Graduation

Special Requirements of the College of Communication

All students must fulfill the general requirements for graduation given in chapter 1. Students in the College of Communication must also fulfill the following requirements.

1. All University students must have a grade point average of at least 2.00 to graduate. In the College of Communication, a student who fails to achieve this grade point average in the normal 120 hours may register for up to forty additional hours in order to do so.
2. All communication majors must have a grade of at least C in each course taken in the College of Communication that is counted toward the degree; if the course is offered on the pass/fail basis only, the student must have the symbol CR.
3. The University requires that the student complete in residence at least sixty semester hours of the coursework counted toward the degree. In the College of Communication, these sixty hours must include at least eighteen hours of upper-division coursework and at least six hours of upper-division coursework in the major.
4. A candidate for a degree must be registered in the College of Communication either in residence or in absentia the semester or summer session the degree is to be awarded and must apply to the dean for the degree no later than the date specified in the official academic calendar.
5. An Air Force, Army, or Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps student who elects the basic and/or advanced program in air force science, military science, or naval science will not be approved for graduation until the student's government contract is completed or the student is released from the ROTC.
6. Each degree program is arranged to provide for the orderly progress of the student's coursework. A beginning student (including a transfer student with fewer than forty-eight semester hours of transferable credit) who registers for twelve semester hours or more must take at least nine semester hours, in at least three courses, of the coursework listed as prescribed work for one of the degrees in the College of Communication. The student must continue to take at least nine semester hours of the prescribed work each long-session semester until he or she has completed forty-eight semester hours of credit. The dean may adjust this rule in exceptional circumstances, or when the student has earned credit by examination, or when the student registers for fewer than twelve hours in a long-session semester.
7. No student in the College of Communication may repeat for credit a course in which he or she has earned a grade of C or better.

The Degree Audit

Students should verify the coursework they have completed and the coursework still needed for the degree by reviewing a degree audit at least once each semester with an adviser in the Office of Student Affairs. The degree audit is a computer-generated report of the student's progress in completing degree requirements. He or she may also create, print, and review an audit online through IDA, the Interactive Degree Audit system.

Although the degree audit normally provides an accurate statement of requirements, the student is responsible for knowing the requirements for the degree as stated in a catalog under which he or she is entitled to graduate and for registering so as to fulfill those requirements. Because the student is responsible for registering for the classes needed to fulfill degree requirements, he or she should seek an official ruling in the student affairs office before registering if in doubt about any requirement.

Applying for Graduation

To graduate, a student must be registered in the College of Communication and must file a graduation application with the Office of Student Affairs. A student who is enrolled in residence must submit the application online. A student who is not currently enrolled should contact the Office of Student Affairs about the process to graduate in absentia.

The graduation application should be filed at the beginning of the student's last semester; it must be filed no later than the deadline given in the official academic calendar. No degree will be conferred unless the graduation application form has been filed on time.

Degrees

Degrees Offered

In the College of Communication, six undergraduate degrees are offered: Bachelor of Science in Advertising, Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders, Bachelor of Science in Communication Studies, Bachelor of Journalism, Bachelor of Science in Public Relations, and Bachelor of Science in Radio-Television-Film. The requirements of each degree are divided into special requirements, prescribed work, and major requirements; these are given later in this chapter under the heading for the degree. In addition, the student must fulfill the University-wide graduation requirements given in chapter 1 and the special requirements of the College of Communication given above.

A student may not earn more than two undergraduate degrees from the College of Communication. A student may not earn both the Bachelor of Science in Advertising and the Bachelor of Science in Public Relations.

Writing Requirement

As part of the prescribed work for all degrees in the college, students must complete two courses certified as having a substantial writing component. If the writing requirement is not fulfilled by courses specified for the degree, the two courses certified as having a substantial writing component must either be included within the electives or be taken in addition to the minimum number of semester hours for the degree. Courses with a substantial writing component are identified in the Course Schedule.

Communication and Culture Requirement

As part of the prescribed work for all degrees, students must complete three semester hours of coursework in the College of Communication dealing with the study of communication issues concerning at least one minority or nondominant group within the United States. Courses used to fulfill this requirement may also be used to fulfill other degree requirements. Multicultural courses include, but are not limited to, the following; all courses that fulfill this requirement are identified in the Course Schedule.

• Advertising 371J, Advertising and Society
• Advertising 378, Topic 2: Advanced Issues in Multicultural Markets
• Advertising 378, Topic: African Americans and the Media
• Communication 316M, Communication and Ethnic Groups
• Communication Sciences and Disorders 308K, Perspectives on Deafness
• Communication Sciences and Disorders 360M, Communication and Deaf People
• Communication Studies 314L, Language, Communication, and Culture
• Communication Studies 340K, Communication and Social Change
• Communication Studies 355K, Intercultural Communication
• Communication Studies 365K, Male-Female Communication
• Communication Studies 367, Topic: Language and Culture
• Journalism 335, Narrative Journalism
• Journalism 340C, Topic 1: Mass Media and Minorities
• Journalism 340C, Topic 2: African Americans and the Media
• Journalism 340C, Topic 3: Journalism and Religion
• Journalism 340C, Topic: African American Athletes and the Media
• Journalism 340C, Topic: Leadership, Management, and the Media
• Journalism 340C, Topic: Women and the News
• Radio-Television-Film 331K, Topic 1: Cult Movies and Gender Issues
• Radio-Television-Film 331K, Topic 2: Television and Theories of Gender
• Radio-Television-Film 359S, Topic 1: Hispanic Images and Counterimages
• Radio-Television-Film 365, Topic 4: History of United States Latino Media
• Radio-Television-Film 365, Topic 6: Latinos and Media
• Radio-Television-Film 370, Topic: Women and Film

Applicability of Certain Courses

Internship Credit

Some communication degree programs require an internship; in other programs, students may elect to complete an internship. In either case, the student must be a communication major and must meet the prerequisite for the internship course. Up to but no more than four semester hours of credit in internship courses may be counted toward the student's degree.

Physical Activity Courses

Physical activity (PED) courses are offered by the Department of Kinesiology and Health Education. They are counted among courses for which a student is enrolled, and the grades are included in the grade point average. However, these courses may not be counted toward a degree in the College of Communication.

ROTC Courses

No more than nine semester hours of credit for air force science, military science, or naval science courses may be counted toward any degree in the College of Communication. Such coursework may be counted only as lower-division electives in degree programs that have room for such electives, and only by students who have completed the third and fourth years of the ROTC program. ROTC courses may not be substituted for any specific required course.

Concurrent Enrollment and Correspondence and Extension Courses

Credit that a University student in residence earns simultaneously by correspondence or extension from the University or elsewhere or in residence at another school will not be counted toward a degree in the College of Communication unless specifically approved in advance by the dean. Requests to take communication courses by correspondence or extension are normally disapproved. A student in his or her final semester may not enroll concurrently at another institution in any course that is to be counted toward the degree. No more than 30 percent of the semester hours required for any degree offered in the College of Communication may be taken by correspondence.

Courses Taken on the Pass/Fail Basis

A student in the College of Communication may count toward the degree up to fifteen semester hours of coursework in elective subjects outside the College of Communication taken on the pass/fail basis. No course required for the degree and taken in residence may be taken pass/fail, unless the course is offered only on that basis. The student may also take examinations for credit in elective subjects on the pass/fail basis; credit earned by examination is not counted toward the total of five courses that the student may take on this basis. If a student chooses to major in a subject in which he or she has taken a course pass/fail, the academic unit that offers the major determines whether the course may be counted toward the student's major requirements. Complete rules on registration on the pass/fail basis are given in General Information.

Bible Courses

No more than twelve semester hours of Bible courses may be counted toward a degree.

Bachelor of Science in Advertising

To be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science in Advertising, the candidate must complete 120 semester hours of coursework and must fulfill the University-wide graduation requirements in chapter 1, the college graduation requirements above, and the special requirements, prescribed work, and major requirements below.

Areas of Study

Texas Advertising Management Program

All students seeking a Bachelor of Science in Advertising begin in the Texas Advertising Management program. This program is designed for students interested in a variety of professional careers, including advertising management positions in a wide range of advertising, sales promotion, direct response, promotional products, and related agencies. Students planning to work for advertisers, such as manufacturing or service companies, rather than for agencies also may meet their goals through the Texas Advertising Management program. The program focuses on an integrated approach in which communication problems are addressed with a variety of tools, including advertising, public relations, sales promotion, and direct response. Students must complete eight core courses: Advertising 318J, 325, 344K, 345J, 350 (or 468K, if applicable), 370J, 371J, and 373. In addition, all students must complete at least twelve semester hours of electives within the Department of Advertising. Students may remain in this program for flexibility in their choice of electives, or they may choose to apply for acceptance into one of three specialty areas of study described below: Texas Creative program, Texas Media program, or Texas Interactive program.

Texas Creative Program

This program is designed to mold talented students into skilled advertising copywriters and art directors. To achieve that goal, it focuses on the creative and strategic thinking required to make the highest quality advertising messages. The program consists of Advertising 343K, Portfolio I; 468K, Portfolio II; and 468L, Portfolio III. In these three courses, students are expected to learn conceptual and critical thinking skills, computer design and page layout skills, and copywriting. The sequence also helps students develop the portfolio of creative work that is required of those seeking jobs in advertising.

All students enrolled in Advertising 325 may apply for admission to the Texas Creative program. Applications are generally distributed during the last week of class, and decisions are posted the following week. Students who are accepted into the program may enroll in Advertising 343K the following semester; those who are not accepted may apply again the following semester. Student work is reviewed each semester, and advancement through the program is contingent on the quality of portfolio development.

Texas Media Program

This program is designed to help students develop the characteristics that define success in advertising media planning, buying, sales, and new media development. Because advertising media is a broad and quickly evolving industry, the program offers a variety of courses, allowing students to focus their training and allowing the program itself to adapt to industry developments.

Students who complete Advertising 345J with a grade of at least B may apply for admission to the Texas Media program. Applications are accepted online each semester during the consent period; applicants are also interviewed briefly. A list of those admitted is posted before registration for the following semester. Those who are not admitted may apply again the following semester.

Texas Media students complete three upper-division courses, which may be counted as upper-division advertising electives. All students in the program complete Advertising 377 (Topic 1: Advanced Media Strategies), a seminar and hands-on, project-based course. For their other two courses, students choose from topics of Advertising 377. Courses in the program may be taken concurrently. Most students complete the program in two semesters.

Texas Interactive Program

This program is designed to give students a better understanding of interactive communication in the context of advertising, direct response, sales promotion, and other forms of integrated promotional communication. It encourages students to explore cornerstone communication topics not only as academic subjects or business applications but also as part of their everyday lives and the lives of the consumers with whom they interact. The classes are intended to develop in students the creative and critical thinking skills necessary to participate in the interactive marketplace and, ultimately, to contribute to its development.

Students who complete Advertising 345J with a grade of at least B may apply for admission to the Texas Interactive program. Applications are available from the undergraduate adviser's office in the Department of Advertising; completed applications are accepted each semester during the consent period.

Texas Interactive students complete three upper-division courses, which may be counted as upper-division advertising electives; these are Advertising 447, 350, and 377 (Topic 3: Digital Media). They also complete a section of Advertising 373 that is limited to Texas Interactive students. Students must take Advertising 447 and 377 before 350 and 373.

The Consent Procedure

Part of the prerequisite for some advertising courses is consent of the instructor received prior to registering. To be able to register for such a course, a student must first ask for and receive the instructor's consent. The student may be invited to an interview with the instructor or may be asked to provide supporting materials, such as an application or an essay. The student is responsible for knowing the deadline to apply. Consent forms are available online and in the Department of Advertising.

