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Communication Studies

Are you curious about human interactions and why some are successful and supportive, and others are not? Do you wonder what creates communication styles and how to communicate with others different from you? Does improving your communication skills in relationships and in your future careers appeal to you? If so, then SCC's Communication Studies program may be for you.

Each and every CMST class emphasizes competence, which is communication strategies that are both appropriate and effective. Our classes include the study of communication involved in interpersonal relationships, small groups, public speaking, conflict management, leadership, public relations, workplaces, and with people from other cultures and genders.

This two-year program prepares you to transfer to a four-year college or university to obtain a major or minor in communication studies or enter the workplace with effective and marketable communication skills.

As communication is everywhere, this field of study is relevant in all situations and relationships. Many graduates from this 2-year program, or 4-year degree go on to work in management, human resources, broadcast announcers, human resources, marketing, and sales to name a few. With a focus on communication studies, you will be equipped to competently communicate in order to support, educate, and lead others in your future.

Spokane Community College believes that you should graduate with the knowledge, skills, and abilities that further your educational goals, increasing your value in the workforce and contributing to a vibrant community.
 
Our AA-DTA degree program learning outcomes align to our five College-Wide Key Literacies.

Applied Content Literacy
Students will develop knowledge, skills, and abilities in all transfer distribution areas or program elements/areas. Students will build a foundation of information relevant to their program or focus of study while increasing knowledge and competency in their chosen field.

Communication Literacy
Students will develop the ability to create meaning and make connections between themselves and their audience, incorporating awareness of the social nature of communication, including, but not limited to, the impact of ethnicity, age, culture, gender, sexual orientation, and ability on communication styles and results. Students will learn to listen, read, speak, and write effectively using a variety of mediums and modalities.

Information Literacy
Students will develop knowledge and abilities allowing them to identify, locate, and evaluate information pertaining to the problem under consideration. Students will learn how to responsibly research, use, share, and produce accurate, relevant information gleaned through skilled research methods.

Intercultural Literacy
Students will develop an intersectional understanding of modern social realities, which will help enable effective participation and communication in cross-cultural professional, academic, and social settings. This may include, but is not limited to, biological sex, gender identity, socio-economic status, race, sexual orientation, religion, country and culture of origin, and political stance.

Quantitative Literacy
Students will develop and expand the ability to understand numeric information through the gathering, examination, modeling, manipulation, analysis, interpretation, and representation of quantitative and/or scientific data.
 

Breaking Ground on Your Pathway


Plan Your Courses

Meet with our counselors to customize this plan just for you. You can also search the quarterly schedule for class days and times.

Prepare for College-level Math

Math placement is required for this program. If your math placement is below MATH& 107, you’ll need to take the following sequence of courses, starting from the level you placed into:
AE 48 → MATH 87 → MATH 88 → MATH& 107

Placement

English placement is not required for this program.

The AA–DTA Pathway for Communication Studies is a focused version of our Associate in Arts (AA) degree. It is the community college degree designed to transfer to most bachelor’s of arts degrees at all public and many private Washington four–year institutions. A candidate for the AA–DTA degree must complete 90 quarter credits in academic courses numbered 100 and above with a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 and meet specific distribution requirements. Please note which classes have the W/Writing Intensive designation and/or D/Diversity designation at the time of enrollment to ensure those requirements have been satisfied.

Students are recommended to meet with a counselor to select the course options that best align with potential transfer institutions to ensure specific courses in each area satisfy admission requirements for the receiving school and major. Students must satisfy all graduation requirements at Spokane Community College and apply to graduate to receive a diploma.

Please refer to the AA–DTA worksheet for a complete list of course options and distribution area requirements or meet with a counselor to learn more about your options and requirements. Together you can create a plan to graduate from SCC fully prepared to meet your goals.

The curriculum below has been selected by our Communication Studies faculty to provide a balanced and focused education for students planning to continue their education by transferring to four-year institution or students focused on entering the workforce directly after graduation.

Program Map for

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Total Program Credits: 93


Program Courses

First Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CMST&210
Interpersonal Communication  
5
GUID 102
Strategies for Success  
3
MATH&107
Math in Society  
5
 
VI. Group A Health Related/PE Lecture Courses  
3
Total Credits
 
16

Second Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CMST&220
Public Speaking  
5
ENGL&101
English Composition I  
5
SOC& 101
Introduction to Sociology  
5
 
VI. Group B Health Related/PE Activity Courses  
1
Total Credits
 
16
PE 100
Fitness for Life  
1
PE 106
Yoga Fitness  
1
PE 107
Jogging  
1
PE 122
Beginning Skiing  
1
PE 130
Pickleball  
1
PE 138
Fundamentals of Resistance Training  
2
PE 150
Beginning Archery  
2
PE 188
Basic Fitness I  
2

Third Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CMST 227
Intercultural Communication  
5
PSYC&100
General Psychology  
5
 
V. Mathematics/Science Group B Non-Lab Courses  
5
Total Credits
 
15
V. Mathematics/Science Group B Non-Lab Courses: Choose 5 credits V. Mathematics/Science Group B Non-Lab Courses: Choose 5 credits  
ENVS 104
Environmental Conservation  
5
GEOL&100
Survey of Earth Science  
5
OCEA&101
Intro to Oceanography  
5

Fourth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CMST 226
Gender Communication  
5
 
