Overview

The Department of Communication offers two bachelor’s degrees: Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Bachelor of Arts in Philanthropy.

The degree Bachelor of Arts in Communication is offered with multiple specializations. The department curricula provide students with an overview of the role and function of communication in society. These courses present a broad academic exposure, including theories, skills, techniques, critical analysis, historical perspectives, and aesthetic appreciation.

The Department of Communication seeks to emphasize theories and techniques which give students the ability to adapt to rapid changes in communication technology.

Within the major disciplines, specializations are available in advertising, broadcasting, communication technology, journalism, public relations, organizational communication, and interpersonal communication. 

The Bachelor of Arts in Philanthropy equips students with the necessary theoretical frameworks and practical knowledge about communication, fundraising, and leadership for a career in nonprofit and philanthropic organizations. The major courses provide students with training in nonprofit management, nonprofit ethics, fundraising and development, public relations, and multi-media communication. Students also take grant writing courses from the English department and are recommended to take marketing, management, and other related courses as electives.

All majors in the Department of Communication must complete the following core courses. The department math requirement must be completed before reaching 60 hours

COMM 3300	COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY	3
COMM 3310	COMMUNICATION LAW & ETHICS	3
COMM 3315	COMMUNICATION THEORY	3

Declaring a Major in the Department of Communication

I. Admission to Major

All undergraduate students seeking to declare a major in the Department of Communication (ADVT, BCMN, COMS, CTEC, JOUR, PCOM, PREL) must meet the following criteria:

Completion of a minimum of 12 hours in residence at The University of Texas at Arlington with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.25/4.0.

Students who do not meet these minimum requirements can request to be admitted as a COMM Intended or PCOM intended major. Please see restrictions below.

II. Admission as a COMM Intended or PCOM Intended Major

1. Completion of a minimum of 12 hours in residence at The University of Texas at Arlington with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0/4.0.
2. COMM Intended or PCOM Intended majors may enroll in up to a total of 18 hours in the Department of Communication (ADVT, BCMN, COMS, CTEC, JOUR, PCOM, PREL)
3. Students who do not achieve a cumulative UT Arlington GPA of 2.25/4.0 by the completion of 18 hours in the Department of Communication will not be cleared to continue in the department.

III. Dismissal from Department of Communication COMM Intended or PCOM Intended Status

Students who do not meet the requirements for declaring a Department of Communication major after completing eighteen (18) hours of communication course work will not be allowed to take additional communication courses at UT Arlington. The student will be suspended from the Department of Communication COMM Intended or PCOM Intended status and must choose a major not offered by the Department of Communication at that time in order to remain enrolled at UT Arlington.

General Academic Standards in the Department of Communication

1. Graduation as a major in the Department of Communication must meet the UT Arlington graduation standard of a minimum GPA of 2.0/4.0.
2. Graduation as a major in the Department of Communication must meet the department graduation standard of a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.0/4.0 in all department courses (ADVT, BCMN, COMS, CTEC, JOUR, PCOM, PREL).

Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication

Pre-Professional Courses
General Core Requirements		42
Students must take ENGL 1301 RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I and ENGL 1302 RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II (Note: These courses also fulfill requirements in the General Core) Students should see their individual sequence for the specific COMS requirement. For students pursuing a degree in Philanthropy it is recommended that they take PHIL 1304 to fulfill the Language, Philosophy, Culture requirement, and GEOG 2302 or GEOG 2303 to satisfy the Social and Behavioral Sciences requirement of the Common Core.
The College of Liberal Arts has a modern and classical languages requirement for the B.A. degree. Students must demonstrate proficiency in a modern or classical language at the first-year college level (1441 and 1442) unless the degree pursued does not require a modern or classical language.		8
Student Success requirement: UT Arlington’s first year experience courses are designed to orient students to life on the Maverick campus. Freshman and transfer students are required to receive credit for one of these two classes (UNIV 1101 or UNIV 1131) or an equivalent course. The required course for the degree plan for a program of study will be determined by the college/school/department faculty.		1
Professional Courses
Major
A minimum of 45 semester hours, with 18 at the 3000/4000 level. A student must complete the requirements for one of the departmental specializations.		45
Minor, Certificate, or Electives
Students may complete an optional minor consisting of 18 hours, six of which must be at the 3000/4000 level. The minor will be selected after consulting with an advisor. Students may also complete the Certificate in Digital Media, the Certificate in Professional Communication, or the minor may be combined with the Certificate. Students must also take electives as needed to bring the total number of credit hours to 120.		24
Total Hours		120

