Minor in Communication Studies

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[Pre-FALL 2009 curriculum]

This is the only minor offered by the school. It provides an overview of the field of mass communication and requires 24 credits chosen from the list below. All the courses listed below are four-credit courses. You must apply to the school to be accepted as a declared minor student.

Some of the courses below have been eliminated or renamed in the 2009-10 curriculum. Discuss your course options with a journalism adviser.

Required course (4 credits):

  • J201 Mass Media and Society

Elective courses (choose 20 credits):

  • J314 Introduction to Communication Studies*
  • J320 Women, Minorities, and the Media*
  • J340 Principles of Advertising
  • J350 Principles of Public Relations
  • J385 Communication Law
  • J386 Communication Economics*
  • J387 Communication History
  • J388 Communication Theory and Criticism*
  • J396 International Communication
  • J397 Mass Media Ethics
  • J412 Issues in Communication Studies (Topics vary. Repeatable once when topic changes.)
  • J416 Survey of the Documentary
  • J417 Public Media and Culture*
  • J418 Communication and Democracy*
  • J446 Advertising and Society*
  • J455 Third World Development Communication*
  • J492 International Journalism*
  • J497 Media Management and Economics*

The courses below are part of the new communication studies minor (effective Fall 2009). Students completing the pre-Fall 2009 minor requirements (listed above) may also use these courses toward the elective section of the minor.

  • J467 Issues in International Communication (Topics vary. Repeatable three times when topic changes.)
  • J495 Research Methods (Topics vary. Repeatable three times when topic changes.)
  • J496 Issues in Communication Ethics & Law (Topics vary. Repeatable three times when topic changes.)

All courses must be passed with a P/C- or better. Where appropriate, journalism majors who want to pursue a minor in Communication Studies may use the courses above to count toward their major and their minor requirements. See an adviser for more details.

* The 2009-10 curriculum has impacted these courses. If you have taken any of these courses before the changes went into place, they still fulfill the requirement. You do not need to repeat the courses.

  • J314 Introduction to Communication Studies has been renamed J314 Introduction to Media Studies and is now a variable credit course. Minor students only need to take J314 as a three-credit course. If this course is chosen is one of the electives, the minor is complete with 23 credits instead of 24.
  • J320 Women, Minorities and the Media has been renamed J320 Gender, Media, Diversity.
  • J386 Communication Economics has been dropped from the curriculum. "Communication Economics" will become one of the J412 topics. If you have taken J386, you may not earn credit for J412 Communication Economics.
  • J388 Communication Theory & Criticism has been dropped from the curriculum. "Communication Theory & Criticism" will become one of the J412 topics. If you have taken J388, you may not earn credit for J412 Communication Theory & Criticism.
  • J397 Mass Media Ethics has been renamed J397 Media Ethics.
  • J415 Telecommunication Policy has been dropped from the curriculum.
  • J417 Public Media and Culture has been dropped from the curriculum. "Public Media and Culture" will become one of the J412 topics. If you have taken J417, you may not earn credit for J412 Public Media and Culture.
  • J418 Communication and Democracy has been dropped from the curriculum. "Communication and Democracy" will become one of the J412 topics. If you have taken J418, you may not earn credit for J412 Communication and Democracy.
  • J446 Advertising and Society has been dropped from the curriculum. "Advertising and Society" will become one of the J412 topics. If you have taken J446, you may not earn credit for J412 Advertising and Society.
  • J455 Third World Development Communication has been dropped from the curriculum. "Third World Development Communication" will become one of the J467 Issues in International Communication topics. If you have taken J455, you may not earn credit for J467 Third World Development Communication.
  • J492 International Journalism has been dropped from the curriculum. "International Journalism" will become one of the J467 Issues in International Communication topics. If you have taken J492, you may not earn credit for J467 International Journalism.
  • J497 Media Management and Economics has been dropped from the curriculum.

Special Note about the Fall 2012 J314 class:
J314 is a variable credit course. JCOM majors take the course for four credits. CMST minors take the course for three credits. To accomplish this, JCOM majors are required to take an additional lab. Minor students are not required to take the lab. BOTTOM LINE: Make sure you register for the right CRNs.

If you are a communication studies MAJOR (JCOM): You should register for CRNs 13806 (lecture) and 13807 (Friday) lab. You also have to change your credits from 3 to 4. The DuckWeb default is 3 credits. Before Nov.11, 2012, you must change your credits from 3 to 4. Use the "change variable credit/grading option" function in your DuckWeb registration menu to change the 3 to 4. (Don't forget to hit the "submit changes" button at the bottom of the page.) As a JCOM major, you'll attend a discussion section in addition to the TR 1400-1520 lecture. This discussion section (CRN 13807) will be held F 0900-0950.

If you are a communication studies MINOR (CMST): You should register for CRNs 13806 (lecture) and 13808 (TBA lab). You only need to take this course for 3 credits. Your "discussion section" is CRN 13808. On the schedule, this CRN has no time/day listed. This lab will not be scheduled. You do not have to attend an additional discussion section. You only need to attend the lecture.