Learn to lead with integrity, communicate effectively, and build and maintain thriving organizations and communities with a Certificate in Leadership and Ethics from St. Edward’s.

We live in a world in which organizational leaders constantly face ethical decision-making challenges. Designed with an interdisciplinary approach, the Certificate in Leadership and Ethics instills an understanding of why and how an ethical mindset is critical to being an effective leader.

In this certificate program, you’ll examine and evaluate theories, strategies and principles of ethical leadership that include leader-mentor relationships, motivation, teamwork, power, trust and negotiation. Coursework combines the analytical study of ethics with the communication skills required to be leaders in the modern workplace.

The Certificate in Leadership and Ethics can be earned while pursuing your undergraduate degree. This credential is a valuable, mission-driven addition to any major that enhances your appeal to employers.

To complete the 12-hour Certificate in Leadership and Ethics, students must complete two required courses and two elective courses.

Required Courses:

Leadership – COMM 4316
One (1) upper division course in Ethics taught by the Philosophy Department, not including the ethics course the student uses to satisfy the General Education Curriculum requirement. (Any 3000 or 4000 level course taught by the Philosophy Department with “Ethics” in the title or otherwise approved by the Philosophy Department Chair will fulfill this requirement.)

Elective Courses:

Select two courses from the following list:

Organizational Communication – COMM 2327
Teams, Collaboration and Community – COMM 3339
Directed Readings – PHIL 4341
Senior Seminar – PHIL 4342
Organizational Behavior – MGMT 3334
The Art and Science of Negotiation – BUSI 3324

For more details and course descriptions, view and download the Undergraduate Course Bulletin (PDF).

For information about the Certificate in Leadership and Ethics, contact Mark Cherry, PhD, chair of Philosophy, or Stephen King, PhD, chair of Communication.

Health Communication (Minor)

Program Snapshot

Program Type

Minor

School

School of Arts and Humanities

Department

Communication

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Inspire Individuals to Heed and Use Health Information

As a Health Communication minor, you’ll study audiences and their behaviors related to health practices to determine the format and frequency of messaging.

Students with an education in health communication can enter jobs in public relations, advertising, patient education, health administration, social media, healthcare policy and advocacy, community health, and other related fields.

Minor Requirements

Required Courses (6 hours required)

Introduction to Health Communication – COMM 3308
COMM 4383 Applied Health Communication – COMM 3308

Electives (12 hours required; at least 3 hours must be +3000)

Interpersonal Communication – COMM 2312
Nonverbal Communication – COMM 2322
Persuasion – COMM 2326
Organizational Communication – COMM 2327
Active Listening – COMM 2357
Social Media for Public Relations – COMM 3309
Teams, Collaboration and Community – COMM 3339
Intercultural Communication – COMM 3344
Native American and Chican@x Communication – COMM 3345
Family Communication – COMM 3346
Sports Communication – COMM 3372
The Dark Side of Interpersonal Communication – COMM 3374
Public Relations for Nonprofit Organizations – COMM 4326
Internship (in Health Communication) – COMM 4350
Lying and Deception – COMM 4356
Special Topics in Health Communication – COMM 4390
General Psychology – PSYC 2301
Adolescent Psychology – PSYC 2307
Self and Society – SOCI 1301
Social Welfare: Historic Response to Need – SOCI 2318
Concepts of Physical Fitness and Wellness – KINE 2344

Total Hours: 18

For more information about this minor and course descriptions, view and download the Undergraduate Bulletin (PDF).

UNDERGRADUATE

Communication

Program Snapshot

Program Type

Bachelor of Arts

Minor

School

School of Arts and Humanities

Department

Communication

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Bring Meaning and Clarity to Complex Situations with a BA in Communication

Prepare for a creative career in one of the most popular majors in the country.

Employers consistently rank communication skills at the top when making hiring decisions.

Why earn your Communication degree at St. Edward’s?

Located in the heart of Austin, there are ample opportunities to gain hands-on experience and apply your communication skills. Our faculty creatively integrate their scholarly research, public engagement, and expertise in communication with a wide range of interests and disciplines in their work with students.

Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)

The Public Relations Student Society of America is all about making connections. Our PRSSA chapter provides out-of-the-classroom experiences that give students enhanced knowledge of the public relations field. Members have access to exclusive internships and job postings, networking events with local professionals, personalized agency and corporation tours and fun social events.

Lambda Pi Eta (LPH)

Lambda Pi Eta is the National Communication Association’s official honor society at four-year colleges and universities. With more than 450 active chapters nationwide, LPH recognizes, fosters and rewards scholastic achievement, stimulates interest in the field of communication, and promotes professional development and interest in graduate studies among communication majors.

Reap the Rewards of Austin

And Austin is the perfect place to be a Communication major. Our students intern at places like Livestrong, Margin Walker Presents, ACL, SXSW, and the Austin Film Society.

What will you learn?

