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Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025

Communication Studies B.A.

Program Overview

College of Humanities and Social Sciences

Location: Candelaria 1265

Email: HSS@unco.edu

Website: www.unco.edu/hss/communication-journalism/

Advising Information:

Students must consult with their assigned major advisor each semester prior to registering.

To find your advisor, log into ursa.unco.edu; go to 'Student' tab and click 'View Student Information' link. If no advisor is listed, contact the major program for advisor information.

The program consists of four parts:

  1. Liberal Arts Curriculum (LAC) Credits
  2. Required Major Credits
  3. University-Wide Credits

Program Description:

A major in the discipline of communication studies allows the student to examine closely the many ways in which message exchange is the foundation of human societies and cultures. At UNC, communication coursework focuses on theoretical, analytic and practical aspects of human interaction. Students may elect to emphasize the study of communication in interpersonal, small group, organizational and intercultural contexts. Practical skills may be obtained in professional presentation, persuasion, leadership, and communication consulting.

Students completing this program may elect to apply for graduate study in the field of communication, to apply to law or other professional schools, or to begin a career with businesses who are interested in hiring people whose expertise involves human communication.

Program Admission Requirements:

Academic Good Standing.

Program Requirements:

  • Complete a minimum of 15 credits in 300- and 400-level COMM courses, with a minimum of 6 credits at the 400-level, which include the required courses in the major. Note: a maximum of 3 credits of credits from COMM 422 and six credits of COMM 492 may count toward the major requirements.
  • Majors may count one course in a related discipline toward their communication electives. This course must be approved by their major advisor.
  • Students in the Honors Program may count HON 351 and HON 451 as electives in Communication Studies.
  • Students who are not eligible for an internship are required to complete six additional credits of Communication electives.

Degree Requirements — 120 Credits

1. Liberal Arts Curriculum — 31 credits

Written Communication — 6 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Written Communication courses

Mathematics — 3 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Mathematics courses

Arts & Humanities, History, Social & Behavioral Sciences, U.S. Multicultural Studies [MS], and International Studies [IS] — 15 credits

To complete the LAC in the minimum number of credits, be sure to choose at least one course with an IS designation and one course with an MS designation.

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Arts & Humanities, History, and Social & Behavioral Sciences courses

Natural & Physical Sciences — 7 credits

Select any courses to fulfill this requirement from the currently approved LAC course list.

See Natural & Physical Sciences courses

See Liberal Arts Curriculum

2. Required Major — 36 credits

Take all of the following courses:

COMM 100Basics of Public Speaking

3

COMM 102Introduction to Communication

3

COMM 201Questioning Communication

3

COMM 220Cultivating Relationships

3

COMM 330Small Group Communication

3

COMM 343The Art of Persuasion

3

COMM 491Communication Theory Capstone

3

Choose six credits from the following courses:

COMM 492Undergraduate Internship

1-10

or

Any COMM prefix electives

Choose nine credits from the following courses:

COMM 211Winning Arguments

3

COMM 212Professional Speaking

3

COMM 221Nonverbal Communication

3

COMM 223Intercultural CommunicationLAB3

3

COMM 261Seminar in Communication

1- 3

COMM 324Family Communication

3

COMM 331Organizational Communication

3

COMM 341Courtroom Communication

3

COMM 422Directed Study

1- 3

COMM 431Communication and Leadership

3

COMM 461Seminar in Communication

1- 3

JMS 490Television Criticism

3

3. University-Wide Credits — 53 credits

Complete additional credits to achieve the minimum credits needed for this degree at UNC; for this degree, that will typically be 53 credits.

Four Year Plan

This four year plan is a recommended schedule to complete this bachelor's degree in 4 years. Courses are subject to availability. Students must consult with their major advisor to receive information on any additional graduation requirements and course sequence guidance.

Year 1 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

COMM 100Basics of Public Speaking

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

COMM 102Introduction to Communication

3

COMM 201Questioning Communication

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 2 – 31 credits

Fall Semester

COMM 220Cultivating Relationships

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

3

Liberal Arts Curriculum

4

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:16

Spring Semester

COMM 330Small Group Communication

3

COMM 343The Art of Persuasion

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 3 – 30 credits

Fall Semester

Major Elective

3

Major Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

Major Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Year 4 – 29 credits

Fall Semester

Upper Division Major Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

Total Credit Hours:15

Spring Semester

COMM 491Communication Theory Capstone

3

COMM 492Undergraduate Internship

1-10

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

3

University-Wide Elective

2

Total Credit Hours:14

COMM 492: Take 3 credits

Advising Notes –

  • All required COMM courses (COMM 100, COMM 102, COMM 201, COMM 220, COMM 330, COMM 343) must be completed prior to taking COMM 491 Capstone. Permission of instructor is needed to register for COMM 491.
  • Students must have completed 18 semester hours in COMM with a GPA of 3.0 or better to be eligible for an internship. A minimum of 50 hours of internship work must be logged for each one credit earned. A maximum of ten internship credits in COMM is allowed; only six credits may be applied toward fulfilling the major. Students not completing an internship are required to complete six additional credits of COMM electives.

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