III. Humanities Group B and C Courses  
5
 
V. Mathematics/Science Group B Lab Courses  
5
Total Credits
 
15
III. Humanities Group B and C Courses: Choose 5 credits III. Humanities Group B and C Courses: Choose 5 credits  
ART& 100
Art Appreciation  
5
FILM 141
Introduction to Film  
5
HUM 201
Humanities, Past, Present, and Future  
5
V. Mathematics/Science Group B Lab Courses: Choose 5 credits V. Mathematics/Science Group B Lab Courses: Choose 5 credits  
BIOL 100
Environmental Biology  
5
ENVS&101
Intro to Env Science  
5
GEOL&101
Intro Physical Geology  
5
PHYS 101
General Physics  
5

Fifth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CMST&230
Small Group Communication  
5
 
III. Humanities Group B and C Courses  
5
 
IV. Social Sciences Group B Courses  
5
 
VI. Group B Health Related/PE Activity Courses  
1
Total Credits
 
16
III. Humanities Group B and C Courses: Choose 5 credits III. Humanities Group B and C Courses: Choose 5 credits  
ART& 100
Art Appreciation  
5
FILM 141
Introduction to Film  
5
HUM 201
Humanities, Past, Present, and Future  
5
IV. Social Sciences Group B Courses: Choose 5 credits IV. Social Sciences Group B Courses: Choose 5 credits  
ECON 100
Fundamentals of Economics  
5
HIST&214
Pacific NW History  
5
HIST&219
Native American History  
5
POLS&101
Intro to Political Science  
5
PE 100
Fitness for Life  
1
PE 106
Yoga Fitness  
1
PE 107
Jogging  
1
PE 122
Beginning Skiing  
1
PE 130
Pickleball  
1
PE 138
Fundamentals of Resistance Training  
2
PE 150
Beginning Archery  
2
PE 188
Basic Fitness I  
2

Sixth Quarter

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CMST 250
Managing Conflict Through Communication  
5
PHIL&120
Symbolic Logic  
5
 
VII. Electives  
5
Total Credits
 
15
VII. Electives: Choose 5 credits VII. Electives: Choose 5 credits  
CMST 280
Public Relations and Social Media  
5
CMST 287
Communication in Organizations  
5
GEOG&100
Introduction to Geography  
5
PSYC&200
Lifespan Psychology  
5

III. Humanities Group B and C Courses  

  Choose One

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
ART& 100
Art Appreciation  
5
FILM 141
Introduction to Film  
5
HUM 201
Humanities, Past, Present, and Future  
5

IV. Social Sciences Group B Courses  

  Choose one

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
ECON 100
Fundamentals of Economics  
5
HIST&214
Pacific NW History  
5
HIST&219
Native American History  
5
POLS&101
Intro to Political Science  
5

V. Mathematics/Science Group B Lab Courses  

  Choose one from a different subject area than non-lab course completed

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
BIOL 100
Environmental Biology  
5
ENVS&101
Intro to Env Science  
5
GEOL&101
Intro Physical Geology  
5
PHYS 101
General Physics  
5

V. Mathematics/Science Group B Non-Lab Courses  

  Choose One from a different subject area from the lab course completed

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
ENVS 104
Environmental Conservation  
5
GEOL&100
Survey of Earth Science  
5
OCEA&101
Intro to Oceanography  
5

VI. Group A Health Related/PE Lecture Courses  

  Choose One

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
HLTH 101
Health and Wellness  
3
HLTH 104
Stress Management  
3

VI. Group B Health Related/PE Activity Courses  

  Choose up to two credits of PE activity courses

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
PE 100
Fitness for Life  
1
PE 106
Yoga Fitness  
1
PE 107
Jogging  
1
PE 122
Beginning Skiing  
1
PE 130
Pickleball  
1
PE 138
Fundamentals of Resistance Training  
2
PE 150
Beginning Archery  
2
PE 188
Basic Fitness I  
2

VII. Electives  

  Choose One

Course ID
Course Title
Credits
CMST 280
Public Relations and Social Media  
5
CMST 287
Communication in Organizations  
5
GEOG&100
Introduction to Geography  
5
PSYC&200
Lifespan Psychology  
5

Estimated costs for completing this program

 
WA Resident
Non-Resident
International
Tuition
$ 9,733
$ 11,570
$ 22,036
Books
$ 1,227
$ 1,227
$ 1,227
Course Fees
$ 10
$ 10
$ 10
Institutional Fees
$ 672
$ 672
$ 3,195
Total Costs
$ 11,642
$ 13,479
$ 26,468

Costs for completing a degree or certificate can vary. For more information about costs, visit our How Much Does it Cost? page.

  • Amy Anderson
    Amy Anderson
    Communication Studies Instruct
    B.S., Eastern Washington University; M.A., Gonzaga University; Ed.D., Grand Canyon University
    Amy.Anderson@scc.spokane.edu
    509-533-8055
  • Ann Culton
  • Thomas Ghezzi
    Thomas Ghezzi
    Instructor
    Thomas.Ghezzi@scc.spokane.edu
    N/A
  • Stacy Hudson
    Stacy Hudson
    Instructor
    Stacy.Hudson@scc.spokane.edu
    509-533-7366
  • Angela Smith
    Angela Smith
    Communication Studies Instruct
    A.A., Spokane Falls Community College; B.A., M.S., Eastern Washington University
    Angela.Smith@scc.spokane.edu
    509-533-7024
  • Cindy Trujillo
    Cindy Trujillo
    Communication Studies Instruct
    B.A., University of Washington; M.A., University of Montana
    Cindy.Trujillo@scc.spokane.edu
    509-533-8027
  • Angela Wizner
    Angela Wizner
    Communication Studies Instruct
    B.A., M.A., California State University, Long Beach; additional study: University of Oregon
    Angela.Wizner@scc.spokane.edu
    509-533-7185

Have a question? Let's hear it.

Cindy Trujillo

Communication Studies Department Chair
Cindy.Trujillo@scc.spokane.edu
509-533-8027