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Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication
The minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree is 120, including Core Curriculum requirement hours. Thirty-nine of the 120 total semester credit hours required for the degree must be at the upper-division level. The College of Liberal and Fine Arts Signature Experience may be fulfilled by successful completion of COM 4533, COM 4723, COM 4813 or COM 4933.
Pre-Communication SequenceIn order to declare a Communication major, students must first earn a grade of “C-” or better in each course in the pre-Communication sequence that includes COM 2113, COM 3023, COM 3073, COM 3083, COM 3553 or COM 3563 and ENG 2413. Each COM course may be taken no more than three (3) times to improve a grade (however, students should refer to the UTSA Information Bulletin for the potential consequences of repeating courses).
Students who declare a concentration in Public Relations or Technical Communication must complete each course required for the concentration with a grade of “C-” or better.
Core Curriculum Requirements (42 semester credit hours)
Students seeking the Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication must fulfill University Core Curriculum requirements in the same manner as other students. If courses are taken to satisfy both degree requirements and Core Curriculum requirements, then students may need to take additional courses in order to meet the minimum number of semester credit hours required for this degree. For a complete listing of courses that satisfy the Core Curriculum requirements, see pages 3-5 of this catalog.
Note: If a language is used to satisfy the three-hour World Society and Issues core requirement, students will need to take an additional three hours in the same language for the degree requirement.
Degree Requirements
- Pre-Communication Sequence (18 semester credit hours):
COM 2113 Public Speaking
COM 3023 Foundations of Communication
COM 3073 Conduct of Communication Inquiry
COM 3083 Language and Communication Theory
COM 3553 Intercultural Communication
or
COM 3563 International Communication
ENG 2413 Technical Writing
- 6 semester credit hours in a single foreign language
- 15 semester credit hours of free electives
B.A. in Communication (no concentration)
All candidates seeking this degree must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements, the degree requirements, and the following:
- 21 additional semester credit hours in Communication, at least 15 at the upper-division level
- 3 semester credit hours of the capstone course: COM 4813 Theory and Practice of Social Interaction
- 15 semester credit hours of approved support work in one of the following areas, 9 semester credit hours of which must be at the upper-division level:
- intercultural/international studies
- English language and composition, philosophy, and visual arts
- social and behavioral sciences
- business, management, marketing, and information systems
- other subjects as may be individually justified by the student and approved by the undergraduate advisor.
Course Sequence Guide for B.A. Degree in Communication
This course sequence guide is designed to assist students in completing their UTSA undergraduate Communication degree requirements. This is merely a guide and students must satisfy other requirements of this catalog and meet with advisors in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts Advising Center for individualized degree plans. Progress within this guide depends upon such factors as course availability, individual student academic preparation, student time management, work obligations, and individual financial considerations. Students may choose to take courses during Summer terms to reduce course loads during long semesters.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication – Four-Year Academic Plan
| FRESHMAN YEAR | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| HIS 1043, 1053, or 2053 (core) | 3 | COM 2113* | 3 |
| WRC 1013 (core) | 3 | HIS 1043, 1053, or 2053 (core) | 3 |
| Foreign Language (semester I) | 3 or 4 | WRC 1023 (core) | 3 |
| Mathematics core | 3 | Foreign Language (semester II) | 3 or 4 |
| Social & Behavioral Science core | 3 | Natural Sciences Level I core | 3 |
| Total semester hours | 15 or 16 | Total semester hours | 15 or 16 |
| SOPHOMORE YEAR | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| COM 3023* | 3 | COM 3073* | 3 |
| COM 3083* | 3 | COM 3553* or COM 3563* | 3 |
| ENG 2413* | 3 | ECO 2003 or ECO 2013 (core) | 3 |
| POL 1013 (core) | 3 | POL 1133 or POL 1213 (core) | 3 |
| Natural Sciences Level II core | 3 | Literature core | 3 |
| Total semester hours | 15 | Total semester hours | 15 |
| JUNIOR YEAR | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| Free elective | 3 | Free elective | 3 |
| Free elective | 3 | Upper-division COM elective | 3 |
| Support work | 3 | Upper-division COM elective | 3 |
| Upper-division COM elective | 3 | Upper-division support work | 3 |
| Upper-division COM elective | 3 | Visual & Performing Arts core | 3 |
| Total semester hours | 15 | Total semester hours | 15 |
| SENIOR YEAR | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| COM elective | 3 | COM 4813 | 3 |
| Free elective | 3 | COM elective | 3 |
| Support work/Free elective | 3 | Free elective | 3 |
| Upper-division COM elective | 3 | Upper-division support work | 3 |
| Upper-division support work | 3 | World Society & Issues core | 3 |
| Total semester hours | 15 | Total semester hours | 15 |
* Must be completed with a grade of “C-” or better.
