Communication Major (BA)

Communication Department | College of Liberal Arts

Program Declaration

At time of admission to the University or by completion of an Undergraduate Program Add/Change form after completing COMM 100 and 200 with a 2.75 GPA.

Degree Requirements

If this is the student’s only or primary major, the degree requirements below must be completed for graduation. See graduation requirements for more information.

University Requirements

College of Liberal Arts Requirements for Bachelor of Arts

Major Requirements

Complete at least 36 credits from twelve courses including five core courses, four communication electives, two outside electives, and one capstone seminar.

GPA: A minimum GPA of 2.75 is required for the five core courses.
Pass/fail: No more than one course taken pass/fail may be applied toward the elective requirements for the major.
Residency: A minimum of seven courses; including COMM 200, 230, 351, and the capstone; must be completed at UMass Boston.
Course level: At least six courses for the major, including four electives, must be at the 300-level or higher.

Course Requirements

Core Courses (15 Credits)

COMM 100 - Introduction to Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 105 - Public Speaking and Professional Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 200 - New Media Society 3 Credit(s)
COMM 230 - Intercultural Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 351 - Communication Research Methods 3 Credit(s)

Communication Electives (12 Credits)

Complete four from below.

COMM 215L - Gender & Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 220 - Interpersonal Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 240 - Organizational communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 250 - Analyzing Media 3 Credit(s)
COMM 255 - Visual Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 260 - Psychological Effects of Mass Media 3 Credit(s)
COMM 270 - Introduction to Strategic Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 280 - Special Topics 3 Credit(s)
COMM 300 - Information Technology and Human Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 305 - Communication in Diverse Organizations 3 Credit(s)
COMM 310L - Love, Sex, and Media Effects 3 Credit(s)
COMM 315 - New Media, Identity & Self 3 Credit(s)
COMM 320 - Social Influence and Compliance Gaining 3 Credit(s)
COMM 325 - Relational Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 330 - Health Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 335 - Lying & Deception 3 Credit(s)
COMM 340 - Communication and Community Mobilization 3 Credit(s)
COMM 345L - Environmental Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 350 - Political Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 370 - Advertising/PR Campaign Planning 3 Credit(s)
COMM 372 - Social Media and Strategic Communication 3 Credit(s)
COMM 380 - Special Topics 3 Credit(s)

Outside Electives (6 Credits)

Complete two from below.

AMST 215L - America on Film 3 Credit(s)
AMST 235 - The Social History of Popular Music 3 Credit(s)
AMST 310 - Television in American Life 3 Credit(s)
AMST 335 - Music And Politics 3 Credit(s)
AMST 355L - Black Popular Culture 3 Credit(s)
AMST 375 - Best Sellers in American Society 3 Credit(s)
AMST 410 - Cultural History of U.S. Media 3 Credit(s)
AMST 430 - Music & Amer Lit 3 Credit(s)
ART 295L - Introduction to Video 3 Credit(s)
ART 297 - Introduction to Digital Media Art 3 Credit(s)
ART 395L - Video Workshop 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 203 - Writing Craft/Context/Design 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 216 - Reading and Writing Journalism 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 306 - Advanced Nonfiction Writing 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 307 - Journalism and Media Writing 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 308 - Professional Editing 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 309 - Multimedia Authoring 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 312 - Digital Culture and Composition 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 340 - Literature and Visual Media 3 Credit(s)
ENGL 341L - Gender and Film: Multidisciplinary Perspectives 3 Credit(s)
MKT 301 - Principles of Marketing 3 Credit(s)
MKT 403 - Integrated Marketing Communication 3 Credit(s)
MKT 430 - International Marketing 3 Credit(s)
MKT 479 - Digital Marketing 3 Credit(s)
PSYCH 230 - Social Psychology 3 Credit(s)
PSYCH 234 - Psychology of Cross-cultural Relations 3 Credit(s)
PSYCH 333 - Group Dynamics 3 Credit(s)
PSYCH 335 - Social Attitudes and Public Opinion 3 Credit(s)
PSYCH 337 - Communication and Society 3 Credit(s)
SOCIOL 300 - Sociology of Media and Communication 3 Credit(s)
SOCIOL 364 - Internet, Society, and Cyber Crime 3 Credit(s)
SOCIOL 375L - Indian Cinema 3 Credit(s)
WGS 220 - Women and the Media 3 Credit(s)
WGS 325L - Sexual Identities in American Culture 3 Credit(s)
WGS 341L - Gender and Film: Multidisciplinary Perspectives 3 Credit(s)
WGS 394L - Radical Voices of Resistance: Gender, Race and US Social Movements 3 Credit(s)

Capstone (3 Credits)

A minimum grade of C- is required for the capstone.

COMM 480 - Communication Seminar 3 Credit(s)