Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies

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Offered both online and in-person, the BA in Communication Studies requires you to take foundational courses in Public Speaking, Mass Media, and Research Methods. You’ll have the opportunity to take a variety of electives from the Communication Studies Program or the Public Relations courses provided by the Journalism Program.

Students who graduate with a BA in Communication Studies go on to successful careers in marketing, research, business, and more. The BA is also good preparation for attending graduate school.

Curriculum & Requirements Academic Planning Form (PDF)

STAR Exercise  Curriculum Map

Curriculum & Requirements

Communication Studies Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Students seeking a degree in Communication Studies must complete sections A through D and a capstone.

Note:

  • CMST 200 cannot be taken for credit towards the Communication Studies Major;
  • this major requires the completion of a minor;
  • two years of a single high school foreign language or one year of a single college-level foreign language is required.

This major does require the completion of a minor or certificate for graduation.

Grade Requirements: a minimum cumulative GPA ≥2.0 by graduation.

Section A–Required Communication Foundation Credits
CMST 201PUBLIC SPEAKING5
CMST 208MASS MEDIA AND THE INFORMATION SOCIETY5
CMST 309COMMUNICATION AND INFORMATION5
CMST 330INTEGRATED METHODS FOR COMMUNICATION RESEARCH5
or CSBS 320 STATISTICS FOR THE SOCIAL SCIENCES
Section B–Required Upper Division Core Credits–choose three 400-level CMST classes.14-15
Note: the following classes cannot count in this section (B): CMST 480, CMST 481 or CMST 495, CMST 499.
Note: any course used in Section B cannot count in Section C.
MESSAGE DESIGN
LANGUAGE AND SOCIAL INTERACTION
NEGOTIATION SKILLS AND STRATEGIES
COMMUNICATION AND PERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS
GENDER AND MEDIA
TOPICS IN SEMIOTICS
SEX, SEXUALITY AND COMMUNICATION
HEALTH COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATION IN ORGANIZATIONS
COMMUNICATION LAW AND ETHICS
MEDIA SYSTEMS AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY
LEADERSHIP, INNOVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY
SPORTS AND LEADERSHIP
TOPICS IN LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGIC COMMUNICATION
RHETORICAL THEORY AND CRITICISM
PERSUASION
CULTURAL STUDIES
TOPICS IN IMAGE, MESSAGES AND MEANING
INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC RELATIONS THEORY
ADVANCED PUBLIC RELATIONS THEORY
ENTERTAINMENT PUBLIC RELATIONS
PUBLIC RELATIONS CAMPAIGNS
MEDIA RELATIONS
PUBLIC RELATIONS IN BUSINESS AND FOR ENTREPRENEURSHIP
ELECTRONIC SURVEILLANCE AND PRIVACY
GENDER, COMMUNICATION AND POLITICS
EXPERIMENTAL COURSE
WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR
SEMINAR
Section C–Electives19-20
Note: any course used in Section C cannot count in Section B.
COMMUNICATION, COMMUNITY AND CITIZENSHIP
INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION
ARGUMENTATION AND ADVOCACY
TOPICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS
EVENT PLANNING AND LOGISTICS
SMALL GROUP COMMUNICATION
LISTENING SKILLS
EXPERIMENTAL COURSE
DIRECTED STUDY
POLITICAL COMMUNICATION
MESSAGE DELIVERY
NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION
GENDER AND COMMUNICATION
INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC RELATIONS WRITING
DEBATE
INTERVIEWING
CONFERENCE MANAGEMENT
FOUNDATIONS OF SOCIAL MEDIA
SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND PLANNING
TOPICS IN PUBLIC RELATIONS
GLOBAL COMMUNICATION
COMMUNICATIVE REASONING
BECOMING OTHER-CENTERED
PROFESSIONAL IMPRESSION MANAGEMENT
CONFLICT MANAGEMENT SKILLS
FIELD WORK
SEMINAR
SPECIAL STUDIES
SUCCESSFUL FUNDRAISING
PRE-INTERNSHIP WORKSHOP
INTERNSHIP WORKSHOP
INTERNSHIP/PRACTICUM
WORKSHOP, SHORT COURSE, CONFERENCE, SEMINAR
SEMINAR
Section D–The STAR Component (STudy/Act/Reflect)–please see STAR Component Coordinator, Dr. Shields, for any additional information.
Note: A minimum of 10 credits of CMST coursework at EWU must be taken before beginning the STAR component. Written and oral reports on the STAR experience must be completed successfully.
This requirement can be satisfied by: • A CMST or required JRNM class that has a built-in engagement component; • An internship; • Employment or volunteer activities.
Senior Capstone Requirement
CMST 490SENIOR CAPSTONE5
Total Credits58-60

