Organizational, Professional, and Business Communication Minor
New Minor Announcement
The Organizational, Professional, and Business Communication minor is now available, effective September 1, 2026 for new students to enroll!
The human skills AI can't replicate...and every organization wants.
The Minor in Organizational, Professional, and Business Communication helps students understand how communication shapes the way organizations function. Designed for non-communication majors, the program examines how communication practices influence leadership, teamwork, decision-making, and organizational culture across corporate, nonprofit, and public settings.
Students develop practical communication and leadership skills while learning to analyze how organizational structures and practices affect collaboration, inclusion, and institutional effectiveness. By studying how organizations are coordinated through communication, students gain the tools to navigate complex workplaces, contribute to positive organizational cultures, and support ethical and effective organizations.
Is this minor right for you?
This minor is open to all non-communication majors at Santa Clara University. Whether you are studying business, engineering, political science, psychology, biology, or the arts, the skills you develop here will strengthen your primary field of study and prepare you to thrive in complex organizational settings.
What will you learn?
This minor examines how communication constitutes the very process of organizing. Students will:
- Explore how policies, narratives, and everyday interactions shape authority, collaboration, and institutional culture
- Analyze organizational structures and their impact across cultures and contexts
- Apply a critical lens to issues of fairness, equity, and inclusion in the workplace
- Understand how communication practices can reinforce or transform organizational culture
- Develop leadership and teamwork skills essential for corporate, nonprofit, and entrepreneurial environments
Where can this minor take you?
| This minor teaches skills that help in a wide range of roles, including: |
|---|
| Corporate communications specialist |
| Public information officer |
| Human resources specialist |
| Management consultant |
| Event planning specialist |
| Conflict mediator |
| Non-profit manager |
| Organizational recruiter |
| Training and developing coordinator |
Minor Requirements (7 courses total)
COMM 10: Interpersonal Communication
Six Upper-Division COMM Courses from the Approved List
One special topics course or non-COMM course can be counted with the approval from the Department Chair or Director of the Minor
Approved Upper-Division Course Listing
Students will select 6 of the following upper-division courses:
| Approved Upper-Division List | Approved Upper-Division List |
|---|---|
| COMM 102: Special Topics | COMM 123: Negotiation, Conflict Management, and Mediation in Organizations |
| COMM 112: Persuasion | COMM 124: Health Communication |
| COMM 115: Communication & Gender | COMM 125: Time and Communication |
| COMM 115J: Gender and Leadership | COMM 129: Advanced Public Speaking |
| COMM 115V: Vocation and Gender | COMM 145: The Business of Media |
| COMM 116: Intercultural Communication | COMM 150: Public Relations Theories and Principles |
| COMM 116T: Intercultural Competency: Training & Dialogue |
COMM 153: Dialogue and Deliberation |
| COMM 118: Communication & Sport | COMM 158: Community Organizing |
| COMM 119: Organizational Communication | COMM 171: Tech and Inequality in Silicon Valley |
| COMM 120: Group Communication | COMM 173: Big Data Analytics |
| COMM 121: Leadership Communication | COMM 187: Media and Social Movements |
| COMM 122: Communication Training & Development in Organizations |
COMM 198: Internship (5 units) |
Ready to Declare?
Want to learn more?
Contact Dr. Justin P. Boren, Communication Department Chair to learn more about the minor or stop by the Department Office (2nd Floor Vari Hall).