The Daytona Beach Department of Humanities and Communication equips students with the ability to write, speak and collaborate effectively. Courses in communication, composition and speech prepare future engineers, scientists, aviators and leaders to clearly share ideas and make an impact in their fields.
Connecting Technical Knowledge
Students explore subjects like philosophy, ethics and humanities to gain perspectives that complement their technical education. These experiences help graduates navigate complex challenges with creativity, empathy and critical thinking.
Preparing Well-Rounded Professionals
Whether pursuing a degree or completing general education courses, students benefit from faculty expertise, internship opportunities and access to a writing lab and communications technology. The result is not only career-ready professionals but also well-rounded individuals with a broad understanding of the human experience.
Degrees and Programs
Explore how messages shape technology, society and aviation environments. You’ll study media, technical writing and digital platforms to translate complex information into clear communication that engages diverse audiences in aviation, aerospace and STEM-driven settings.
Build a flexible academic path that integrates multiple disciplines. You’ll combine coursework from science, business, humanities or aviation to align your education with your personal interests and career goals across emerging global industries.
Explore state-of-the-art labs where students apply classroom knowledge through hands-on research and experimentation. From advanced technology to collaborative workspaces, these environments support discovery, innovation and real-world problem solving.
At the College of Arts & Sciences, students thrive in a dynamic research environment, mentored by faculty who actively publish, secure grants and drive innovation.
Our faculty bring a blend of communication, humanities and media expertise into the classroom, helping students connect theory with real-world application and broaden their professional and personal perspectives.
I chose Embry‑Riddle because I knew that I wouldn’t be just another number in the body of students. With the small population, I knew that I would be able to make connections with professors and get a lot of one-on-one focus with them, which allowed me to make connections that I will keep even after graduation.”
Embry-Riddle offers three minor areas of study that focus on history and culture: Arabic Studies, Latin American Studies and Russian Studies. These programs provide students with a deeper understanding of global perspectives while strengthening cultural awareness and communication skills that are increasingly valuable across industries. The history and culture courses earn credit for the minor and fulfill General Education requirements, allowing students to make meaningful progress toward their degrees while broadening their academic experience.
Students may also study Spanish, Arabic or Russian Language for college credit without pursuing a minor. These courses are open to all students and may be taken as electives.
The Arabic Studies minor will introduce you to the cultures, histories and languages of the Arab countries, and to cross-cultural comparisons between the United States and the Arab world. Earn the minor by successfully completing at least 15 related credit hours (five classes).
Language and Culture
The Arabic minor at Daytona Beach introduces you to the culture, history and language of Arab countries, and contrasts between the cultures of the United States and the Arab world. Students earn the minor by completing at least 15 related credit hours (five classes).
Sample Course Information
Language Courses - 9 credits
Course number
Course name
Course credits
LAR 101
Arabic I
3
LAR 102
Arabic II
3
LAR 201
Arabic III
3
LAR 202
Arabic IV
3
Upper-level HU/SS * 6
HU 395
Arab Culture
3
HU 307
Islam
3
SS 336
Modern ME History
3
Why Pursue the Minor?
The nightly news and social media often feature stories about the Middle East and Arab world. Understanding the issues in the Arab world requires more in-depth studies. In the Arabic minor program, you will achieve a cross-cultural understanding of the Arab world, Islam and the cultural, historical and political elements, which provides a better understanding of the region for those entering the global workforce.
Program Benefits
The Daytona Beach Arabic minor provides students with instruction in Modern Standard Arabic (MSA) as well as Arab culture and Islam. Students who complete the coursework can expect to communicate in Arabic and interact with native speakers of the language as well as read news media in Arabic and write in MSA.
Students of all academic programs will find the minor in Arabic highly advantageous. Students doing research or seeking employment in areas related to the Middle East or other parts of the Arab world will also benefit from the minor in Arabic.
The Latin American Studies minor will introduce you to the language, history and cultures of Latin American countries, and to cross-cultural comparisons between the Latino/a diaspora in the United States. This minor is unique because you can complete the minor with no language requirement by selecting the History and Culture option. Students who wish to take Spanish classes should choose the Language and Culture Option. You can earn the minor by successfully completing at least 15 related credit hours.
History and Culture Option
The History and Culture option is for students who wish to focus on Latin American history and culture because they either don’t want to learn Spanish or they are already fluent. All the classes in this option will serve as General Education electives, so you can get credit for the minor and your Gen. Ed. credits at the same time! This option was designed for students who want to learn about Latin American history and culture, but don’t need or want to take Spanish.
Requirements for the History and Culture Option:
HU 327: Foundations in Latin American Studies class
1-3 lower-level history and culture class(es)
1-3 upper-level history and culture class(es)
Note: The history and culture classes also count for Humanities and Social Science Gen. Ed. credits.
Why pursue the minor?
