Academic Catalogs

Communication Studies

The Department of Communication Studies at Orange Coast College is a comprehensive program with offerings ranging from traditional rhetoric and public speaking to Mass Communications and Social Media Strategies. Earning a communication degree ensures students will learn the skill sets most desired by employers in the United States. According to the Department of Labor the top four work skills required by employers include: Professionalism and work ethic, Oral and written communication, Teamwork and collaboration, Critical thinking or problem-solving skills.

 
 The department has several long-standing traditions:

  • Individualized, face-to-face instruction, honoring the needs of students with support and encouragement.
  • Students who complete our program have a high transfer rate to colleges and universities throughout the country. 
  • Our decades-long history of regional and national success in speech & debate competitions includes 18 state and 13 national championships.
  • Dedication to building teachers for the future. Many speech & debate programs in California and around the country are run by our former students and part-time coaches. 
  • Committed involvement in campus-wide issues.

We look forward to continuing to serve our diverse student body and engendering a critical approach to understanding the communication processes that affect us every day. 

Department Contact Information:

Chris DeSurra cdesurra@occ.cccd.edu

Felicia Coco fcoco@occ.cccd.edu 

Communication Studies Department Website

Credit Courses

CMST A1053 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Intrapersonal Communication  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Designed to teach students effective communication processes with and about oneself. Emphasis is on developing a greater self-awareness and self-esteem by studying cognitive science, whole brain learning, language and symbolic processing, perception, and nonverbal communication skills.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A105

CMST A1093 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Social Media Strategies  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Students will gain the knowledge and skills to effectively meet the growing need for Social Media technology within organizations. Students will learn the basics of content creation; determine which platform best meets the needs of organizations and their targeted audiences; and, learn how to measure social media success. Students will analyze, think critically, discuss, research, and develop social media technology while understanding while understanding ethics and etiquette.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A109

CMST A1203 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Reader's Theater and Oral Interpretation  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
Explores the oldest performance tradition, storytelling, and focuses on the principles and methods of effective oral interpretation. Through analysis of poetry, plays and stories, in both individual and group performance, the student will learn to edit and construct a script, and to perform successfully. C-ID: COMM 170.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A120

CMST A1501-4 Units (9-36 lecture hours; 27-108 lab hours)  
Forensics Workshop  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Competitive forensics. May be taken for 1, 2, 3 or 4 units depending on the number of hours and the number of events in which the student participates. This course may be taken four times. C-ID: COMM 160B.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A150

CMST A1553 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Intercultural Communications  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
The study, practice, and application of communication theories as they relate to different cultural, subcultural, ethnic, and racial groups. Emphasis on interpersonal effectiveness, including skills in nonverbal processing, assessment of different cultural interactional patterns, and the reduction of racism and ethnocentrism. C-ID: COMM 150.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A155

CMST A1653 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Gender Communication  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Explores the role, influence, effects, and significance of gender on our everyday communication interactions. Analyzes issues of gender and communication by examining the theoretical perspectives used to explain gender phenomena, gender socialization, and male and female interactions and stereotypes. Explores, with an emphasis on improving communication skills, the relationship between gender and communication as it pertains to the nature of gender(s), the language of gender, and gender differences in verbal and nonverbal communication. Enrollment Limitation: GNDR A165; students who complete CMST A165 may not enroll in or receive credit for GNDR A165.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A165

CMST A1703 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Nonverbal Communication  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU.
The analysis and application of nonverbal cues and their effect on interpersonal and intercultural communication. Emphasis is on developing effective communication skills as they relate to physical appearance and dress, body movement, face and eye communication, vocal cues which accompany spoken words, and the use of environment and space.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A170

CMST A1803 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Introduction to Mass Communications  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
A survey of major mass mediums and their influence on the artistic and cultural expression of contemporary society. Appreciate the aesthetics of and evaluate radio, television, film, print media, and Internet. Advertising, PR, media law and ethics are covered. Students learn analytical skills to help become critical consumers/developers of media. C-ID: JOUR 100.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A180

CMST A1853 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Public Relations  
Advisory: ENGL C1000.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU.
Introduction to the basic principles, components, and techniques of effective public relations. Topics include publicity and promotion, advertising, media and community relations, and approaches to problem solving. Enrollment Limitation: BUS A185; students who complete CMST A185 may not enroll in or receive credit for BUS A185.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A185

CMST A2203 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Essentials of Argumentation  
Prerequisite(s): ENGL C1000 or appropriate placement.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter, Pass/No Pass
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
This course provides students with the foundational knowledge and practice of persuasion, argumentation and debate. Students will write essays and engage in a variety of public speeches to advocate for and against various claims/topics. Emphasized are principles of rhetoric in argumentation and debate, such as the canons of rhetoric, effective research methods, critical analysis, reasoning, refutation, and listening. This course includes faculty-supervised, faculty-evaluated oral presentations in the presence of others. C-ID: COMM 120.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A220

CMST A2362 Units (108 other hours)  
Directed Practice for Social Media Strategist  
Prerequisite(s): CMST A109; MKTG A100; ENGL A123; and CMST A185 or BUS A185 or FASH A225.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU.
A supervised internship classroom-based learning and experience in a work setting where social media is an essential component of the overall organizational strategy. This work experience course is designed to assist students to acquire the knowledge and skills to analyze, create, implement, and evaluate social media technology. Four courses within the Social Media Strategist career program must be taken prior to enrolling in this course.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A236

CMST A2403 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Media Literacy  
Prerequisite(s): English A100 (ENGL C1000) or equivalent with a grade of “C” or better.
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU.
An introduction to the critical consumption of media. Focuses on ability to access, analyze, & evaluate media messages, and to construct argumentative and analytical essays. Develop tools to evaluate credibility, truth & accuracy through critical examination of news, opinion, advertising, PR, entertainment, and social media. Explore political/ economic/social contexts of media production & consumption.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A240

CMST A2603 Units (54 lecture hours)  
Organizational Communication  
Grading Mode: Standard Letter
Transfer Credit: CSU; UC.
This course examines contemporary philosophies, methods and theories for studying the communication systems within different types of organizations. This course focuses on identifying the methods available for improving communication in organizations. Through lecture, discussion, and activities, the course will focus on communication as a process and skill that can help individuals and their organizations to mediate conflicts and challenges among organizational members.

Catalog Program Pages Referencing CMST A260