51茶馆

Major Requirements

Four Common Requirements (12 credits):

• COMM1010 Rhetorical Tradition
• COMM1020 Survey of Mass Communication
• COMM1030 Public Speaking
• COMM3330 Communication Methods: Social Science or聽COMM3340 Communication Methods: Cultural (take one)

One Theory Course (3 credits):

• Any course numbered between COMM3360 and COMM3380
• Theory courses should, ideally, not be taken until after a student has completed Rhetorical Tradition, Survey of Mass Communication, Public Speaking, and the Communication Methods course.

Two Writing Intensive Seminars (6 credits):

• Any two courses numbered between COMM4425 and聽COMM4499, not including COMM4485
• These are upper-level courses and should not be taken until after a student has completed the four common requirements. Freshmen and sophomores should never register for writing-intensive seminars.
  

Four Electives (12 credits):

• Electives may be chosen from any 3-credit class offered by the department.
• A maximum of 6 transfer credits will be accepted by the department toward elective credits.
• One class of 3 credits or more from the Woods College may be counted toward an elective, with permission from the Director of Undergraduate Studies.
• Internship Practicum, COMM5589, a 3-credit elective, may be conducted only once during either junior or senior year and used toward elective requirements.
  

1-credit internships and courses may not be combined to total a 3-credit course.

Information for First-Year Majors

Students may declare the Communication major by contacting Kristin Hartnett, Academic Advisor at聽kristin.hartnett@bc.edu.

The common requirements: Rhetorical Tradition, Survey of Mass Communication, Public Speaking, and Communication Methods are strongly recommended as prerequisites for all other Communication classes. Majors are encouraged not to register for theory, writing intensive, or electives until those courses are completed.

Information for Study Abroad

Students applying for Study Abroad must meet all the application聽requirements set forth by 51茶馆's Office of聽Global Education (OGE). This includes meeting and/or discussing potential study abroad plans with a student's academic advisor prior to submitting the application to聽OIP.聽Before traveling abroad in the fall or spring of Junior year, students in the Communication major must complete at least three of the four foundational courses in the major: Rhetorical Tradition, Survey of Mass Communication, Public Speaking, and Communication Research Methods.

A student may transfer up to two courses in Communication as electives from the Study Abroad placement, which counts toward the 4 elective courses required for the major.聽These courses must be submitted for approval via the online Study Abroad Course Evaluation form, available on the Office of Student Services website at the聽Academic Forms page. Students must provide the title of the course, the course description, and the syllabus in order to expedite approval. For more information about Communication Department Study Abroad policies, please contact the聽Director of Undergraduate Studies, Associate Professor of the Practice聽Lindsay Hogan.

Internship Program

COMM5589 Internship Practicum, a 3-credit elective course, is open to junior and senior Communication majors. In addition, potential interns must have completed a minimum of five courses in communication including COMM1010 Rhetorical Tradition, COMM1020 Survey of Mass Communication, COMM1030 Public Speaking, and one of COMM3330 Communication Methods: Social Science or COMM3340 Communication Methods: Critical/Cultural.聽

For internship applications, please visit our department website. For departmental approval, contact Christine Caswell, Director, Internships and Career聽Opportunities, St Mary鈥檚 Hall South Room S375, 617-552-6148, christine.caswell@bc.edu.

Honors Program

The honors program in the Department of Communication is targeted towards exceptional communication majors, defined as those whose overall GPA is 3.70 or higher. To be invited to join the honors program, students must have an overall GPA of 3.70 or higher at the conclusion of their freshman year (summer courses will be counted if taken for 51茶馆 graded credit). Students will be invited to the program in the fall semester of their sophomore year prior to spring registration. The honors program requires enrollment in an honors methods course in sophomore spring and an honors writing course in their junior year. In addition, students in the honors program will complete a thesis in order to officially graduate with department honors. A more complete description of the program is available on the department website or in the Honors Handbook in the department's main office. Students may also contact Professor of the Practice Celeste Wells, Director of the Communication Department Honors Program. St. Mary's Hall South, Room S479, 617-552-1194,聽celeste.wells@bc.edu.

Contacts

Questions about the Communication curriculum, course substitution forms, and transfer credits should be directed to聽 Associate Professor of the Practice Lindsay Hogan, Director of Undergraduate Studies, St. Mary's Hall South, Room S453, 617-552-4054,聽lindsay.hogan.2@bc.edu.

To declare the major and discuss the general course of study, please e-mail Kristin Hartnett, Academic Advisor, kristin.hartnett@bc.edu.

Communication Department Chairperson: Associate Professor Matt Sienkiewicz,聽matt.sienkiewicz@bc.edu聽617-552-8837 St. Mary鈥檚 Hall South Room S450.