DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION STUDIES (COM)

Dr. Marsha Houston, Chairperson
Office: 203 Phifer Hall

A total of 120 hours is required for graduation. Thirty-three of these hours must be in courses at the 300 or 400 level.

Core Curriculum and General Education Requirements

I. Freshman composition (FC): 6 hours	EN 101 (3), EN 102 (3)
or by exam
II. Humanities (HU) and fine arts (FA): 12 hours	fine arts (3), English literature (3)
COM 1211 or COM 1221 (3), COM 1231 (3), HU or FA (3)
III. Natural science (N) and mathematics (MA): 11 hours	natural science (4), natural science (4)
mathematics (3)
IV. History (HI) and social/behavioral sciences (SB): 12 hours	history sequence (6)
SB (6)
V. Premajor requirements: 12-14 hours	COM 1001 (3), COM 1011 (3)
foreign language or computer science2 (6-8)

ADDITIONAL UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA CORE REQUIREMENTS

Writing (W): 6 hours

DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION STUDIES SPECIAL REQUIREMENT

12 hours at the 300 or 400 level outside COM

Requirements for the Major in Communication Studies

A minimum of 36 hours of courses in communication studies is required for the major, with a minimum of 21 hours in the major at the 300-400 level and a minimum of 33 total hours at the 300-400 level. No more than 45 hours in communication studies may be included in the hours required for graduation.

The program of instruction, to be planned in consultation with a faculty adviser, is as follows:

A. Foundation courses (6 hours)
      COM 100 Rhetoric and Society
      COM 101 Principles of Human Communication

B. Introduction to theory and analysis (3 hours)
      COM 300 Human Communication Theory
      COM 301 Introduction to Rhetorical Theory

      Note: Communication studies majors are required to take either COM 300 or COM 301, and the department strongly recommends that they take both courses.

C. Introductory performance courses (3 hours)
      Choose one of the following:
      COM 104 Forensics (open only to members of the Alabama Forensics Council)
      COM 121 Honors Critical Decision Making
      COM 122 Critical Decision Making
      COM 123 Public Speaking
      COM 210 Oral Interpretation
      COM 225 Small Group Communication

D. Capstone seminar

E. Elective courses (minimum 15 hours)
      COM 220 Interpersonal Communication
      COM 295 Special Topics
      COM 310 Introduction to Rhetorical Criticism
      COM 323 Advanced Public Speaking
      COM 340 Communication and Social Identity
      COM 341 Rhetoric and American Politics
      COM 342 Rhetoric of Social Protest
      COM 348 Argumentation
      COM 349 Practicum in Forensics (open only to UA Forensics Teams members)
      COM 350 Organizational Communication
      COM 395 Special Topics
      COM 413 Communication and Diversity (also MC 413)
      COM 421 Political Communication (also APR 420/MC 421)
      COM 431 Political Campaign Management (also APR 431)
      COM 436 Independent Study
      COM 450 Advanced Organizational Communication
      COM 460 Group Leadership
      COM 462 Theories of Persuasion
      COM 463 Seminar in Interpersonal Communication
      COM 451 Instructional Communication
      COM 467 Seminar in Public Address
      COM 469 Communication and Gender
      COM 490 Internship
      COM 495 Special Topics

Requirements for the Minor in Communication Studies

The minor in communication studies requires 21 hours of coursework in the department, including COM 100 or COM 101 and at least 6 hours at the 300 or 400 level. A grade of "C" or higher is required in all communication studies courses counted toward the minor.

Sample Curriculum for the Major in Communication Studies

Top

Next

Previous

Contents

Search

UA