The Major

The Communication major at UMass Amherst follows the liberal arts tradition, emphasizing the critical thinking, systematic analysis, and writing and speaking skills that make for engaged citizenship.  We emphasize theory and methods of inquiry, as opposed to technical training; we currently do not offer any industry-oriented, how-to classes in public relations, advertising, or broadcasting. We do, however, offer some great courses with practical and career application, including Public Speaking, Program Process in Television, and Screenwriting.  Students can also gain applied training and skills through internships, service learning, and extracurricular campus experiences.

There is no minor offered in Communication.

The undergraduate courses in Communication focus on five areas: 1) Interpersonal Communication and Culture, 2) Media and Popular Culture Studies, 3) Media, Technology, and Society, 4) Rhetoric and Performance Studies, and 5) Film Studies.

Admission to the Major

Admission to the Communication major is restricted.  Many first-year and transfer students are admitted directly into the major upon admission to the University. Anyone not directly admitted to the major must complete and submit an application provided by the Department of Communication. Students may apply when they have completed two of the five introductory courses or during the semester in which they are completing them:  

• COMM 118: Introduction to Interpersonal Communication and Culture
• COMM 121: Introduction to Media and Culture
• COMM 122: Introduction to Media Programming and Institutions
• COMM 125: Introduction to Rhetoric and Performance Studies
• COMM 140: Introduction to Film Studies

An applicant’s overall GPA must be 2.7 or higher and 2.9 or higher in Communication classes. 

The application includes a brief essay about your career goals and why you want to become a Communication major. If your GPA falls below our application thresholds, an additional brief essay is required to explain your past performance and strategies to improve. We do not accept any student with a Communication course grade below a C minus. 

The evaluation of the application is based on:  1) performance in Communication courses, 2) overall academic record, and 3) the written essay(s).  

Major Requirements

Students directly admitted to the Communication major must complete a minimum 36 (37 for Fall direct admits) credits in Communication.  Students who join the Communication major once they are on campus must complete a minimum of 36 credits in Communication.  The following specific requirements apply to students entering UMass Amherst in the fall of 2011 or later.

36 to 37 credits in Communication

1.  First year and transfer students admitted directly into the major upon entering UMass in a Fall semester must take COMM 101: Communication-First Year introduction (1 credit) during their first year.  This raises the credit requirement to a minimum of 37 credits.

2.  Junior Year Writing requirement, COMM 375: Writing as Communication (3 credits)

3.   Any three of the five courses that introduce Subject Areas (9 credits):

• COMM 118:  Introduction to Interpersonal Communication and Culture
• COMM 121:  Introduction to Media and Culture
• COMM 122:  Introduction to Media Programming and Institutions
• COMM 125:  Introduction to Rhetoric and Performance Studies
• COMM 140:  Introduction to Film Studies

4.  6 COMM credits at the 300-level or above.

5.  6 COMM credits at the 400-level or above. 

6.  12 COMM credits at the 200-level or above.

Restrictions:

• All major courses must be taken for a letter grade, (not pass/fail) except for COMM 296F and 297P, which are mandatory pass/fail courses.
• No more than 3 credits of COMM 396 Independent Study may be used toward the 36/37-credit department requirement.
• General practicum/internship (UMASS 298Y) credits may not be counted toward the major.  There are no exceptions.
• You must take a minimum of 21 credits within the Department of Communication at UMass Amherst to be eligible for graduation as a Communication major.  A maximum of 15 credits taken at other schools or in other departments and programs at UMass Amherst 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 a member of the Advising Staff, the Undergraduate Program Director or the Chief Undergraduate Adviser.
• A minimum GPA of 2.0 in the major is required for graduation.
• Only 6 credits of Media Production courses count for the major.
• No more than 6 credits in any combination of Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising, or Marketing courses count for the major.  These classes are not offered by the Communication department - prior approval by a member of the Advising Staff is required.

Internships and International and Domestic Exchanges

The Department of Communication strongly encourages its students to complete at least one internship during their undergraduate careers.  Internships, even though they do not count toward the Communication major requirements, give students professional skills and hands-on experience for their futures.  Communication majors have interned in such diverse fields as media programming, public interest research, TV news, advertising, public relations, education, corporate management, sales, government, newspaper and magazine publishing, non-profits, and film production.

The Department of Communication also strongly encourages students to study abroad or go on domestic exchange.  Communication majors study all over the world and across the United States, bringing back new personal and academic insights and the broadened cultural awareness that comes from living in another place.