Catalog Listing

General Education

University Competencies and Proficiencies

English 
Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning
Placement and Clearance 
Prior Learning/Sources of Credit AP, CLEP, IB

General Education Requirements (GER)

  • Minimum Credits—180 cumulative credit hours 
    • 60 upper-division credits (300 level or above)
    • 45 credits in residence (attendance) at Eastern, with at least 15 upper-division credits in major in residence at Eastern
  • Minimum Cumulative GPA ≥2.0

Breadth Area Core Requirements (BACR)

Humanities and Arts 
Natural Sciences 
Social Sciences

University Graduation Requirements (UGR)

Diversity Course List
Foreign Language (for Bachelor of Arts)
Global Studies Course List
Minor or Certificate
Senior Capstone Course List

Application for Graduation (use EagleNET) must be made at least two terms in advance of the term you expect to graduate (undergraduate and post-baccalaureate).

Use the Catalog Archives to determine two important catalog years.

Degree Works calculates based on these two catalog years.

  1. The catalog in effect at the student's first term of current matriculation is used to determine BACR (Breadth Area Credit Requirements) and UGR (Undergraduate Graduation Requirements).
  2. The catalog in effect at the time the student declares a major or minor is used to determine the program requirements.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students who successfully earn a BA in Communication Studies from EWU should be able to do the following:

  • apply ethical communication principles to message composition or analysis;
  • craft compelling written messages;
  • deliver an effective public speech;
  • demonstrate the ability to design or conduct sound communication research;
  • use communication theories to critically analyze the characteristics of mediated messages.

Sample Courses

CMST 241. EVENT PLANNING AND LOGISTICS. 3 Credits.

Students learn about the varying aspects of professional event planners, what it takes to be a successful event planner, as well as the processes used to design, plan and execute a variety of different events. This class provides instruction on the basic structure of event planning, design, marketing, execution and evaluation, as well as basic business and employment skills necessary to be successful in the event industry.

Catalog Listing

CMST 338. SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND PLANNING. 3 Credits.

Notes: DESN 216 is recommended, but not required.
Pre-requisites: CMST 337.
This course is designed to help you learn the differences between various social media platforms. You will learn how to take advantage of the different platforms' strengths and get hands-on experience planning, creating and posting content tailored to each individual channel. This course covers well-established platforms as well as new and emerging services.

Catalog Listing

CMST 419. SEX, SEXUALITY AND COMMUNICATION. 5 Credits.

Cross-listed: GWSS 419.
Pre-requisites: one WMST course or CMST course.
This seminar examines the construction of sexuality and sexual identity through communication, with a focus on the relationship between public policy and private sexuality.

Catalog Listing

CMST 450. RHETORICAL THEORY AND CRITICISM. 5 Credits.

This course will survey contemporary theories of rhetorical communication and analyze areas of methodological controversy. We will discuss topics such as communication's role in defining humanity, power and communication, marginal groups and public discourse, gender/sex and rhetoric, evidence and public policy argument, and the impact of emerging communication technologies on methodological applications. We will operate from the assumption that language reflects, selects, and deflects reality in its construction of how we perceive the world.

Catalog Listing