101 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 2 hrs |
| ENC2135 Research, Genre, and Context 3 |
| 2nd GE Mathematics or Statistics3 |
| GE Core Humanities/Cultural Practice3 |
| First language proficiency course4 |
| GE Natural Science3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 2 |
| Complete ENC2135 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Complete 1st GE Mathematics course ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 3 hrs |
| Second language proficiency course4 |
| GE Humanities/Cultural Practice3 |
| GE Core Social Science3 |
| Elective3 |
| Elective/Minor course3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 3 |
| Complete 2nd GE Mathematics or Statistics course ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 4 hrs |
| GE Social Science3 |
| GE Ethics3 |
| SPC2608 or SPC 4620 Strategic Speechmaking (Oral Communication Competency)3 |
| CGS2060 Computer Fluency or CGS2100 Microcomputer Applications for Business/Economics 3 |
| Elective3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 4 |
| Complete all FSU General Education requirements |
| Sample Schedule: Term 5 hrs |
| COM3120 Communication for Organizing3 |
| ADV3008 Principles of Advertising3 |
| PUR3000 Introduction to Public Relations3 |
| SPC4620 Strategic Speechmaking 3 |
| Elective/Minor course3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 5 |
| Complete PUR3000 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Civic Literacy requirement |
| Sample Schedule: Term 6 hrs |
| COM3310 Communication Research Methods3 |
| SPC4360 Interviewing3 |
| SPC4540 Persuasion3 |
| Elective course3 |
| Minor course3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 6 |
| Complete ADV3008 ( ≥ C minus ) |
| Sample Schedule: Term 7 hrs |
| PUR3100 Writing for Public Relations 3 |
| Adv. Course (see approved list)3 |
| Adv. Course (see approved list)3 |
| Minor course3 |
| Minor course3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 7 |
| Complete Pre-Graduation Check |
| See Internship Coordinator to set up internship |
| Sample Schedule: Term 8 hrs |
| COM4945 Communication Internship 3 |
| Adv. Course (see approved list)3 |
| Adv. Course (see approved list)3 |
| Minor Course3 |
| Elective Course3 |
| Required Milestones: Term 8 |
| Apply for graduation in first two weeks. |