Communication Major
Students majoring in communication learn different ways in which communication has been conceptualized and investigated, as well as ways in which members of the communication discipline have used their knowledge and scholarship to engage a variety of social problems. Students are given opportunities to study how effective communication enhances well-being and relationships, promotes civic engagement, and allows for effective participation in a global community.
Courses focus on organizing principles and patterns of social life through observation, analysis, and criticism of human interactions, communication behavior, mediated systems, and technological innovations. This major is firmly grounded in the liberal arts and sciences and is intended to prepare students to be effective members of society, as well as valued employees in whatever careers that they may choose to pursue. Graduates have often found positions in occupations such as sales, human resources, training, education, and consulting, or have pursued advanced academic or professional degrees in fields such as law, management, and marketing.
IMPACTED PROGRAM
Communication is an impacted major at SDSU. Students can only be admitted to the pre-major, and will be restricted from taking certain classes available only to majors, until the impaction criteria are met. Transfer students must meet the impaction criteria.
Major Requirements
Entering the Major During Catalog Year 2020 or Earlier
Preparation for the Major
Must be taken for a grade. Minimum GPA 2.75 and minimum grade of C required. General Education oral communication requirement (3 units) and six units selected from:
Major Requirements
- Complete one of the following:
- Foreign language - (3rd semester of one foreign language for those choosing the Liberal Arts and Sciences degree) OR
- Mathematics competency - (3 semesters of college mathematics or a 3-course statistics sequence for those choosing the Applied Arts and Sciences degree).
- Complete the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement by scoring a 10 or higher on the Writing Proficiency Assessment OR by completing RWS-305W with a grade of "C" or higher.
- Complete a minimum of 36 upper division units, following the below schedule (select the items from this list to view course detail):
Foundations of Communication
6 units, prerequisite for all 400-level courses:
Study of human communication, from methodological and epistemological perspectives.
Conceptualizing Communication
9 units from the following, *Must be completed before taking COMM 495 Capstone:
Investigating Communication
3 units from following - *Must be completed before taking COMM 495 Capstone:
Communication Electives
Any 15 units from following:
Communication Capstone
(3 units; must have completed 300, 350, and required Conceptualizing & Investigating units; and be in last or next-to-last semester prior to graduating)
Entering the Major During Catalog Year 2021 or Beyond
Preparation for the Major
Must be taken for a grade. Minimum GPA 2.75 and minimum grade of C required. General Education oral communication requirement (3 units) and six units selected from:
Communication as an academic and professional discipline, its associations and journals, history and traditions, relationships to other disciplines, research methodologies, and careers for graduates.
Practice in extemporaneous speaking on subjects of current interest, both national and local, with stress on organization and delivery.
Major Requirements
- Complete one of the following:
- Foreign language - (3rd semester of one foreign language for those choosing the Liberal Arts and Sciences degree) OR
- Mathematics competency - (3 semesters of college mathematics or a 3-course statistics sequence for those choosing the Applied Arts and Sciences degree).
- Complete the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement by scoring a 10 or higher on the Writing Proficiency Assessment OR by completing RWS-305W with a grade of "C" or higher.
- Complete a minimum of 36 upper division units, following the below schedule (select the items from this list to view course detail):
Foundations of Communication
(6 units); These are prerequisites for all 400-level courses:
Study of human communication, from methodological and epistemological perspectives.
Conceptualizing Communication
(9 units) from the following; *Must be completed before taking COMM 495 Capstone:
Investigating Communication
(6 units) from following; *Must be completed before taking COMM 495 Capstone:
Communication Electives
Any 12 units from following;
(9 Units) from 421-428 can apply to the Communication Major Electives:
NOTE: All Health COMM classes have COMM 321 as a prerequisite.
Communication Capstone
(3 units); Must have completed 300, 350, and all required Conceptualizing & Investigating units before taking Capstone