The Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies

Total Course Requirements for the Bachelor's Degree: 120 units

See Bachelor's Degree Requirements in the University Catalog for complete details on general degree requirements. A minimum of 39 units, including those required for the major, must be upper division.

A suggested Major Academic Plan (MAP) has been prepared to help students meet all graduation requirements within four years. You can view MAPs on the Degree MAPs page in the University Catalog or you can request a plan from your major advisor.

General Education Pathway Requirements: 48 units

See General Education in the University Catalog and the Class Schedule for the most current information on General Education Pathway Requirements and course offerings.

Diversity Course Requirements: 6 units

See Diversity Requirements in the University Catalog. Most courses taken to satisfy these requirements may also apply to General Education .

Upper-Division Writing Requirement:

Writing Across the Curriculum (Executive Memorandum 17-009) is a graduation requirement and may be demonstrated through satisfactory completion of four Writing (W) courses, two of which are designated by the major department. See Mathematics/Quantitative Reasoning and Writing Requirements in the University Catalog for more details on the four courses.  The first of the major designated Writing (W) courses is listed below.

The second major-designated Writing course is the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GW) (Executive Order 665). Students must earn a C- or higher to receive GW credit. The GE Written Communication (A2) requirement must be completed before a student is permitted to register for a GW course.

Grading Requirement:

All courses taken to fulfill major course requirements must be taken for a letter grade except those courses specified by the department as Credit/No Credit grading only.

Course Requirements for the Major: 45 units

Completion of the following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, is required of all candidates for this degree. Additional required courses, depending upon the selected option are outlined following the major core program requirements.

Communication Studies majors must pass the five specified required courses with a C- or better prior to enrolling in 400-level CMST courses. These courses are designated in the following core and option requirements. Students should plan to enroll in these courses to begin their program of study.

Major Core Program: 30 units

10 courses required:

Note: CMST 489 must be taken for at least 3 units.

Communication Studies students must pass CMST 131, CMST 330, CMST 331W, CMST 350, and CMST 370 with a C- or better prior to enrolling in any 400-level CMST courses.

Major Option Course Requirements: 15 units

The following courses, or their approved transfer equivalents, are required dependent upon the option chosen. Students must select one of the following options for completion of the major course requirements.  Use the links below to jump to your chosen option.

• The Option in Organizational Communication
• The Option in Communication and Public Affairs

The Option in Organizational Communication: 15 units

3 courses required:

6 units selected from:

Note: No more than 3 units of Forensics (CMST 339) may be counted towards the major. No more than 8 units of Forensics (CMST 339) may be counted towards University requirements.

Formal Minor Requirement

Communication Studies majors with an option in Organizational Communication must complete a formal minor or a second major in a department outside of Communication Studies. Students must obtain their major advisor's approval on their selection of a minor and courses for the minor and both departments' approval for courses for the minor.

The Option in Communication and Public Affairs: 15 units

3 courses required:

6 units selected from:

Note: No more than 3 units of Forensics (CMST 339) may be counted towards the major. No more than 8 units of Forensics (CMST 339) may be counted towards University requirements.

Formal Minor Requirement

Communication Studies majors with an option in Communication and Public Affairs must complete a formal minor or a second major in a department outside of Communication Studies. Students must obtain their major advisor's approval on their selection of a minor and courses for the minor and both departments' approval for courses for the minor.

Electives Requirement:

To complete the total units required for the bachelor's degree, select additional elective courses from the total University offerings. You should consult with an advisor regarding the selection of courses which will provide breadth to your University experience and possibly apply to a supportive second major or minor.

Advising Requirement:

Advising is mandatory for all majors in this degree program. Consult your undergraduate advisor for specific information.

Honors in the Major:

Honors in the Major is a program of independent work in your major. It requires 6 units of honors course work completed over two semesters.

The Honors in the Major program allows you to work closely with a faculty mentor in your area of interest on an original performance or research project. This year-long collaboration allows you to work in your field at a professional level and culminates in a public presentation of your work. Students sometimes take their projects beyond the University for submission in professional journals, presentation at conferences, or academic competition. Such experience is valuable for graduate school and professional life. Your honors work will be recognized at your graduation, on your permanent transcripts, and on your diploma. It is often accompanied by letters of commendation from your mentor in the department or the department chair.

Some common features of Honors in the Major program are:

1. You must take 6 units of Honors in the Major course work. All 6 units are honors classes (marked by a suffix of H), and at least 3 of these units are independent study (399H, 499H, 599H) as specified by your department. You must complete each class with a minimum grade of B.
2. You must have completed 9 units of upper-division course work or 21 overall units in your major before you can be admitted to Honors in the Major. Check the requirements for your major carefully, as there may be specific courses that must be included in these units.
3. Your cumulative GPA should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
4. Your GPA in your major should be at least 3.5 or within the top 5% of majors in your department.
5. Most students apply for or are invited to participate in Honors in the Major during the second semester of their junior year. Then they complete the 6 units of course work over the two semesters of their senior year.
6. Your honors work culminates with a public presentation of your honors project.

While Honors in the Major is part of the Honors Program, each department administers its own program. Please contact your major department or major advisor to apply.

Students may apply for admission to the Honors in the Major Program in the College of Communication and Education. In addition to other specific requirements, each Honors student will conduct and publicly present an original research project. Consult the honors advisor in the College of Communication and Education for specific details.