To be competitive for jobs that require knowledge of Latin American cultures and/or Spanish
To be able to demonstrate to future employers evidence of a sophisticated understanding of the diverse cultures in Latin America and high intercultural communication skills
To prepare for today’s global, multicultural and multilingual workplace
To learn about the language, history and cultures of Latin American countries and the diaspora
To get credit on your transcript for earning the minor and taking cool classes
Examples of History and Culture Classes
HU 145 LAS: Latin American Science Fiction
HU 321 LAS: Mesoamerican Mythology
HU 325 LAS: Latin American Film
HU 327: Foundations in Latin American Studies
SS 363: Inter-American Relations
The Russian Studies minor introduces you to the cultures, histories and language of the Russian-speaking world, and to cross-cultural comparisons between the United States and Russia. You can earn the minor by successfully completing at least 15 related credit hours.
Russian is spoken by hundreds of millions of people. The Russian Federation spans nine time zones and covers about an eighth of the world's land surface. It is the largest country in the world, almost twice the size of the United States. Russia has a population of almost 150 million people, which constitutes slightly more than 50% of the population of the former Soviet Union. There are around 270 million Russian speakers in the world.
Classes Offered
LRU 101: Elementary Russian
LRU 102: Elementary Russian
LRU 201: Intermediate Russian
LRU 202: Intermediate Russian
Upper-Level HU/SS
Six credits, any approved course with a focus on the Russian world, such as:
SS 322: Modern Russian History
SS 326: Russian-U.S. Relations
SS 399: Special Topics in Social Science or SS 499: Special Topics in Social Science
HU 399: Special Topics in Humanities
Mission
The Embry‑Riddle writing program offers students opportunities to become more critical and more rhetorically savvy users of language and writing. Students are challenged to think critically; to shape written messages effectively; to conduct meaningful, ethical research; and to engage critically with the role and power of language. Courses introduce students to rhetorical concepts that are useful for navigating new writing situations. Students hone these skills to succeed in future writing-intensive courses, as well as their personal and professional contexts.
English Composition
All Embry-Riddle students are required to earn a grade of C or better in English Composition (COM 122). English Composition emphasizes the research process, analysis and argument, and effective written communication.
Students for whom English is not a first language benefit from taking a parallel version of English Composition that is designed for non-native speakers of English: COM 122 MLW (Multilingual Writers).
Developmental Writing
Some incoming students are not prepared for COM 122 or COM 122 MLW. These students are placed in a course that helps them develop the basic writing and critical thinking skills they will need in order to be successful in COM 122.
Fundamentals of Communication
Fundamentals of Communication (COM 20) is designed for native speakers of English who need to develop foundational writing skills.
Fundamentals of Communication for Non-Native Speakers of English (COM 18) parallels COM 20 and is designed for multilingual writers who need to develop foundational writing skills.
Both COM 20 and 18 emphasize analysis and argument as well as effective written communication by progressing from sentences to paragraphs to essays.
Course Placement
Enrollment in the proper composition course is essential, so students need to complete the online Composition Evaluation (Comp Eval) in order to assure that they are placed in the course that best suits their needs. The evaluation takes one hour and can be accessed through . Once the Comp Eval has been assessed, the results will be available on a student’s Campus Solutions page.
·ˇłľ˛ú°ů˛â‑Rľ±»ĺ»ĺ±ô±đ&°ů˛ő±çłÜ´Ç;˛ő&˛Ô˛ú˛ő±č;Bachelor of Science in Communication program effectively prepares students for careers as professional communicators, often within the aviation and aerospace industries. Embry-Riddle Communication students are unique in that they enter the workforce armed not only with communication skills such as writing, public speaking and digital/social media proficiency, but a foundation in science, aviation and aerospace.
Our students have gone on to work as journalists; as communication specialists at NASA, The Boeing Company, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines; and as public relations and public affairs specialists in a variety of industries and governmental organizations. The degree also works well for students interested in pursuing a law degree or entering the military.
Integral to the students’ career preparation is a required internship, where students gain experience and a deeper understanding of what to expect in the workplace. Students have interned with a variety of companies in the aviation and aerospace industries, the White House and other governmental organizations, TV stations, newspapers, magazines, and local businesses, such as Daytona International Speedway. These positions have often led — directly or indirectly — to full-time positions at these organizations.
Because of these opportunities, as well as the program’s combined foundation of communication skills and industry knowledge, our students enjoy fulfilling careers as professional communicators across the private and public sectors.
Interdisciplinary Studies
The B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies program effectively prepares graduates for the 21st-century work environment, which is characterized by rapid change, global competition, cross-disciplinary teams and flatter organizational hierarchies.
Our students learn to remain flexible and make creative connections among various fields of study. This flexibility and the self-design component of the IS program enable students to secure undergraduate internship and cooperative education experiences and to pursue post-graduation careers in a wide variety of aviation, aerospace, business and related fields. The program also provides a strong foundation for those who plan to enter the military or to pursue a graduate or law degree.
Students have interned with airlines, airports, government agencies, law enforcement agencies, aerospace corporations, news agencies and research organizations. In nearly every case, their supervisors noted that they would have hired the student if a regular position were available. Because of these opportunities, our graduates are now shaping policy and defining the future of various fields, including aerospace, technology, defense and law.
