Communication Studies, B.A.

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About the B.A. in Communication Studies

Students seeking the Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies will complete a course of study that consists of 33 hours of COMS courses. A minimum of 120 total hours is required for the degree (including state core and College of Media & Communication core courses). The department recognizes that each student has unique educational objectives and professional goals. Therefore, a flexible and individualized plan of undergraduate study is developed to be compatible with the student’s aims. A total of 12 hours toward the major must be completed in residence at Texas Tech. All students who major in communication studies must complete four courses: (1) COMS 1310 , (2) COMS 2300 , (3) COMS 3302 , and (4) either COMS 3301 or COMS 3310 . The remaining 21 hours of coursework may be chosen from the list of COMS electives.

Recommended Sample Curriculum

First Year

Fall

HIST 2300 - History of the United States to 1877 3 Semester Credit Hours
OR
HIST 2301 - History of the United States since 1877 3 Semester Credit Hours
OR
HIST 2310 - History of Texas 3 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 1301 - Essentials of College Rhetoric 3 Semester Credit Hours *
COMS 1310 - Fundamentals of Communication 3 Semester Credit Hours
Mathematics Core 3 Semester Credit Hours
(select from university core requirements)
MCOM 1300 - Foundations of Media and Communication 3 Semester Credit Hours
(fulfills Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement)

Total: 15

Spring

HIST 2300 - History of the United States to 1877 3 Semester Credit Hours
OR
HIST 2301 - History of the United States since 1877 3 Semester Credit Hours
OR
HIST 2310 - History of Texas 3 Semester Credit Hours
COMS 2300 - Public Speaking 3 Semester Credit Hours
MCOM 1301 - Introduction to Digital and Social Media 3 Semester Credit Hours
ENGL 1302 - Advanced College Rhetoric 3 Semester Credit Hours *
Life and Physical Sciences 4 Semester Credit Hours (select from the university core curriculum)

Total: 16

Second Year

Fall

MCOM 2350 - Communicating in a Global Society 3 Semester Credit Hours
(fulfills Multicultural requirement)
POLS 1301 - American Government 3 Semester Credit Hours
Elective (any level) 3 Semester Credit Hours
COMS 2310 - Communication and Popular Culture 3 Semester Credit Hours
(or other Language, Philosophy, & Culture; select from the university core curriculum)
MCOM 2301 - Visual Storytelling 3 Semester Credit Hours
(or other Creative Arts; select from the university core curriculum)

Total: 15

Spring

POLS 2306 - Texas Politics and Topics 3 Semester Credit Hours
Life and Physical Sciences 4 Semester Credit Hours (select from the university core curriculum)
Electives (any level) 6 Semester Credit Hours
Mathematics Core 3 Semester Credit Hours
(select from university core requirements)

Total: 16

Third Year

Fall

COMS Junior/Senior Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours
Elective (any level) 6 Semester Credit Hours
MCOM Global Communication or Foreign Language 3 Semester Credit Hours
COMS 3310 - Rhetoric in Western Thought 3 Semester Credit Hours OR
COMS 3301 - Communication Theory 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 15

Spring

COMS 3302 - Communication Research 3 Semester Credit Hours
COMS Junior/Senior Elective 3 Semester Credit Hours
Elective (any level) 9 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 15

Fourth Year

Fall

COMS Junior/Senior Elective 6 Semester Credit Hours
Any Junior/Senior Elective 6 Semester Credit Hours
MCOM Global Communication or Foreign Language 3 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 15

Spring

COMS Junior/Senior Elective 6 Semester Credit Hours
Any Junior/Senior Elective 7 Semester Credit Hours

Total: 13

Total Hours: 120

This sample course sequence applies only if the student enters the department as a freshman. The total number of hours may vary according to the student’s choices of electives and optional minor.

MCOM Global Communication Courses

Choose from MCOM 2350 ; ADV 4301 , ADV 4313 , COMS 3332 , CMI 3355 , CMI 3358 , JOUR 3370 , PRSC 4351 , and any approved 4301 special topics course, approved Study Abroad course, and any foreign language taken at the college level in which a C or better was earned.