Minors in the Communication Arts and Sciences Department
Looking for a minor to enhance your academic career or set you a part from the rest when applying for internships or jobs? The Communications Arts and Sciences department in the Liberal Arts College has some great options to consider for students of all majors. Specifically, there are five minors offered by the CAS department; Dispute Management and Resolution, Information Systems and Statistical Methods (ISSA), Information Sciences and Technologies (IST), Rhetoric, and of course, Communications Arts and Sciences (CAS).
Communications Arts and Sciences Minor
The Communications Arts and Sciences (CAS) minor is one of the most versatile degrees a student can acquire at Penn State University. No matter what career path one is pursuing, it is inevitable that communication will be a necessary qualification. A Communications Arts and Sciences minor one a student’s resume will set him or her apart from other applicants for jobs, and will help students excel in the workplace. In pursuing the CAS minor, students have the opportunity to learn about various kinds of communication; rhetoric, social science research, organizational, health, legal, technological, interpersonal, intercultural, and more!
While CAS minors are encouraged for any student who plans to be in contact with other people either in the workplace or just in their personal lives, it is especially encouraged for students studying in the Smeal Business College, the College of Education, the Communications College, and pursuing majors such as Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, Political Science, Criminal Law & Justice, Human Development and Family Studies, Labor and Industrial Relations, Labor Studies and Employment Relations, and Management.
Dispute Management and Resolution Minor
In pursuing the Dispute Management and Resolution minor, students will learn the skills necessary for “managing and resolving” problems in any communication setting or context, such as interpersonal, group, organizational, even international. Dispute Management and Resolution minors will learn about reasons for and elements of disputes, or conflicts, and explore approaches to problems arising from interpersonal differences.
Professor Dennis Gouran, spokesperson for the major and professor in the CAS department, says “The Dispute Management and Resolution minor is good for anyone since life is filled with conflicts and people ill-equipped to manage them successfully”. The ability to appropriately handle, and overcome, conflict situations will set students apart in their future careers and help them to succeed in workplace and personal relationships. Students that should especially consider this minor include those majoring in Communications Arts and Sciences, Psychology, Sociology, Political Science, Criminal Law & Justice, Human Development and Family Studies, Labor and Industrial Relations, Labor Studies and Employment Relations, and Management.
Information Systems and Statistical Methods Minor
The Information Systems and Statistical Methods minor focuses on the use of “information systems and statistical methods for the solution of human problems”. Students will learn how to use information systems and technologies to manage problems that arise in the organization and utilization of information or data. Pursuit of this minor offers students opportunities to develop skills in information management and productivity systems, or how to effectively and efficiently organize, control, and utilize data and create or manage data collecting systems. Students will learn how to approach internet-based information and communication services, and how to analyze and interpret statistics.
This major is especially helpful for undergraduate students looking to attend graduate or professional school after college, planning to enter a research-based field, or applying for various career opportunities. Ellen Taricani, advocate of the ISSA minor and member of the Communications Arts and Sciences department faculty, says that this minor adds the element of a background in statistics and computing to a résumé that can be very appealing to employers.
The Information Systems and Statistical Methods minor pairs well with a major in Communications Arts and Sciences, Sociology, Criminal Law and Justice, Information Service and Technologies, Integrative Arts, and various majors within the Smeal College of Business such as Marketing, Finance, Economics, Operations and Information Systems Management, etc. Tarcini says that since most business majors already do a lot of work with statistics, this minor would be easy and beneficial to complete, “it sets a student apart from other applicants (for internships, jobs) and shows that he or she put in extra work”.
Information Services and Technology Minor
Dr. Ellen Taricani is also the department authority on the Information Services and Technology minor. She says that though the ISSA and IST minors are similar in some ways, the IST major is more oriented towards computing and communication whereas the ISSA minor largely focused on statistics. The IST major, Taricani says, provides students with background in organizational communication and greater experience with technology. Students will develop skills in the use and working of technology and effective communication that they will be able to take with them as they pursue professional careers.
The School of Information Services and Technology works closely with the College of the Liberal Arts Department of Communications Arts and Sciences in developing the criteria and mission of this minor. Tarcini highly recommends this minor for students majoring in Communications Arts and Sciences, especially those interested in becoming communication consultants, political communicators/speech writers, or anyone hoping to enter management, technology-oriented or human resource fields. This minor is also recommended for students in the Smeal College of Business, or the College of Communications.
Rhetoric Minor
The newest minor offered by the Communications Arts and Sciences Department is the Rhetoric Minor. As with the IST minor, the CAS department is pairing up with another department to offer this minor; the English Department. The rhetoric minor offers students an opportunity to learn about the history, theories, criticism, and various uses for oral and written communication. Students will explore the uses of rhetoric in politics, work environments, the media, and in social and classroom interactions. This minor will be especially enriching for students pursuing major such as: English, Communication Arts and Sciences, Philosophy, Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, Criminal Law & Justice, Media Studies, Communication, Print and/or Broadcast Journalism, and Public Relations