Double Major
Many students find the Communication major flexible enough to accommodate adding a second major, also known as double majoring. Students pursuing a double major complete two sets of degree requirements and earn one bachelor’s degree when finished.
Double major combinations vary depending on the student's interests. Communication students have recently pursued double majors with:
- Anthropology with a Concentration in Climate Change and Human Solutions
- Business Psychology
- Cognitive Science with Specialization in Language and Culture
- Cognitive Science with a Specialization in Design and Interaction
- Critical Gender Studies
- Data Science
- Economics-Public Policy
- Education Sciences
- Ethnic Studies
- Global Health
- International Relations
- International Studies – International Business
- Latin American Studies
- Linguistics
- Literature
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Public Health
- Psychology
- Sociology - Social Inequality
- Sociology - Law and Society
- Theatre
- Urban Studies and Planning
- Visual Arts - Media
The full list of majors offered by UCSD, with links to the departments that offer them, may be found here.
It is important to thoroughly review the University's double major policies (also found in the General Catalog). Your plan to complete the requirements of both majors must be feasible (within six quarters for transfer students; twelve quarters for first-year students).
In addition, students must follow the Communication Department's double major policies:
- All courses taken for the Communication major must be taken for a letter grade (and receive a C- or better grade).
- Students must fulfill the separate requirements of each major, and the equivalent of at least ten upper-division courses (40 units) must be unique to each major.
- A maximum of 2 upper-division courses (8 units) may overlap between double majors. Both departments must approve the overlaps in the double major petition.
- A maximum of 2 upper-division courses (8 units) from outside the Communication Department may be petitioned to count towards the COMM major's Intermediate Elective requirement. Each course petitioned must be related to our department's curriculum. To petition, students must submit an Undergraduate Student Petition along with the course syllabus to commugrad@ucsd.edu. These will be forwarded to the Undergraduate Faculty Advisor to review.
The Communication Department Advising Office is happy to help you explore double majors and advise you on your double major paperwork. These conversations are best conducted via the VAC and/or in an advising appointment. Completed double major paperwork may be sent to commugrad@ucsd.edu for review and approval.