2026-2027 Course Catalog

Source: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/las/communication-balas/ Parent: https://catalog.illinois.edu/undergraduate/

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Communication

What is Communication

Communication is fundamental to an enormous variety of human activities. The study of communication fosters a sophisticated understanding of communication in all aspects of public and private life, including the workplace, public policy, health care, cultural norms, personal interactions, and notions of racial, class, gender, and sexual identity.

What You Get as a Communication Major

The study of communication is practical and flexible. Communication majors learn about communication in a variety of contexts and develop practical knowledge that prepares them for personal and professional success. Students develop communication skills that are highly valued by employers, such as the ability to work effectively in teams, critical thinking, and writing and presenting ideas.

Communication majors can choose to complete a general course of communication studies or specialize in one of the six areas of study:

• Communication and Culture
• Communication and Health
• Communication and Organizations
• Interpersonal Communication
• Mediated Communication & Technology
• Rhetoric & Public Discourse

Graduates pursue a wide variety of careers, including advertising, public relations, fund-raising and development, human resources, law, marketing, media, non-profit/advocacy, consulting, sales, and teaching.

Internship Opportunities

The department offers three types of internships to ensure students have opportunities to apply what they learn beyond the usual classroom setting:

• Our career internship program helps students earn academic credit while gaining professional experience in real-world organizational settings.
• The teaching internship program allows students a chance to learn about university-level teaching by assisting in a course they have taken previously.

Research internships allow select students to work with faculty or with advanced doctoral students through the mentoring through research and practice program.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Communication

Departmental distinction: Superior students are encouraged to consult the departmental honors adviser about requirements and opportunities for participation in the departmental honors program.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum hours required for graduation: 120 hours.

Minimum hours required major and supporting course work: At least 15 hours of the required 37 hours in Communication must be at the 300 level or above. Twelve hours of 300- and 400-level courses in the major must be taken on this campus.

University Requirements

The university and residency requirements can be found in the Student Code (§ 3-801) and in the Academic Catalog.

General Education Requirements

Follows the campus General Education (Gen Ed) requirements. Some Gen Ed requirements may be met by courses required and/or electives in the program.

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Composition I | | 4-6 | | Advanced Composition | | 3 | | Humanities & the Arts (6 hours) | | 6 | | Natural Sciences & Technology (6 hours) | | 6 | | Social & Behavioral Sciences (6 hours) | | 6 | | fulfilled by CMN 102 any other course approved as Social & Behavioral Sciences | | | | Cultural Studies: Non-Western Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Cultural Studies: US Minority Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Cultural Studies: Western/Comparative Cultures (1 course) | | 3 | | Quantitative Reasoning (2 courses, at least one course must be Quantitative Reasoning I) | | 6-10 | | Language Requirement (Completion of the fourth semester or equivalent of a language other than English, or completion of the third semester in two different languages other than English is required) | | 0-20 |

