Minor in Communication

The minor is structured to provide a foundation for advanced course work in communication through a broad-based understanding of communication theory and research.

Declaration Process

In order to be eligible to declare the Communication minor, students must have completed, or be currently enrolled in, one of the following:

1.  COMM 1A – Mass Media, Society, and Democracy, or COMM 1B – Media, Culture, and Society 
2.  COMM 106 – Communication Research Methods 
3.  COMM 108 – Media Processes and Effects

Prospective minors should declare via Axess and then email the Student Services Manager  to set up an appointment to complete the minimal paperwork, to be assigned an advisor and to discuss any questions they may have.

Minor Curriculum

To be recommended for the Bachelor of Arts minor in Communication, a student must complete at least 35 units (typically 7 courses) within the Communication Department.  The minor consists of the three Communication core courses, requirements in two areas, two elective classes, and a course in statistics.  Minors should be declared no later than spring quarter of the junior year.

The statistics prerequisite (typically STATS 60/PSYCH 10) does not count toward the 35 units needed to complete the Communication minor, and may be taken for a letter grade or credit. This introductory statistics course should be taken either prior to or concurrent with registration in COMM 106 Communication Research Methods, in preparation for courses in methodology and advanced courses in communication processes and effects.

1.  Four core courses

1. Communication 1A: Mass Media, Society, and Democracy, or Communication 1B: Media, Culture, and Society
2. Communication 106: Communication Research Methods
3. Communication 108: Media Process and Effects
4. Statistics 60 (does not count towards the 35 units in the minor)

2.  Students must take courses in the following two areas as specified below

Area I: Communication Processes and Effects
(A minimum of one course must be taken)

Communication 121: Behavior and Social Media
Communication 122: Content Analysis
Communication 124: Digital Deception
Communication 135: Deliberative Democracy and its Critics
Communication 137W: The Dialogue of Democracy
Communication 160: The Press and the Political Process 
Communication 162: Campaigns, Voting, Media and Elections
Communication 164: The Psychology of Communication About Politics in America
Communication 166: Virtual People 
Communication 172: Media Psychology
Communication 326: Advanced Topics in Human Virtual Representation

Area II: Communication Systems & Institutions
(A minimum of one course must be taken)

Communication 104W: Reporting, Writing, and Understanding the News
Communication 113: Computational Methods in the Civic Sphere
Communication 116: Journalism Law
Communication 120W: Digital Media in Society
Communication 125: Perspectives on American Journalism
Communication 131: Media Ethics and Responsibility
Communication 140: New Media Entrepreneurship
Communication 142W: Media Economics
Communication 143W: Communication Policy and Regulation
Communication 151: The First Amendment: Freedom of Speech and Press
Communication 152: Constitutional Law
Communication 157: Information Control in Authoritarian Regimes
Communication 177A: Computational Journalism
Communication 177I: Becoming a Watchdog

3.  Elective credit

The remainder of the 35 required units may be fulfilled with any elective communication courses, or a combination of communication courses and up to 5 units of pre-approved courses in other departments.

Approved Outside Electives for Communication Majors/Minors

Communication minors may take up to 5 units outside of the department. All outside electives must be taken for a letter grade if offered. If a course also meets a WAYS requirement, it may still be used towards the minor. However, a course may not be used for two majors or a major and a minor. It is the student’s responsibility to determine scheduling of these courses. Not all of the listed courses are offered every year.

Taking SOC 180A instead of COMM 106 will count towards the units outside of the department.

Minors have the option to petition for approval of a course that is not listed, but are restricted to one successful petition for the duration of their undergraduate career. To petition, please email the syllabus to the  Student Services Manager.