Department of Communication Degree Programs

Advertising

COMM 2311	WRITING FOR MASS MEDIA 1	3
COMM 3300	COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY	3
COMM 3303	COMMUNICATION GRAPHICS 1	3
COMM 3310	COMMUNICATION LAW & ETHICS	3
COMM 3315	COMMUNICATION THEORY	3
COMS 2305	BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION	3
PREL 2338	INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC RELATIONS 1	3
PREL 3320	STRATEGIC SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION 1	3
ADVT 2337	INTRODUCTION TO ADVERTISING 1	3
ADVT 3304	STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION I 1	3
ADVT 3305	ADVERTISING MEDIA 1	3
ADVT 3306	STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION II 1	3
ADVT 4300	DIGITAL INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION (IMC) MANAGEMENT 1	3
ADVT 4301	ADVERTISING AND IMC CAMPAIGNS 1	3
Elective within the department at the 3000/4000 level.		3
Total Hours		45

¹

ADVT majors must obtain a minimum grade of C (2.0/4.0 scale) or higher in all of these classes.

Advertising majors must meet the following math requirement: a grade of C (2.0/4.0 scale) or higher in MATH 1308 or MATH 1309, and the following Social Science requirement: ECON 2305. 

Broadcasting

COMM 2311	WRITING FOR MASS MEDIA 1	3
COMM 3300	COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY	3
COMM 3310	COMMUNICATION LAW & ETHICS	3
COMM 3315	COMMUNICATION THEORY	3
BCMN 2347	BROADCAST WRITING AND REPORTING 1	3
BCMN 2357	RADIO PRODUCTION I 1	3
BCMN 2358	TELEVISION PRODUCTION I 1	3
BCMN 2360	INTRODUCTION TO BROADCASTING 1	3
BCMN 3340	ELECTRONIC NEWS 1	3
Select two of the following		6
BCMN 3319	BROADCAST MANAGEMENT 1
BCMN 3360	SPORTS REPORTING 1
BCMN 3380	PODCAST PRODUCTION 1
Select one of the following		3
BCMN 3355	BROADCAST ANNOUNCING 1
COMS 2305	BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION 1
Select one of the following		3
BCMN 4350	ADVANCED TELEVISION REPORTING 1
BCMN 4322	CORPORATE VIDEO PRODUCTION 1
Electives in the department at the 3000/4000 level		6
Total Hours		45

¹

BCMN majors must obtain a minimum grade of C (2.0/4.0 scale) or higher in all of these classes.

Communication Studies: Organizational Communication

COMM 3300	COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY	3
COMM 3303	COMMUNICATION GRAPHICS	3
COMM 3310	COMMUNICATION LAW & ETHICS	3
COMM 3315	COMMUNICATION THEORY	3
COMS 1301	FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING	3
COMS 2304	GROUP COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES 1	3
COMS 2305	BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION 1	3
COMS 3309	ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION 1	3
COMS 4315	BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS 1	3
Select two of the following:		6
COMS 3310	GROUP COMMUNICATION THEORY 1
COMS 3315	COMMUNICATION FOR EDUCATORS 1
COMS 3316	COMMUNICATION IN HUMAN RELATIONS 1
COMS 3320	INTERVIEW PRINCIPLES 1
Select three of the following: 2		9
COMS 4300	PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION 1
COMS 4320	MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION 1
COMS 4322	COMMUNICATION TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT 1
COMM 4300	COMMUNICATION RESEARCH 1
COMM 4350	HEALTH COMMUNICATION 1
COMS 4395	PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP 1
Electives in the department at the 3000/4000 level		3
Total Hours		45

Communication Studies: Interpersonal Communication

COMM 3300	COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY	3
COMM 3303	COMMUNICATION GRAPHICS	3
COMM 3310	COMMUNICATION LAW & ETHICS	3
COMM 3315	COMMUNICATION THEORY	3
COMS 1301	FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING	3
COMS 2304	GROUP COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES 1	3
COMS 3310	GROUP COMMUNICATION THEORY 1	3
COMS 3312	BACKGROUNDS OF PUBLIC ADDRESS 1	3
or COMS 4302	MODERN PUBLIC ADDRESS
COMS 3315	COMMUNICATION FOR EDUCATORS 1	3
COMS 3316	COMMUNICATION IN HUMAN RELATIONS 1	3
Select one of the following:		3
COMS 3321	ORAL INTERPRETATION OF LITERATURE 1
COMS 3323	ORAL INTERPRETATION OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE 1
Select three of the following: 2		9
COMS 4300	PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION 1
COMS 4315	BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS 1
COMS 4321	READERS THEATRE 1
COMM 4300	COMMUNICATION RESEARCH 1
COMM 4350	HEALTH COMMUNICATION 1
COMS 4395	PROFESSIONAL INTERNSHIP 1
Electives in the department at the 3000/4000 level		3
Total Hours		45

¹

COMS majors must obtain a minimum grade of C (2.0/4.0 scale) or higher in all of these classes including COMS 4302.

