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The Communication Major


Overview

The Communication major requires 13 total courses, all of which must be taken for a letter grade. Effective Fall 2022, a grade of C- or better is required in all courses for the major.

1 Lower Division Core Course
  • COMM 10: Introduction to Communication
4 Upper Division Core Courses 
  • COMM 100A: Communication, the Person, and Everyday Life
  • COMM 100B: Communication, Culture, and Representation
  • COMM 100C: Communication, Institutions, and Power
  • COMM 190: Junior Seminar 
8 Upper Division Communication Course Electives 
  • 2 advanced course electives (COMM 120 - 189)
  • 6 additional upper division course electives, either Intermediate (COMM 101 - 119) or Advanced (COMM 120 - 189)

Note:

  • Petition to count courses outside of the Communication Department towards the major:
    • Students may petition a maximum of 2 upper division courses taken outside of the department to count towards the major's Intermediate Elective requirement. (Examples: EAP, courses in other UCSD departments, and courses at other UC campus).
    • These courses must be upper division (numbered 100+), at least 4 units, and taken for a letter grade.
    • Complete an Undergraduate Student Petition: include the title of the course, the number of units, the course description (from the course catalog), and how the course relates to the major. Attach the course's syllabus and submit the completed petition to commugrad@ucsd.edu for review by the department's Faculty Advisor.
  • Petition to count COMM 198 (Directed Group Study in Communication) or COMM 199 (Independent Study in Communication) towards the major: 
    • Students who enroll in COMM 198 or 199 may petition to count one of these courses towards the major's Intermediate Elective requirement. 
    • To enroll in these courses, students must first submit a Special Studies Course applicationThese independent study courses are only offered for a P/NP grade.
    • Complete an Undergraduate Student Petition and submit to commugrad@ucsd.edu for review by the department's Faculty Advisor. Detail in the body of the petition the work completed in the course and the name of Faculty Mentor. 
  • Petition to count Academic Internship Program (AIP) 197 towards the major:
    • Students who enroll in AIP 197 may petition to count one of these courses towards the  major's Intermediate Elective requirement
    • Once the AIP 197 grade is posted to the your Academic History, complete an Undergraduate Student Petition. Include in the body of the petition the name of the company/organization, the start and end date, and 3 - 5 sentences about how the internship relates to the major. Submit the petition to commugrad@ucsd.edu for review by the department's Faculty Advisor.



Major Residency Requirement

The core courses below must all be taken in residency at UCSD. They cannot be transferred or taken abroad. Please see your college advisor for further residency requirements.

  • COMM 10: Introduction to Communication
  • COMM 100A: Communication, the Person, and Everyday Life
  • COMM 100B: Communication, Culture, and Representation 
  • COMM 100C: Communication, Institutions, and Power
  • COMM 190: Junior Seminar
  • 6 COMM Upper Division Electives