Critical Concerns for Oral Communication Education in Alabama and Beyond

Table 2

Comparison of oral communication as a student learning outcome versus oral communication requirements in the general education curriculum.

	Require an oral communication course	Allow for a communication “module” in another discipline-specific course	Do NOT require an oral communication course	Number	Percent
List oral communication as a student learning outcome	(12 or 30%) Alabama Southern, Bevill, Enterprise, Jefferson Davis, Lawson, Montevallo, North Alabama, Northeast, Snead, South Alabama, Wallace-Dothan, West Alabama	(4 or 10%) Central AL, Gadsden, LBW, Reid	(10 or 25%) Alabama A&M, Alabama State, Auburn, AUM, Bishop, Chattahoochee Valley, Jefferson, UAB, UAH, Wallace-Hanceville	26	65%
Do NOT list oral communication as a student learning outcome	(6 or 15%) Faulkner, Northwest-Shoals, Troy, Troy-Dothan, Troy-Montgomery Wallace-Selma	(2 or 5%) Shelton, Trenholm	(6 or 15%) Alabama, Calhoun, Drake, Ingram, Jacksonville, Southern Union	14	35%
Number of schools	18	6	16	40
Percent of schools	45%	15%	40%		100%

Bold indicates a four-year university.