The Communication Studies sequence focuses on the understanding and appreciation of communication and communication technologies, historically and in their contemporary forms, as key social processes involved in the production and maintenance of societies. It provides the critical background and necessary analytic skills for making sense of the proliferation of communication products and systems as the world moves into the Information Age. In general, the program's primary objective is to provide students with a conceptual map of the field. Communication Studies majors are expected to go into occupations requiring a liberal arts education with a broad understanding of communication processes and technology. In addition, the program is expected to serve as an intellectual commons for faculty in all sequences, exploring the conceptual similarities and differences of various professional specializations.

Primary Faculty: Tom Bivins, Carl Bybee, Deb Merskin, Janet Wasko, Kyu Ho Youm.

Sequence requirements:

a) J314 Introduction to Communication Studies
b) J412 Issues in Communication Studies (Prereq: JCOM standing. Offered with various course titles. Any J412 will complete the requirement.)
c) Choose one more course from the 300-level breadth (“List A”) requirement
d) Choose one more course from the 400-level breadth (“List B”) requirement
e) J413 Communication Studies Capstone (Prereq: J314, any J412)

Things you should know about this major:

1. This is not a Speech Communication program. The university does not have a Speech department although the English department offers several speech classes.
2. Many journalism students have used this sequence as a Pre-Law program.
3. The faculty in the Communication Studies sequence recommend the following courses in the upper-division breadth: J386 Communication Economics, J388 Communication Theory and Criticism, J397 Mass Media Ethics, J455 Third World Development Communication, and J492 International Journalism.
4. You must take J314 Introduction to Communication Studies (offered every fall) before J413 Communication Studies Capstone (offered every spring).
5. Not all sequence courses are offered every term. However, there are always options within the upper-division breadth. 
6. J412 is offered under different course titles. Students may take as many J412s as they wish, as long as each class has a different course title.
7. The courses used to complete the breadth requirement cannot be used to complete the sequence requirement. In essence, JCOM students take three List A breadth courses and two List B breadth courses.