The undergraduate program allows students to both explore the breadth of the communication studies field as well as focus on their unique interests.
Major in Communication Studies
A major in Communication Studies provides students with a diverse set of skills and understanding that can be applied in a variety of career choices.
Communication Studies majors understand our world more fully through communication and make our world a better place by applying that understanding.
Requirements for a B.A. in Communication Studies
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies must complete a 38-unit program consisting of 6 units of lower-division COMM requirements and 32 units of upper-division COMM requirements, including electives and the senior seminar. Students must also fulfill the Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR). Please refer to the SFSU Bulletin for a breakdown of a B.A. in Communication Studies.
- Required lower-division Introductory Courses in COMM [COMM course #'s 100-299 ]: 6 units
All Communication Studies majors are required to take two lower division COMM courses, including transfer students and upper-division standing students. Students who transfer to SFSU with an AA or AA-T will be able to use the lower division courses from their AA that did not fulfill lower-division GE requirements. - Foundation Requirements (GWAR plus Introduction) [COMM course 300 and 304GW]: 4 units
All Communication Studies majors are required to take a GWAR course (304GW) as well as an asynchronous introduction to the major course (300). GWAR courses can occasionally be taken outside of the Communication Studies Department. Please meet with an advisor if you have questions regarding GWAR. - Required upper-division courses in COMM:
- Social Contexts & Interaction [COMM course #'s 500-549 ]: 8 units
- Rhetoric & Performance [COMM course #'s 550-600 ]: 8 units
- Communication Inquiry [COMM course #'s 661-664 ]: 4 units - Electives [COMM course ALL #s ]: 6 units
Our department will accept up to 8 units of lower-division communication studies transfer courses (not including COMM 150 or its equivalent). If you transferred to SFSU and have more than 6 lower-division units in COMM, you can count up to 2 units toward electives. Electives can be fulfilled with any combination of upper division COMM courses including Forensics (COMM 368), Projects in Teaching Communication (COMM 685), Internship (COMM 695) and/or Independent Study (COMM 699). COMM 685, COMM 695 or COMM 699 cannot be repeated for credit in the major. - Senior Seminar in Communication Studies [COMM 670]: 2 units
If you are a current student or future transfer student, need to change or declare your major or need to know about eligibility requirements, then this section is for you.
Applications for declaring a major or change of major will be accepted on a flow basis for admission into the program. All applications must have an unofficial transcript attached. No exceptions.
Current SF State Students
Current SF State students who wish to change or declare their major in Communication Studies may apply by submitting a Change of Major request in the Student Center. To do so, log into your Student Center, select the dropdown menu labeled “other academic” and select the Change Major option. Click “Next” on the “Welcome to SF State’s online Change of Major/Minor request process,” and then on the following page, you can choose to add the Communication Studies major and, if you would like to, delete your current major.
Alternatively, you can fill out a form [https://registrar.sfsu.edu/sites/default/files/documents/major_change.p…] and submit it to comm@sfsu.edu.
Transfer Students
Upper-division transfer students who wish to attend SF State as Communication Studies majors may apply to the University and request consideration to become a Communication Studies major as part of their application.
Minimum Eligibility Requirements
Students must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered for admission:
- COMM 150: Fundamentals of Oral Communication (or its equivalent) with a grade of C or higher.
- ENG 214: Second Year Composition (or its equivalent) with a grade of C or higher.
- GPA of at least 2.0 and must not be on academic probation, subject to disqualification or other academic hold.
The Graduation Writing Assessment Requirement (GWAR) is a special writing intensive course that will satisfy the CSU upper-division writing requirement.
In our department, students are required to take 304GW to fulfill the upper-division writing requirement.
Students should be aware of the following department policies for taking GWAR courses:
- Students must have satisfied English 214 (or its equivalent) prior to taking a GWAR course in Communication Studies.
- Students must receive a "C or better" in order to pass a GWAR course. Once a GWAR course is passed students may not take a second GWAR class in the major. GWAR instructors can drop any student from their class roster who has already taken and passed a GWAR course, or who is enrolled in another GWAR course concurrently.