²

COMS majors must select at least two COMS courses from the list.

 Communication Technology

COMM 2311	WRITING FOR MASS MEDIA	3
COMM 3300	COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY	3
COMM 3303	COMMUNICATION GRAPHICS	3
COMM 3310	COMMUNICATION LAW & ETHICS	3
COMM 3315	COMMUNICATION THEORY	3
COMS 2302	PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING	3
CTEC 2350	WEB COMMUNICATION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 1 1	3
CTEC 3320	MULTIMODAL COMMUNICATION AND DESIGN 1	3
CTEC 3350	WEB COMMUNICATION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 2 1	3
CTEC 4309	INTERNET MARKETING COMMUNICATION 1	3
CTEC 4321	DIGITAL COMMUNICATION MANAGEMENT 1	3
or CTEC 4323	USER EXPERIENCE RESEARCH AND DESIGN
CTEC 4350	WEB COMMUNICATION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 3 1	3
Electives in the department at the 3000/4000 level		9
Total Hours		45

¹

CTEC majors must obtain a minimum grade of C (2.0/4.0 scale) or higher in all of these classes including CTEC 4323.

Journalism

COMM 2311	WRITING FOR MASS MEDIA 1	3
COMM 3300	COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY	3
COMM 3310	COMMUNICATION LAW & ETHICS	3
COMM 3315	COMMUNICATION THEORY	3
JOUR 2330	INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM	3
JOUR 2340	PHOTOJOURNALISM I 1	3
JOUR 2346	REPORTING 1	3
JOUR 3330	DATA JOURNALISM 1	3
JOUR 3341	PHOTOJOURNALISM II 1	3
JOUR 3345	COPY EDITING 1	3
JOUR 4326	FEATURE AND OPINION WRITING 1	3
JOUR 4341	DIGITAL STORYTELLING 1	3
JOUR 4346	PUBLIC AFFAIRS REPORTING 1	3
Electives in the department at the 3000/4000 level		6
Total Hours		45

¹

JOUR majors must obtain a minimum grade of C (2.0/4.0 scale) or higher in all of these classes.

Public Relations

COMM 2311	WRITING FOR MASS MEDIA 1	3
COMM 3300	COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY	3
COMM 3303	COMMUNICATION GRAPHICS	3
COMM 3310	COMMUNICATION LAW & ETHICS	3
COMM 3315	COMMUNICATION THEORY	3
COMS 2305	BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION	3
ADVT 2337	INTRODUCTION TO ADVERTISING	3
PREL 2338	INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC RELATIONS 1	3
PREL 3320	STRATEGIC SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION 1	3
PREL 3339	PUBLIC RELATIONS METHODS I 1	3
PREL 3340	PUBLIC RELATIONS METHODS II 1	3
PREL 4316	PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGNS 1	3
PREL 4320	PUBLIC RELATIONS MANAGEMENT CASE STUDIES 1	3
Electives in the department at the 3000/4000 level		6
Total Hours		45

¹

PREL majors must obtain a minimum grade of C (2.0/4.0 scale) or higher in all of these classes.

Public relations majors must meet the following math requirement: a grade of C (2.0/4.0 scale) or higher in MATH 1308 or MATH 1309, and the following Social Science requirement: ECON 2305. 

Requirements for a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Philanthropy

Pre-Professional Courses
General Core Requirements		42
Students must take the following courses. These courses also fulfill requirements in the General Core.
ENGL 1301	RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION I
ENGL 1302	RHETORIC AND COMPOSITION II
COMS 1301	FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
Student Success requirement: UT Arlington’s first year experience courses are designed to orient students to life on the Maverick campus. Freshman and transfer students are required to receive credit for one of these two classes (UNIV 1101 or UNIV 1131) or an equivalent course. The required course for the degree plan for a program of study will be determined by the college/school/department faculty.		1
Subtotal		43

Professional Courses
Students must complete the professional courses as listed below.
PCOM 2301	INTRODUCTION TO NONPROFITS AND PHILANTHROPY 1	3
COMS 2304	GROUP COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES 1	3
COMS 2305	BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION 1	3
COMM 3315	COMMUNICATION THEORY	3
BCMN 2370	MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION	3
PCOM 3301	FUNDRAISING AND DEVELOPMENT 1	3
COMM 3310	COMMUNICATION LAW & ETHICS	3
COMM 3300	COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY	3
COMM 3303	COMMUNICATION GRAPHICS	3
PCOM 3309	ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION 1	3
PCOM 4315	BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS 1	3
PCOM 3320	STRATEGIC SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION 1	3
PCOM 4301	NONPROFIT MANAGEMENT 1	3
PCOM 4395	DIRECTED INTERNSHIP IN NONPROFITS AND PHILANTHROPY 1	3
ENGL 2338	TECHNICAL WRITING	3
ENGL 3379	GRANT AND PROPOSAL WRITING	3
Select two of the following:		6
COMS 4300	PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION
PCOM 4320	MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION 1
COMM 4350	HEALTH COMMUNICATION
COMM 4305	COMMUNICATION & SOCIETY
PCOM 4393	SPECIAL TOPICS 1
Subtotal		54

¹

PCOM majors must obtain a minimum grade of C (2.0/4.0 scale) or higher in all of these classes.

