Communication Studies, BAC

Department website: https://comstudies.ua.edu/undergraduate/

Overview

The Communication Studies major provides students with an integrated skill set in oral and written communication that prepares them to be competent communicators in their personal, civic, and professional roles.

The BA in Communication Studies (COM) program offers foundational courses in communication theory and methods, along with emphasis areas in interpersonal communication, organizational leadership, and rhetoric and political discourse.

By teaching students to think critically, to express and advocate ideas effectively, and to understand and appreciate the diversity of human communication practices, the major in Communication Studies prepares graduates to work as communication professionals in a variety of contexts.

Co-Curricular Student Activities

The department supports a diversified program of co-curricular student activities in competitive speaking and individual events, argumentation and debate, and in peer consulting through The Speaking Studio. Members of the Alabama Forensic Council participate in regional and national intercollegiate competitions. Students in the Alabama Debate Society participate in high school debate outreach as well as exhibitions.

Students in the Public Speaking Program may compete for the Oscar Newton Outstanding Speaker Prize, as well as for the coveted Holle Award for Excellence in Public Speaking.

Majors who meet the requirements for membership in Lambda Pi Eta are invited to join the honor society and to participate in its service activities.

Accelerated Masters Program (AMP) in Communication Studies

Open only to eligible UA Communication Studies majors -- students admitted into this program are able to earn both the BA and MA in communication studies at The University of Alabama in five years. For the highly motivated and academically gifted student, this program offers several distinct advantages:

Faster, more economical plan of study than earning the two degrees separately
Richer undergraduate degree experience, fewer unrelated core courses, and more courses in the communication studies major
Stronger mentoring relationship with the communication studies faculty
Greater opportunity to develop understanding of the field in preparation for advanced graduate study

Students may apply for admission into this program through the Graduate School admission process. Admission to the Graduate School will be granted if the student has (a) met all the admission criteria for the graduate program, (b) completed three-fourths of the hours required for the major and the minor, and (c) been recommended for admission by the department. Upon admission to the Graduate School, the student will be allowed to take graduate-level courses and begin a program of study leading to the Master of Arts in communication studies. Once enrolled in AMP, communication studies students may count up to 10 hours of credit dually (toward both degrees).

For more information, contact the Director of Tisch Student Services.

Core Curriculum and General Education Requirements

Communication Studies majors must complete a total of 120 hours for graduation; no more than 45 hours in Communication Studies (COM) may be counted toward the total 120 hours required for graduation.

Core Curriculum and General Education Requirements for the COM major include a 6-credit sequence in History (HY), not a 6-credit sequence in Literature (L). COM courses with Core designations may also fulfill requirements in Humanities (HU) and/or Social/Behavioral Sciences (SB). The full General Education requirements for the COM major are listed here:

General Education Requirements		Hours
Freshman Composition (FC)
EN 101	English Composition I (or by exam or equivalent)	3
EN 102	English Composition II (or by exam or equivalent)	3
Humanities (HU) and Fine Arts (FA)
Fine Arts (FA)		3
Literature (L)		3
Humanities (HU)		6
May include the following:
COM 100	Rhetoric And Society ¹
COM 122 or	Critical Decision Making ¹
COM 121	Crit Decisn Makng Honors
COM 123 or	Public Speaking ¹
COM 124	Honors Public Speaking
COM 210	Oral Interpretn Literatr ¹
Credit Hours Subtotal:		18
Natural Science (N) and Mathematics (MA)
Natural Science (N)		8
Mathematics (MA)		3
Credit Hours Subtotal:		11
History (HI) and Social/Behavioral Sciences (SB)
History Sequence (HI)		6
Social/Behavioral Sciences (SB)		6
May include the following:
COM 101	Principles Human Communication ¹
COM 220 or	Interpersonal Communication ¹
COM 219	Honors Interpersonal Comm
Credit Hours Subtotal:		12
Pre-major Requirements
COM 100 or	Rhetoric And Society	3
COM 101	Principles Human Communication
Foreign Language (FL) or Computer Science (CS)		6-8
Credit Hours Subtotal:		9-11
W-designated Courses in the Major
Select a minimum of six hours of the following: ²		6
COM 300	Human Communication Research
COM 310	Rhetorical Criticism
COM 341	Rhetoric & Amer Politics
COM 342	Rhetoric Social Protest
COM 380	Influence
COM 413	Communication & Diversity
COM 463	Relational Communication
COM 465	Intercultural Communication
Credit Hours Subtotal:		6
Total Hours		56-58

These courses are cross-listed as meeting core requirements as well as the major.

