Requirements for Graduation
Department of Communication

Bachelor of Arts

The requirements for graduation with a Bachelor of Arts degree are set by the College of Arts and Sciences. In summary, they are:

A total of 120 semester hours of acceptable credit. This normally means 40 courses of 3 hours each. The traditional full-time student would average 15 hours per semester (fall and spring). For financial aid purposes, 12 hours per semester qualifies as full-time.

At least 80 semester hours not in the major. This is a requirement of specialized accreditation for the journalism, public relations and advertising majors. This 80 hours includes general education requirements and electives, and can include a minor. We encourage journalism and communication students to earn minors in relevant fields in the arts, sciences, humanities or social sciences.

Master of Science

The graduation requirements for the Master of Science degrees in Journalism or Integrated Marketing Communications are set jointly by the Department of Communication, the College of Arts and Sciences, and the Graduate Council.

Both degrees offered by the Department of Communication are designed to prepare students for professional work. Both the Master of Science in Journalism and the Master of Science in Integrated Marketing Communications require 36 semester hours of graduate credit. The Journalism degree includes a fundamentals course that may be waived for those with acceptable undergraduate journalism degrees or significant professional experience.