Communication
Department Office: 244 Lincoln Hall, 702 South Wright, Urbana, (217) 333-2683
The Communication major prepares 21st century students to become critical thinkers, avid consumers of information, and effective problem solvers in both their personal and professional lives.
The goal of the Communication course of study is for undergraduates to learn about communication from a broad liberal arts perspective. Students will study the nature of effective communication across domains, develop effective communication skills, and gain knowledge of how to help others improve their skills. Students gain theoretical and practical knowledge of public advocacy and debate and the critical capacity to evaluate the face-to-face and mediated political and cultural information upon which we all depend. They also should achieve a sophisticated understanding of the political and social import of communication on all aspects of public and private life, from public policy and health care to cultural norms, personal interactions, and notions of racial, class, gender, and sexual identity.
Communication is an appropriate major for:
- students seeking a general liberal arts education, with a particular focus on communication issues
- students preparing for careers in many different fields involving communication skills (for example, law, business management, sales, public relations, human resources, corporate communication, consulting, media-related fields, or politics)
- students preparing for graduate work in areas such as communication, media studies, public policy, or public health
- students preparing for advanced study in law, medicine, business, or human resources
Major in Sciences and Letters Curriculum
E-mail: communication@illinois.edu
Degree title: Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts and Sciences
Minimum required major course work equates to a minimum of 37 hours of Communication courses.
General education: Students must complete the Campus General Education requirements.
Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours
Departmental distinction: Superior students are encouraged to consult the departmental honors adviser about requirements and opportunities for participation in the departmental honors program.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | CMN 101- Public Speaking or CMN 112- Oral & Written Comm II 1 |
| 4 | CMN 102- Intro to Comm Theory & Res |
| 30 | OPTION A: Students who wish a general course of study will take at least one course from five of the following six areas and the remaining hours will be selected in consultation with an advisor. OPTION B: Students who choose to concentrate within an area must take four courses from one of the six areas listed below and the remaining hours will be selected in consultation with an advisor. Students may complete more than one specialization by completing four courses in each area desired; however, individual courses may not be counted toward more than one specialization. Special topics courses (CMN 199, CMN 396, or CMN 496) may count toward a specialization with the approval of an advisor; however, CMN 199, CMN 390, CMN 491, and CMN 493 taken as independent studies may not count toward the four required courses for a specialization. Approved lists of courses within these areas are available from the Communication academic advisor:
|
| 37 | Total hours |
1. CMN 111 is a prerequisite for CMN 112. Credit in CMN 111 will not count towards the minimum of 37 hours of Communication courses required for the major.
At least 15 hours of the required 37 hours in Communication must be at the 300 level or above.
Twelve hours of 300- or 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.
All foreign language requirements must be satisfied.
Students will select an option (A or B) and a specialization (if Option B is chosen) in consultation with an undergraduate advisor in Communication.
Minor in Communication
E-mail: communication@illinois.edu
communication.illinois.edu
The undergraduate minor in Communication is designed for students who wish to obtain a deeper understanding of communication processes and how they influence social, cultural, and political processes. It is appropriate for students majoring in a variety of disciplines in the social sciences or humanities and for students in professionally-oriented programs.
| Hours | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 3 | CMN 101-Public Speaking or CMN 112- Oral & Written Comm II1 |
| 4 | CMN 102 -Intro to Comm Theory & Res |
| 6 | At least one course from each of two areas of specialization within the Department of Communication (Communication and Culture, Communication and Health, Communication and Organizations, Interpersonal Communication, Mediated Communication and Technology, and Rhetoric and Public Communication). These courses must be numbered at the 200-level or above. A list of courses is available from the Communication undergraduate advisor. |
| 6 | Additional hours in Communication chosen in consultation with, and with the approval of, a departmental advisor. These courses must be numbered at the 200-level or above. |
| 19 | Total |
At least 6 hours must be at the 300-level or 400-level.
1. CMN 111 is a prerequisite for CMN 112. Credit in CMN 111 will not count towards the 19 hours of Communication courses required for the minor.