Select a minimum of six hours of COM Writing courses (W), at least three hours of which must be either COM 300 Human Communication Research or COM 310 Rhetorical Criticism.

Communication Studies Major

Communication Studies majors must complete a minimum of 36 hours in COM courses, as outlined below. A minimum of 21 of the 36 hours in the major (COM) should be completed in upper division (300 or 400-level) courses.

The program of instruction should be planned in consultation with a professional and faculty advisors and must include COM 499 Capstone Seminar, for a total of 15 hours in requirements and a minimum of 21 hours in elective COM courses.

Requirements for a Major in Communication Studies		Hours
Foundational Requirement - 3 hrs. ¹
COM 100 or	Rhetoric And Society	3
COM 101	Principles Human Communication
Foundation in Oral Performance - 3 hrs.
COM 122 or	Critical Decision Making	3
COM 121 or	Crit Decisn Makng Honors
COM 123 or	Public Speaking
COM 124 or	Honors Public Speaking
COM 104	Forensics
Additional Oral Performance Requirement - 3 hrs.
COM 210 or	Oral Interpretn Literatr	3
COM 323 or	Advanced Public Speaking
COM 348 or	Argumentation
COM 123 or	Public Speaking
COM 124 or	Honors Public Speaking
COM 122 or	Critical Decision Making
COM 121 or	Crit Decisn Makng Honors
COM 104	Forensics
Methods Requirement - 3 hrs.
COM 300 or	Human Communication Research	3
COM 310	Rhetorical Criticism
COM Electives - see Suggested Areas of Emphasis below ⁴		21
Capstone Requirement ^{2, 3}
COM 499	Capstone Seminar (may not enroll before completing either COM 300 or COM 310)	3
Total Hours		36

NOTE: Although not required, the department strongly recommends that Communication Studies majors take both COM 100 Rhetoric And Society and COM 101 Principles Human Communication.

Intended to be taken in the final semester of coursework

May not be taken prior to the completion of a theory foundation/method and analysis course combination, either COM 100/COM 310 or COM 101/COM 300

⁴

Students need to take their second W-designated course in their COM electives.

COM Elective Emphasis Areas

Through the selection of elective courses, Communication Studies majors may choose to emphasize one of the following focused areas of study: rhetoric and public discourse, communication and culture, interpersonal communication, or organizational leadership. Communication Studies majors do not have to select an area of emphasis for their elective coursework; however, they are encouraged to plan their individual programs of study with the guidance of their academic advisor. The courses listed below for each of these areas are recommendations, not requirements.

Rhetoric and Public Discourse

This emphasis area focuses on argumentation, the effective construction and critical analysis of persuasive public messages, and the role of rhetoric in constructing, sustaining, or changing the political, social, or cultural order. This area also focuses on communication theories and practices evident in public (political, social, cultural) discourse, artifacts, and campaigns. Attention is given to such areas of analysis and practice as public speaking, argumentation and debate, and the role of media in various public contexts. The area is an ideal pre-professional emphasis for students interested in careers in the legal profession, and this emphasis area is one means of helping pre-law students prepare broadly for that career. Recommended minors for students who choose this emphasis area include American Studies, Creative Media, Criminal Justice, English, Gender and Race Studies, History, News Media, Philosophy, or Political Science.