Major Requirements

Course List

 | Code | Title | Hours |

| --- | --- | --- | | Introduction to Public Speaking (choose one): | | 3 | | CMN 101 | Public Speaking | | | OR | | | | CMN 112 | Oral & Written Comm II 1 | | | CMN 102 | Introduction to Communication | 4 | | Communication Courses: Students will select an option (A or B) and a specialization (if Option B is chosen) in consultation with an undergraduate advisor in Communication. | | 30 | | OPTION A: Students who wish a general course of study will take at least one course from five of the following six areas and the remaining hours will be selected in consultation with an advisor. | | | | OPTION B: Students who choose to concentrate within an area must take four courses from one of the six areas listed below and the remaining hours will be selected in consultation with an advisor. Students may complete more than one specialization by completing four courses in each area desired; however, individual courses may not be counted toward more than one specialization. | | | | Communication & Culture Area | | | | CMN 232 | Intro to Intercultural Comm | | | CMN 250 | Social Movement Communication | | | CMN 280 | Comm Technology & Society | | | CMN 326 | Mass Media and the Audience | | | CMN 357 | Intro to Conversation Analysis | | | CMN 361 | Storytelling as Oral Communication | | | CMN 375 | Popular Media and Culture | | | CMN 429 | Race and the Mass Media | | | CMN 432 | Gender Communication | | | CMN 450 | Topics in Public Communication | | | Communication & Health Area: | | | | CMN 220 | Communicating Public Policy | | | CMN 230 | Introduction to Interpersonal Communication | | | CMN 260 | Intro to Health Communication | | | CMN 321 | Strategies of Persuasion | | | CMN 323 | Argumentation | | | CMN 368 | Sexual Communication | | | CMN 421 | Influence and Persuasion | | | CMN 467 | Communication & Health Equity | | | CMN 435 | Building Interpersonal Skills | | | CMN 462 | Health Communication in Relationships | | | CMN 464 | Health Communication Campaigns | | | CMN 465 | Social Marketing | | | Communication & Organizations Area: | | | | CMN 211 | Business and Professional Communication | | | CMN 212 | Intro to Organizational Comm | | | CMN 213 | Small Group Communication | | | CMN 215 | Interviewing: The Art and Science of Effective Questioning | | | CMN 232 | Intro to Intercultural Comm | | | CMN 280 | Comm Technology & Society | | | CMN 312 | Communicating for Innovation | | | CMN 323 | Argumentation | | | CMN 410 | Workplace Comm Technology | | | CMN 411 | Organizational Comm Assessment | | | CMN 412 | Adv Organizational Comm | | | CMN 464 | Health Communication Campaigns | | | Interpersonal Communication Area: | | | | CMN 213 | Small Group Communication | | | CMN 230 | Introduction to Interpersonal Communication | | | CMN 232 | Intro to Intercultural Comm | | | CMN 260 | Intro to Health Communication | | | CMN 321 | Strategies of Persuasion | | | CMN 323 | Argumentation | | | CMN 336 | Communicating in Families | | | CMN 338 | Relationships and Technologies | | | CMN 357 | Intro to Conversation Analysis | | | CMN 368 | Sexual Communication | | | CMN 421 | Influence and Persuasion | | | CMN 432 | Gender Communication | | | CMN 435 | Building Interpersonal Skills | | | CMN 462 | Health Communication in Relationships | | | Mediated Communication & Techonology Area: | | | | CMN 277 | Introduction to Mediated Communication | | | CMN 280 | Comm Technology & Society | | | CMN 312 | Communicating for Innovation | | | CMN 325 | Politics and the Media | | | CMN 326 | Mass Media and the Audience | | | CMN 338 | Relationships and Technologies | | | CMN 340 | Visual Politics | | | CMN 345 | Visual Media Effects | | | CMN 375 | Popular Media and Culture | | | CMN 410 | Workplace Comm Technology | | | CMN 424 | Campaigning to Win | | | CMN 429 | Race and the Mass Media | | | Rhetoric & Public Discourse Area: | | | | CMN 210 | Public Communication in Everyday Life | | | CMN 220 | Communicating Public Policy | | | CMN 250 | Social Movement Communication | | | CMN 321 | Strategies of Persuasion | | | CMN 323 | Argumentation | | | CMN 325 | Politics and the Media | | | CMN 326 | Mass Media and the Audience | | | CMN 340 | Visual Politics | | | CMN 345 | Visual Media Effects | | | CMN 421 | Influence and Persuasion | | | CMN 423 | Rhetorical Criticism | | | CMN 424 | Campaigning to Win | | | CMN 450 | Topics in Public Communication | | | CMN 464 | Health Communication Campaigns | | | | | | | Total Hours | | 37 |

1 : CMN 111 is a prerequisite for CMN 112.  Credit in CMN 111 will not count towards the minimum of 37 hours of Communication courses required for the major.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Communication

Sample Sequence

This sample sequence is intended to be used only as a guide for degree completion. All students should work individually with their academic advisors to decide the actual course selection and sequence that works best for them based on their academic preparation and goals. Enrichment programming such as study abroad, minors, internships, and so on may impact the structure of this four-year plan. Course availability is not guaranteed during the semester indicated in the sample sequence.

Students must fulfill their Language Other Than English requirement by successfully completing a fourth level of a language other than English. For more information see the corresponding section on the Degree and General Education Requirements page.

Total Hours: 120

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Communication

1. Students will demonstrate competence in oral and written communication, including public speaking, argumentation and reasoning, deliberation, and media analysis and critique.
2. Students will have broad knowledge of communication research and theory and understand how to apply theoretical concepts in practical settings.
3. Students will understand the political and social import of communication and develop competencies required to engage productively with discourses related to all aspects of public and private life.
4. Students will understand the communicative implications of human diversity, including issues related to race, culture, class, religion, gender, sexual identity, and disability.
5. Students will gain communication competencies that afford them rewarding opportunities, such as satisfying employment or post-graduate study.

for the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Arts & Sciences in Communication

Communication

Department Chair: John Caughlin\ Department of Communication Website\ 3001 Lincoln Hall, 702 S. Wright Street, Urbana, IL 61801\ (217) 333-2683\ communication@illinois.edu\ Communication Advising: CMNAdvising@illinois.edu\ Communication Faculty

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences

College of Liberal Arts & Sciences website\ Liberal Arts & Sciences Admissions & Requirements