Corporate Communication

Corporate Communication Interdisciplinary Studies in Business and Commerce: Corporate Communication Concentration (B.S.B.A.)

About the corporate communication program

Build a career at the intersection of business and public relations with PennWest California’s interdisciplinary concentration in corporate communication.

Businesses and other organizations need communication professionals who are skilled in using a wide range of media, including various social media platforms, to effectively explain strategic objectives and values to various stakeholders, drive employee engagement, and create and sustain a positive public identity.

Business students in the corporate communication concentration at PennWest California prepare for these fast-paced careers with an innovative, on-campus program that blends coursework in business and communication studies. You’ll learn both theory and practical skills aimed at preparing you to meet contemporary communication challenges in a business setting.

Why choose a degree in corporate communication?

PennWest California’s corporate communication program empowers students with a business degree that prepares them to meet real-life workplace demands in roles such as public relations specialist, media relations manager or public affairs director.

A required core of business courses provides a foundation in various business disciplines, including accounting, economics, finance, management, marketing and more. A broad selection of communication courses equips students to manage the internal and external messaging activities that are so vital to organizational success, especially in the age of digital media.

A specialized degree in corporate communications prepares you to work effectively in the private, nonprofit or government sectors. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job growth for corporate communications professionals is projected to grow by 6% or more through 2026, about average for all occupations nationwide.

Program Highlights: Corporate Communication

BUSINESS FOUNDATION: Students who graduate from PennWest California’s corporate communication program are prepared for a wide variety of business careers. All students complete core courses that introduce them to the functional areas of business; then they add coursework to develop skills in oral and written communication, public relations, traditional media, and digital media. PennWest California business students also build career-focused skills in critical thinking, problem solving and teamwork. 

TOP QUALITY: PennWest California's interdisciplinary studies in business and commerce degree is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs, an assurance of quality in business-focused education. This on-campus program provides students with personalized attention from faculty members who have real-life corporate experience as well as teaching expertise.

18:1 
Student-to-faculty ratio at PennWest California
$70.481 
Average salary for a corporate communications manager, according to PayScale.com
Degree icon.

Degree Benefits

The corporate communication program at PennWest California empowers students to succeed as communication professionals in business and industrial settings, nonprofit organizations, and government agencies. Internship opportunities allow students to experience the corporate environment firsthand, and the University’s Career and Professional Development Center supplements coursework with practical advice and skills training, so students can graduate career-ready. The bachelor’s degree program can be completed in four years of full-time study.

 

Cap icon

Graduate Outcomes

Demand for skilled corporate communicators is increasing nationwide, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, with median pay of about $70,000 per year, depending on job title and location. Graduates with a specialized business degree in corporate communication are equipped for a wide variety of careers, including roles such as:

  • Public relations specialist.
  • Public affairs director.
  • Media relations manager.
  • Special events planner.
  • Communications consultant.
Corporate Communication (B.S.B.A.)
Employees communicate in office.

What is corporate communications?

Professionals in this specialized business field are skilled at creating impactful messages to engage with a company’s stakeholders and clients, employees, and the general public. News releases and corporate newsletters may still be part of the mix, but the fast-paced, 24/7 news cycle means that corporate communicators today must also be prepared to utilize digital tools and social media platforms to promote the company, respond to crises and protect the business’s brand.

Business setting at a computer.

Personalized program

With PennWest California’s interdisciplinary studies in business and commerce degree, you can tailor your business degree to meet your professional goals – including a career in corporate communication. After completing foundation courses in business and communication studies, you’ll choose from a selection of upper-level electives that get you ready for the future youwant to build.

Students in a classroom.

Student recognition

PennWest California and its Department of Business, Economics and Enterprise Sciences is proud to recognize your achievements! Qualified students can become members of Delta Mu Delta, the International Honor Society in Business, or Lambda Pi Delta, the National Communications Honor Society. Outstanding graduating seniors also may receive awards for excellence.

Curriculum

Curriculum


Course Credits
General Education Courses 40 or 41
Building a Sense of Community
UNI 100 First-Year Seminar
1
Composition
ENG 101  English Composition I
3
Public Speaking
CDC 101  Public Speaking
3
Mathematics and Quantitative Literacy
MAT 181  College Algebra
3
Health and Wellness
Any Health and Wellness Course
3
Technological Literacy
MIS 201  Management Info Systems
3
Humanities
PHI 115  Logic and Language
3
Fine Arts
Any Fine Arts Course
3
Natural Sciences
Any Natural Science Course
3 or 4
Social Sciences
PSY 100  General Psychology
3
General Education Options
  • Any Ethics and Multicultural Awareness Emphasis Course
  • ENG 211  Business Writing  OR  ENG 102  Composition II
  • MAT 225  Business Statistics
  • BUS 281  Management Science I
12
   
Business Core Courses 30
ACC 200  Financial Accounting 3
ACC 321  Managerial Accounting 3
BUS 242  Business Law I 3
BUS 381  Management Science II 3
BUS 499  Integrated Strategic Capstone 3
ECO 201  Principles of Microeconomics 3
ECO 202  Principles of Macroeconomics 3
FIN 301  Financial Management 3
MGT 300  Principles of Management 3
MKT 300  Principles of Marketing 3
   
Required Major Courses 27
BUS 345  Business Ethics  OR  BUS 343  Corporate Social Responsibility  OR  CDC 465  Media Ethics 3
CDC 100  Communication Perspectives 3
CDC 201  Argumentation and Advocacy 3
CDC 230  Strategic Professional Communication 3
CDC 302  Persuasion 3
CDC 303  Organizational Communication 3
CDC 330  Intro to Public Relations 3
CDC 331  Public Relations Applications 3
CDC 450  Media, Society and Culture 3
   
Required Minor/Certificate* 12
   
Free Electives 10 to 11
   
Total 120

Additional requirements, not counted toward the General Education requirements, include:

  • Special Experience Course (1 course required): Any Special Experience Course
  • Writing-Intensive Component Courses (2 courses required): BUS 499 Integrated Strategic Capstone AND Any CDC, ECO, MGT or MKT Upper-Division Writing-Intensive Course
  • Laboratory Course (1 course required): BUS 381 Management Science II

* Required Minor/Certificate: Students select one of the following minors or certificates: Accounting, Economics, Finance, Forensic Accounting, Human Resource Management, Management, Management Information Systems, or Marketing or the Certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship or Certificate in Spanish for Business. Students may select a different minor or certificate, with the approval of their adviser.

These minors are 21 credits; however, 9 of these credits are required in the “Business Core Courses” above. The Innovation & Entrepreneurship Certificate requires 15 credits; however, 3 credits are included in the major courses above."

Program Note: Students who complete dual degrees or dual majors do not have to complete a minor or certificate.



B.S., Business Administration Programs

Majors
Minors
  • Accounting
  • Arts Administration
  • Business
  • Economics
  • Finance
  • Forensic Accounting
  • Management
  • Management Information Systems
  • Marketing