Code and Title		Hours
COM 323	Advanced Public Speaking	3
COM 341	Rhetoric & Amer Politics	3
COM 342	Rhetoric Social Protest	3
COM 348	Argumentation	3
COM 380	Influence	3
COM 421	Political Communication	3
COM 422	Communication and the Law	3
COM 425	Gender & Political Communctn	3
COM 467	Seminar in Public Address	3
COM 480	Propaganda	3

Communication and Culture

This emphasis area explores public communication in a wide variety of contexts and settings. The focus is on the influence of rhetoric and visual communication on individuals, communities, and the larger social world. Students interested in careers involving community or social change or human services (e.g., the ministry), or in postgraduate study in communication studies or media studies should consider this emphasis. Recommended minors for students who choose this emphasis area include Anthropology, Advertising and Public Relations, American Studies, Apparel and Textiles, Art History, Creative Media, English/Creative Writing, Gender and Race Studies, International Studies, Modern Languages, News Media, Religious Studies, or Theatre.

Code and Title		Hours
COM 210	Oral Interpretn Literatr	3
COM 250	Nonverbal Communication	3
COM 270	Discourse of Sport	3
COM 320	Truth, Ethics, and Deception	3
COM 340	Rhetoric & Popular Culture	3
COM 366	Visual Culture & Communication	3
COM 380	Influence	3
COM 413	Communication & Diversity	3
COM 462	Theories Of Persuasion	3
COM 465	Intercultural Communication	3
COM 469	Communication & Gender	3

Interpersonal Communication

The focus of this area is on knowledge and skills vital to successful interpersonal communication in personal, family or group, and organizational or professional settings. Emphases include social, cognitive, and cultural influences on personal and professional interaction and such skills as conflict resolution, small group problem solving, effective interviewing, and intercultural communication. It is appropriate for students interested in professional and administrative careers in business, educational or human services, and media organizations. Recommended minors for students who choose this emphasis area include Advertising and Public Relations, Consumer Sciences, Creative Media, Economics, General Business, Human Development and Family Studies, International Studies, Management, News Media, Psychology, Real Estate, Sociology, Social Welfare or World Business.

Code and Title		Hours
COM 220	Interpersonal Communication	3
COM 225	Small Group Communicatn	3
COM 250	Nonverbal Communication	3
COM 320	Truth, Ethics, and Deception	3
COM 330	Family Communication	3
COM 413	Communication & Diversity	3
COM 430	Dark Side of Interpersonl Comm	3
COM 460	Group Leadership	3
COM 463	Relational Communication	3
COM 465	Intercultural Communication	3
COM 469	Communication & Gender	3

Organizational Leadership

This emphasis area focuses on the development of communication skills applicable for leading small groups and organizations and strengthening individual professional communication. These elective courses work to combine the application of communication theory with practical skills for those who aspire for leadership roles in educational, professional, corporate, non-profit, or political careers by providing the opportunity to develop those skills with diverse groups of people and in different contexts.

Code and Title		Hours
COM 225	Small Group Communicatn	3
COM 270	Discourse of Sport	3
COM 350	Organizatnl Communicatn	3
COM 352	Business Prof Communication	3
COM 380	Influence	3
COM 413	Communication & Diversity	3
COM 422	Communication and the Law	3
COM 455	Leadership & Strategic Comm	3
COM 460	Group Leadership	3
COM 462	Theories Of Persuasion	3
COM 465	Intercultural Communication	3
COM 469	Communication & Gender	3

What Can I Do With a Degree in Communication Studies?

Alumni of the Communication Studies program have pursued careers in:

· Human Resources Management

· Organizational Training and Development

· Legal Communication

· Political Communication and Campaign Management

· Nonprofit Leadership

· Youth Ministry and Pastoral Work

· Political Reporting

· Sports Production and Promotion

· Public Relations Administration

· Health and Wellness Promotion

· Hospital Administration

· Health Care Advocacy

· Fundraising and Grant Writing

· Event Coordination

· Radio and Television Production

· Hospitality and Leisure Management

· Performing Arts

· Sales

· Social Media Management

· Computing Software Development

· Social Work and Counseling

· Forensics and Debate Coach

· College or University Professor

· College or University Administrator

2024-25 Undergraduate Catalog