Special Requirements

To enroll in upper-division advertising courses, a student must have completed Advertising 318J in residence with a grade of at least B, and must have a University grade point average of at least 2.25 and a grade point average in courses in the College of Communication of at least 2.00. Students who do not fulfill these requirements will be dropped from upper-division advertising courses, normally before the twelfth class day. The grade point average requirement is waived for the transfer student during the first semester of coursework, while he or she is establishing a University grade point average. Students may enroll in Advertising 318J no more than twice.

In addition, a student with a major in advertising must have a grade of at least C in each course taken in the College of Communication that is counted toward the degree and a grade of at least C in each course counted toward the major requirements; if the course is offered on the pass/fail basis only, the student must have the symbol CR.

Prescribed Work

1. Rhetoric and Writing 306, English 316K, and an additional three-semester-hour course in either English or rhetoric and writing.
2. Two courses certified as having a substantial writing component, both of which may be taken within the College of Communication. Courses with a substantial writing component are identified in the Course Schedule.
3. Three semester hours of coursework in the College of Communication dealing with the study of communication issues concerning at least one minority or nondominant group within the United States. Courses that fulfill this requirement may also be used to fulfill other degree requirements. A partial list of these communication and culture courses is given above; a complete list is available in the college's Office of Student Affairs before registration for each semester and summer session. The courses are also identified in the Course Schedule.
4. Three semester hours of fine arts, chosen from courses in art (including art history, studio art, visual art studies), fine arts, music (including music, instruments, ensemble), and theatre and dance.
5. Students must demonstrate fourth-semester-level proficiency in a foreign language. Courses taken to meet this requirement may not be taken on the pass/fail basis.
         Students who enter the University with a foreign language deficiency must take the first two semesters in a foreign language without degree credit to remove the deficiency.
         The usual course sequence is 406 or 506, 407 or 507 or 508K, 312K, and 312L. For some languages, different course numbers are used; such courses may be counted toward this requirement if they are designed to provide first-semester-level through fourth-semester-level proficiency. Credit may be earned by examination for any part of the sequence.
         An extensive foreign language testing program is available at the University. Students with knowledge of a language are encouraged to take appropriate tests both to earn as much credit as possible and to be placed at the proper level for further study. Students should consult the Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment or the department concerned for information on testing.
6. Fifteen semester hours of social science, consisting of six hours of American history; six hours of American government, including Texas government; and three hours of anthropology, economics, geography, linguistics, psychology, or sociology.
7. Mathematics 303D, 305G, or a substitute acceptable to the Business Foundations Program.
8. Nine semester hours of natural sciences, of which six hours (and no more than six) must be in one field of study. Courses must be chosen from the following fields: astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer sciences, geological sciences, marine science, physical science, and physics. For this requirement, a student may take three hours of mathematics beyond those used to fulfill requirement 7.
9. Twelve semester hours of coursework in the Red McCombs School of Business, preferably three hours in marketing, three hours in accounting, three hours in either legal environment of business or finance, and three hours in management. At least six of the twelve hours must be in upper-division coursework. Marketing 338 may not be used to fulfill this requirement.
10. At least thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework.
11. No more than twelve semester hours of transfer credit in advertising may be counted toward the degree.
12. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours. No more than forty-two hours in advertising and no more than thirty-six hours in any other single field may be counted toward the degree.

Major Requirements

1. At least thirty-six but no more than forty-two semester hours of advertising, of which at least twenty-four hours must be upper-division. The following courses are required: Advertising 318J, 325, 344K, 345J, 350 or 468K, 370J, 371J, and 373. The student must complete Advertising 318J in residence with a grade of at least B.
2. At least six semester hours of coursework must be taken in the College of Communication but outside the department. However, no student may count toward the degree more than forty-eight hours (including transfer credit) in College of Communication coursework.
3. No College of Communication course to be counted toward the degree and no course to be counted toward major requirement 1 above may be taken on the pass/fail basis, unless the course is offered only on that basis.

