Communication Studies, Bachelor of Arts (792P, 792)
Program Coordinator
Holly J. Payne, holly.payne@wku.edu, (270) 745-5876
The Communication Studies major provides students a platform for understanding the diverse ways communication creates, maintains, and transforms relationships, organizations, institutions, and society. In preparing students to communicate across an ever-changing communication landscape, the major's core courses ensure students learn how communication functions across foundational areas of discipline. Electives are organized so that students may tailor their plans of study to meet specific personal and career goals.
Specific objectives of the Communication Studies major:
- To develop competencies in analyzing communication studies;
- To construct and present messages appropriately adapted to specific contexts and audiences;
- To develop the communication skills essential to complementing careers in a variety of fields including, but not limited to, business, law, politics, healthcare, social work, religious ministries, and teaching.
Program Requirements (36 hours)
A baccalaureate degree requires a minimum of 120 unduplicated semester hours. More information can be found at www.wku.edu/registrar/degree_certification.php.
Students who began WKU in the Fall 2014 and thereafter should review the Colonnade requirements located at: https://www.wku.edu/colonnade/colonnaderequirements.php.
Admission Requirements
Students wishing to enter the major in Communication Studies initially are admitted as majors seeking admission (reference 792P). Prospective majors may take no more that 15 hours in the major before admission. Student must meet the following requirements before they can be admitted:
- Completion of a minimum of 24 hours of course work applicable to a baccalaureate degree;
- A minimum overall grade point average of 2.3;
- Completion of COMM 200 with a grade of "C" or better.
All courses within the major must be completed with a "C" or better. One-half of the hours in the major must be at the 300 or 400 level.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| The following Communication Studies Core courses are required: | ||
| COMM 200 | Communication Foundations | 3 |
| COMM 345 | Advanced Public Speaking | 3 |
| or COMM 346 | Persuasion | |
| COMM 348 | Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| COMM 362 | Organizational Communication | 3 |
| COMM 365 | Intercultural Communication | 3 |
| Select one course from the Advanced Study in Communication category: 1 | 3 | |
| Health Communication | ||
| Advanced Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Family Communication | ||
| Communication in the Digital Age | ||
| Advanced Intercultural Communication | ||
| Select four courses from the Communication in Context category: 2 | 12 | |
| Introduction to Popular Culture Studies | ||
| Advertising in a Digital World | ||
| Fundamentals of Public Relations | ||
| Sport Communication | ||
| Interracial Communication | ||
| Crisis Communication | ||
| Gender Communication | ||
| Seminar in Political Communication | ||
| Health Communication | ||
| Advanced Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Family Communication | ||
| Communication in the Digital Age | ||
| Advanced Intercultural Communication | ||
| Select two courses from the Communication Skills and Applications category: 2 | 6 | |
| Digital Media | ||
| Introduction to Digital Texts and Media | ||
or ENG 212 | Introduction to Digital Texts and Media | |
| Effective Listening | ||
| Argumentation and Debate | ||
| Voice and Diction | ||
| Organizational Interviewing | ||
| Introduction to Communication Research Methods | ||
or PS 302 | Research Design in Political Science | |
or SOCL 302 | Social Research Methods | |
| Leadership Communication | ||
| Advanced Public Speaking | ||
| Persuasion | ||
| Small Group Communication | ||
| Total Hours | 36 | |
- 1
The course taken to meet the Advanced Study in Communication requirement may not be double counted in the Communication in Context category.
- 2
Only one course in the Communication in Context category and one course in the Communication Skills and Applications category may be taken at the 200 level.
With departmental approval, students may opt to substitute one of the following courses in fulfillment of a Communication Studies elective: COMM 400, COMM 415, COMM 489, or COMM 495. A minor, certificate, or second major outside of the department is required; neither the Communication Studies minor nor the Corporate and Organizational Communication major may be used to fulfill this requirement.
Finish in Four Plan - Communication Studies (792)
| First Year | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| COMM 145 | 3 | ENG 100 | 3 |
| MATH 109 | 3 | PS 110 or SOCL 100 (OR other Colonnade: Social & Behavioral Sciences) | 3 |
| Colonnade: Arts & Humanities | 3 | HIST 101 or HIST 102 | 3 |
| World Lanuage, if needed OR General Elective | 3 | Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences w/lab | 3 |
| Colonnade: Natural & Physical Sciences | 3 | World Language, if needed OR General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Second Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| COMM 200 | 3 | COMM 348 | 3 |
| ENG 200 or RELS 200 | 3 | COMM Skills & Apps Elective | 3 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Systems) | 3 | Colonnade: Connections (Social & Cultural) | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Third Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| COMM 365 | 3 | COMM 362 | 3 |
| COMM in Context Elective | 3 | COMM in Context Elective | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 | 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 |
| Colonnade: Connections (Local to Global) | 3 | 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Fourth Year | |||
| Fall | Hours | Spring | Hours |
| COMM 345 or COMM 346 | 3 | COMM Adv. Study Elective | 3 |
| COMM in Context Elective | 3 | COMM in Context Elective | 3 |
| COMM Skills & Apps Elective | 3 | 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 |
| 2nd Major/Certificate/Minor Course | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| General Elective | 3 | General Elective | 3 |
| 15 | 15 | ||
| Total Hours 120 | |||