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.

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 Liberal Arts and Social 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 36 semester credit hours:

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 Liberal Arts and Social 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.

All students taking COMM 3010  may only take one additional COMM class concurrently, which must be approved by a Department of Communication Studies advisor. 

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.

Four-Year Degree Plan (example)

The following four-year plan is one example of a variety of ways in which you can complete your chosen degree in four years, and will serve as a guide for you to design your pathway to degree completion. Variations will depend on whether you need to take prerequisites or have college credit from exams or dual enrollment.

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4