Current Students
Information & Resources for Declared Communication Majors
This page is designed to help you better understand the major requirements, available emphases, and other important academic information for Communication students. If you have any questions along the way, our academic advisors are always here to support you and help you stay on track.
Major Requirements
Beginning Fall 2026, the major in Communication will require 18 courses. Students will complete the core curriculum (5 courses, 13+ credits) and one of the four major emphases (13 courses, 39+ credits). All 18 Communication courses must be passed with a ‘C’ or better
Students must complete a total of 120 credit hours to earn their Bachelor’s degree. 40 of those credit hours must be upper division (3000-level or higher). All students will complete General Education (breadth and core) and Baccalaureate Degree Requirements. Download 2026-27 the graduation planning worksheet to keep track of the university requirements.
Students may need to complete additional courses outside of general education and major requirements in order to meet total required hours.
NOTE: If a student declared their major prior to Fall 2026, they will continue to work on the prior major requirements.
Undergraduate Emphases
Communication Majors complete the core curriculum and one of the four major emphases based on their area of interest.Learn More about the Major
“Catalog Year” means the set of academic requirements, policies, and program rules published in the Catalog that apply to a student’s degree or certificate program. A student’s Catalog Year is established by the academic year (fall, spring, summer) in which the student matriculates and remains in effect for the duration of the student’s continuous enrollment, unless the student is assigned a different catalog year in accordance with this rule.
Any changes to a students record - like adding a minor or a secondary major - will result in the student's catalog year being moved to the current catalog year term.
More details about this policy can be found here.
For student declared in catalog years 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 a maximum of four (4) Communication courses from another college or university may fulfill major requirements.
For student declared in catalog year 2025 a maximum of six (6) Communication courses from another college or university.
Visit our Transfer Student page for more information.
See an advisor to find out how your transfer communication courses can be applied to the major.
Bachelor of Arts(BA) Supports students to fourth semester (2020 level) competency in either a foreign language or sign language. Learn more about the BA language requirements.
Bachelor of Science (BS) Supports students in developing analytical skills and the ability to address questions and issues within their academic disciplines. Students will complete one QI course or one DI course.
One course may fulfill both a university and a major requirement, but one course cannot double-count within the major.
- WR2: COMM 2270*
- HF: COMM 1020, 1270, 1500, 2020, 2040, and 2270*
- BF: COMM 2110
- CW: COMM 3030, COMM 3555, and COMM 4590
- DV: COMM 3070 and 3190
- IR: COMM 5610 and 5620
- QI: COMM 3710
- DI: COMM 3460, 3700, and 3720
*COMM 2270 can only fulfill the WR2 OR HF, not both.
It is the student’s responsibility to check the Academic Calendar for important dates and deadlines.
Students should also be aware of registration dates and deadlines for each upcoming semester. Learn how to find your registration dates.
Students are expected to be generating their Degree Audit regularly. It is the official degree tracking tool and is used to clear student for graduation and award degrees. Therefore, students should generate a Degree Audit before and during an academic advising appointment.
Communication classes sometimes fill quickly, so students are encouraged to plan ahead and enroll on your assigned registration date to help ensure timely graduation. The Department of Communication does not issue permission codes or manage wait lists for classes that are full.
If a class is full when a student registers, wait listing allows a student to add their name to an electronic wait list and potentially be added to the class if space opens up, and they meet all the requirements. Wait listing is not a guarantee to enrollment into a class.
Once a student wait lists into a class, it is up to them to monitor whether they are added to the class or not. If a student is added and decides they no longer want the class, they are responsible for dropping the class prior to the last day to drop deadline. It is recommended that the student drop themselves from any classes they are wait listed in once they have set their final schedule.
Questions? Email comm-advisor@utah.edu
According to the Humanities Academic Misconduct Policy, academic misconduct includes cheating, plagiarizing, research misconduct, misrepresenting one’s work, and inappropriately collaborating. Definitions can be found in the Regulations Library at Policy 6-400: Code of Student Rights and Responsibilities (“Student Code”). If a student is suspected of academic misconduct, the process proceeds according to the rules found in the Student Code, University Policy 6-400(V). According to that policy, after an initial meeting between the student and the instructor, the instructor must determine whether academic misconduct has, in fact, occurred.
If the instructor determines that no academic misconduct has occurred, he or she will document that the student is not responsible for any academic misconduct.
If the instructor determines that academic misconduct has occurred and this is the first instance in which the student has been alleged to have committed academic misconduct, the instructor will take into account whether the act was intentional or a result of negligence in determining the appropriate sanction, which can be up to failing the course. The sanction will be noted in the resolution of the case. The student’s right of appeal is as specified in Policy 6-400(V).
If the instructor determines academic misconduct has occurred, and the student has previously been sanctioned for an act of academic misconduct, and the prior instance of misconduct resulted in a sanction less than failing the course, the department will follow the process to fail the student for the course. If the prior sanction was failure of the course, the student’s new act of misconduct will result in failure of the course and the department will also follow the process to seek the student’s dismissal from both the program and the University.
Strategic Communication Emphasis
(Public Relations, Advertising, Integrated Marketing)
Strategic Communication is used in growing professions, including public relations, advertising, marketing, event planning, project management, and health communication.
Through the study of persuasion, social influence, and behavior change, students learn the basic framework for Strategic Communication. Students design social media messages, logos, brochures, websites, and promotional videos for their clients and organizations.
Intro Course: COMM 2580, Introduction to Strategic Communication
Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Curtis Newbold, curtis.newbold@utah.edu
For more information and course descriptions, visit the university's General Catalog:
Journalism Emphasis
(Digital, Broadcast, and Print Media)
The Journalism emphasis ensures a strong foundation to support creativity and career exploration. Students sharpen their skills in reporting, writing, and producing news for evolving audiences; engage with communities by combining innovative storytelling with ethical, historical, and legal principles; and use digital and social media and evolving methods of data and algorithmic journalism to bring their engaging projects to life.
Intro Course: COMM 1610, Journalism Writing & Reporting
Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Jake Nelson, jake.nelson@utah.edu
For more information and course descriptions, visit the university's General Catalog:
Communication Studies Emphasis
(Argumentation, Interpersonal, Cultural & Media Studies)
Students in the Communication Studies emphasis are exposed to the full breadth of the Communication discipline. They learn the key theories and methods that motivate effective communication and improve written and spoken skills. Students in this sequence are prepared for positions in professional, media, corporate, government, and nonprofit sectors, as well as graduate study in law, social work, business, and public administration.
Intro Course: COMM 2020, Communication Theory & Everyday Life
Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Natasha Seegert, n.seegert@utah.edu
For more information and course descriptions, visit the university's General Catalog:
CommSHER
(Science, Health, Environmental, and Risk Communication)
Science, Health, Environmental, and Risk Communication involves developing expertise about the ways in which these topics are discussed. This applies to professional communication among scientists and physicians, to public communication like media coverage and social marketing campaigns, and to interpersonal communication between doctors and patients. Students consider how such topics might be communicated persuasively, as well as the ethical issues involved in the communication of science, health, the environment, and risk.
Intro Course: COMM 3115, Comm, Science, Health, and Environment
Faculty Coordinator: Dr. Andy King, andy.king@utah.edu
For more information and course descriptions, visit the university's General Catalog: