Units Required for Major: 42
Total units required for BA: 120
Program Description
The Communication Studies program recognizes the critical role of communication in today’s world. Students in our major explore communication processes and interactions in relationships, communities, organizations, cultures, media, politics, and the public sphere. Through our innovative curriculum, Communication Studies majors develop skills for effective communication that help them cultivate and maintain healthy relationships, advocate in their communities, assess messages across media platforms, engage with cultural competency, succeed in the workplace, and critically analyze communication in a variety of contexts and modalities. Our award-winning faculty are dedicated to creating inclusive, high-quality learning environments where students have hands-on opportunities to build effective communication skills that can positively influence interactions in relationships, workplaces, and public lives.
Interdisciplinary Concentrations
Students focus their studies in one of four interdisciplinary concentrations:
- Identity, Health, and Personal Relationships
- Work/Life and Organizational Communication
- Media and Mediated Communication
- Culture and Advocacy
Students begin with a core curriculum that first introduces them to communication as a field of study and helps them build skills in interpersonal communication, media analysis, and argumentation. Students then establish foundational understandings of the discipline and various ways to assess and investigate communication using different theories and methodologies. Next, students choose one of the four concentrations that will allow them to specialize in an area of communication.
A degree in Communication Studies prepares graduates to excel in occupations that require sophisticated oral, written, interpersonal, or collaborative communication. Specifically, graduates of the major leave adept in creating, adapting, and presenting effective communication, critically analyzing messages, influencing discourse, advocacy, navigating conflict and communication challenges, and understanding communication as a dynamic, ongoing, and critical process.
Career Opportunities
Our graduates leave Sacramento State well-positioned for careers across fields in the public and private sectors, as well as various levels of government. Graduates also often attend top-tier graduate schools, law schools, or business schools.
- Identity, Health, and Personal Relationships opportunities. This concentration prepares graduates for careers working closely with people, especially professions such as management/leadership, health care, health education, counseling, training and development, and education.
- Work/Life and Organizational Communication opportunities. This concentration prepares graduates for careers in business and industry, consulting, marketing and public relations, human resources management, training and development, teaching, coordinating, and directing communication programs.
- Media and Mediated Communication opportunities. This concentration prepares graduates for careers in media relations, copywriting, social media directing, content development and management, media sales and promotion, advertising, multi-media project management, and digital strategy.
-
Culture and Advocacy opportunities. This concentration prepares graduates for careers in community affairs, government, public affairs, development, policy analysis, international relations, strategic planning, political strategy, fundraising, community organizing, and social justice advocacy.
Program Requirements
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Introductions to Communication (Required Lower Division Core Courses) (9 Units) | ||
| COMS 2 | Argumentation 1 | 3 |
| COMS 8 | Interpersonal Communication Skills | 3 |
| COMS/JOUR 55 | Media Communication and Society | 3 |
| Foundations of Communication (Required Upper Division Core Courses) (12 Units) 2 | ||
| COMS 100A | Survey of Communication Studies | 3 |
| COMS 100B | Introduction to Rhetoric and Social Influence | 3 |
| COMS 100C | Social Scientific Methods in Communication Research | 3 |
| COMS 100D | Communication Ethics and Scholarship | 3 |
| Investigating Communication (Research Methods) (3 Units) | ||
| Select one of the following: | 3 | |
| Visual Communication | ||
| Communication and Religion | ||
| Approaches to Rhetorical Criticism | ||
| Television Criticism | ||
| Data Analysis in Communication Research | ||
| Survey Methods in Communication Research | ||
| Content Analysis | ||
| Qualitative Research Methods in Communication | ||
| Communication, Language and Culture | ||
| Conceptualizing Communication (Concentration Requirements) (15 Units) 3 | ||
| Select five of the following: | 15 | |
| Communication in Small Groups | ||
| Family Communication | ||
| Nonverbal Communication | ||
| Intercultural Communication | ||
| Conflict Resolution Through Communication | ||
| Theories of Interpersonal Communication | ||
| Health Communication | ||
COMS 175 IDENTITY, HEALTH, AND WELLBEING | ||
| Senior Capstone in Communication Studies (3 Units) 4 | ||
| COMS 182 | Senior Capstone in Identity, Health, and Personal Relationships | 3 |
| Total Units | 42 | |
- 1
Course also satisfies General Education (GE)/Graduation Requirement.
- 2
Foundations courses are not sequential and may be taken concurrently.
- 3
Select concentration courses in consultation with your major advisor.
- 4
Satisfies in the Writing Intensive graduation requirement.
General Education Requirements1
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Area A: Basic Subjects (3-6 Units) | ||
| A1 - Oral Communication 2 | 0 - 3 | |
| A2 - Written Communication | 3 | |
| A3 - Critical Thinking 3 | 0 | |
| Area B: Physical Universe and Its Life Forms (13 Units) | ||
| B1 - Physical Science | 3 | |
| B2 - Life Forms | 3 | |
| B3 - Lab (Note: Lab experience to be taken with one of the following: B1, B2 or B5) | 1 | |
| B4 - Math Concepts | 3 | |
| B5 - Additional Course (Any B to reach 12 units) - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements. | 3 | |
| Area C: Arts and Humanities (12 Units) | ||
| C1 - Arts | 3 | |
| C2 - Humanities | 3 | |
| C1/C2 - Area C Course | 3 | |
| C1/C2 - Area C Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements. | 3 | |
| Area D: The Individual and Society (9 Units) | ||
| Area D Course | 3 | |
| Area D Course | 3 | |
| Area D Course - Take upper-division course to complete Area & upper division requirements. | 3 | |
| Area E: Understanding Personal Development (3 Units) | ||
| Area E Course | 3 | |
| Area F: Ethnic Studies (3 Units) | ||
| Area F Course | 3 | |
| Total Units | 43-46 | |
- 1
To help you complete your degree in a timely manner and not take more units than absolutely necessary, there are ways to use single courses to meet more than one requirement (overlap). For further information, please visit the General Education page.
Note: There is no way to list all possible overlaps so please consult with a professional advisor. The Academic Advising Center can be visited online, by phone (916) 278-1000, or email.
- 2
- 3
Required in Major; also satisfies GE.
Graduation Requirements1
| Code | Title | Units |
|---|---|---|
| Graduation Requirements (required by CSU) (6 Units) | ||
| American Institutions: U.S. History | 3 | |
| American Institutions: U.S. Constitution & CA Government | 3 | |
| Writing Intensive (WI) 2 | 0 | |
| Graduation Requirements (required by Sacramento State) (12 Units) | ||
| English Composition II | 3 | |
| Race and Ethnicity in American Society (RE) | 3 | |
| Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement 3 | 6 | |
- 1
To help you complete your degree in a timely manner and not take more units than absolutely necessary, there are ways to use single courses to meet more than one requirement (overlap). For further information, please visit the General Education page.
Note: There is no way to list all possible overlaps so please consult with a professional advisor. The Academic Advising Center can be visited online, by phone (916) 278-1000, or email.
- 2
Required in Major; also satisfies Graduation Requirement
- 3
If not satisfied before entering Sacramento State, it may be satisfied in General Education Area C2 (Humanities). "C- or better required." The alternative methods for satisfying the Foreign Language Proficiency Requirement are described here: https://www.csus.edu/college/arts-letters/world-languages-literatures/foreign-language-requirement.html