Communication Studies B.A.
General Degree Requirements
To earn a baccalaureate degree, all students must complete successfully, in addition to any other requirements, the University of Montana General Education Requirements. Please refer to the General Education Requirements page for more information.
Additional requirements for graduation can be found on the Degree/Certificate Requirements for Graduation page.
Unless otherwise noted in individual program requirements, a minimum grade point average of 2.00 in all work attempted at the University of Montana-Missoula is required for graduation. Please see the Academic Policies and Procedures page for information on how your GPA is calculated.
Courses taken to satisfy the requirements of a major, minor, or certificate program must be completed with a grade of C- or better unless a higher grade is noted in the program requirements.
Bachelor of Arts - Communication Studies
- The Major in Communication Studies requires 36 credits of Communication Studies (COMX) courses with 18 of those credits in courses numbered 300 or above.
- A maximum of 6 credits in COMX 312 and a maximum of 6 credits in COMX 398 may count toward the major.
- Students taking COMX 460 or COMX 462 are encouraged to concurrently enroll in the one-credit COMX 461 when offered.
Course Requirements
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Courses | ||
| Complete all of the following courses: | ||
| COMX 111A | Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
| COMX 115S | Introduction to Interpersonal Communication | 3 |
| COMX 220S | Introduction to Organizational Communication | 3 |
| COMX 240H | Introduction to Rhetorical Theory | 3 |
| Research | ||
| Complete one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| Rhetorical Criticism and Theory | ||
| Research Methods | ||
| Qualitative Research Methods | ||
| Writing in the Disciplines Requirement | ||
| Complete one of the following courses: | 3 | |
| Rhetoric, Nature, and Environmentalism | ||
| Communication in Personal Relationships | ||
| Communication in Nonprofit Organizations | ||
| Communication and Technology | ||
| Rhetoric of Women's Activism | ||
| Additional Major Electives | ||
| Complete 18 COMX credits to achieve a total of 36 COMX credits for the degree. | 18 | |
| Total Hours | 36 | |
Four Year Plan
| Freshman | ||
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | Hours | |
| COMX 111A or COMX 115S |
Introduction to Public Speaking or Introduction to Interpersonal Communication |
3 |
| WRIT 101 | College Writing I (or Gen Ed Requirement) | 4 |
| COLS 194 | Seminar/Workshop | 2 |
| Foreign Language 101 | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMX 115S or COMX 111A |
Introduction to Interpersonal Communication or Introduction to Public Speaking |
3 |
| Foreign Language 102 | 4 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement (or WRIT 101) | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Sophomore | ||
| Autumn | ||
| COMX 240H | Introduction to Rhetorical Theory | 3 |
| M 115 | Probability and Linear Mathematics (or a different level math course) | 4 |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 16 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMX 220S | Introduction to Organizational Communication | 3 |
| COMX Elective (100-299) | 3 | |
| Writing Across the Curriculum Course | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Junior | ||
| Autumn | ||
| COMX Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 6 | |
| Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (300+) | ||
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Senior | ||
| Autumn | ||
| COMX Advanced Writing Course* or COMX Research Methods Course** | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMX Advanced Writing Course* or COMX Research Methods Course** | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Hours | 15 | |
| Total Hours | 123 | |
Last updated Autumn 2025
- Gen Ed categories fulfilled through major requirements: A, S, and H.
- Gen Ed categories to plan: L, E, Y, X, and N. All categories require 3 credits except for N, which requires 6 credits including one course with a lab.
- A total of 120 credits, including 39 upper division credits (300+ level) are required for a degree.
- The major requires a minimum of 36 total COMX credits, including at least 18 upper division COMX credits with grades of C- or higher. A maximum of 6 credits in COMX 398 can be counted towards the major.
- *Advanced Writing courses include: COMX 347, COMX 414, COMX 421, COMX 422, COMX 424, COMX 445, and COMX 486.
- **Research Methods courses include: COMX 445, COMX 460, and COMX 462: Qualitative Research Methods.
Three Year Plan
| First Year | ||
|---|---|---|
| Autumn | Hours | |
| COMX 220S or COMX 115S |
Introduction to Organizational Communication or Introduction to Interpersonal Communication |
3 |
| COMX 111A | Introduction to Public Speaking | 3 |
| WRIT 101 | College Writing I | 4 |
| Foreign Language 101 | 4-5 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 17-18 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMX 115S or COMX 220S |
Introduction to Interpersonal Communication or Introduction to Organizational Communication |
3 |
| Writing Across the Curriculum Course | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (100-299) | 3 | |
| Foreign Language 102 | 4-5 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 16-17 | |
| Summer | ||
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Hours | 9 | |
| Second Year | ||
| Autumn | ||
| COMX 240H | Introduction to Rhetorical Theory | 3 |
| M 115 | Probability and Linear Mathematics ((or a different level math course)) | 4 |
| COMX Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| General Education Requirement | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Hours | 19 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Summer | ||
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Hours | 6 | |
| Third Year | ||
| Autumn | ||
| COMX Advanced Writing Course* or COMX Research Methods Course** | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Spring | ||
| COMX Advanced Writing Course* or COMX Research Methods Course** | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| COMX Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (300+) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Elective (any level) | 3 | |
| Hours | 18 | |
| Total Hours | 121-123 | |
Last updated Autumn 2025
- Gen Ed categories fulfilled through major requirements: A, S, and H.
- Gen Ed categories to plan: L, E, Y, X, and N. All categories require 3 credits except for N, which requires 6 credits including one course with a lab.
- A total of 120 credits, including 39 upper division credits (300+ level) are required for a degree.
- The major requires a minimum of 36 total COMX credits, including at least 18 upper division COMX credits with grades of C- or higher. A maximum of 6 credits in COMX 398 can be counted towards the major.
- *Advanced Writing courses include: COMX 347, COMX 414, COMX 421, COMX 422, COMX 424, COMX 445, and COMX 486.
- **Research Methods courses include: COMX 445, COMX 460, and COMX 462: Qualitative Research Methods.