Communications
K. M. Boone, Head
Professors Atkinson, Boone, Frank, and Terry; Associate Professors Baker and Ward; Assistant Professor Hill; Coordinators Jackson, Peter-Blecha, Melgares, and Morgan; Specialists Baldwin, Burton, Dissanayake, Domek, Dunn, Gilmore, Hackenberg, Hartman, Havenstein, B. Holcombe, G. Holcombe, Kepka, Knapp, Kowalik, Miller, Nova, Peterson, Pryor, Sheffield, Sleichter, Snyder, Spencer, Stadtlander, Wollenberg, Wright, and Zimmerli; Emeriti Professors Brandsberg, Burke, Erpelding, Graham, Medlin, Thomas, Titus, and Unruh; Associate Professors Buchanan, Jorgenson, McGlashon, and Peck; Assistant Professors Kuehn and Tennant.
Agricultural communications and journalism
Bachelor of science in agriculture
127 semester hours
The agricultural communications and journalism major prepares students for various communications positions related to agricultural and environmental areas. Careers can be targeted in public relations, newspaper, magazine, radio-television, advertising, marketing, and agricultural/environmental information. Students in the major have opportunities to work with radio facilities, desktop publishing equipment, cameras, and photo scanning equipment. The major focuses on helping students establish industry ties.
Students must complete the university general education requirements specified by the College of Agriculture. See the College of Agriculture general requirements section. Students majoring in the curriculum can follow the agricultural or environmental options.
Agricultural option
General requirements
| ENGL 100 | Expository Writing I | 3 |
| ENGL 200 | Expository Writing II | 3 |
| SPCH 105 | Public Speaking 1A | 2 |
| GENAG 101 | Ag Orientation | 1 |
| MATH 100 | College Algebra | 3 |
 ECON 110 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| CHM 210 | Chemistry I | 4 |
| or | ||
| CHM 110 | General Chemistry | 3 |
| and | ||
| CHM 111 | General Chemistry Lab | 1 |
| Humanities and/or social sciences | 12 | |
Departmental requirements
Students must complete a total of 33 credit hours in agricultural courses. Area requirements are:
Agriculture core
| AGCOM 110 | Introduction to Agricultural Communications | 1 |
| AGCOM 410 | Agricultural Student Magazine | 3 |
| AGCOM 510 | Capstone in Agricultural Communications | 3 |
| Select any four required courses from the following: | ||
| AGRON 305 | Soils | 4 |
| HORT 201 | Principles of Horticultural Science | 4 |
| or | ||
| AGRON 220 | Crop Science | 4 |
| AGEC 120 | Agricultural Economics and | |
| Agribusiness | 3 | |
| ENTOM 300 | Economic Entomology | 3 |
| or | ||
| ENTOM 305 | Animal Health Entomology | 2 |
| or | ||
| ENTOM 320 | Horticultural Entomology | 3 |
| or | ||
| ENTOM 312 | General Entomology | 2 |
| PLPTH 500 | Principles of Plant Pathology | 3 |
| FOR 375 | Introduction to Natural Resource | |
| Management | 3 | |
| FDSCI 302 | Introduction to Food Science | 3 |
| FOR 285 | Introduction to Forestry | 3 |
| ATM 160 | Engineered Systems and Technology in Agriculture | 3 |
| BAE 350 | Ag Machinery Systems | 3 |
| Any course in animal sciences and industry | ||
| Agricultural specialization | ||
| In consultation with the advisor, the student will decide to study one area of agriculture in depth. The student will take two courses at the 300 level or above (advanced courses are defined as those with a prerequisite in that agriculture department). | ||
| Agricultural electives | ||
| Students may choose any other courses in the College of Agriculture to complete the 33 hours of agriculture. At least 6 hours at the 300 level or above. | ||
| Journalism | ||
| Students must complete a minimum of 27 hours in journalism and mass communications courses. Maximum journalism hours allowed is 33. | ||
| Journalism core | ||
| These 18 hours are required of all students. Enrollment in all skills courses requires completion of a composition test administered by the School of Journalism and Mass Communications. | ||
| MC 110 | Mass Communication in Society | 3 |
| MC 200 | News and Feature Writing | 3 |
| MC 241 | Editing and Design | 3 |
| MC 303 | Advanced News and Feature Writing | 3 |
| MC 396 | Mass Communications Research | 3 |
| MC 466 | Law of Mass Communications | 3 |
Journalism electives
| The remaining 9 to 15 hours in journalism may be chosen by the students in consultation with the faculty advisor. At least 9 hours at the 300 level or above. | ||
| Biological sciences | ||
| Required: | ||
| BIOL 198 | Principles of Biology | 4 |
| or | ||
| BIOL 210 | General Botany | 4 |
