Communication Minor

The Minor in Communication is open to all baccalaureate students outside the Professional Communications program, and consists of five courses for a total of 15 credits. Of the five courses, three are required and two are electives to be selected from any other available PCM courses at the 300-level.  Students taking this minor will gain a solid foundation in Professional Communication, including an introduction to the various communication industries, the application of various methods and technologies for effective communication in organizations, and the ability to write, edit and produce various types of communications. 

Student Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will improve their ability to create professional communication documents and presentations using Microsoft Office applications, designed according to the purpose, function, and venue for which these are intended.
  • Students will develop skill in writing for electronic media making use of industry-standard software programs in computer laboratories equipped with individual student stations.
  • Students will become proficient in the process of executing a communication project, from the development of the concept to the presentation of the final product.
  • Students will become familiar with a range of practical applications within the field of communication so that they are able to recognize the potential of each, and to select appropriate methods for accomplishing tasks as future employees of companies and organizations.

About Academic Minors

Farmingdale State College students are invited to enhance their studies with an "Academic Minor." A minor is a cluster of thematically related courses drawn from one or more departments. In addition to department based minors (e.g. computer programming & info systems), interdisciplinary minors are also available (e.g. legal studies).

Academic minors are approved by the College-Wide Curriculum Committee and the Provost. Students must make application for an academic minor through the department offering the minor in conjunction with the Registrar's Office Specific course work must be determined in consultation with a faculty member in the department offering the minor. A statement of successful completion of the academic minor will appear on the student's transcript at the time of graduation.

  • A minor is considered to be an optional supplement to a student's major program of study.
  • Completion of a minor is not a graduation requirement and is subject to the availability of the courses selected. However, if the requirements for a minor are not completed prior to certification of graduation in the major, it will be assumed that the minor has been dropped. Consequently, the student will only be certified for graduation in their primary major.
  • Only students in 4 year baccalaureate programs can apply for a minor.
  • A minor should consist of 15 to 21 credits.
  • At least 12 credits must be in courses at the 200 level or higher.
  • At least 9 credits must be residency credits.
  • Specific requirements for each minor are determined by the department granting the minor. 
  • Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in their minor.  Some minors may require a higher GPA.
  • Students are prohibited from declaring a minor in the same discipline as their major (e.g. one cannot combine an applied math minor with an applied math major). Academic minors may not apply to all curricula.
  • Students are permitted to double-count courses.
  • Students are only permitted to take more than one minor with appropriate written approval of their department chair or curriculum Dean.

Admission to Farmingdale State College - State University of New York is based on the qualifications of the applicant without regard to age, sex, marital or military status, race, color, creed, religion, national origin, disability or sexual orientation.

Professional Communications | Dr. Charles Adair | pcm@farmingdale.edu | 934-420-2321

Fall 2024

Subject to revision

Required Courses (15 credits)
PCM 305 Media in Communications 3
PCM 311 Intro. to Writing for Electronic Media 3
PCM 313W Communications Theory 3
Any two additional PCM courses at the 300-level 6

Curriculum Summary

Total Required Credits: 15

Printed on 12/11/24

2350 Broadhollow Road
Farmingdale, NY 11735-1021

934-420-2000

farmingdale.edu

PCM 305 Media in Communications

Students will apply the Microsoft Office skills which they have acquired to the creation of a number of real world professional communication documents and presentations. Students in the Professional Communications program must use Office applications effectively, carefully considering the purpose, function, audience, and venue of individual projects. This upper division course provides a range of assignments that reflect real world writing and speaking projects. Prerequisite(s): EGL 102 and junior level status

PCM 313W Communication Theory (Writing Intensive)

This course is designed to provide an overview of the complete process of professional communication from clarification of the problem to the presentation to the final product. The elements of communication theory are covered, as well as the criteria by which to judge the adequacies of existing theories and the techniques for developing new ones. Students will have the opportunity to work with actual communications issues within industry and present their findings in a written, oral, or visual format. This is a writing-intensive course. Prerequisite(s): EGL 101 and EGL 102 with a grade of C or higher.
Last Modified 6/17/24