- Community of interest
- Social/Behavioral Science & Communication
- Award
- Certificate of Achievement
- Program code
- 45454.00CA
- Department
- Communication Studies
- CIP code
- 09.0101: Speech Communication and Rhetoric.
- TOP code
- 1506.00 - Speech Communication
Program detailsAward, code, department, CIP/TOP
Program Snapshot
- Community of interest
- SBSC Social/Behavioral Science & Communication
- Award
- Certificate of Achievement
- Program code
- 45454.00CA
- Department
- Communication Studies
- CIP code
- 09.0101: Speech Communication and Rhetoric.
- TOP code
- 1506.00 - Speech Communication
Next Steps
Certificate of Achievement — expand to learn about this award
A career-aligned credential built around a specific field of study or area of emphasis. Faster to complete than a degree, and the coursework typically stacks into a related AS or AA later if you choose to continue.
Semester-by-Semester Map
Term 1:
Class Schedules
course details
This course covers the study and practice of oral skills essential for effective communication of the intellectual and emotional meaning of a literary selection or manuscript to an audience. It introduces students to performance studies including analysis, appreciation, and application of theories of interpretative performance of various forms of literature, such as poetry, prose, and drama (plays, scripts, and screenplays). Students will demonstrate an understanding of what constitutes good literature, in terms of its philosophical, historical, literary, and cultural importance. Student analysis and interpretation will involve identifying a text's premises and assumptions in various social, historical, cultural, psychological, or aesthetic contexts. (C-ID COMM 170).
course details
In this course, students learn and apply foundational rhetorical theories and techniques of public speaking in a multicultural democratic society. Students discover, develop, and critically analyze ideas in public discourse through research, reasoning, organization, composition, delivery to a live audience and evaluation of various types of speeches, including informative and persuasive speeches. (C-ID COMM 110).
Term 2
Class Schedules
course details
This course emphasizes critical thinking, for purposes of constructing, evaluating and revising written essays in preparation for debate, grounded in the rhetorical foundations of argumentation. Students will employ argumentation theory and critical reasoning to draft and revise a sequence of argumentative essays based on inquiry-driven research, methods of analysis, evidence use, and ethical advocacy (minimum 5,000 words). This writing instruction will enable students to prepare persuasive cases that advance, defend and refute reasoned positions, which will also be delivered through debate and public address. (C-ID COMM 120).
Prerequisite: ENGL C1000 or ENGL C1000E
course details
This course prepares students for intercollegiate speech and debate tournaments and/or community events. Preparation includes practice, research, writing and participation in a variety of public presentations and intercollegiate speech and debate tournaments. Community events, as well as forensics events, such as debate, platform, limited preparation, oral interpretation, and readers' theatre are emphasized. This course may be repeated 3 times. (C-ID COMM 160B).
Career Connections
2-Year Degree Paths
Entry points students may pursue after associate-level study, technical preparation, or licensure pathways.
No locally mapped occupations in the current dataset point cleanly to an immediate 2-year outcome for this program.
4-Year Degree Paths
Roles that more often open up after transfer and a bachelor's degree.
Example roles: 5
- Writers and Authors
- Public Relations Specialists
- Public Relations Managers
Graduate School Paths
Advanced roles commonly associated with graduate, professional, or post-baccalaureate study.
Example roles: 1
- Communications Teachers, Postsecondary
Local Job Market
Writers and AuthorsSOC 27-3043no nearby openings indexed
No nearby openings matched any of: writers and author. Browse this occupation on Adzuna for postings outside the mapped keyword set.
Public Relations SpecialistsSOC 27-30311 nearby opening
Top employers in sample
- GHD 1
Where the postings are
- Sacramento, Sacramento County 1
Sample current postings
Public Relations ManagersSOC 11-20324 nearby openings
Top employers in sample
- Superior Court of California, County of Butte 3
- Butte County 1
Where the postings are
- Thermalito, Butte County 2
- Chico, Butte County 1
- Oroville, Butte County 1
Sample current postings
Media and Communication Workers, All OtherSOC 27-30995 nearby openings
Top employers in sample
- CORA 3
- Ahtna 1
- Laco Associates 1
Where the postings are
- Oregon, Butte County 3
- Chico, Butte County 2
Sample current postings
Broadcast Announcers and Radio Disc JockeysSOC 27-30112 nearby openings
Top employers in sample
- State of Nevada 2
Where the postings are
- Mound House, Carson City 2
Sample current postings
Communications Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-11222 nearby openings
Top employers in sample
- KAISER 1
- Kaiser Permanente 1
Where the postings are
- Lincoln, Placer County 2
Sample current postings
Posting counts come from Adzuna's index of US job boards, covering the last up to 90 days within up to 100 miles of ZIP 95965. Coverage and salary visibility vary by employer. Empty searches expand the radius and posting window before the section gives up.
Source Notes
Course sequencing is generated from the Acadia Program Mapper cache. Career groupings use local CIP-to-SOC mappings and BLS occupation data when available. Confirm education plans with Counseling and Advising.
Live wage data was not available from the BLS helper for the mapped occupations, so some pay fields may be blank.
Last generated 2026-07-05T17:13+00:00