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Department of
Communication Studies

Major and Minor

Explore and Discover. Communication studies is devoted to the study of public culture and the role of persuasion in civil society. Our classes survey everything from classical understandings of argumentation to contemporary communication theories. The major is designed to be both skills-based and theory-driven, offering students the flexibility they need for career planning in the 21st century.

Communication Studies Major | Communication Studies Minor | Declaring Major or Minor

Communication Studies Major

A major in communication studies provides the skills and education necessary to excel in a wide variety of careers. The communication studies major requires 30 credit hours of coursework.

Requirements

Category 1: Foundations—two courses (6 credit hours)

  • Communication Studies 1002: Introduction to Communication Studies
  • Communication Studies 1500: Fundamentals of Public Speaking

Category 2: Argumentation and Advocacy—one course (3 credit hours)

  • Communication Studies 2100: Argumentation and Debate*
  • Communication Studies 2110: Persuasion*
  • Communication Studies 2120: Business Communication*

* Prerequisite CMST 1500

Category 3: Public Discourse and Deliberation—three courses (9 credit hours), one of which must be 3000, 3001, or 3002

  • Communication Studies 3000: Rhetoric of the American Experience 1640-1865
  • Communication Studies 3001: Rhetoric of the American Experience 1865-1945
  • Communication Studies 3002: Rhetoric of the American Experience 1945 to the present
  • Communication Studies 3110: Women, Rhetoric, and Social Change
  • Communication Studies 3120: Rhetoric of U.S. Religion
  • Communication Studies 3140: Communication and the First Amendment
  • Communication Studies 3200: Social Media & Everyday Life
  • Communication Studies 3600: The Rhetorical Tradition
  • Communication Studies 3700: Politics and Mass Media
  • Communication Studies 3750: Rhetoric of the Body

Category 4: Culture, Theory, and Critique—three courses (9 credit hours)

  • Communication Studies 2800: Rhetoric and Civic Life
  • Communication Studies 2950: Rhetoric of Mass Media
  • Communication Studies 3100: Rhetoric of Social Movements
  • Communication Studies 3150: Law, Media, and Society
  • Communication Studies 3620: Rhetoric, Culture, and Critique
  • Communication Studies 3620W: Rhetoric, Culture, and Critique
  • Communication Studies 3710: Cultural Rhetorics of Film
  • Communication Studies 3720: Communicating Gender
  • Communication Studies 3730: Communication, Culture, and Consciousness
  • Communication Studies 3730W: Communication, Culture, and Consciousness
  • Communication Studies 3740: Rhetoric of Medicine and Health
  • Communication Studies 3800: Communication and Media Studio

Category 5: One elective course (3 credit hours):

  • Selected from the courses listed in categories 2 through 4, which have not been counted toward those requirements.

Communication Studies 1111 (Freshman Seminar), 3840 (Directed Readings), 3850 (Independent Study in Communication), 3890 (Special Topics in Communication), 4960 (Seminar in Selected Topics), and 4961 (Seminar in Selected Topics) may be counted toward the major in the category corresponding to the topic of the course, with the permission of the director of undergraduate studies.

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Communication Studies Minor

 A minor in communication studies is an excellent accompaniment to many majors and can prepare you for a variety of careers or post-graduate study. Students must complete 18 credit hours for the communication studies minor.

Requirements

Category 1: Foundations—two courses (6 credit hours)

  • Communication Studies 1002: Introduction to Communication Studies
  • Communication Studies 1500: Fundamentals of Public Speaking

Category 2: Argumentation and Advocacy—one course (3 credit hours)

  • Communication Studies 2100: Argumentation and Debate*
  • Communication Studies 2110: Persuasion*
  • Communication Studies 2120: Business Communication*

* Prerequisite CMST 1500

Category 3: Public Discourse and Deliberation & Culture, Theory, and Critique—three courses (9 credit hours), one of which must be 3000, 3001, or 3002

  • Communication Studies 2800: Rhetoric and Civic Life
  • Communication Studies 2950: Rhetoric of Mass Media
  • Communication Studies 3000: Rhetoric of the American Experience 1640-1865
  • Communication Studies 3001: Rhetoric of the American Experience 1865-1945
  • Communication Studies 3002: Rhetoric of the American Experience 1945 to the present
  • Communication Studies 3100: Rhetoric of Social Movements
  • Communication Studies 3110: Women, Rhetoric, and Social Change
  • Communication Studies 3120: Rhetoric of U.S. Religion
  • Communication Studies 3140: Communication and the First Amendment
  • Communication Studies 3150: Law, Media, and Society
  • Communication Studies 3200: Social Media & Everyday Life
  • Communication Studies 3600: The Rhetorical Tradition
  • Communication Studies 3620: Rhetoric, Culture, and Critique
  • Communication Studies 3620W: Rhetoric, Culture, and Critique
  • Communication Studies 3700: Politics and Mass Media
  • Communication Studies 3710: Cultural Rhetorics of Film
  • Communication Studies 3720: Communicating Gender
  • Communication Studies 3730: Communication, Culture, and Consciousness
  • Communication Studies 3730W: Communication, Culture, and Consciousness
  • Communication Studies 3740: Rhetoric of Medicine and Health
  • Communication Studies 3750: Rhetoric of the Body
  • Communication Studies 3800: Communication and Media Studio

Communication Studies 1111 (Freshman Seminar), 3840 (Directed Readings), 3850 (Independent Study in Communication), 3890 (Special Topics in Communication), 4960 (Seminar in Selected Topics), and 4961 (Seminar in Selected Topics) may not be counted toward the minor.

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Declaring a Major or Minor

If you wish to declare a major or minor in CMST, first the department or department’s program specialist, Riley Ellingston. You will then be assigned a faculty adviser and instructed to complete the Major/Minor Declaration Form.

Once you have officially declared a CMST major, you will hear from your faculty adviser as the registration period approaches to set up a meeting time for discussing courses and lifting the registration hold.

Note: You must meet with your CMST adviser to have the registration hold lifted. However, if you have already been approved to study abroad or are currently studying abroad, your hold is not active. In any case, you should contact your faculty adviser via email to discuss the courses you hope to take next semester.

Prior to advising, be sure you consult the list of CMST courses offered next semester and review your degree audit on YES.

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