Communications

Courses in the communications department focus on the concepts, norms and theories of communication and how to apply them to real-world situations. This combination means putting ideas to work through professional internships in local and national companies; innovative class projects with actual impact; service-learning activities that connect our campus to community; and involvement with our award-winning student media and other organizations.

The Communications department provides a comprehensive approach to the study of communication. Students can select majors and minors from four areas: communication studies; journalism; public relations and advertising; radio and television. In addition, the Communications department has partnered with other departments to offer complementary minors in digital video, film studies, social media, sport communication, and web development for enterprise, as well as a certificate in crisis resolution. For students interested in pursuing a graduate degree at USI, the department offers an accelerated path from the communication studies major to the Master of Arts in Communication through its innovative Joint Undergraduate-Master’s Path (JUMP) option. JUMP students can complete 12 hours of graduate-level coursework during the final semesters of their undergraduate program, providing the opportunity to complete both an undergraduate and graduate degree in approximately five years.

Students emerge from these programs as proficient, critical consumers and producers of messages – human, electronic, and digital – and pursue a number of careers because the oral, written, and digital skills learned in these programs prepare them for the job market and in the future.

The Bachelor of Arts degree requires 12 credit hours in a single non-English world language, or demonstration of proficiency at that level of study.

In order to enroll for any communications internship, a student must be of junior or senior standing and have consent of instructor.

Communications majors must earn 1) a 2.25 GPA for major coursework, and 2) a grade of C or better in any course applied toward any major or minor in the Communications department.