Electives
Students must take electives as needed to bring the total number of credit hours to 121.		24
Following are recommended electives.
MARK 3321	PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING
MARK 3322	PROFESSIONAL SELLING
MARK 3323	INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION / ADVERTISING
MANA 3320	HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT
MANA 4326	DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS
HIST 4308	GLOBAL HISTORY OF PHILANTHROPY
POLS 3301	INTRODUCTION TO GLOBAL ISSUES
POLS 3303	INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION
POLS 4320	CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, CIVIL SOCIETY, AND COMMUNITY
MODL 1441	TOPICS IN MODERN LANGUAGE LEVEL I
MODL 1442	TOPICS IN MODERN LANGUAGE LEVEL II
MODL 2313	TOPICS IN MODERN LANGUAGE LEVEL III
MODL 2314	TOPICS IN MODERN LANGUAGE LEVEL IV

Total Hours

121

Certificate in Digital Media

This certificate provides students with expertise in using and managing digital media to communicate effectively to audiences in a variety of situations, across multiple platforms.

To earn this certificate students must complete four of the classes listed below with a grade of C or better.  Broadcast majors must take BCMN 2358 instead of BCMN 2370.

Select four of the following:
ADVT 3308	DIGITAL ADVERTISING DESIGN
BCMN 2370	MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION (Broadcast majors must take BCMN 2358 )
BCMN 3380	PODCAST PRODUCTION
COMM 3303	COMMUNICATION GRAPHICS
CTEC 2350	WEB COMMUNICATION DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT 1
CTEC 3320	MULTIMODAL COMMUNICATION AND DESIGN
JOUR 3330	DATA JOURNALISM
JOUR 4341	DIGITAL STORYTELLING
PREL/PCOM 3320	STRATEGIC SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION
Total Hours		12

Certificate in Professional Communication

This certificate develops students’ professional communication competency including oral and written proficiency, effective messaging and presentation, and teamwork and collaboration skills in various work and organizational contexts.

To earn this certificate students must complete two lower-division courses and two upper-division courses from the options listed below with a grade of C or better.

Select two lower-division courses from the following options:		6
COMS 1301	FUNDAMENTALS OF PUBLIC SPEAKING
COMS 2302	PROFESSIONAL AND TECHNICAL COMMUNICATION FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
or COMS 2305	BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION
COMS 2304	GROUP COMMUNICATION PRINCIPLES
Select two upper-division courses from the following options:		6
COMS 3310	GROUP COMMUNICATION THEORY
COMS 3320	INTERVIEW PRINCIPLES
COMS 4300	PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION
COMS/PCOM 4315	BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS
COMS 4322	COMMUNICATION TRAINING AND DEVELOPMENT
Total Hours		12

Certificate in Fundraising and Nonprofit Management

This certificate develops students’ knowledge of the nonprofit sector and trains students in fundraising strategies, nonprofit management, and community engagement.

To earn this certificate students must complete two core courses and two electives from the options listed below with a grade of C or better. PCOM majors must choose two electives from the MARK and MANA programs to earn the certificate.

Required Courses		6
PCOM 2301	INTRODUCTION TO NONPROFITS AND PHILANTHROPY	3
PCOM 3301	FUNDRAISING AND DEVELOPMENT	3
Select two courses from the following options:		6
ENGL 2338	TECHNICAL WRITING	3
ENGL 3379	GRANT AND PROPOSAL WRITING	3
PCOM/COMS 3309	ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION	3
PCOM/PREL 3320	STRATEGIC SOCIAL MEDIA COMMUNICATION	3
PCOM/COMS 4315	BUSINESS PRESENTATIONS	3
PCOM/COMS 4320	MANAGERIAL COMMUNICATION	3
PCOM 4393	SPECIAL TOPICS	3
COMS 4300	PERSUASIVE COMMUNICATION	3
MARK 3321	PRINCIPLES OF MARKETING	3
MARK 3322	PROFESSIONAL SELLING	3
MARK 3323	INTEGRATED MARKETING COMMUNICATION / ADVERTISING	3
MANA 3320	HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT	3
MANA 4326	DIVERSITY IN ORGANIZATIONS	3
Total Hours		12