BA with a Major in Communication
Degree Requirements
To earn a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences degree from UIC, students must complete university, college, and department degree requirements. The Department of Communication degree requirements are outlined below. Students should consult the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for additional degree requirements and college academic policies.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Summary of Requirements | ||
| Major Requirements | 33 | |
| General Education and Electives to reach Minimum Total Hours | 87 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
General Education
See General Education and Writing-in-the-Discipline in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences section for information on meeting these requirements.
Major Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Courses | ||
| COMM 101 | Introduction to Communication a | 3 |
| COMM 102 | Introduction to Interpersonal Communication a | 3 |
| COMM 103 | Introduction to Media a | 3 |
| COMM 200 | Communication Technologies | 3 |
| COMM 301 | Communication Research b,e | 3 |
| Select five additional communication courses at the 200, 300, or 400 level with at least two courses at the 400 level c | 15 | |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Seminar in Culture and Communication d | ||
| Seminar in Media and Communication d | ||
| Total Hours | 33 | |
- a
This course is approved for the Understanding the Individual and Society General Education category.
- b
COMM 301 also fulfills the Writing-in-the-Discipline requirement.
- c
Exclusive of COMM 490 and COMM 491. No more than 3 hours of COMM 474 or 3 hours of COMM 498 may be applied toward the major.
- d
Only one of the seminars, COMM 490 or COMM 491, may be applied toward the major in Communication.
- e
Students may not register in 100-, 200-, and 300-level COMM core courses concurrently. For example, students must complete COMM 101, COMM 102, and COMM 103 before they can register in COMM 301.
Recommended Plan of Study
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Fall Semester | Hours | |
| ENGL 160 | Academic Writing I: Writing in Academic and Public Contexts | 3 |
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3-5 | |
| Hours | 13-15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| ENGL 161 | Academic Writing II: Writing for Inquiry and Research | 3 |
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Communication a | ||
| Introduction to Interpersonal Communication a | ||
| Introduction to Media a | ||
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Communication a | ||
| Introduction to Interpersonal Communication a | ||
| Introduction to Media a | ||
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Introduction to Communication a | ||
| Introduction to Interpersonal Communication a | ||
| Introduction to Media a | ||
| Foreign Language | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement course | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement course/Elective | 2-5 | |
| Electives | 3 | |
| Hours | 15-18 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| COMM 200 | Communication Technologies | 3 |
| Quantitative Reasoning Requirement b | 3-5 | |
| General Education Requirement course/Elective | 3 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 15-17 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| COMM 301 | Communication Research | 3 |
| COMM 2xx, 3xx, or 4xx c,d | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement course/Elective | 3 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Fourth Year | ||
| Fall Semester | ||
| COMM 2xx, 3xx, or 4xx c,d | 3 | |
| COMM 2xx, 3xx, or 4xx c,d | 3 | |
| Electives | 9 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring Semester | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Seminar in Culture and Communication e | ||
| Seminar in Media and Communication e | ||
| COMM 2xx, 3xx, or 4xx c,d | 3 | |
| COMM 2xx, 3xx, or 4xx c,d | 3 | |
| Electives | 6 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 120 | |
- a
Two of these courses may be used to satisfy two of the nine courses in the General Education Program.
- b
COMM 201 may be used to satisfy the LAS Quantitative Reasoning Requirement with a grade of C or better.
- c
Five Communication courses at the 200, 300, or 400 level with at least two courses at the 400 level.
- d
No more than 3 hours of either COMM 474 or COMM 498 may be applied toward the major.
- e
Only one of the seminars, COMM 490 or COMM 491, may be applied toward the major.
Note: COMM 100, COMM 105, and COMM 140 do not count toward the major. Students may not register in 100-, 200-, and 300-level COMM core courses concurrently. For example, students must complete COMM 101, COMM 102, and COMM 103 before they can register for COMM 301.