| One of the following: | ||
| ASI 500 | Genetics | 3 |
| BIOL 201 | Organismic Biology | 3 |
| BIOL 303 | Ecology of Environmental | |
| Problems | 3 | |
| BIOL 320 | Economic Botany | 3 |
| Math, statistics, and computer science | ||
| Select one of the following: | ||
| CIS 101-104 | Introduction to Personal Computing | 3 |
| CIS 200 | Fundamentals of Software Design and Implementation | 4 |
| and | ||
| Computer language lab (200 level) | 1 | |
| STAT 340 | Biometrics I | 3 |
| STAT 350 | Business and Economic Statistics I | 3 |
| or | ||
| STAT 330 | Elementary Statistics for the Social | |
| Sciences | 3 | |
| ASI 490 | Microcomputer Applications in Animal Science and Industry | 3 |
| MATH 205 | General Calculus and Linear Algebra | 3 |
| Physical science | ||
| Select one course from the following: | ||
| BIOCH 110 | Biochemistry and Society | 3 |
| BIOCH 265 | Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry | 5 |
| BIOCH 521 | General Biochemistry | 3 |
| CHM 230 | Chemistry II | 4 |
| CHM 350 | General Organic Chemistry | 3 |
| CHM 531 | Organic Chemistry I | 3 |
| GEOL 100 | Earth in Action | 3 |
| GEOG220 | Environmental Geography I | 4 |
| AGRON 335 | Environmental Quality | 3 |
| Business administration and agricultural economics | ||
| Required: | ||
| ACCTG 231 | Accounting for Business | |
| Operations | 3 | |
| One of the following: | ||
| A course in business, accounting, economics, or AGEC with a 300 or higher course number. | ||
| Denotes university general education courses. | ||
Environmental option
May be combined with NRES secondary major.
| General requirements | ||
| ENGL 100 | Expository Writing I | 3 |
| ENGL 200 | Expository Writing II | 3 |
| SPCH 105 | Public Speaking IA | 2 |
| GENAG 101 | Ag Orientation | 1 |
| MATH 100 | College Algebra | 3 |
| ECON 110 | Principles of Macroeconomics | 3 |
| CHM 210 | Chemistry I | 4 |
| or | ||
| CHM 110 | General Chemistry | 3 |
| and | ||
| CHM 111 | General Chemistry Lab | 1 |
| Humanities and/or social sciences | ||
| (12 or more hours required ) | ||
| Six or more credit hours from the following list: | ||
| ECON 527 | Environmental Economics | |
| ENGL 680 | Environment in American Literature | |
| GEOG 718 | Geography of Public Lands | |
| GEOG 720 | Geography of Land Use | |
| GEOG 725 | Geography of Water Resources | |
| GEOG 730 | World Agricultural Systems | |
| GEOG 760 | Human Impact on Environment | |
| GEOG 770 | Perception of the Environment | |
| HIST 511 | Environmental History | |
| HIST 563 | Global Environmental History | |
| LAR 322 | Environmental Issues and Ethics | |
| LAR 758 | Land Resource Information Systems | |
| LAR 759 | Land Resource Evaluation | |
| PHILO 595 | Environmental Ethics | |
| PLAN 315 | Introduction to Planning | |
| PLAN 590 | Problems Planning: Solid Waste Management | |
| SOCIO 536 | Environmental Sociology | |
| Physical science | ||
| One course from following list: | ||
| GEOG220 | Environmental Geography I | |
| GEOG440 | Geography Natural Resources | |
| GEOL 100 | Earth in Action | |
| GEOL 105 | Oceanography | |
| GEOL 115 | Environmental Geology | |
| GEOL 125 | Natural Disasters | |
| Physics | ||
| PHYS 113 | General Physics | |
| or | ||
| PHYS 115 | Descriptive Physics | |
| or | ||
| PHYS 101 | The Physical World with Lab | |
| and 103 | ||
| Biological sciences | ||
| BIOL 198 | Principles of Biology | 4 |
| or | ||
| BIOL 210 | General Botany | 4 |
| BIOL 303 | Ecology of Environmental Problems | 3 |
| Math, statistics, and computer science | ||
| (3 hours or more required) | ||
| CIS 101-104 | Introduction to Personal Computers | |
| CIS 200 | Fundamentals of Software Design and Implementation | |
| and | ||
| Computer language lab | ||
| STAT 330 | Elementary Statistics for Social Sciences | |
| STAT 340 | Biometrics I | |
| STAT 350 | Business and Economic Statistics I | |
| ASI 490 | Microcomputer Applications in ASI | |
| MATH 205 | Geneneral Calculus and Linear Algebra | |
| Business administration and ag economics | ||
| ACCTG 231 | Accounting for Business Operations | 3 |
| Plus 3 more hours at the 300 level or above. | ||
| Agriculture requirements | ||
| 33 or more hours | ||
| Required: | ||
| AGCOM 110 | Introduction to Agicultural Communications | 1 |
| AGCOM 410 | Ag Student Magazine | 3 |
| AGCOM 510 | Capstone in Agricultural Communications | 3 |
| Four intro courses | ||
| AGRON 305 | Soils | 4 |
| AGEC 120 | Ag Economics and Agribusiness | 3 |
| FOR 375 | Introduction to Natural Resource Management | 3 |
| or | ||
