Learn More and ApplyCommunication and Media (BA)

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CMN2

The College of Communication offers a variety of courses leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication and Media. The BA in Communication and Media offers students the opportunity to pursue coursework in communication and media that draws upon two or more related areas of study. This degree will provide flexibility for transfer students and others who have not determined their precise career trajectory, while affording them the fundamental communication and critical thinking skills needed to enter jobs across the public, private and non-profit sectors, or to continue their education in academic or professional post-graduate programs. In order to complete this degree, students have the option of pursuing coursework from any of the other majors offered in the College of Communication.​​​​​​​​

Some liberal studies requirements may not be offered online. Some communication major courses may not have online options. 

Program Requirements Quarter Hours
College Core Requirements 16
Liberal Studies Requirements 84
Major Requirements 40
Open Electives 52
Total hours required 192

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

  • Explain the complexities of human communication
  • Construct a presentation that tailors ideas to a specific audience
  • Analyze content from various media.

College Core Requirements 

Modern Language Requirement 

Modern Language Option

All majors in the College of Communication consist of a four-course common core plus an additional combination of program requirements and electives.

College Core Requirements

Four core courses are required of all College of Communication students:

Course Title Quarter Hours
CMN 101INTRODUCTION TO HUMAN COMMUNICATION4
CMN 102INTRODUCTION TO MASS COMMUNICATION4
CMN 103INTERCULTURAL COMMUNICATION4
CMN 104PUBLIC SPEAKING4

Students are encouraged to complete all four prior to taking additional coursework in the major.

Modern Language Requirement

Students who intend to graduate with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Communication will be required to demonstrate a measure of competence in a modern language, as defined by the college. Such competence may be demonstrated in one of several ways:

  • completing the last course in a second year high school course work in a modern language or Latin
  • completing the last course in the first-year college sequence of any language
  • completing a college course beyond the first-year level in any language
  • achieving a satisfactory score on any of the Modern Language placement examinations administered at DePaul
  • achieving a satisfactory rating in a proficiency examination accepted by DePaul
  • achieving a score of 3 or higher on the Advance Placement (AP) test for any language (must be completed during high school)
  • achieving a score of 5 or higher in the Language B assessment from a Standard or Higher Level International Baccalaureate (IB) program
  • achieving a satisfactory score on the CLEP examination. 

Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Requirement. Students with some modern language training should consult with the Modern Language Department about the course with which they should begin. Students with little or no previous work in the language will be required to complete the entire three-course introductory sequence.

Modern Language Option

The Modern Language Option is available to all BA students who wish to study a modern language beyond the level necessary to meet the College’s modern language requirement. Students selecting the option may substitute a three-course language sequence for three learning domain courses, or two upper-level courses in the same language for two learning domain requirements. Modern language option  waivers cannot be applied to courses in the Math and Computing Domain or courses in the Scientific Inquiry domain. Modern Languages courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Modern Language Option.

Any substitutions must be consistent with the principle that students complete at least one course in each learning domain. ​​​​​​

Liberal Studies Requirements

Honors program requirements can be found in the individual Colleges & Schools section of the University Catalog. Select the appropriate college or school, followed by Undergraduate Academics and scroll down.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year ProgramHours
Chicago Quarter
LSP 110
DISCOVER CHICAGO
or EXPLORE CHICAGO
4
Focal Point
LSP 112 FOCAL POINT SEMINAR 4
Writing
WRD 103 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC I 1 4
WRD 104 COMPOSITION AND RHETORIC II 1 4
Quantitative Reasoning
MAT 120 QUANTITATIVE REASONING 2 4
Sophomore Year
Race, Power, and Resistance
LSP 200 SEMINAR ON RACE, POWER, AND RESISTANCE 4
Junior Year
Experiential Learning
Required 4
Senior Year
Capstone
CMN 396 CAPSTONE IN COMMUNICATION 1 4
1

Students must earn a C- or better in this course.