As a Communication major, you’ll begin by studying the principles of communication, but you’ll also become adept at applying them — so you can take your skills to a Fortune 500 company, fledgling nonprofit or buzzing startup.

A few examples of courses students take in the major:

In Public Relations for Nonprofit Organizations, you’ll learn the public relations process by creating your own project for an Austin client.
In Communication and Popular Culture, you’ll analyze a pop-culture event occurring in the Austin community.
In Rhetoric and Public Memory, you’ll study monuments and memorials around campus and around Austin. You’ll analyze what they communicate about the population’s values and power structure.

What skills will you gain?

Upon completing the Communication program, you’ll be ready to…

Gain the ability to craft compelling narratives that resonate with diverse audiences.
Participate actively in the communication revolution, wielding the power of narrative to navigate the complexities of the modern world and drive positive change.
Listen and speak effectively, embrace multiple viewpoints, and discover shared values.
Understand human connections and relationships.
Analyze persuasive communication’s role in driving positive change by examining impactful speeches, influences and media trends in public relations and advertising.
Use persuasive techniques, message crafting and audience analysis to navigate our interconnected world.
Critically examine language, imagery, symbols and media’s influence in shaping perception and societal change through critical media studies.
Actively shape contemporary discourse and communication practices.

What do our graduates do?

Communication majors go on to a variety of careers (PDF) and graduate schools from St. Edward’s. Here’s a sample:

Launched a growing nonprofit for hearing and vision screenings
Landed the prestigious Alfred Fleishman Diversity Fellowship at FleishmanHillard
Emmy Award winner for coverage of a Pittsburgh water main break that grew into a water crisis
Technical writer at leading employment search engine and Austin company Indeed
Director of Marketing and Communications for a Bay Area nonprofit
Broker for a real estate investment firm
Created a cancer foundation to provide financial support to families impacted by cancer
Co-wrote and co-directed a film which earned a Grand Jury award at SXSW
Movie prop master in New York City
Law school graduate
Marketing executive in the music industry

Explore Details About the BA in Communication

Degree Plan

Major Requirements: Bachelor of Arts with a major in Communication requires 45 hours of major courses. Students complete five “core” communication courses, totaling 15 hours. Students will also choose from one of four concentrations totaling 30 hours.

Public Relations and Advertising (PDF)
Relational Communication (PDF)
Critical Media Studies (PDF)
Communication Influence and Diversity (PDF)

General Education Requirements: The Communication degree requires 43 hours of general education courses that students complete over four years in addition to their major courses and electives.

View and download the full degree plan for our Communication major (PDF).

Get involved with student productions in whatever medium interests you most.

Hilltop Views, the weekly student newspaper, is published both in print and online. Student journalists report news from the campus and greater Austin community. You can get involved as early as your freshman year as a writer, editor, photographer or designer.
Sorin Oak Review is a literary magazine that showcases the poetry, prose and artwork of St. Edward’s students. Working on the editorial staff is a great way to gain experience in project management and the practical details of putting together a publication.
Arete is a student-produced academic journal that publishes student-written research, nonfiction essays and commentary. Editors choose from among the dozens of submissions to create a cohesive journal that represents a variety of perspectives.
New Literati publishes both creative and academic work.
B. Hooved is the student humor journal, inspired by our Hilltopper goat mascot.
Topper Radio is the student-run radio station.
Topper Studios is the digital media club. Members are involved in creating podcasts, YouTube channels, short films, music videos and comedy sketches, and helping their fellow students produce digital content. Students in Topper Studios also frequently make promotional videos for other clubs at St. Edward’s.

The Digital Media Center in the Munday Library is a resource for creating your own content and learning new skills. Here, you can produce and edit videos, podcasts and visual design projects with the help of your fellow students. The lab is equipped with top-of-the-line computers running the latest software including the Adobe Creative Suite. It also has a group editing/podcasting room, a green screen room and a “whisper room” used for voiceovers. If you are skilled at software, hardware repair, graphic design or video editing, you can apply to work in the lab as a digital media specialist.

The Communication minor is designed as a broad-based introduction to the discipline of Communication as well as an opportunity for students to explore—in more depth—a specific concentration. Students who wish to earn a Communication minor must take the following coursework, totaling 18 hours.

Required Courses

Introduction to Communication – COMM 1306
Interpersonal Communication – COMM 2312

Elective Courses

Choose 12 elective hours in communication; at least nine of these hours must be level 3000 or higher.

Are you a current student? Contact your advisor for next steps in declaring your major or minor.

The Communication department offers a minor in Health Communication. For more information, please view the Health Communication minor webpage.

St. Edward's graduates in cap and gown show off their diplomas

Earn Two Degrees in Five Years

With our Accelerated Graduate Pathways, you can complete your BA in Communication and master’s degree in as little as five years, saving time and money. See details and requirements.

Success coaches and academic advisors guide you through undergraduate and graduate courses to maximize benefits.

Learn about all of our Accelerate Graduate Pathways.