| FOR 285 | Forest Resource Management | 3 |
| Select one from the following list: | ||
| ATM 160 | Engineered Systems and Technology in Agriculture | 3 |
| HORT 201 | Principles of Horticultural Science | 4 |
| or | ||
| AGRON 220 | Crop Science | 3 |
| ASI 102 | Principles of Animal Science | 3 |
| ENTOM 300 | Economic Entomology | 3 |
| or | ||
| ENTOM 305 | Animal Health Entomology | 2 |
| or | ||
| ENTOM 320 | Horticultural Entomology | 3 |
| or | ||
| ENTOM 312 | General Entomology | 3 |
| PLPTH 500 | Principles of Plant Pathology | 3 |
| FDSCI 302 | Introduction to Food Science | 3 |
| FOR 285 | Forest Resource Management | 3 |
| FOR 375 | Introduction to Natural Resource Management | 3 |
| Specialization | ||
| GENAG 582 | NRES Capstone | 3 |
| AGEC 525 | Natural Resources and Environmental Economics | 3 |
| Ag electives from list to complete 33 hours | ||
| AGRON 330 | Weed Science | |
| AGRON 335 | Environmental Quality | |
| AGRON 501 | Range Management | |
| AGRON 515 | Soil Genesis and Classification | |
| AGRON 635 | Soil Conservation and Management | |
| AGRON 645 | Soil Microbiology | |
| AGRON 746 | Physical Properties of Soil | |
| ATM 558 | Soil Erosion/Sedimentary Pollution | |
| ATM 653/654 | Water Management and Irrigation Systems/Lab | |
| ATM 661 | Water and Waste in the Environment | |
| BAE 350 | Ag Machinery Systems | |
| RRES 575 | Management Water Resources for Leisure | |
| Journalism core | ||
| Journalism and mass communications courses (27 to 33 hours) | ||
| Required courses: | ||
| MC 110 | Mass Communications in Society | 3 |
| MC 200 | News and Feature Writing | 3 |
| MC 241 | Editing and Design | 3 |
| MC 303 | Advanced News and Feature Writing | 3 |
| MC 396 | Mass Communications Research | 3 |
| MC 466 | Law of Mass Communications | 3 |
| MC/ | Environmental Communication | 3 |
| AGCOM 712 | ||
| Journalism electives to complete 27 to 33 hrs (at least 300 level or above). | ||
| Free electives | 10-16 | |
| Total hours | 127 | |
| Denotes university general education courses. | ||
Communications courses
AGCOM 110. Introduction to Agricultural Communications. (1) I. Introduction to agricultural communications programs, activities, careers, and trends. Required of all students beginning a major in agricultural communications. One hour lec. per week.
AGCOM 310. Communicating in the Agricultural Industry. (3) I. The purpose of this course is to help students identify the influence of communication styles and theories on agricultural issues. Agricultural sales will provide the experiential component for application of communication theory and interpersonal interactions. Three hours lec. per week.
AGCOM 400. Agricultural Business Communications. (3) I, II. Written communications as used in agricultural industries. A writing course emphasizing the tools and techniques of writing memos, letters, short and long reports, proposals, and presentations. Three hours lec. per week. Pr.: ENGL 100 and sophomore standing or above.
AGCOM 410. Agricultural Student Magazine. (1-5) I, II. Planning, interviewing, and preparing stories, headlines, layouts, advertising, and editing, for the Kansas State Agriculturist published by students in the College of Agriculture. Pr.: MC 200. Recommended pr.: MC 241, 331.
AGCOM 420. Topics in Agricultural Communications. (1-3) I, II, S. Discussions of topics, studies, and activities important to agricultural communications. This course may be repeated. Pr.: Consent of instructor.
AGCOM 510. Capstone in Agricultural Communication. (3) II, in odd years. A capstone experience and project for agricultural communications and journalism students. Includes analysis of trends and issues in the field and discussion of communications planning. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: Junior standing.
AGCOM 550. Internship in Agricultural Communications. (1-3) I, II, S. The intern works in a professional capacity in areas such as print journalism, electronic media, advertising, photography, and public relations. Student is supervised by a professional and a faculty member. One hour of credit for each four weeks of supervised work. Internship report and presentation required. Pr.: Consent of instructor.
AGCOM 712. Environmental Communication. (3) II, even-numbered years. Combines theoretical discussions with practical experience regarding communication about environmental issues and provides introduction to natural and applied science topics related to the communications plan. Three hours lec. a week. Pr.: Senior standing or consent of instructor.