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2024-2025 General Catalog
Communication Studies - BA, BS
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 Return to: Programs by College & Department
College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Department of Communication Studies and Philosophy
About This Degree
The Communication Studies program at USU is designed to help students develop a broad range of communication skills and an understanding of how communication affects individuals, organizations, and societies.
This major is designed to :
- Increase your communicative competence in both public and private settings.
- Help you understand, explain, and transform communication messages in a variety of settings.
- Improve your ability to carefully explore and think through communication related challenges and come up with effective solutions.
The Communication Studies major at Utah State offers several emphasis areas so students can tailor their coursework to specific personal and career goals. These areas include:
- Advocacy and Social Justice
- Conflict Management
- Health and Community Outreach
- Human Relationships
- Intercultural Communication
- Leadership
- Organizational Communication
- Persuasion and Social Influence
- Political Communication
- Research Analysis
To apply for the major or declare a minor in Organizational Communication or Communication Studies, students need to contact the department academic advisor.
Students receive a BS by completing all required courses in the major. To receive a BA, students must also gain proficiency in one or more foreign languages.
- For more information about Communication Studies, please see the Communication Studies and Philosophy website.
- Please make sure to consult regularly with your departmental advisor to confirm what courses will be available and to work out your plan of study.
- Admitted and current students must meet with an academic advisor.
- A minor or additional major must also be completed to complete all requirements for this major.
- Log on to Degree Works to check student-specific program progress.
- The highest math requirement for this degree is Quantitative Literacy (QL) course of the student’s choice.
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Minimum University Requirements
Admission Requirements For This Program
- All students must apply for admission to the major.
- New freshmen must be admitted to USU in Good Standing.
- Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU must have a 2.5 GPA.
Communication Studies Major Requirements (39 credits)
- Total Credits: 39
- Minimum Grade Point Average to Declare PPRU Communication Studies Major: 2.5 Overall GPA
- Minimum Grade Point Average to Apply for the Major in Communication Studies: 2.5 Overall GPA
- Minimum Grade Point Average to Graduate with Communication Studies Major: 2.5 GPA within major coursework
- Credits in Residence: At least half (50 percent) of the credits earned for the Communication Studies major must be earned at USU and approved by the department head. As many as 19 credits completed at other colleges or universities may be used to partially satisfy these requirements. For more information, students should contact their advisor.
- Note: A second major or minor is required. No more than 9 credit hours of the Communication Studies major can overlap with an additional declared major, minor, or certificate.
- Minimum Grade Requirement: All courses taken for the major require a minimum grade of C- or better. Courses for the major may not be taken on a pass/fail basis.
Bachelor of Science Degree
Students desiring a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree must complete all requirements listed in the core requirements below.
Bachelor of Arts Degree
Students desiring a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete the language proficiency requirements in one of the following ways in addition to the Bachelor of Science (BS) degree requirements:
- Demonstration of proficiency in one foreign language by successful completion of one course at the 2020-level or higher (or its equivalent) OR
- Demonstration of proficiency in American Sign Language by successful completion of American Sign Language IV (COMD 4920 ) and Socio-Cultural Aspects of Deafness (COMD 4780 ), and by passing an exit interview OR
- Demonstration of proficiency in two foreign languages by successful completion of the 1020 course level in one language and the 2010 course level in the second language (or its equivalent) OR
- Completion of an upper-division (3000-level or higher) foreign language grammar or literature course requiring the 2020 course level (or its equivalent) as a prerequisite. Conversation courses cannot be considered for satisfying this requirement.
For nonnative English-speaking students only, the following options are available:
- Successful completion of the Intensive English Language Institute (IELI) program for international students OR
- TOEFL, Michigan, or IELI placement scores high enough to meet the University admission criteria.
A. Required Classes (9 credits)
The first three courses are desgined to be taken early on in the program. The last course, CMST 5800 , should be taken at the end of the program.
B. Required Areas (9 credits)
Diversity and Global Perspectives (3 credits)
Complete one course from the following options:
Discovery (6 credits)
Complete at least two courses from the following options:
C. Communication Themes (12 credits)
Complete at least two classes (6 credits) from each of the following two areas focused on Functions of Communication.
Note: Courses taken to meet a Diversity or Discovery requirement will not count as a thematic class.
Connect/Collaborate (6 credits)
Complete two courses from the following options:
Challenge/Change (6 credits)
Complete two courses from the following options:
D. Electives (9 credits)
Electives may be any CMST course (including any of the of the courses in sections B and C not previously taken), internships (CMST 2250 /CMST 4250 ), or independent readings and topics classes under CMST 5000 .
Area of Emphasis
We recommend that you use your elective courses in a very intentional manner. To help facilitate that process, we encourage you to consider selecting an area of emphasis that you could list on your resume. Areas of emphasis are not delcared:
- Advocacy & Social Justice: CMST 2270 , CMST 3160 , CMST 3280 , CMST 3400 , CMST 3730 , CMST 4260 , CMST 4700 , CMST 4760
- Conflict Management: CMST 2810 , CMST 3330 , CMST 3400 , CMST 3600 , CMST 4200 , CMST 5500 , CMST 5600
- Health and Community Outreach: CMST 3120 , CMST 3400 , CMST 4260 , CMST 4700 , CMST 4750 , CMST 4760
- Human Relationships: CMST 2810 , CMST 3120 , CMST 3330 , CMST 3600 , CMST 4200 , CMST 5100 , CMST 5110
- Intercultural Communication: CMST 1330 , CMST 3270 , CMST 3330 , CMST 3730 , CMST 4270 , CMST 4330
- Leadership: CMST 2120 , CMST 3250 , CMST 3280 , CMST 3330 , CMST 3400 , CMST 3600 , CMST 4200 , CMST 5500
- Organizational Communication: CMST 2120 , CMST 3050 , CMST 3250 , CMST 3280 , CMST 3330 , CMST 3600 , CMST 5500
- Persuasion & Social Influence: CMST 3400 , CMST 3730 , CMST 4200 , CMST 4750 , CMST 5300 , CMST 5400
- Political Communication: CMST 3270 , CMST 3400 , CMST 3730 , CMST 4200 , CMST 4260 , CMST 4330 , CMST 4700
- Research Analysis: CMST 4330 , CMST 4800 , CMST 4810 , CMST 4820 , CMST 5100 , CMST 5300
Related Programs
- Organizational Communication Minor: 12 credits
- Communication Studies Minor: 12 credits
Open Electives
Total elective credit is determined by General Education courses taken, degree type selected, additional credits earned, and any additional math or other prerequisite courses needed. Please consult your Academic Advisor for details.
Suggested Degree Map - Communication Studies BA, BS
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