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Academic Opportunities

Scholarships and Fellowships

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The Financial Aid and Scholarships Office encourages students to submit a Continuing Undergraduate Scholarship Application! 

There are over 400 scholarship opportunities with awards ranging from $200 to $10,000, all accessible with just one general application. The application includes a few short response questions; students are then matched with scholarships they are eligible for. Selection criteria vary from academic merit, financial need, and community involvement. 

For more information, visit ucsd.academicworks.com

 

Study Abroad

Study Communication Abroad!

Whether you are interested in learning a new language, studying a specific culture and people, or simply want to broaden your horizons, it is important to plan your study abroad experience in advance in coordination with your departmental and college academic advisers.

Study Abroad Steps

  1. Visit the Study Abroad Program Office website to research available programs around the world. 

  2. Meet with the Study Abroad advisor who specializes in programs for Communication majors.

  3. Search for courses and see what previous Communication majors have taken abroad.

  4. Submit your Study Abroad Academic Planning Form to the COMM UG Advising Office (commugrad@ucsd.edu) for pre-approval. 

  5. Meet with your college academic advisor.

  6. Apply for scholarships to help finance your time abroad. 

  7. Study Abroad Experience Begins. Enjoy! Be sure to hold on to all of your course materials (syllabi, papers, etc.)

  8. Up to two courses completed abroad may be petitioned to apply to the Communication major (a maxiumum of 2 courses, towards the Intermediate elective requirement).
    • Courses must transfer back to UCSD as upper division (numbered 100 and higher), a minimum of 4 quarter units each, and must be passed with a C- grade or higher.
    • After you've returned from abroad, and after those courses have posted to your academic history on your transcript, complete your petition(s). Include the title of the course, the number of units, and how the course related to the major. Attach the course syllabus. Submit completed petitions to the COMM UG Advising Office (commugrad@ucsd.edu) for our Faculty Advisor to review. 



UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP)

The Communication Department highly encourages students to consider studying abroad! It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to form new connections, gain perspectives, and experience a different culture as an undergraduate while taking courses at a world-renowned academic institution. 

Students who participate in the UC Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) can select from 40 different countries (and counting) and over 400 different program options. Most programs offer courses that may be applied to the Communication major! 

Academic Planning for Study Abroad
Short or long term programs, including summer, quarter, semester, or year-long, are available. Most study abroad students participate during their junior or senior year, but the Communication major is flexible enough to allow students to participate at a time that works for them. 
Up to two courses completed abroad may be petitioned to apply to the Communication major (a maxiumum of 2 courses, towards the major's Intermediate elective requirement).
  • Courses must transfer back to UCSD as upper division (numbered 100 and higher), a minimum of 4 quarter units each, and must be passed with a C- grade or higher.
  • After you've returned from abroad, and after those courses have posted to your academic history on your transcript, complete your petition(s). Include the title of the course, the number of units, and how the course related to the major. Attach the course syllabus. Submit completed petitions to the COMM UG Advising Office (commugrad@ucsd.edu) for our Faculty Advisor to review.
  • Your Communication Department Advising Team can help you develop a personal academic planning worksheet that incorporates study abroad plans. 
     
UCEAP Course Catalog
The UCEAP Course Catalog lists courses previously completed by UCEAP students and indicates how many lower or upper division UC quarter units each course was awarded upon transfer.

Interested? Explore Your Options!
We encourage interested students to check out the Tritons UCEAP and Get Started webpages. There you will also find information on financing study abroad and scholarship assistance, housing, application deadlines, and more! 

Study-Abroad-COMM-Website---Rachel.pngI studied at Accent, a study abroad center in London, England. The program is through UCEAP and called London’s Calling. I chose London, because it has a wide range of areas to visit, each being enriched with its own history, such as Soho, Westminster, and Notting Hill. Since I want to work in entertainment in the future, I wanted to live in a city where the entertainment industry was prominent, and London is the perfect place filled with movie premieres, concerts, and musicals. The classes I’m taking abroad are London Society and Space, London’s Music Scene, and Shakespeare’s London. I am taking London Society and Space as a comm course as it explores the themes of modernity, power and equality, and culture and identity while examining London as a global city. This program is on the quarter schedule and is for all the UC colleges, so all the people you meet are from other UC schools. I feel like studying abroad has allowed me to get out of my comfort zone by making new friends and saying yes to new experiences. I’ve had to learn how to be independent in a different country through figuring out public transportation, where to buy groceries, and exploring new areas by myself. I’ve been able to enrich my understanding of communication by getting an international perspective on how different culture is in Europe compared to America. Being someone who’s interested in marketing, it’s been captivating to see how London makes use of the double-decker buses and tube stations to market movies, musicals, and music albums. I’ve been able to explore my interest in the film industry by attending the London film festival where I was able to experience film premieres for the movies “The Wanted” and “Bones and All”. I’ve also been able to explore my interest in the music industry by visiting the Universal Music London office and attending concerts for Polydor Records. I would advise students to talk to the study abroad office about their interests and see what classes they can apply towards the comm major, their possible minors, and any general education requirements they need to fulfill. When studying abroad, take advantage of seeing other countries too since you don’t know when you’ll be in Europe to do this again. I’ve been able to travel to Paris, Dublin, Barcelona, and Amsterdam while here and have had an amazing time!" -- Rachel, Communication Major, Class of 2022

Global Seminars

UC San Diego Global Seminars are summer session global experiences led by a UCSD professor. Students enroll in a package of two courses for a total of eight UCSD quarter units. Class sizes are between 15–28 students, so there are excellent opportunities for one-on-one interaction with some of the best faculty at UCSD. All courses are taught in English.

