COMMU-BA - Communication (BA)
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Program Overview
The undergraduate curriculum is intended for liberal arts students who wish to develop an understanding of communication in society, drawing on the perspective of the social sciences. You are expected to become familiar with the fundamental concerns, theoretical approaches, and methods of the field and to acquire advanced knowledge in one or both of the sub-areas of communication.
Minimum Units in the Program
Minimum University Units
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- 1132801
- 2151811
- 2158521
- 1045201
- 2160851
- 1237821
- 1253961
- 2254081
The department requires completion of or concurrent registration in an introductory statistics course when registering for COMM106 Communication Research Methods in preparation for courses in methodology and advanced courses in communication processes and effects. It is recommended that this be done as soon as possible so as not to prevent registration in a course requiring statistical understanding.
Core courses are usually offered only once each year.
- 2182961
OR 2056241 - 1128831
- 1128861
Undergraduate majors must select courses from the two areas described below. Majors choose four area courses, taking at least one from each area. The Writing in the Major (WIM) course also fulfills one of the area course requirements.
Select a total of four courses, at least one from each area.
Area I emphasizes how communication scholars conduct research in — and consider the issues of — human communication. These studies aim to provide expert guidance for social policymakers and media professionals.
- 2172401
- 2129371
- 2109181
- 2197201
- 1129653
- 2126631
- 2041791
- 1129751
- 2032143
Area II considers the roles and interactions of institutions such as broadcasting, journalism, constitutional law, and business within communication and mass communication contexts.
- 1128771
- 1128961
- 2023101
- 1129121
- 2144881
- 2269397
- 2181541
- 2192981
- 2269291
- 2251671
- 2202891
- 2072503
- 2070021
- 2166982
- 2115901
- 2269383
- 2071201
- 2210131
- 2071041
- 2262402
- 2214181
- 2213771
The remainder of the 65 required units may be fulfilled with any elective Communication courses, or a combination of communication courses and up to 10 units from a list of pre-approved courses in other departments (list below).
Communication majors can petition for approval of courses that are not currently listed.
- 2271001
- 2227741
- 2247881
- 2271002
- 1106153
- 2270591
- 2214463
- 1170145
- 2150165
- 2185583
- 2206161
- 2244602
- 2273601
- 2214464
- 2150163
- 2169822
- 2279681
- 2203951
- 2148651
- 2213221
- 2010531
- 2024081
- 2257541
- 1408386
- 1056411
- 1056441
- 1056451
- 1056761
- 1055861
- 2205711
- 2046501
- 1059711
- 2181093
- 2178451
- 1170222
- 2181092
- 1020791
- 2246636
- 1137531
- 2168861
- 2048191
- 2150162
- 2238891
- 2259931
- 1107111
- 2128941
- 2101161
- 1106151
- 2214461
- 2185581
- 2169823
- 1106152
- 2202471
- 2111371
- 2057951
- 2094041
- 2148661
- 2243261
- 2132821
- 2051351
- 2246632
- 2150164
- 2249241
- 2238841
- 2260131
- 2245383
- 2230741
- 1408382
- 1048001
- 2268951
- 2015511
- 2246633
- 2183931
- 2156431
- 2235081
- 2020641
- 2218411
- 2212261
- 2268791
- 2251751
- 2101221
- 2233121
- 2137281
- 1093021
- 1408384
- 1170141
- 2150161
- 2278091
- 1020794
- 1408383
- 1170142
- 1170221
- 2142941
- 2181831
- 2182201
- 2182211
- 2199971
- 2205712
- 1020793
- 1020795
- 1408381
- 2198941
- 1128771
- 2023101
- 2129371
- 2109181
- 2071201
- 2213771
All majors must satisfactorily complete a capstone project in their junior or senior year. This requirement may be met in one of the following ways.
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Students may complete an honors thesis in Communication (COMM 195).
With written approval from the COMM DUS, an honors thesis in one of the following interdisciplinary programs may also fulfill the COMM capstone requirement: Arts; Comparative Studies in Race and Ethnicity; Democracy, Development, and the Rule of Law (CDDRL); Education; Ethics in Society; Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies; International Security Studies (CISAC); Science, Technology, and Society (STS). To receive approval, students should submit their honors thesis proposal to the Student Services Manager.
With written approval from the COMM DUS, students pursuing a double major may satisfy the COMM capstone requirement by writing an honors thesis in their other major if the work has significant COMM content. To receive approval, students should submit their honors thesis proposals to the Student Services Manager. To satisfy the capstone requirements of both majors with the same honors thesis, DUS approval of both majors is required.
Students may undertake a quarter of supervised research with a faculty member (COMM 199C). Written proposal and permission of instructor and Director of Undergraduate Studies required before enrollment.
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Students may complete the Department of Communication’s capstone seminar.
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The honors program allows Communication majors to undertake a significant research program in an individual professor/student mentoring relationship. The aim is to guide students through the process of research, analysis, drafting, rethinking, and redrafting, which is essential to excellence in scholarship. Working one-on-one with a faculty advisor, seniors earn 15 Communication units culminating in an honors thesis.
The designation “with honors” is awarded by the Department of Communication to those graduating seniors who, in addition to having completed all requirements for the Communication major:
Complete an honors thesis;
Maintain a distinguished GPA in all communication coursework;
Are recommended by the Communication faculty.
To be eligible for the honors program, interested majors complete the following requirements:
Achieve a GPA of 3.3 in Communication courses
Complete the core communication courses for the Communication major, including the statistics requirement
Receive a grade of B+ or better in course Communication Research Methods (see Core Program Requirements > Core Courses)
Select an advisor; only tenured or tenure-track faculty can be advisors for an honors thesis in Communication
Submit an application to the department by the end of their junior year; see the department’s honors website to download an application form
Students are expected to progress steadily on their honors thesis throughout the year.
A final copy of the honors thesis must be submitted to the thesis advisor for review and grading, and a second copy must be uploaded to the Stanford Digital Repository by the end of week eight of spring quarter of the student’s senior year (exact date to be arranged).
Honors work may be used to fulfill Communication elective credit but must be completed and a letter grade submitted before graduation. A student failing to meet all honors requirements may still receive independent study credit for work completed, which may be applied toward fulfilling major requirements.
Completing an honors thesis in Communication fulfills the capstone requirement.