Learn More and ApplyDigital Communication (BA)

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CMN2
Program Requirements Quarter Hours
Liberal Studies Requirements 84
College Core Requirements 16
Major Requirements 48
Open Electives 44
Total hours required 192

Learning Outcomes

​Students will be able to:

  • Apply knowledge of digital communication to personal and professional communication practices.
  • Analyze the impact of digital communication on designated features of society (for example law, government, politics, economics).
  • Compare and contrast different ethical approaches to digital communication.
  • Generate socially responsible media content in a variety of contexts.
  • Analyze the interplay between digital communication and social networks.

College Core Requirements 

Modern Language Requirement 

Language for Liberal Studies 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 DIALOGUE4
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.

Language For Liberal Studies Option

The Language for Liberal Studies 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. Language for Liberal Studies waivers cannot be applied to courses in the Math and Computing Domain or courses in the Scientific Inquiry domain. Modern Language courses with an E-designation are taught in English and may not be applied to the Language for Liberal Studies 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
or LSP 111
 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
Multiculturalism in the US
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. Students who complete MAT 120 and both a Computational Reasoning course and a Statistical Reasoning course in the Math and Computing Learning Domain take one less Learning Domain course. Students may not apply the course reduction to any Domain where only one course is required, and cannot be applied to the Scientific Inquiry Learning Domain.  The MAT 120 requirement may be waived by passing a dedicated proficiency exam or it may be fulfilled by credit for advanced math coursework earned  in-residence at DePaul (MAT 135, MAT 136, MAT 147, MAT 148, MAT 149, MAT 150, MAT 151, MAT 152 MAT 155, MAT 156, or equivalent) or earned externally either as transfer credit from another college/university or as test credit through AP, CLEP, IB, or International A and A/S Level exams. Calculus course(s) may be used to fulfill 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

8 Required Courses (28 hours)

Course Title Quarter Hours
CMN 150SMARTPHONE PHOTOGRAPHY (2.0 quarter hours)2
Choose one of the following:2
CMN 292
ADOBE CREATIVE CLOUD WORKSHOP (2.0 quarter hours)
CMN 295
ADOBE INDESIGN (2.0 quarter hours)
CMN 296
ADOBE AUDITION (2.0 quarter hours)
CMN 297
ADOBE PREMIERE VIDEO EDITING (2.0 quarter hours)
CMNS 280SOCIAL MEDIA VIDEO4
CMNS 281CONTENT STRATEGY 4
CMNS 349DIGITAL MEDIA LAW AND ETHICS4
CMNS/MPOP 366DIGITAL DISPUTES 4
WRD 201DIGITAL WRITING4
CMNS 380AI ESSENTIALS FOR COMMUNICATION 4

Major Electives (20 hours)

Digital Communication majors will take 20 credits of electives from the following list:

Course Title Quarter Hours
CMN 292ADOBE CREATIVE CLOUD WORKSHOP (2.0 quarter hours)2
CMN 295ADOBE INDESIGN (2.0 quarter hours)2
CMN 296ADOBE AUDITION (2.0 quarter hours)2
CMN 297ADOBE PREMIERE VIDEO EDITING (2.0 quarter hours)2
CMNS 301/MPOP 373AUDIO DOCUMENTARY4
CMNS 341COMMUNICATION NETWORKS IN A DIGITAL AGE4
CMNS 342LIVING ONLINE4
CMNS 345THE DARK WEB4
CMNS 362/JOUR 316SOUND AND VISION4
JOUR 276PHOTOJOURNALISM4
JOUR 304INTRO TO DATA JOURNALISM4
MPOP 260TRANSMEDIA STORYTELLING: BUILDING A NARRATIVE WORLD4
MPOP 379VIDEO GAME STUDIES4
SPRTCMN 276SPORTS PHOTOJOURNALISM4
WRD 242WRITING WITH AI4
WRD 261DIGITAL CULTURE4
WRD 327CONTENT WRITING 4

Open Electives 

Digital Communication majors will take 44 credits of open electives.