Communication: Communication Studies (BA)

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Offered by the School of Communication .

Admission to the Program

Formal admission to the major requires a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 (on a 4.00 scale). Students should declare their major by the end of the sophomore year and no earlier than the end of the freshman year.

Students who are unable to achieve a cumulative grade point average of 2.50 and declare a major in communication are not allowed to take courses in the school after they have completed 60 hours of undergraduate credit.

University Requirements

120 credit hours with a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or better
Completion of college writing requirement
Completion of university mathematics requirement

General Education Requirements

A total of ten courses, consisting of two courses from each of the five foundational areas
At least one course from Area Five: The Natural and Mathematical Sciences must include a laboratory science component
No more than two courses may be taken in the same discipline

Major Requirements

36-40 credit hours with grades of C or better within the School of Communication including core, media ethics and legal aspects, concentration, and media studies courses.
- With approval of the student’s advisor, up to 6 credit hours taken abroad may be applied toward the communication major requirements.
- Subject to the approval of an advisor, a maximum of 12 credit hours in communication transferred from another university may be substituted for required communication courses.
Concentrations: History of the Media, International Media, Media and Government, or Media and Society.
Related requirements taken outside the School of Communication with grades of C or better. Note: These courses are not included in the major GPA.
- 3 credit hours in United States history (HIST-xxx).
- 3 credit hours in economics (ECON-xxx).
- Minor or second major outside the School of Communication.
Minimum 2.50 cumulative GPA.

Course Requirements

Related Requirements

Complete the following with grades of C or better:

United States History

3 credit hours in United States history (HIST-xxx)

Economics

3 credit hours in economics (ECON-xxx)

Outside Minor or Second Major

Minor or second major outside of the School of Communication

Communication Requirements (36 credit hours)

Core (15 credit hours)

Media and Legal Ethics (3 credit hours)

Complete one of the following:

Concentrations (18 credit hours)

Complete one of the following concentrations: History of the Media, International Media, Media and Government, Media and Society.

History of the Media

Complete 18 credit hours from the following:

COMM-270 How the News Media Shape History FA2 (3)
COMM-275 Dissident Media: Voices from the Underground FA4 (3)
COMM-359 Decisive Moments in Communication (3)
COMM-360 Myths of the Media (3)
COMM-391 Communication Careers Internship (2)
COMM-401 Communication Law (3) if not used to fulfill media and ethics requirement above
COMM-409 Journalism Ethics (3) if not used to fulfill media and ethics requirement above
COMM-411 History of Documentary (3)
COMM-414 History of Cross-Cultural Cinema (3)
COMM-416 Topics in Film and Media Arts (3) with permission of the student’s advisor
COMM-420 Topics in Mass Media (3) with permission of the student’s advisor
COMM-477 History of Photography (3)
COMM-491 Senior Professional Internship (3)
COMM-514 Censorship and Media (3)
COMM-520 History of Animation (3)
COMM-533 Ethics in Strategic Communication (3) if not used to fulfill media and ethics requirement above
COMM-558 Survey of American Cinema (3)
An approved elective outside of SOC

International Media

Complete 18 credit hours from the following:

COMM-280 Contemporary Media in a Global Society FA3 (3)
COMM-359 Decisive Moments in Communication (3)
COMM-360 Myths of the Media (3)
COMM-391 Communication Careers Internship (2)
COMM-407 Media in Britain (3) (London)
COMM-414 History of Cross-Cultural Cinema (3)
COMM-416 Topics in Film and Media Arts (3) with permission of the student’s advisor
COMM-420 Topics in Mass Media (3) with permission of the student’s advisor
COMM-443 Foreign Policy and the Press (3)
COMM-445 Global Journalism: Issues and Trends in the Twenty-First Century (3)
COMM-449 International Strategic Communication (3)
COMM-489 Communication, Culture, and the Environment (3)
COMM-491 Senior Professional Internship (3)
COMM-514 Censorship and Media (3)
COMM-538 Contemporary Media Issues (3)
An approved elective outside of SOC

Media and Government

Complete 18 credit hours from the following:

COMM-275 Dissident Media: Voices from the Underground FA4 (3)
COMM-327 The PR Presidency (3)
COMM-359 Decisive Moments in Communication (3)
COMM-360 Myths of the Media (3)
COMM-365 Digital Media and Culture (3)
COMM-391 Communication Careers Internship (2)
COMM-401 Communication Law (3) if not used to fulfill media and ethics requirement above
COMM-409 Journalism Ethics (3) if not used to fulfill media and ethics requirement above
COMM-415 Children, Youth, and Digital Culture (3)
COMM-416 Topics in Film and Media Arts (3) with permission of the student’s advisor
COMM-420 Topics in Mass Media (3) with permission of the student’s advisor
COMM-439 Political Communication (3)
COMM-443 Foreign Policy and the Press (3)
COMM-445 Global Journalism: Issues and Trends in the Twenty-First Century (3)
COMM-489 Communication, Culture, and the Environment (3)
COMM-491 Senior Professional Internship (3)
COMM-509 Politics and the Media (3)
COMM-514 Censorship and Media (3)
COMM-533 Ethics in Strategic Communication (3) if not used to fulfill media and ethics requirement above
An approved elective outside of SOC

Media and Society

Complete 18 credit hours from the following:

COMM-275 Dissident Media: Voices from the Underground FA4 (3)
COMM-280 Contemporary Media in a Global Society FA3 (3)
COMM-359 Decisive Moments in Communication (3)
COMM-360 Myths of the Media (3)
COMM-365 Digital Media and Culture (3)
COMM-391 Communication Careers Internship (2)
COMM-401 Communication Law (3) if not used to fulfill media and ethics requirement above
COMM-409 Journalism Ethics (3) if not used to fulfill media and ethics requirement above
COMM-411 History of Documentary (3)
COMM-414 History of Cross-Cultural Cinema (3)
COMM-415 Children, Youth, and Digital Culture (3)
COMM-416 Topics in Film and Media Arts (3) with permission of the student’s advisor
COMM-443 Foreign Policy and the Press (3)
COMM-489 Communication, Culture, and the Environment (3)
COMM-491 Senior Professional Internship (3)
COMM-503 Broadcast and Multimedia Journalism Management (3)
COMM-514 Censorship and Media (3)
COMM-533 Ethics in Strategic Communication (3) if not used to fulfill media and ethics requirement above
COMM-538 Contemporary Media Issues (3)
COMM-558 Survey of American Cinema (3)
An approved elective outside of SOC

Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees

American University offers students the opportunity to earn both undergraduate and graduate degrees through its combined bachelor’s/master’s programs. See Combined Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees for more information.