Dec 12, 2024  
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2024-2025 Undergraduate Catalog

Communication, B.A.


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Communication Foundation Courses (12 credits)


The communication major is required to take four foundation courses. These courses will be taken during the freshman and sophomore years. The courses are:

Communication Concentrations (18 credits)


Communication majors are required to select one of five concentrations that will focus their study of communication on: advertising, communication studies, journalism, public relations, or sports communication. These course requirements constitute a systematic study of the application of communication principles to a particular area of interest or specific profession. The courses which make up the communication concentration requirements provide a focus and depth of study for the communication student.

Journalism Concentration: 18 cr


Communication Electives (15 credits)


Each student is required to take five additional communication elective courses beyond their concentration requirements, two of which can be at the 200 level while the other three must be at the 300-400 level. A student, in consultation with a communication faculty advisor, will select five communication electives. These courses may be drawn from any area of the communication curriculum. These courses could be selected to allow a greater depth in investigating subjects encountered in the communication foundation or concentration requirements. Alternatively, these courses could be designed to broaden a student’s understanding of subjects beyond the student’s specialized concentration.

Note: Internships carry non-liberal-arts elective credits and will not fulfill the above requirements.

Communication Capping Course (3 credits)


Courses in Related Fields (6 credits)


Consistent with our mission to prepare communication students to live in a global economy, we require students to take two courses that help them to communicate with diverse audiences. A student may meet this requirement by selecting courses from Modern Language offerings in language (any level) or culture or by selecting courses from the following list or by selecting other suitable courses with the approval of their advisors. 

  • Foreign Language and/or Culture requirement 6 Credit(s) (COM LC)

Core/Liberal Studies or other requirements


Students are permitted to count a course as fulfilling both a COM LC and a COM Cog requirement.

Summary of Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts in Communication


Note: A minimum of 90 credits in Liberal Arts is required.

1.0 Course Requirements in Communication: 48 cr


  • Communication Foundation Courses 12 Credit(s)
  • Communication Concentration Courses 18 Credit(s)
  • Communication Electives 15 Credit(s)
  • Communication Capping Course 3 Credit(s)

2.0 Course Requirements in Related Fields: 6 cr


  • Foreign Language and/or Culture courses 6 Credit(s)

Total Credit Requirement for a Major in Communication: 54 cr


3.0 Core/Liberal Studies Requirements


3.1 Foundation: 7 cr


3.2 Distribution


Breadth: 24 cr

  • 3 Credit(s)
  • Ethics, Applied Ethics, or Religious Studies 3 Credit(s)
  • Fine Arts 3 Credit(s)
  • History 3 Credit(s)
  • Literature 3 Credit(s)
  • Mathematics 3 Credit(s)
  • Natural Science 3 Credit(s)
  • Social Science 3 Credit(s)
Pathway: 12 cr

Breadth and Pathway courses may overlap, but all students must take a total of 36 distribution credits (including related field requirements). Students majoring in Breadth areas may apply a maximum of 6 credits to their distribution total. If applicable to a Pathway, 3 credits may come from disciplines outside of Core Breadth areas. Although foreign language and culture courses are not required within the Core, some courses in these fields may be used to fulfill distribution requirements. See the Core/LS Program website for a detailed list of all courses that satisfy distribution requirements.

  • Courses addressing an interdisciplinary topic.

Total Core/Liberal Studies Requirement: 43 cr


4.0 General Electives: 23 cr


Total Credit Requirement for Graduation: 120 cr


Internships: 0-14 cr


Students may take up to 14 non-communication, general elective non-liberal arts credits in internships during fall, spring, summer semesters only. Students may enroll in more than one internship. International internships are available through application to the Marist Study Abroad Program. Student must have Junior standing and permission of the Internship Director.

Prerequisite: CRDV 100N - Employment Practicum  (1 credit) must be completed prior to the semester in which the student plans to do an internship.

Recommended Program Sequence for a Bachelor of Arts in Communication


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