Stark State College's communication associate degree builds practical skills in public speaking, interpersonal communication, and media theory that apply across many professional settings, with easy transfer to a four‑year university. Graduates are prepared for diverse careers in media, marketing, public relations, and organizational communication, including roles like journalist, marketing specialist, editor, producer, consultant, or manager.
Major code: 7215 Arts and Sciences Division Communication, Humanities, Reading, Education, and American Sign Language Department
The catalog in force is assigned to students based on the academic year they first applied to the college, and changes only when students change their major or request the change in writing. Refer to Policy No. 3357:15-13-28.
2026-27 Catalog
Effective Summer 2026
Some courses listed within the program may require a prerequisite or co-requisite.
Pre/Co-requisites will be listed within each course hyperlink below.
Refer to Policy No. 3357:15-13-04 and 3357:15-13-05
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Freshman Experience | ||
| SSC101 | Student Success Seminar | 1 |
| Core Communication Program Courses | ||
| All are required: | 15 | |
| Effective Speaking | ||
| Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
| Introduction to Communication Theory | ||
| Introduction to Mass Communication | ||
| Communication and Language Electives | ||
| Select 11 credit hours minimum from the following: | 11 | |
| Interviewing I (Recommended) | ||
| Sex, Gender, and Culture (Recommended) | ||
| Intercultural Communication (Recommended) | ||
| Nonverbal Communication (Recommended) | ||
| Persuasion (Recommended) | ||
| American Sign Language I | ||
| American Sign Language II | ||
| American Sign Language III | ||
| Elementary Spanish I | ||
| Elementary Spanish II | ||
| English Composition | ||
| Select 9 credit hours minimum from the following: | 9 | |
| College Composition (Required) | ||
| Technical Report Writing | ||
| Business Communication | ||
| College Composition II | ||
| Social and Behavioral Sciences | ||
| Select 9 credit hours minimum (required across two disciplines) from the following: | 9 | |
| Basic Economics | ||
| Microeconomics | ||
| Macroeconomics | ||
| United States Government and Politics | ||
| General Psychology | ||
| Human Growth and Development | ||
| Industrial/Organizational Psychology | ||
| Social Psychology | ||
| Abnormal Psychology | ||
| Sociology | ||
| Society and Technology | ||
| Dynamics of the Family | ||
| Diversity in American Society | ||
| Arts and Humanities | ||
| Select 6 credit hours minimum (required across two disciplines) from the following: | 6 | |
| British Literature: Medieval to 1785 | ||
| British Literature: 1785 to Present | ||
| Introduction to Shakespeare | ||
| American Literature: Colonial to 1865 | ||
| American Literature: 1865 to Present | ||
| American Civic Literacy | ||
| United States History I to 1877 | ||
| United States History II from 1877 | ||
| World Civilization to 17th Century | ||
| World Civilization from 17th Century | ||
| Ethics | ||
| Natural Sciences | ||
| Select 6 credit hours minimum (1 lab course required) from the following: | 6 | |
| Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology | ||
| Anatomy and Physiology I 1 | ||
| Anatomy and Physiology II | ||
| Environmental Science | ||
| Human Biology | ||
| Climate Studies | ||
| Meteorology | ||
| Ocean Studies | ||
| General Biology I | ||
| General Biology II | ||
| Ecology | ||
| Principles of Microbiology | ||
| General Genetics | ||
| Cell and Molecular Biology | ||
| Exploring Science and Technology | ||
| Introduction to Chemistry 1 | ||
| Introduction to Forensic Science | ||
| General Organic and Biological Chemistry | ||
| General Chemistry I | ||
| General Chemistry II | ||
| Forensic Chemistry | ||
| Organic Chemistry I | ||
| Organic Chemistry II | ||
| Physical Geology | ||
| Principles of Physics | ||
| Astronomy | ||
| College Physics I with Algebra | ||
| College Physics II with Algebra | ||
| General Physics II with Calculus | ||
| Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic | ||
| Select 3 credit hours minimum from the following: 2 | 3 | |
| Quantitative Reasoning | ||
| Statistics | ||
| College Algebra | ||
| Total Hours | 60 | |
- 1
Because of the strong emphasis on science in this major, applicants must have successfully completed chemistry and biology in high school. Students who did not complete the courses in high school, and those who prefer to refresh their knowledge of the material, should complete the listed pre-requisites.
- 2
Check with the transfer institution to which you would like to apply and consult your academic advisor at the transfer institute to determine what electives to take.
Full-Time Student Advising Notes
Academic Advising
Students should make an appointment to see their advisor before registering for classes each semester. They should have prepared a completed registration form, including courses they wish to take, prior to this meeting.
Course Sequence
The semester-by-semester listing below provides the normal scheduling option for full-time associate degree students who plan to finish in two years.
Elective Additional Credit
Self-selection of course and not following the approved degree program could adversely affect graduation, transfer to a 4-year institution, and financial aid. Visit Transferology at http://www.transferology.com to assist in developing a plan for transferring to another college or university. Students should select Ohio Transfer 36 approved and TAG approved courses.