Order and Choice of Work

First Year

1. The student must take three courses from the following group each semester:
   1. Rhetoric and Writing 306.
   2. Courses to be counted toward requirements 6, 7, and 8 of the prescribed work.
   3. Courses in a foreign language.
2. Enough additional coursework to raise the student's course load to fifteen or sixteen hours each semester. Courses should be chosen with the guidance of a college adviser.

First-year students may not take two beginning language courses in the same semester. First-year students may not take more than eight semester hours in one department.

Second Year

1. The student must take three courses from the following group each semester; four are recommended:
   1. English 316K and any three-semester-hour course in English or rhetoric and writing.
   2. Courses to be counted toward requirements 6, 7, and 8 of the prescribed work, including courses in American government or American history.
   3. Courses in the foreign language, unless the language requirement has been fulfilled.
2. Advertising 318J.
3. A statistics course approved by the college, to meet the prerequisite for Advertising 344K.
4. Enough additional coursework, if needed, to raise the student's course load to fifteen or sixteen hours each semester. Basic courses in accounting, studio art, and computer sciences are especially recommended.

Third and Fourth Years

1. Two courses certified as having a substantial writing component.
2. Any outstanding requirements included in the prescribed work.
3. The remaining courses listed as major requirements.
4. Upper-division electives chosen to support the major. Advertising majors normally emphasize economics, government, history, English, sociology, psychology, marketing, or management.

Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders

To be awarded the degree of Bachelor of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders, the candidate must complete 120 semester hours of coursework and must fulfill the University-wide graduation requirements in chapter 1, the college graduation requirements above, and the special requirements, prescribed work, and major requirements below.

Special Requirements

To enroll in upper-division communication sciences and disorders courses, a student must have a University grade point average of at least 2.25 and a grade point average in courses in the College of Communication of at least 2.00. Students who do not fulfill this requirement will be dropped from upper-division communication sciences and disorders courses, normally before the twelfth class day. This requirement is waived for the transfer student during the first semester of coursework, while he or she is establishing a University grade point average.

In addition, a student with a major in communication sciences and disorders must have a grade of at least C in each course taken in the College of Communication that is counted toward the degree; if the course is offered on the pass/fail basis only, the student must have the symbol CR.

Prescribed Work

1. Rhetoric and Writing 306, English 316K, and an additional three-semester-hour course in either English or rhetoric and writing.
2. Two courses certified as having a substantial writing component, both of which may be taken within the College of Communication. Courses with a substantial writing component are identified in the Course Schedule.
3. Three semester hours of coursework in the College of Communication dealing with the study of communication issues concerning at least one minority or nondominant group within the United States. Courses that fulfill this requirement may also be used to fulfill other degree requirements. A partial list of these communication and culture courses is given above; a complete list is available in the college's Office of Student Affairs before registration for each semester and summer session. The courses are also identified in the Course Schedule.
4. Three semester hours of fine arts, chosen from courses in art (including art history, studio art, visual art studies), fine arts, music (including music, instruments, ensemble), and theatre and dance.
5. Students must demonstrate fourth-semester-level proficiency in a foreign language. Courses taken to meet this requirement may not be taken on the pass/fail basis.
         Students who enter the University with a foreign language deficiency must take the first two semesters in a foreign language without degree credit to remove the deficiency.
         The usual course sequence is 406 or 506, 407 or 507 or 508K, 312K, and 312L. For some languages, different course numbers are used; such courses may be counted toward this requirement if they are designed to provide first-semester-level through fourth-semester-level proficiency. Coursework in American Sign Language may be used to fulfill this requirement. Credit may be earned by examination for any part of the sequence.
         An extensive foreign language testing program is available at the University. Students with knowledge of a language are encouraged to take appropriate tests both to earn as much credit as possible and to be placed at the proper level for further study. Students should consult the Division of Instructional Innovation and Assessment or the department concerned for information on testing.
6. Fifteen semester hours of social science, consisting of six hours of American history; six hours of American government, including Texas government; and three hours of anthropology, economics, geography, linguistics, psychology, or sociology.
7. Three semester hours of mathematics.
8. Nine semester hours of natural sciences, of which six hours (and no more than six) must be taken in one field of study. Courses must be chosen from the following fields: astronomy, biology, chemistry, computer sciences, geological sciences, marine science, physical science, and physics. For this requirement, a student may take three hours of mathematics beyond those used to fulfill requirement 7.
9. At least thirty-six semester hours of upper-division coursework.
10. No more than twelve semester hours of transfer credit in communication sciences and disorders may be counted toward the degree.
11. Enough additional coursework to make a total of 120 semester hours. No more than thirty-six semester hours in one subject may be counted toward the degree.