B.A. in Communication with a Public Relations Concentration
All candidates seeking this degree must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements and the degree requirements listed above. Additionally, students seeking a Public Relations Concentration must complete COM 3523, COM 3533, COM 3623, COM 4523, and COM 4533 with a grade of “C-” or better in each course.
- 15 semester credit hours in Public Relations Concentration courses:
COM 3523 Public Relations
COM 3533 Writing for Public Relations
COM 3623 Commercial Publications
COM 4523 Case Studies in Public Relations
COM 4533 Public Relations Planning and Campaigns - 9 additional semester credit hours in Communication, at least 3 at the upper-division level
- 9 semester credit hours of required support work:
ACC 2003 Foundations of Accounting
or
ACC 2013 Principles of Accounting I
ECO 2023 Introductory Microeconomics
FIN 3003 Survey of Finance
- 6 semester credit hours of approved support work in one of the following areas, at the upper-division level:
- intercultural/international studies
- English language and composition, philosophy, and visual arts
- social and behavioral sciences
- business, management, marketing, and information systems
- other subjects as may be individually justified by the student and approved by the undergraduate advisor.
B.A. in Communication with a Technical Communication Concentration
All candidates seeking this degree must fulfill the Core Curriculum requirements and the degree requirements listed above. Additionally, students seeking a Technical Communication Concentration must complete COM 2433, COM 2733, COM 3413, COM 3623, and COM 4723 with a grade of “C-” or better in each course.
- 15 semester credit hours in Technical Communication Concentration courses:
COM 2433 Editing
COM 2733 Introduction to Communication Technologies
COM 3413 Writing for New Media
COM 3623 Commercial Publications
COM 4723 Digital Media Production - 9 additional semester credit hours in Communication, at least 3 at the upper-division level
- 9 semester credit hours of required support work:
ACC 2003 Foundations of Accounting
or
ACC 2013 Principles of Accounting I
ECO 2023 Introductory Microeconomics
FIN 3003 Survey of Finance
- 6 semester credit hours of approved support work in one of the following areas, at the upper-division level:
- intercultural/international studies
- English language and composition, philosophy, and visual arts
- social and behavioral sciences
- business, management, marketing, and information systems
- other subjects as may be individually justified by the student and approved by the undergraduate advisor.
Course Sequence Guide for B.A. Degree in Communication with a Public Relations or Technical Communication Concentration
This course sequence guide is designed to assist students in completing their UTSA undergraduate Communication degree requirements. This is merely a guide and students must satisfy other requirements of this catalog and meet with advisors in the College of Liberal and Fine Arts Advising Center for individualized degree plans. Progress within this guide depends upon such factors as course availability, individual student academic preparation, student time management, work obligations, and individual financial considerations. Students may choose to take courses during Summer terms to reduce course loads during long semesters.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication with a concentration – Four-Year Academic Plan
| FRESHMAN YEAR | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| WRC 1013 (core) | 3 | COM 2113* | 3 |
| HIS 1043, 1053, or 2053 (core) | 3 | HIS 1043, 1053, or 2053 (core) | 3 |
| Foreign Language (semester I) | 3 or 4 | WRC 1023 (core) | 3 |
| Mathematics core | 3 | Foreign Language (semester II) | 3 or 4 |
| Social & Behavioral Science core | 3 | Natural Sciences Level I core | 3 |
| Total semester hours | 15 or 16 | Total semester hours | 15 or 16 |
| SOPHOMORE YEAR | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| COM 3023* | 3 | COM 3073* | 3 |
| COM 3083* | 3 | COM 3553* or COM 3563* | 3 |
| ENG 2413* | 3 | ECO 2023 (core) | 3 |
| POL 1013 (core) | 3 | POL 1133 or POL 1213 (core) | 3 |
| Natural Sciences Level II core | 3 | Literature core | 3 |
| Total semester hours | 15 | Total semester hours | 15 |
| JUNIOR YEAR | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| ACC 2003 or ACC 2013 | 3 | COM 3533*(a) or COM 3413*(b) | 3 |
| COM 2433*(b) or Upper-division COM elective(a) | 3 | COM 3623*(a) or Upper-division COM elective(b) | 3 |
| COM 3523*(a) or COM 2733*(b) | 3 | FIN 3003 | 3 |
| Free elective | 3 | Free elective | 3 |
| Free elective | 3 | Visual & Performing Arts core | 3 |
| Total semester hours | 15 | Total semester hours | 15 |
| SENIOR YEAR | |||
| Fall | Spring | ||
| COM 4523*(a) or COM 3623*(b) | 3 | COM 4533*(a) or COM 4723*(b) | 3 |
| COM elective | 3 | COM elective | 3 |
| Free elective | 3 | Free elective | 3 |
| Support work/Free elective | 3 | Upper-division support work | 3 |
| Upper-division support work | 3 | World Society & Issues core | 3 |
| Total semester hours | 15 | Total semester hours | 15 |
* Must be completed with a grade of “C-” or better.
(a) Public Relations concentration only.
(b) Technical Communication concentration only.
