COURSE CURRICULUM

The Communication Studies major requires students to complete a total of 120 credit hours, including at least 36 hours in Communication (COM) courses, with a minimum of 21 hours at the upper-division (300–400) level. The curriculum is designed to build a strong foundation in communication theory, research methods, and practical speaking skills while allowing flexibility through elective coursework. Students begin with foundational requirements such as COM 100 (Rhetoric and Society) or COM 101 (Principles of Human Communication), followed by a foundation in oral performance through courses like COM 123 (Public Speaking), COM 124 (Honors Public Speaking), or COM 104 (Forensics). An additional oral performance course, such as COM 122 (Critical Decision Making), COM 210 (Oral Interpretation of Literature), COM 323 (Advanced Public Speaking), or COM 348 (Argumentation), further develops presentation and analytical skills. The methods requirement is fulfilled through COM 300 (Human Communication Research) or COM 310 (Rhetorical Criticism), ensuring students gain research and analytical competencies. A U.S. and Global Citizenship requirement must also be completed within COM through courses like COM 413 (Communication & Diversity), COM 465 (Intercultural Communication), or COM 469 (Communication & Gender). Students then complete 18 hours of COM electives, which can be tailored to areas of interest such as rhetoric and public discourse, communication and culture, interpersonal communication, or organizational leadership. The program culminates in COM 499 (Capstone Seminar), typically taken in the final semester after completing required foundational and methods courses. Throughout the program, students are encouraged to work closely with academic advisors to design a coherent plan of study that aligns with their career goals while also fulfilling all general education, writing, and citizenship requirements within the major.