2

Readiness for MAT 120 is determined by the math placement test taken online after admission. Students may need to take developmental coursework prior to MAT 120. The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam, or by credit earned for advanced math coursework at DePaul (MAT 135MAT 136MAT 147MAT 148MAT 149MAT 150MAT 151MAT 152MAT 155MAT 156MAT 160MAT 161MAT 162MAT 170MAT 171MAT 172, or equivalent) or any transfer, CLEP, IB, or AP Calculus credit. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfil any of the three QR/MCD requirements.

Learning Domains

Arts and Literature (AL)

  • 2 Courses Required

Historical Inquiry (HI)

  • 2 Courses Required

Math and Computing (MC)

  • 2 Courses Required
    [1 CR Course and 1 SR Course]

Philosophical Inquiry (PI)

  • 2 Courses Required

Religious Dimensions (RD)

  • 2 Courses Required

Scientific Inquiry (SI)

  • 2 Courses Required
    [1 Lab Course and 1 SWK Course]​

Social, Cultural, and Behavioral Inquiry (SCBI)

  • 2 Courses Required

Note

Courses offered in the student's primary major cannot be taken to fulfill LSP Domain requirements. If students double major, LSP Domain courses may double count for both LSP credit and the second major. Students who choose to take an experiential learning course offered by the major may count it either as a major requirement or the Experiential Learning requirement.

In meeting learning domain requirements, no more than one course that is outside the student’s major and is cross-listed with a course within the student’s major, can be applied to count for LSP domain credit. This policy does not apply to those who are pursuing a double major or earning BFA or BM degrees.

Major Requirements

Course Requirements

One presentation skills course from the following selection of classes:

Course Title Quarter Hours
CMNS 201BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL COMMUNICATION4
CMNS 230PERFORMANCE: COMMUNICATION, CREATIVITY AND THE BODY4
CMNS 330TOPICS IN PERFORMANCE4
CMNS 336STORYTELLING: COMMUNICATION AS NARRATIVE4
CMNS 339PERFORMANCE OF GENDER & SEXUALITY4
CMNS 354EMPLOYMENT INTERVIEWING4
CMNS 365ARGUMENTATION, ADVOCACY, AND DELIBERATION4
CMNS 367PERFORMANCE FOR SOCIAL CHANGE4
CMNS 369PERFORMANCE OF HUMOR4
CMNS 371PERFORMANCE OF RITUAL4

One media analysis course from the following selection of classes:

Course Title Quarter Hours
MCS 231INTRODUCTION TO DOCUMENTARY STUDIES4
MCS 271MEDIA AND CULTURAL STUDIES4
MCS 273STORYTELLING & STYLE IN CINEMA4

Two elective courses (8 hours) from CMNS2

Two elective courses (8 hours) from JOUR, MCS, PRAD and/or SPRTCMN2

Four courses (16 hours) from CMN, CMNS, JOUR, MCS, PRAD, SPRTCMN and/or the College of Computing and Digital Media (CDM) courses listed below (maximum 2 CDM courses)1, 2:

Course Title Quarter Hours
DOC 324DOCUMENTARY PRODUCTION II
FILM 110DIGITAL CINEMA PRODUCTION I
FILM 210CINEMA PRODUCTION II
FILM 245MEDIA LITERACIES
FILM 250CINEMATOGRAPHY I
POST 110EDITING I
POST 124SOUND DESIGN I
SCWR 100INTRODUCTION TO SCREENWRITING
SCWR 250INTRODUCTION TO TELEVISION WRITING
SCWR 302WRITING THE FEATURE SCREENPLAY
1

Students may take up to 4 hours of credit in CMN 397 RESEARCH PRACTICUM  and CMN 399 INDEPENDENT STUDY toward graduation requirements. 

2

A maximum of 8 credits from two credit College of Communication courses can be applied to major requirements. 

Internship Credit

Students in the major may take CMN 394  and/or CMN 395 (when work relates to the major). In order to take CMN 394 or CMN 395, students must have completed two of the four communication core classes (CMN 101, CMN 102, CMN 103, CMN 104), two courses in the chosen major and have fulfilled internship program eligibility requirements.

​​​​​Open Electives

Open elective credit also is required to meet the minimum graduation requirement of 192 hours.