Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies

Communication Studies
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About

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

What You'll Learn

The following information comes from the official EWU catalog, which outlines all degree requirements and serves as the guide to earning a degree. Courses are designed to provide a well-rounded and versatile degree, covering a wide range of subject areas.

Communication Studies Major, Bachelor of Arts (BA)

Students graduating with a degree in Communication Studies are highly sought after due to their ability to effectively communicate with diverse audiences, critically analyze messages, and perform research.  The curriculum in this major prepares students for employment in a diverse array of fields including social media, public relations, marketing, recruiting, grant writing, teaching, law, consulting, and more. 

There are two options to declare this program:
In-Person: most of the classes will be in person with some occasional online classes.
Online: all of the classes will be online. Note that the online option operates using a different tuition model.

Note:

  • CMST 200 cannot be taken for credit towards the Communication Studies Major;

  • two years of a single high school world language or one year of a single college-level world language is required.

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 5-credit 400-level CMST courses.15
Note: the following courses 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.
Section C–Electives20
Any Communication Studies course can count in this area with the exception of CMST 200.
Note: any course used in Section C cannot count in Section B.
Section D–The STAR Component (STudy/Act/Reflect)–please see STAR Component Coordinator, Dr. Shields, for any additional information.
Note: A minimum of 15 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 Credits60

The following plan of study is for a student with zero credits. Individual students may have different factors such as: credit through transfer work, Advanced Placement, Running Start, or any other type of college-level coursework that requires an individual plan.

Courses may be offered in different terms and not all courses are offered every term, checking the academic schedule is paramount in keeping an individual plan current. There may be some courses that have required prerequisites not listed in the plan, review the course descriptions for information. Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

All Undergraduate students are required to meet the Undergraduate Degree Requirements.

This major requires the completion of the World Language requirement. Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree must complete two years of a single language in high school or one year of a single language in college.

First Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CMST 2015CMST 208 (Social Science BACR 1)5MATH 1075
ENGL 1015ENGL 2015Diversity - graduation requirement15
Humanities & Arts BACR 115Humanities & Arts BACR 215Social Science BACR 215
 15 15 15
Second Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
CMST 3095Communications Studies Section B Elective25CMST 330 or CSBS 3205
Global Studies - graduation requirement15Communications Studies Section C Elective35Communications Studies Section B Elective25
Natural Science BACR 115Natural Science BACR 215Communications Studies Section C Elective35
 15 15 15
Third Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
Communications Studies Section B Elective25Communications Studies Section C Elective35Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Communications Studies Section C Elective35Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Fourth Year
Fall QuarterCreditsWinter QuarterCreditsSpring QuarterCredits
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5CMST 490 (Senior Capstone - graduation requirement)5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5Elective - certificate, minor, or general elective5
 15 15 15
Total Credits 180
1

University Graduation Requirements (UGR) and Breadth Area Course Requirements (BACR) courses may be less than 5 credits and additional credits may be required to reach the required 180 total credits needed to graduate.  Students should connect with an advisor to ensure they are on track to graduate.

2

Section B–Required Upper Division Core Credits–choose three 5-credit 400-level CMST courses. The following classes cannot count in this section (B): CMST 480, CMST 481 or CMST 495, CMST 499. Any course used in Section B cannot count in Section C.

3

Section C–Electives- choose 20 credits, any CMST course can count in this area with the exception of CMST 200. Any course used in Section C cannot count in Section B.

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
World 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.
Requirements in Degree Works are 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.

Students who earn a BA in Communication Studies from EWU should be able to:

  • 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