Major Requirements

Listed below are the requirements for the Communication major. In addition to the requirements for the major, students must also satisfy all of the university general education requirements and the College of Letters & Science breadth and other degree requirements. Degree requirements will vary depending on when you took your first college class. You are strongly advised to consult your advisor to ensure you stay on track towards a degree. Read more about the degree requirements on the L&S Degree Requirements web pages.

Communication Major Requirements

A major in communication consists of at least 36 credits in communication courses. At least 18 of the 36 credits must be numbered 300 or above, 15 of these taken in residence at UWM.

Graduation with a major in Communication requires a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0 in all communication courses attempted at UWM as well as a 2.0 GPA in all major credits attempted, including any transfer work. All courses in the major, with the exception of COMMUN 298, must be taken for graded credit. The College of Letters and Science requires that students complete a research experience in their major. The Department of Communication has structured COMMUN 335, COMMUN 370, and COMMUN 372 to satisfy that requirement. In these courses, students must produce a written final research paper that involves conducting independent research in addition to evaluating research in the field and integrating it with their findings. Students will present their research in oral form to their course colleagues.

Required
COMMUN 101Introduction to Interpersonal Communication3
COMMUN 103Public Speaking3
COMMUN 105Business and Professional Communication3
Select one of the following:3
Critical Analysis of Communication
Quantitative Research in Communication
Qualitative Research in Communication
Electives
Select 24 credits from across the communication curriculum24
Total Credits36

A maximum of 6 credits earned in any combination of the following courses may count toward the minimum number of credits required for the major in communication:

COMMUN 199Independent Study1-3
COMMUN 288Research Practicum1-3
COMMUN 296UROP Apprenticeship1-3
COMMUN 298Internship in Communication1-3
COMMUN 597Practicum in Teaching Communication1-3
COMMUN 588Research Practicum1-3
COMMUN 698Internship in Communication3
COMMUN 699Advanced Independent Reading1-3