The Bob Schieffer College of Communication will adopt a new curriculum and approach to integration between its four departments.

Chuck LaMendola, film-television-digital media professor and head of the sports broadcasting department, said that the different departments working together could be seen as a key result of the name change.

“I think we may see a little bit more interaction between the departments as we try to find ways to work together,” LaMendola said. “We might see a little more of that going on, where classes are cross-listed.”

The communication studies, FTDM, strategic communication and journalism departments are all aligned under the Bob Schieffer College of Communication. Coming into effect June 1, strategic communication and journalism with both be their own separate schools within the college.

The November renaming of the former College of Communication was made to honor Bob Schieffer, said David Whillock, Dean of TCU’s College of Communication.

“One way that we did honor him, obviously was the Schieffer School of Journalism,” Whillock said. “But we really felt that this would be a higher honor.”

Further integration, a response to the popularity of majors and classes within the college, will also help students who haven’t yet declared their major, or are applying to become one within the college.

Students who have a general idea about what they want to study will soon be able to get started on their major classes.

Basic communications courses, on topics such as ethics or writing, will soon be offered to help those students, said Whillock.

Two of the department programs, sports broadcasting and strategic communication, both have an application process that is required for entry into the programs.

“That would give them an opportunity to move forward as communication majors, and then make a decision down the line which particular department to work in,” Whillock said.