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Q. What is communication studies?
A. A broad discipline encompassing the social sciences, humanities, liberal arts, and performing
arts. See STATE OF THE DISCIPLINE under ABOUT US for details.
Q. What areas of communication studies are available in UNCW's department?
A. There are many specialty and sub-specialty ares of communication studies represented in our
curriculum. Primary areas are:
Advertising Organizational and Group Communication
Digital Media and Video Production Performance Studies
Interracial/Intercultural Communication Public Relations
Interpersonal Communication Public Speaking
Media Studies Rhetoric and Communication Theory
Q. What is the academic mission of the Department of Communication Studies?
A. Our mission statement reads, in part,"Above all, our primary purpose is to provide our majors an
undergraduate degree program in which the philosophy, practice, criticism, and study of
communication are emphasized and balanced. Specifically, we seek to integrate application with
theory." See the complete MISSION STATEMENT.
Q. As a communication studies major, am I required to select an emphasis area or formal
track?
A. You have the flexibility to customize your degree program based on aspirations for graduate study
and professional career paths. See B.A. REQUIREMENTS and OPTIONS under ACADEMICS.
Q. What opportunities for graduate study or professional employment are available to those
who earn a B.A. degree in communication studies?
A. Graduate study options at the Masters and Doctoral levels are available in all discipline specialty
areas represented in the department. See GRADUATE STUDY OPTIONS under RESOURCES.
Q. How do I become a communication studies major?
A. See ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS under ACADEMICS.
Q. Why is there an admissions gateway into the communication studies program?
A. See ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS under ACADEMICS.
Q. What happens if I am not successful entering the communication studies program?
A. See ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS under ACADEMICS.
Q. Are internships available? Are they required?
A. See INTERNSHIPS under ACADEMICS.
Q. What co-curricular student organizations are sponsored by the Department of
Communication Studies?
A. Communication Studies Society
Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society
Public Relations Student Network
Storytelling in the Community
UNCW Advertising Chapter
Q. Will faculty and staff in the department help me enter a graduate program or secure a
job?
A. Faculty and staff do assist with these pursuits. However, much of this work is appropriately
student-driven and takes place in COM 490 Discipline Capstone. Also review related information at
CAREER OPTIONS under RESOURCES.
Q. How many students are communication studies or pre-communication studies majors?
A. Typically, there are 550+ students pursuing a degree in communication studies. We are one of the
largest undergraduate programs at UNCW.
Q. How many students are typically enrolled in a communication studies class?
A. Most lecture/discussion classes have enrollments of approximately 30 students. Presentation,
performance, and technology-intensive courses carry enrollments of 16-25 students. A few large
format classes (100-250 students) are also offered. Several of these courses also serve as UNCW
Basic Studies offerings.
Q. Will I be taught by full-time faculty members, part-time faculty members, or graduate
students?
A. Most upper-level courses are taught by full-time faculty members, though a few of those offerings
were designed and are staffed by part-time instructors in keeping with their areas of expertise.
Lower-level classes are also taught primarily by full-time faculty members, though part-time faculty
constitute an essential percentage of these course sections. No graduate students teach
communication studies classes. For details regarding the COM faculty, visit FACULTY and STAFF
under ABOUT US.
Q. What careers do communication studies alumni occupy?
A. A myriad of professional positions related to the many academic specialty areas available in our
program. Visit CAREER OPTIONS under RESOURCES.
Q. Who will serve as my academic advisor when I'm a PCOM or COM major?
A. As a PCOM and COM major, you will be advised by a full-time faculty member.
See PRE-REGISTRATION COUNSELING under ADVISING & CLUBS.
Q. Can I complete a B.A. degree in communication studies in a four year period?
A. Yes, though students must be aware that our faculty/student ratio sometimes limits course
availability.
Q. Is this an "easy" major?
A. A resounding "NO." Navigate this Web site for details.
Q. What scholarships are available to communication studies majors?
A. See SCHOLARSHIPS under ADVISING & CLUBS.
Q. What annual events sponsored by the department promote student learning or build
community?
A. Events include Communication Studies Day, Make the Most of Your Major sessions (organized by
the Communication Studies Society), professional panel presentations (organized by the Public
Relations Student Network and UNCW Advertising Chapter) and our Annual Banquet.
Q. What academic credentials are held by COM faculty members?
A. See FACULTY and STAFF under ABOUT US.
Q. What professional experience, outside a university environment, do COM faculty members
have?
A. See FACULTY and STAFF under ABOUT US. In some cases, you may then also navigate to
individual faculty member Web sites.
Q. Do students completing communication studies classes engage in service learning?
A. Beyond COM 498 Internship in Community Studies and COM 216 Storytelling in the Community, a
great deal of service learning is incorporated into many of our classes including those focused on
public relations, advertising, and media production. Service learning is also an essential element of
the community work completed by members of our student organizations.
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