Please visit the UCSD Global Seminar webpage for more details. 

Research Opportunities


Research with a Communication Faculty Member (COMM 198 and 199)

COMM 198: Directed Group Study in Communication is a group study completed with a professor of your choice. Students should first reach out to the professor to determine if they are available for the course. Once the professor has agreed, students may enroll in COMM 198 via these enrollment instructions

COMM 199: Independent Study in Communication is an independent study completed with a professor of your choice. Students should first reach out to the professor to determine if they are available for the course. Once the professor has agreed, students may enroll in COMM 199 via these enrollment instructions

Only one COMM 198 or 199 may be petitioned to count towards the Communication Intermediate Elective course requirement. Students must submit an Undergraduate Student Petition to commugrad@ucsd.edu

Other Research Opportunities

There are all sorts of opportunities to participate in research!

This site connects students to a wide array of UC San Diego research opportunities. URH has a variety of programs and scholarships that allow students to pursue research in their area of interest with the guidance of a faculty mentor and support of a cohort of students doing their own independent research at the same time. 

The REAL Portal is a networking space that allows students to connect with open research opportunities on and off campus with a wide range of time commitments. Opportunities may be at a local lab or supporting a PhD student or faculty member in their research on campus. Students also have the opportunity to upload information and a resume to be contacted about opportunities.

The Triton Research & Experiential Learning Scholars (TRELS​) program is sponsored by the Council of Provosts of the Undergraduate Colleges at UC San Diego and the Undergraduate Research Hub. TRELS empowers students to pursue intellectual opportunities beyond the classroom, by providing support in the form of funding and mentorship. This program is intended to expose students to experiential learning, including, but not limited to research, guided artistic or creative projects, and public service opportunities, under the guidance of a UC San Diego faculty member. There is a particular emphasis on serving students who may face obstacles in pursuing such opportunities.

This is a networking site that connects UCSD students to internship, job, and career opportunities both on and off campus. This is similar to LinkedIn; recruiters and companies can view resumes that are uploaded and reach out to students that may fit open positions within the company.


Academic Internships

Communication Department students have a wide variety of opportunities to gain advanced and specific experience as an intern to help propel your career goals. Many Communication students do internships in local firms and organizations, including media companies, advertising and public relations firms, non-profits and community organizations.

Academic Internship Program

The Academic Internship Program allows students to integrate academic theory and ‘real world' practice, engage in research that explores the relationship between the two, and gain hands-on experience in professional settings. Information about available internships can be found at the Academic Internship Program Office (located at Geisel Library in the Teaching + Learning Commons). The department's extensive list of off-campus internships will give you a sense of the kinds of internship opportunities previous Communication students have experienced.

Academic Internship Program Course (AIP 197)

Students receive academic quarter units for up to three quarters for participating in various internship opportunities. The units earned are scaled to match the hours worked per quarter. 

Students who enroll in AIP 197 may petition to use one of these courses towards the major's Intermediate Elective requirement. (Note that the AIP 197 must have been taken for at least 4 units.) 

To petition, follow these steps:

  • Once the AIP 197 grade is posted to your Academic History, complete an Undergraduate Student Petition,
  • Include in the body of the petition the name of your AIP Faculty Advisor, 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 the department Advising Office (commugrad@ucsd.edu) for review.

 
Communication Department AIP Faculty Mentors

Fall 2023

Winter and Spring 2024

Summer Quarters
The Communication Department does not have assigned AIP faculty mentors during the summer. Please email individual faculty (for example, a faculty member whose course you've taken) to ask their willingness and availability to mentor you during your summer internship. 

UC Washington Center (UCDC) and UC Center Sacramento (UCCS)

UC Washington Center (UCDC) and UC Center Sacramento (UCCS) are unique opportunites for Communication students! 

UCDC is an academic program that allows University of California students to continue their studies and gain valuable on-the-job experience while living in Washington D.C. Students attend a weekly research seminar. Students spend 24-32 hours each week at their internships, from working on Capitol Hill or in a government agency to interning for a major media outlet, a nonprofit organization, or a cultural institution. Students also attend a weekly research seminar. 

The UCCS Program allows University of California students to combine academics, research, and public service while living in Sacramento. Past UCSD students have interned in the State Capitol (with State Assemblymembers and State Senators, Committees, and Offices), various government departments and agencies (such as the Department of Public Health, Department of Housing & Community Development, the Environmental Protection Agency), and organizations (such as LULAC, California Forward, and more). 

For more information, including eligibility criteria and deadlines to keep in mind, we invite you to review slides from the most recent Communication / UCDC / UCCS presentation. 

UCDC & UCCS ADVISING

Advisors are available in-person and virtually to answer your questions about the UCDC and UCCS programs. (Please view their current schedule here.)