At which campus can I study this program?
Program Description
This minor in Communication Arts and Sciences allows students maximum curricular flexibility to supplement their primary courses of study and prepare for their careers after graduation. Students who earn this minor will acquire highly desired skills and insights in the areas of communication strategy, group dynamics, interpersonal relationships, conflict resolution, and more. These skills and insights may be applicable in such fields as business, health, law, public advocacy, and many others.
In these ways, the minor valuably supplements many primary undergraduate degrees throughout the university. Knowledge of, and training in, practices of human communication can significantly enhance one's ability to succeed in virtually any academic, professional, civic, or interpersonal setting. Finally, most undergraduate courses in Communication Arts and Sciences are certified for General Education credit, so students can quickly attain a valuable minor while earning General Education credits at the same time.
What is Communication Arts and Sciences?
Communication Arts and Sciences (CAS) privileges the study and practice of communication in interpersonal, organizational, public, and intercultural contexts. Using methods and theories that span the humanities and social sciences, faculty and students create knowledge about the history, present state, and prospects of the fact that we can and do influence one another. This major inspires students to be more effective and ethical in the personal, professional, and public roles their futures have in store for them.
You Might Like This Program If...
- You want to supplement your primary degree by learning about the importance of human communication from either social scientific and humanistic perspectives.
- You want to learn how to craft effective messages for different audiences.
- You want to develop analytic and critical thinking skills in order to understand how messages influence audiences.
- You want to acquire theories, methods, and practical tools of communication to help advance your professional or civic goals.
Program Requirements
| Requirement | Credits |
|---|---|
| Requirements for the Minor | 18 |
Requirements for the Minor
A grade of C or better is required for all courses in the minor, as specified by Senate Policy 59-10. In addition, at least six credits of the minor must be unique from the prescribed courses required by a student's major(s).
| Code | Title | Credits |
|---|---|---|
| Prescribed Courses | ||
| Prescribed Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| CAS 101N | Introduction to Human Communication  | 3 |
| Additional Courses | ||
| Additional Courses: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 6 credits from the following: | 6 | |
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Landmark Speeches on Democracy and Dissent | ||
| Argumentation | ||
| Persuasion | ||
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas | ||
| Supporting Courses and Related Areas: Require a grade of C or better | ||
| Select 3 additional credits from any 200-level CAS course | 3 | |
| Select 6 additional credits from any 400-level CAS course (excluding CAS 493, CAS 494, CAS 495, CAS 496, or CAS 499) | 6 | |
| Note: CAS 100, CAS 126, or CAS 195 may not be counted as part of the minor. | ||
Academic Advising
The objectives of the university's academic advising program are to help advisees identify and achieve their academic goals, to promote their intellectual discovery, and to encourage students to take advantage of both in-and out-of class educational opportunities in order that they become self-directed learners and decision makers.
Both advisers and advisees share responsibility for making the advising relationship succeed. By encouraging their advisees to become engaged in their education, to meet their educational goals, and to develop the habit of learning, advisers assume a significant educational role. The advisee's unit of enrollment will provide each advisee with a primary academic adviser, the information needed to plan the chosen program of study, and referrals to other specialized resources.
READ SENATE POLICY 32-00: ADVISING POLICY
University Park
Liberal Arts Academic Advising
814-865-2545
Use the Liberal Arts Meet the Academic Advisers web page to see the contact information for the specific adviser(s) of this program
Abington
Roy Robson
Division Head, Division of Arts and Humanities
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001
215-881-7466
rrr5237@psu.edu
Brandywine
Kimberly Blockett
Associate Professor of English
25 Yearsley Mill Road
Media, PA 19063
610-892-1376
kdb13@psu.edu
Berks
Jill Burk
Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor
Franco 148
Reading, PA 19610
610-396-6094
BKCommArtSci@psu.edu
Schuylkill
Valerie Schrader
Professor, Communication, Arts and Sciences
200 University Drive
Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
570-385-6072
vls146@psu.edu
Career Paths
CAS students are change makers: analysts, strategists, persuaders, facilitators, collaborators, connectors, and scholars. The CAS minor serves as a valuable supplement to a wide array of majors, and helps to equip students for success in the work force, graduate school, and civic life. CAS courses provide students with the theories, methods, practical tools, and experiences to understand the roots of social conflict and the sources of well-being.
Careers
A Minor in CAS prepares students for post-graduate success by demonstrating that they have sought a rigorous and diverse understanding of communication practices beyond their primary courses of study. The applied communication focus of this minor can benefit graduates in careers that prioritize an ability to communicate effectively, including business, government, health and human services, human development, law, public relations, sales, and more.
Opportunities for Graduate Studies
A Minor in CAS also provides excellent preparation for graduate study in either communication science or rhetoric, as well as fields such as business, health and human services, human development, public policy, social work, and more.
Contact
University Park
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION ARTS AND SCIENCES
234 Sparks Building
University Park, PA 16802
814-865-3461
sas519@psu.edu
Abington
DIVISION OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES
1600 Woodland Road
Abington, PA 19001
215-881-7466
rrr5237@psu.edu
Berks
DIVISION OF HUMANITIES, ARTS AND SOCIAL SCIENCES
Franco Building
Reading, PA 19610
610-396-6094
BKCommArtSci@psu.edu
Brandywine
25 Yearsley Mill Road
Media, PA 19063
610-892-1376
kdb13@psu.edu
https://www.brandywine.psu.edu/academics/minors/communication-arts-and-sciences
Schuylkill
ACADEMIC AFFAIRS
200 University Drive
Schuylkill Haven, PA 17972
570-385-6072
vls146@psu.edu