Requirements for Undergraduate Students

Requirements for students entering UMass Amherst in Fall 2018 or later

45-46 credits in Communication

First year and transfer students who enter UMass during a Fall semester and who were admitted to the major at the same time that they were admitted to the university, take either Comm 191: First Year Seminar (1 credit) OR (for transfer students) Comm 197T: Advanced Transfer Seminar (1 credit). These courses raise the 45-credit requirement to 46 credits for those admitted directly to Communication before the Fall semester when they enter the university.

Three of five courses that introduce Subject Areas (9 credits). Many upper-level COMM courses list one of these five introductory courses as a prerequisite:

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

12 credits in courses at the 200-level or above
6 credits in courses at the 300-level or above (for secondary majors: 9 credits at the 300-level or above)
6 credits at the 400-level or above

9 credits in International/Intercultural courses
These 9 credits can include any combination of foreign language, study abroad, or regional and culture studies courses (drawn from the SBS International and Intercultural Course List).

For Primary Major Comm:
Junior Year Writing: Comm 375 Writing for Communication
1 of the 300- or 400-level courses must be an Integrative Experience course

Restrictions

• All major courses must be taken for a letter grade (not pass/fail) except for COMM 297P, 297F, and 351, which are only offered pass/fail.
• No more than 3 credits of COMM 396 Independent Study may be used toward the major.
• Internship/practicum (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 Communication professional advisor.
• A minimum GPA of 2.0 in the major is required for graduation.
• No more than 6 credits of UMass courses from outside of the department may be be used toward the major. Prior approval by a Communication professional advisor is required.

Requirements for students who entered UMass Amherst in Fall 2011 - Spring 2018

Students directly admitted to the Communication major upon admission to the University must complete 37 credits in Communication. Students who join the Communication major once they are on campus must complete 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. *For first year and transfer students admitted directly into the major upon entering UMass in the Fall only, COMM 101: Communication-First Year Introduction (1 credit). This course raises the 36-credit requirement to 37 credits only for those student admitted directly to Communication in a Fall semester.
2. Junior Year Writing requirement, COMM 375: Writing as Communication (3 credits).
3. Three of the five courses that introduce Subject Areas (9 credits). Many COMM courses will have an "Introductory SUBJECT AREA" course as a prerequisite:
   COMM 118: Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
   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 (no fewer than 2 courses) at the 300-level or above.
5. 6 COMM credits (no fewer than 2 courses) at the 400-level or above.
6. 12 more COMM credits at the 200-level or above. Any 300- and 400‐level credits left over from the minimum of 6 required at both the 300- and 400-levels are counted here.

Restrictions

• All major courses must be taken for a letter grade (not pass/fail) except for COMM 297P, 297F, and 351, which are only offered pass/fail.
• No more than 3 credits of COMM 396 Independent Study may be used toward the major.
• Although we encourage all Communication majors to pursue internships for elective credit, internship/practicum (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 Communication professional advisor.
• A minimum GPA of 2.0 in the major is required for graduation.
• No more than 6 credits of Media Production courses may count for the major. Additional courses in Media Production may be taken as electives toward the 120 credits required for graduation.
• No more than 6 credits in any combination of Journalism, Public Relations, Advertising, or Marketing courses may count for the major. These classes are not offered by the Communication Department; prior approval by a Communication professional advisor is required. Note that starting in Fall 2014, Marketing 301 (from UMass Amherst or its equivalent as a transfer course) will no longer be accepted as fulfilling a requirement for the Communication major.

For students who entered before Fall 2011

Please contact the advising office for guidance