Special Emphases in Communication Sciences and Disorders

Students majoring in communication sciences and disorders may specialize in speech/language pathology, audiology, or education of the deaf/hearing-impaired. After completing the necessary undergraduate coursework, they may seek the graduate degrees that are required for professional accreditation by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (for those in speech/language pathology and audiology) or the Council on Education of the Deaf (for those in education of the deaf/hearing-impaired). Students in speech/language pathology and audiology who wish to practice in Texas must be licensed by the Texas Department of State Health Services; those in education of the deaf/hearing-impaired must be certified by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification.

Major Requirements

1. Students specializing in speech/language pathology must complete at least thirty-one semester hours of coursework in communication sciences and disorders; those specializing in audiology must complete at least thirty-five hours; those specializing in education of the deaf/hearing-impaired must complete at least twenty-eight hours. For students in all three specializations, fifteen hours of this coursework must be upper-division. No more than thirty-eight semester hours of coursework in communication sciences and disorders may be counted toward the degree. Coursework in American Sign Language may not be used to satisfy requirement 1 and is not included in the thirty-eight hours allowed for the degree. The following courses are required:
   1. Speech/language pathology: Communication Sciences and Disorders 306K, 311K, 313L, 315S, 341, 350, 367K, 368K, 168L, 371, and either 373 or both 378 and 178L.
   2. Audiology: Communication Sciences and Disorders 306K, 311K, 313L, 315S, 341, 350, 367K, 368K, 168L, 371, 373, 378, and 178L.
   3. Education of the deaf/hearing-impaired: Communication Sciences and Disorders 308K, 311K, 313L, 314L, 341, 360M, 368K, 168L, and six additional semester hours of upper-division coursework in communication sciences and disorders.
2. At least six semester hours of coursework must be taken in the College of Communication but outside communication sciences and disorders. However, no student may count toward the degree more than forty-four semester hours (including transfer credit) in College of Communication coursework.
3. No College of Communication course to be counted toward the degree may be taken on the pass/fail basis, unless the course is offered only on that basis.

Order and Choice of Work

First Year

1. The student must take three courses from the following group each semester:
   1. Rhetoric and Writing 306.
   2. Courses to be counted toward requirements 6, 7, and 8 of the prescribed work.
   3. Courses in a foreign language. Students in education of the deaf/hearing-impaired are encouraged to take American Sign Language.
2. Enough additional coursework to raise the student's course load to fifteen or sixteen hours each semester. Courses should be chosen with the guidance of a college adviser.

First-year students may not take two beginning language courses in the same semester. First-year students may not take more than eight semester hours in one department.

Second Year

1. The student must take three courses from the following group each semester; four are recommended:
   1. English 316K and any three-semester-hour course in English or rhetoric and writing.
   2. Courses to be counted toward requirements 6, 7, and 8 of the prescribed work, including courses in American government or American history.
   3. Courses in the foreign language, unless the language requirement has been fulfilled.
2. Communication Sciences and Disorders 306K (for students in speech/language pathology or audiology) or 308K (for students in education of the deaf/hearing-impaired) and other lower-division courses in communication sciences and disorders recommended by the student's adviser.
3. Enough additional coursework, if needed, to raise the student's course load to fifteen or sixteen hours each semester.

Third and Fourth Years

1. Two courses certified as having a substantial writing component.
2. Any outstanding requirements included in the prescribed work.
3. The remaining courses listed as major requirements.
4. Enough additional coursework to raise the student's course load to fifteen or sixteen hours each semester.