Organizational Communications

Effective leaders are effective communicators. A major in organizational communication will prepare you to be invaluable team member in a variety of settings.

Overview

Courses in this interdisciplinary major are designed to help you develop a strong understanding of organizational structures, business ethics and human motivation. You'll also foster skills in persuasive communication, business writing, spreadsheets, media production and managerial accounting. An internship in advertising, public relations, marketing or sales will give you practical experience as you plan for your career.

Careers in Organizational Communications

As a graduate of this program, you might find work as a:

  • Film Critic
  • Director
  • Journalist
  • Office Manager
  • Publicist
  • Editor
  • More

See job placement rates for Calvin grads.

Student involvement

Join Calvin Video Network; Write for the Chimes or Dialogue; Try out for the Improv team; Help out with Prism, Calvin's year book; Join the Film Arts Committee.

Course Requirements 2011-12

Organizational Communication

A grade of at least a C in BUS 160 and in either CAS 141 or 190 is required to be accepted into this major. (34-35 semester hours)

  • One course from:
  • CAS-240 Group Communication
  • One course from:
  • BUS-160 Business Foundations
  • BUS-203 Introduction to Managerial Accounting
  • BUS-360 Management and Organizational Behavior
  • Two courses from:
    • CAS-285 Advertising and Public Relations
    • BUS-365 Human Resource Management
    • BUS-380 Marketing
    • BUS-382 Consumer Behavior Theory and Practice
  • One course from:
  • One course from:
    • CAS-211 Argumentation and Advocacy
    • CAS-305 Persuasion and Propaganda
  • One course from:
    • CAS-253 Intercultural Communication
    • CAS-260 Interpersonal Communication
    • CAS-270 Communication and Gender
    • SOC-250 Diversity and Inequality in the United States

Cognates (12 semester hours)

  • ECON-221 Principles of Microeconomics
  • ECON-222 Principles of Macroeconomics
  • MATH-143 Introductions to Probability and Statistics
  • IS-171 Computing with Spreadsheets
  • One course from:
    • IS-141 Computing with Databases
    • IS-151 Computing Presentation
    • IS-153 Computing with the Internet

Scholarships

Dollar amounts reflect awards given for the 2010-11 academic year.

Michigan Industrial Tools Pathway to Business Possibilities Scholarship
  • award amount: $2,500
  • junior or senior
  • GPA 2.5+
  • financial need required; intending to go into for-profit business
William and Matilda Monsma Scholarship
  • award amount: $2,500
  • sophomore, junior, or senior
  • GPA 3.0+
  • financial need required; preference to students from the South Chicago area
  • apply through the Calvin Portal
Kenneth and Phyllis Timmer Family Scholarship
  • award amount: $2,000
  • junior
  • GPA 2.5+
  • financial need considered; Michigan resident
  • automatic consideration
View all scholarship opportunities

Faculty

Brian Cawley Brian Cawley
Associate Professor
Department of Business
bc27@calvin.edu
(616) 526-7849

David Cook David Cook
Professor
Department of Business
dcook@calvin.edu
(616) 526-7025

Phil de Haan Phil de Haan
Adjunct
dehp@calvin.edu
(616) 526-7806

Margaret Edgell Margaret Edgell
Associate Professor
mjs6@calvin.edu
(616) 526-6193

Debra Freeberg Debra Freeberg
Professor
Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
freede@calvin.edu
(616) 526-7011

Brian Fuller Brian Fuller
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
bdf4@calvin.edu
(616) 526-8787

Peggy Goetz Peggy Goetz
Professor
Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
pgoetz@calvin.edu
(616) 526-8561

Nancy Hull Nancy Hull
Assistant Professor
Department of English
nhull@calvin.edu
(616) 526-6728

Cal Jen Cal Jen
Associate Professor
Department of Business
ccj2@calvin.edu
(616) 526-7626

Bob Medema Bob Medema
Associate Professor
Department of Business
rmedema@calvin.edu
(616) 526-6380

Michael Page Michael Page
Professor
Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
mpage@calvin.edu
(616) 526-8665

Stephanie Sandberg Stephanie Sandberg
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
ssandber@calvin.edu
(616) 526-6713

Chris Smit Chris Smit
Associate Professor
Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
crs4@calvin.edu
(616) 526-8892

Peter Snyder Peter Snyder
Assistant Professor
Department of Business
pjs23@calvin.edu
(616) 526-7164

Marilyn Stansbury Marilyn Stansbury
Assistant Professor
Department of Business
msc5@calvin.edu
(616) 526-7795

Jason Stansbury Jason Stansbury
Assistant Professor
Department of Business
jms58@calvin.edu
(616) 526-7714

Steven Van Oostenbrugge Steven Van Oostenbrugge
Assistant Professor
Department of Business
sjv47@calvin.edu
(616) 526-7624

Talk to us

Kathi Groenendyk

Kathi Groenendyk
Department Co-Chair
(curriculum & assessment)
Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
kgroenen@calvin.edu
(616) 526-6317

Randall Bytwerk

Randall Bytwerk
Department Co-Chair
(budget & personnel)
Department of Communication Arts & Sciences
bytw@calvin.edu
(616) 526-6286