Declaring the Major | Progressing in the Major
Description of the Major
Communication studies provides you with modern academic programs for the purpose of understanding human communication. Courses examine multiple, trans-disciplinary approaches for studying messages and outcomes resulting from human interactive processes that involve the content and relationship dimensions of sources, receivers, channels and contexts. Emphasis is upon person-to-person transactions involving face-to-face and social media venues at the interpersonal, small group, organizational, and public levels. Instruction employs ways of knowing and research methodologies of social science, historical/critical analysis, and art. Our graduates have successful careers in business, education, government, conflict analysis and intervention, health, public relations, entertainment, personnel management, politics, sales, conference and event planning, hospitality industries and more.
A major in communication studies also provides valuable pre-professional preparation for graduate and professional studies in the fields of communication, counseling, law, management, ministry, and military. Through traditional classroom delivery and distance learning platforms, students acquire communication skill competencies in experiential classroom activities, research projects, studies abroad and internships. Communication studies graduates leave JMU prepared to participate effectively as citizens in the Communication Age.
Degrees Offered
B.A.
B.S.
Concentrations
Advocacy Studies
Conflict Analysis and Intervention
Cultural Communication
Health Communication Studies
Interpersonal Communication Studies
Organizational Communication Studies
Public Relations Studies
Minors
Conflict Analysis and Intervention
Cultural Communication
Health Communication
Political Communication
Declaring the Major
New Freshmen and Transfer Students
You must declare the communication studies major when you register for orientation in order to register for SCOM 240 and/or SCOM 245.
Currently Enrolled Major Changers
Complete a "Change or Declaration of Major" form declaring Communication Studies and obtain the signature of the department head, Harrison Hall, room 1284. You must declare the communication studies major in order to register for SCOM 240 and/or SCOM 245.
Note for new and currently enrolled students:
Declaring Communication Studies indicates your intention to apply for full admission to the major. Students should apply to the major during the semester when they will have completed SCOM 240 and 245.
Progressing in the Major
Applying to the Major
Admission to JMU does not guarantee admission to the School of Communication Studies. All students interested in majoring in the program must apply for a limited number of spaces. The School of Communication Studies reviews applications for admission to the major each semester. Students will be notified of the department's admission decision by March 1 for fall admission, and by October 1 for spring admission.
Admission to the major is based on availability to the most qualified students:
Students with a combined GPA less than 2.7 in SCOM 240 and 245 will not be considered for admission. You must change your major to "SCOM declared" no later than the last day of open enrollment to register for SCOM 240 and SCOM 245 (check the course adjustment deadlines on the Office of the Registrar's website. You may not apply for the major more than twice, and those applications must be in consecutive semesters.
Successful completion of a major in the School of Communication Studies requires, at the very least, a minimum of four semesters after you are fully admitted to the School. Depending upon your particular circumstances and degree progress, more than four semesters may be required for completing the major. Once admitted to the School of Communication Studies, you cannot retroactively apply more than nine hours of SCOM courses, including SCOM 240 and SCOM 245, to your major.
New Transfer Students
New transfer students applying to the School of Communication Studies are held to the same admission and progression policies and guidelines as other applicants. However, once admitted to the School of Communication Studies, transfer students may petition for SCOM credit for courses taken at previous institutions. As with other applicants, you cannot retroactively apply more than nine hours of SCOM courses taken at JMU, including SCOM 240 and SCOM 245, to your major or minor once admitted to the School of Communication Studies.
Applying to the Minor
Currently Enrolled Students Applying to an SCOM Minor Admission to JMU does not guarantee admission to the School of Communication Studies. All students interested in minoring in an SCOM program must apply for a limited number of spaces. The School of Communication Studies reviews applications for admission to the minors each semester. Students will be notified of the department's admission decision by March 1 for fall admission, and by October 1 for spring admission. You may not apply for the minor more than twice, and those applications must be in consecutive semesters.
Admission to SCOM minors is based on availability to the most qualified students. Students with a combined GPA of 3.0 or higher in SCOM 240 and SCOM 245 will be automatically admitted to an SCOM minor. Students who have a combined GPA in those two courses of between 2.7 and 2.99 will be ranked according to that combined GPA; those students will be admitted on a space-available basis in rank order based on those GPAs. Students with a combined GPA less than 2.7 in SCOM 240 and 245 SCOM Proposal will not be considered for admission. A student may not apply more than twice, and those applications must be in consecutive semesters.
Successful completion of any minor in the School of Communication Studies requires, at the very least, a minimum of two semesters after a student is fully admitted to the School. Depending upon the student's particular circumstances and degree progress, more than two semesters may be required for completing the minor. Once admitted to the School of Communication Studies, a student cannot retroactively apply more than nine hours of SCOM courses, including SCOM 240 and SCOM 245, to her/his minor.
Minimum Grades
Any course taken to fulfill a degree requirement in communication studies must be completed with a minimum grade of "C". A communication studies course completed with a grade of "C-" or "D" including courses to fulfill JMU baccalaureate degree requirements, may be credited toward graduation, but may not be included as course work toward a communication studies major or minor.
Additionally, courses completed with a grade less than "C" will not count as fulfilling prerequisites for future courses, and enrolled students may be administratively removed from courses for which they have not completed a required prerequisite with a grade of "C" or higher.
