The Field
Majors focus on the role of communication in society, learning new ways of thinking about communication as they explore everything from family communication to new media technologies. Students develop critical and analytical skills for understanding the role of communication in their own lives and in the larger society.
The goals are analytical: to understand how communication processes work, whether in an argument between friends, in a political speech, in misunderstandings between people from different cultures, or in how a television program may affect children. Emphasis is on theory, methods of inquiry, and critical thinking on a variety of topics, including the technologies of communication and the nature of social institutions, communication and the constitution of social identities and relationships, communication and cultural politics, intercultural and global communication, film history and theory, mass media effects, and regulations affecting communication technologies.
Journalism
The major in Journalism is separate from the major in Communication. For information on the major in Journalism, see the entry under Journalism.
The Major
Unlike most college-level communication programs, the curriculum is neither technical nor skills-based. No courses are offered in applied industry training such as advertising, public relations or broadcasting, and only one course in public speaking. Students can count only two courses in TV/film production toward major requirements. Students are very successful at gaining such applied training and skills through internships or various extracurricular campus experiences, e.g., working at the campus TV station, radio station or newspaper.
Because of the popularity of the major, 100- and 200-level classes aimed at freshmen and sophomores are generally large lecture classes. Upper-level (300- and 400-level) classes typically range from 20 to 40 plus students and are usually restricted to juniors and seniors who have been formally admitted to the major.
Admission to the Major
Admission to the undergraduate major is restricted. Although many first-year and transfer students are admitted directly into the Communication major when they are admitted to the university, the major is restricted for students already on campus.
Students who are not directly admitted may apply to the major during the semester in which they complete the following three courses:
1. COMM 118 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
2. COMM 121 Introduction to Media and Culture
3. One analytical reasoning course, i.e., a General Education R2 course.
Enrollment in these courses is limited. No action will be taken on an application until grades have been received for these three courses.
Students not directly admitted to the major must complete and submit a written application provided by the Department of Communication. The application includes 1) an up-to-date, unofficial transcript that includes the grades received in the three predictor courses, above, and 2) one to three written statements on the student's academic interests and record, career goals, and reasons for wishing to become a Communication major. Forms are available from Machmer 417.
The evaluation of the application is based primarily on: 1) performance in Communication courses, 2) overall academic record, and 3) the written statement(s). For the 2006-08 academic year, it is projected that students with GPAs above 2.9 in University of Massachusetts Amherst Communication classes and above 2.7 overall in UMass Amherst classes will be guaranteed admission but that a number of students with GPAs below these thresholds will also be admitted. Applications with an overall UMass Amherst GPA or UMass Communication GPA below these thresholds are considered on a case-by-case basis. Read more...
Major Requirements
Students majoring in Communication must complete at least 12 courses (36 credits) in Communication. The following specific requirements apply to students entering the program in Fall 2000 or later.
1. All three of the following (9 credits):
118 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
121 Introduction to Media and Culture
375 Writing About Communication (fulfills Junior Year Writing requirement)
2. At least one course (3 credits) from the following:
212 Cultural Codes in Communication
263 Introduction to Argumentation and Debate
265 Democracy and Discourse
297M Communicating Gender
297V Ethnography of Performance
310 Persuasion Theory
318 Comparative Communication Theory
352 Small Group Communication
366 Approaches to Rhetorical Criticism
3. At least one course (3 credits) from the following:
222 Media Programming and Institutions
226 Social Impact of Mass Media
240 Modes of Film Communication
287 Advertising as Social Communication
297E Special Topic: Popular Culture and Cultural Studies
397T Special Topic: Contemporary World Cinema
4. Seven additional courses (21 credits minimum). At least 15 credits (five courses, including 375) of the total 36 credits for the major must be at the 300 level or above, and must include at least three credits from courses numbered at the 400 level or above.
Each semester a number of Special Topics (COMM 297, 397, 497, or 597) and Seminar (COMM 491, 492, 493, 494, 495, 591, 592, 593, 594, or 595) courses may also be used as electives. Read more...
Restrictions:
1. All major courses must be taken for a letter grade, not Pass/Fail.
2. Only three credits of COMM 396 Independent Study may be used within the 36 credits of departmental requirements.
3. General practicum (UMASS 298Y) credits may not be counted toward the major.
4. Students must take a minimum of 21 credits (seven courses) within the Department of Communication to be eligible for graduation as a Communication major.
A maximum of 15 credits (five courses) taken at other schools or from other departments and programs at the University of Massachusetts may be counted toward the major. These courses must be directly related to the Communication major, and must receive prior approval for major credit from the Director of Undergraduate Studies or the Chief Adviser.
5. A minimum GPA of 2.0 in the major is required for graduation.
6. Only 6 credits of production courses may be applied toward the 36-credit department requirement.
Internships and International Exchanges
Internships are optional, supervised apprenticeships that serve as introduction to many types of organizations and professional work. They can provide applied, hands-on experiences that complement the theoretical orientation of the undergraduate curriculum. In many cases, they provide experiences and connections that help students find jobs after graduation. It is possible to design research projects for Communication credit that coordinate with internships. Read more...
Communication majors are encouraged to study abroad, and over 40 majors do so each year. Many such students report the experience to be life-changing. Read more...
Career Opportunities
The B.A. in Communication is a liberal arts degree, preparing students for any career that calls for higher literacy skills, analytical reasoning, and critical thinking. The Communication major helps prepare many students for work as communication specialists in industry; local, state, and federal government agencies; educational institutions; research organizations; political organizations; and religious groups. Specific positions in such organizations can include: production, sales, and programming positions for radio and television stations; media and communication advisers for political campaigns, intercultural organizations, labor unions, and government agencies; and communication consultants for personnel management, advertising, and sales organizations.
Surveys of Communication alumni indicate that about 30 percent of graduates work in print, film, and broadcast communication industries; about 45 percent work in government, non-profit or business-related occupations, such as advertising, public relations, sales, financial or social services, and administration; and about 20 percent go on to graduate study, professional schools or teaching. Read more...
