Certificate and Minor

Certificate in Civil Communication

The Hugh Downs School of Human Communication offers a certificate in civil communication that teaches students the value of robust, honest, frank and constructive dialogue that seeks to advance the public interest.  The program, open to all majors, provides training in dialogue-based methods of civility, application of critical civil communication skills in public spheres, and civil and productive modes of argumentation. This specialization empowers students with the ability to publicly disagree with others in a manner that builds and nurtures communities.  

The Civil Communication certificate requires 18 credit hours, 9 hours of required courses plus 9 hours of electives courses from the list below.

Required courses (9 credit hours):
COM 222 Argumentation (3)
COM 225 Public Speaking (3)
COM 327 Civil Communication (3)

Elective courses (9 credit hours):
COM 312 Communication, Conflict and Negotiation (3)
COM 319 Persuasion and Social Influence (3)
COM 321 Rhetorical Theory and Research (3)
COM 325 Advanced Public Speaking (3)
COM 341 Social Contexts for Performance (3)
COM 421 (Rhetoric of Social Issues (3)

A "C" (2.00) or better is required for all coursework. Nine of the 18 credit hours must be ASU resident credit courses, including six upper-division credit hours offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this certificate, depending upon a student's undergraduate program of study.

Minor in Communication

The minor in Communication focuses on teaching students how communication processes create, maintain and transform identities, relationships, workplaces, and communities.

The minor in Communication consists of 18 credit hours.

Required courses (6 credit hours):
COM 100 Introduction to Human Communication (3)
COM 225 Public Speaking (3) or COM 259 Communication in Business or the Professions (3)

plus two of the following courses:
COM 310 Relational Communication (3)
COM 312 Communication, Conflict and Negotiation (3)
COM 316 Gender and Communication (3)
COM 323 Communication Approaches to Popular Culture (3)

plus two upper-division related courses in Global Studies, Asian Pacific American Studies, African and African American Studies, Transborder Chicana/o and Latina/o Studies, or American Indian Studies (6)

Nine of the 18 credit hours must be ASU resident credit courses, including six upper-division credit hours offered by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. The "C" (2.00) minimum grade requirement must be met for each class. Communication courses required for a major may not also count for the minor. No pass/fail, "Y" credit or credit/no-credit courses are allowed. Prerequisite courses may be needed in order to complete the requirements of this minor, depending upon the undergraduate program of study.