Communication Studies, BA

A Bachelor of Arts with a major in communication studies equips you with the effective communication, critical thinking and problem-solving skills needed for success in today’s marketplace. You will investigate communication in aesthetic, health, international, interpersonal, cultural, legal, organizational and political contexts.

Communication Studies admission and initial requirements

Entering students are classified as majors but must fulfill initial requirements for the degree prior to enrolling in upper division courses in the department. An advisor is available in the department to help students with questions regarding the degree and transitioning from lower division to upper division courses. To progress from lower division course work to upper division course work, students must complete the following requirements.

30 hours of college credit

Complete at least 30 hours of college credit, including:

English composition requirement

Complete the university core English composition and rhetoric requirement with a grade of C or better in each course.

Communication studies (COMM) courses

Complete the following COMM courses with a grade of C or better in each course.

GPA requirement

Have a UNT grade point average of 2.5 or higher.

Degree requirements

Hours required and general/college requirements

A minimum of 120 semester hours, of which 42 must be advanced, and fulfillment of degree requirements for the Bachelor of Arts degree as specified in the “University Core Curriculum ” in the Academics section of this catalog and the College of Arts and Sciences requirements. Students wishing to major in communication studies should consult an advisor in the Undergraduate Advising Office, General Academic Building, Room 320F.

Major requirements

A total of 39 semester credit hours:

Initial requirements, 15 core hours

Initial upper-division course sequence requirements

COMM 3010 may be taken concurrently with one other communication course; students may either take COMM 3010 concurrently with their final 2000-level COMM core course or their first enrollment in an upper-division course. If students elect to take COMM 3010 concurrently with their first upper-division course, they may select a course from the following among the upper-division courses:

COMM 3120 - Nonverbal Communication
COMM 3260 - Storytelling
COMM 3265 - Topics in Storytelling
COMM 3320 - Communication and Conflict Management
COMM 3720 - Small Group Communication
COMM 3760 - Performance Methods
COMM 3840 - Argumentation and Debate
COMM 3860 - Group Performance
COMM 3920 - Organizational Communication
(Students who do not complete COMM 3010 with a grade of C or better are prohibited from enrolling in other upper-division communication courses until they have completed COMM 3010 successfully.)

9 hours distributed

One course taken from each of the following groups:

Group A

Group B

Group C

3 hours of theory from

3 hours capstone experience

COMM 4510 - Communication Capstone

9 additional advanced hours in communications studies (COMM) courses

Chosen in consultation with an advisor.

Other course requirements

None.

Minor requirements

Majors are required to complete a minor of at least 18 hours, including 6 advanced hours, from another department, or an interdisciplinary minor.

Electives

Hours required for electives may vary based on course selection and the University Core Curriculum requirements. Electives may be required to satisfy the advanced hour requirement (42) and/or the minimum total hours required for the degree. For specific information see an academic advisor in the College of Arts and Sciences.

Other requirements

A student who has completed 90 hours with at least a 3.5 grade point average is eligible to write a Senior Honors Thesis. Students who elect this option are expected to complete their theses in the course of a single term/semester.

Students majoring in communication studies are required to have a minimum grade of C in all COMM courses that count toward the major to graduate. COMM courses taken beyond requirements for the major cannot be taken pass/no pass.

Students must observe prerequisites for each COMM course. If a student registered for a course has not completed prerequisite(s) for the course with a grade of C or better, the student is subject to being dropped from the course without notice. Prerequisites are listed with individual course descriptions.

Because of the high demand for many COMM courses, students who miss the first class day without prior consent of the instructor are subject to being dropped from the course so that other students may be added. It is the student’s responsibility to secure prior consent of the instructor.