Bachelor’s Degree
Bachelor’s degree requirements and course transferability are controlled by the institution to which the student plans to transfer.
| First Semester | Hours | |
|---|---|---|
| SSC101 | Student Success Seminar | 1 |
| ENG124 | College Composition (Required) | 3 |
| COM121 | Effective Speaking (Required) | 3 |
| COM122 | Interpersonal Communication (Required) | 3 |
| Natural Sciences Elective 1 | 3-4 | |
| Social Behavioral Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| Second Semester | ||
| COM123 | Small Group Communication | 3 |
| COM125 | Introduction to Communication Theory | 3 |
| COM126 | Introduction to Mass Communication | 3 |
| Mathematics, Statistics and Logic Elective 2 | 3-4 | |
| Arts Humanities Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15-16 | |
| Third Semester | ||
| English Composition Elective | 3 | |
| Communication and Language Elective | 3-4 | |
| Communication and Language Elective | 3-4 | |
| Natural Sciences Elective 1 | 3-4 | |
| Social Behavioral Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15-18 | |
| Fourth Semester | ||
| Communication and Language Elective | 3-4 | |
| Communication and Language Elective | 3-4 | |
| English Composition Elective | 3 | |
| Social Behavioral Sciences Elective | 3 | |
| Arts Humanities Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15-17 | |
| Total Hours | 61-68 | |
Social and Behavioral Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BUS122 | Basic Economics | 3 |
| BUS221 | Microeconomics | 3 |
| BUS222 | Macroeconomics | 3 |
| PSC121 | United States Government and Politics | 3 |
| PSY121 | General Psychology | 3 |
| PSY123 | Human Growth and Development | 3 |
| PSY124 | Industrial/Organizational Psychology | 3 |
| PSY220 | Social Psychology | 3 |
| SOC121 | Sociology | 3 |
| SOC122 | Society and Technology | 3 |
| SOC123 | Dynamics of the Family | 3 |
| SOC225 | Diversity in American Society | 3 |
Natural Science Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| BIO101 | Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology | 3 |
| BIO121 | Anatomy and Physiology I | 4 |
| BIO122 | Anatomy and Physiology II | 4 |
| BIO126 | Environmental Science | 4 |
| BIO127 | Human Biology | 4 |
| BIO128 | Climate Studies | 3 |
| BIO129 | Meteorology | 3 |
| BIO130 | Ocean Studies | 3 |
| BIO141 | General Biology I | 4 |
| BIO142 | General Biology II | 4 |
| BIO200 | Ecology | 4 |
| BIO221 | Principles of Microbiology | 4 |
| BIO241 | General Genetics | 4 |
| BIO242 | Cell and Molecular Biology | 4 |
| CHM100 | Exploring Science and Technology | 4 |
| CHM101 | Introduction to Chemistry | 4 |
| CHM105 | Introduction to Forensic Science | 3 |
| CHM123 | General Organic and Biological Chemistry | 4 |
| CHM141 | General Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHM142 | General Chemistry II | 5 |
| CHM205 | Forensic Chemistry | 4 |
| CHM241 | Organic Chemistry I | 5 |
| CHM242 | Organic Chemistry II | 5 |
| GEO141 | Physical Geology | 4 |
| PHY101 | Principles of Physics | 4 |
| PHY105 | Astronomy | 4 |
| PHY121 | College Physics I with Algebra | 4 |
| PHY122 | College Physics II with Algebra | 4 |
| PHY222 | General Physics II with Calculus | 5 |
English Composition Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENG221 | Technical Report Writing | 3 |
| ENG230 | Business Communication | 3 |
| ENG231 | College Composition II | 3 |
Arts and Humanities Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| ENG233 | British Literature: Medieval to 1785 | 3 |
| ENG234 | British Literature: 1785 to Present | 3 |
| ENG235 | Introduction to Shakespeare | 3 |
| ENG236 | American Literature: Colonial to 1865 | 3 |
| ENG237 | American Literature: 1865 to Present | 3 |
| HIS100 | American Civic Literacy | 3 |
| HIS121 | United States History I to 1877 | 3 |
| HIS122 | United States History II from 1877 | 3 |
| HIS221 | World Civilization to 17th Century | 3 |
| HIS222 | World Civilization from 17th Century | 3 |
| PHL122 | Ethics | 3 |
Mathematics, Statistics, and Logic Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| MTH118 | Quantitative Reasoning | 3 |
| MTH124 | Statistics | 3 |
| MTH125 | College Algebra | 4 |
Communication and Language Electives
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| COM223 | Interviewing I | 3 |
| COM225 | Sex, Gender, and Culture | 3 |
| COM227 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| COM228 | Nonverbal Communication | 3 |
| COM229 | Persuasion | 3 |
| ASL122 | American Sign Language I | 4 |
| ASL124 | American Sign Language II | 4 |
| ASL221 | American Sign Language III | 4 |
| SPN100 | Elementary Spanish I | 4 |
| SPN200 | Elementary Spanish II | 4 |
Program Learning Outcomes
This program is designed to prepare students to demonstrate the following learning outcomes:
- Demonstrate the ability to write and present an effective oral presentation.
- Demonstrate interpersonal competency in a variety of communication contexts.
- Demonstrate knowledge of communication theory through critical inquiry.
- Understand how culture influences the communication process.