2024-2025 Academic Catalog

Welcome to Virginia Tech! We are excited that you are here planning your time as a Hokie.

View Undergraduate Section View Graduate Section

Explore Programs

Explore programs to find a fit for you.

Search Courses

Explore courses by subject and keyword.

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

Communication Major

Program Curriculum

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
Degree Core Requirements ¹
COMM 1004	First-Semester Experience in Communication	1
COMM 1014	Introduction to Communication	3
COMM 2024	Media Writing	3
COMM 2084	Media and Society	3
COMM 2094	Communication and Issues of Diversity	3
COMM 2124	Introduction to Communication Research	3
COMM 4024	Communication Law	3
Subtotal		19
Major Requirements
CMST 2034	Visual Media	3
CMST 2064	The Tradition of Rhetoric and Societal Change	3
or CMST 3064	Persuasion
CMST 3214	Professional Communication	3
CMST 4714	Senior Seminar in Communication	3
or JMC 4064	Social Media Analytics
or JMC 4264	Social Media Theory and Practice
Major Restricted Electives
Select 5 courses from the below, including at least one at the 4000-level
ADV 2134	Introduction to Health Communication
ADV 4324	Issues in Health Communication
CMST 3024	Digital Publishing
CMST 3064	Persuasion
CMST 3074	Persuasive Public Speaking
CMST 3124	Interpersonal Communication
CMST 3134	Public Advocacy
CMST 4174	Digital Advocacy Campaigns
CMST 4214	Web Content Management Strategies
CMST 4224	Topics in Media Criticism
CMST 4244	Topics in Communication
COMM 4204	Communication Internship
JMC 1114	Introduction to Media Production Technology
JMC 2074	Introduction to Sports Media
JMC 3254	Media and Politics
JMC 4014	Media Effects
JMC 4264	Social Media Theory and Practice
JMC 4334	Communication Ethics
JMC 4374	New Communications Technology
PR 3324	Corporate Communication
PR 4074	Organizational Communication
Subtotal		27
Free Electives
Complete 29 credits of minor, cognate, or double major and electives		29
Subtotal		29
Pathways to General Education
Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse
COMM 1015 & COMM 1016	Communication Skills and Communication Skills ²	6
Select one 1A course		3
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities
Select two Pathway 2 courses		6
Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences
Select two Pathway 3 courses		6
Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences
Select two Pathway 4 courses		6
Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking
Select two 5F courses		6
Select one 5A courses		3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts
Select one 6A course		3
Select one 6D course		3
Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States
Select one Pathway 7 course		3
Subtotal		45
Total Credits		120

¹

In addition to the requirements shown, students must complete the following to reach 120 credits for graduation:

Minor, cognate, or double major—Beyond studies in Communication and other mass communication disciplines, students must build content knowledge in another area of focus by completing a minor or cognate (minimum 18 credits) or double major (credits vary by major).
Electives—Once students complete a minor or cognate, they may still need hours for graduation. Students might consider education abroad, an internship, a field study, undergraduate research, independent study, or other non-required Pathways or foreign language courses. Students should not include ADV, COMM, JMC, or PR courses among these electives.

²

Students who transfer into the major after their first year may substitute ENGL 1105 First-Year Writing and ENGL 1106 First-Year Writing for COMM 1015 Communication Skills and COMM 1016 Communication Skills. Those transfer students should take COMM 2004 Public Speaking for Pathways Concept 1A and COMM 2014 Speech Communication for 3 of the required credits hours toward Pathways Concept 3.

Progress toward Degree

A student will be certified as making satisfactory progress toward a degree by meeting these requirements:

Completion of COMM 1004 First-Semester Experience in Communication within the first 3 classes (9 credits) in the major.
Completion of COMM 1014 Introduction to Communication within the first 6 classes (18 credits) in the major. Minimum grade of C- required.
Completion of COMM 2124 Introduction to Communication Research within the first 8 classes (24 credits) in the major.
Overall GPA—Students who fall below 2.0 will follow university policies for probation and subsequent suspension if the GPA is not raised during the probation period.
Major GPA—Students who fall below 2.0 in their major coursework will have one semester to regain the required GPA standards. All COMM, CMST, JMC, and PR courses are included in this calculation. A student who fails to make satisfactory progress toward degree after that semester will be blocked from continuing in COMM or another School of Communication major.

Graduation Requirements

Minimum of 120 credits from the following categories: Core Degree Requirements (19), Major Requirements (12), Major Restricted Electives (15), Pathways to General Education (45), Minor and Electives (29).
Minimum of 46 credits in COMM, CMST, JMC, or PR; maximum 48 credits in COMM, CMST, JMC, or PR.
Overall GPA of 2.0; major GPA 2.0, based on all COMM, CMST, JMC, and PR courses the student has completed.
Courses taken in major to fulfill graduation requirements must be graded A-F (not pass/fail).
COMM, CMST, JMC, or PR courses taken for a minor may NOT be counted toward major requirements.

Foreign Language Requirements

2 years of single foreign or classical language or American Sign Language in middle or high school, OR
Credit by examination for a foreign or classical language or American Sign Language (This option is available only to students who learned a foreign language without the benefit of formal training.), OR
6 college-level semester credits in a single foreign or classical language or American Sign Language. These credits are in addition to the 120 required for graduation.

Plan of Study Grid
First Year
Fall Semester		Credits
COMM 1004	First-Semester Experience in Communication	1
COMM 1015	Communication Skills	3
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities		3
Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences		3
Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences		3
Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking		3
	Credits	16
Spring Semester
COMM 1014	Introduction to Communication	3
COMM 1016	Communication Skills	3
Pathways Concept 4 - Reasoning in the Natural Sciences		3
Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking		3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts		3
	Credits	15
Second Year
Fall Semester
COMM 2024	Media Writing	3
COMM 2084	Media and Society	3
COMM 2094	Communication and Issues of Diversity	3
Pathways Concept 1 - Discourse		3
Pathways Concept 5 - Quantitative and Computational Thinking		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
COMM 2124	Introduction to Communication Research	3
CMST 2034	Visual Media	3
Pathways Concept 2 - Critical Thinking in the Humanities		3
Pathways Concept 3 - Reasoning in the Social Sciences		3
Pathways Concept 6 - Critique and Practice in Design and the Arts		3
	Credits	15
Third Year
Fall Semester
CMST 2064 or CMST 3064	The Tradition of Rhetoric and Societal Change or Persuasion	3
Restricted Electives		3
Pathways Concept 7 - Critical Analysis of Identity and Equity in the United States		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
CMST 3214	Professional Communication	3
Restricted Electives		3
Restricted Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Fourth Year
Fall Semester
COMM 4024	Communication Law	3
Restricted Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
	Credits	15
Spring Semester
CMST 4714 or JMC 4064 or JMC 4264	Senior Seminar in Communication or Social Media Analytics or Social Media Theory and Practice	3
Restricted Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		3
Free Electives		2
	Credits	14
	Total Credits	120

Major Restricted Electives

Course List
Code	Title	Credits
ADV 2134	Introduction to Health Communication	3
ADV 4324	Issues in Health Communication	3
CMST 3024	Digital Publishing	3
CMST 3064	Persuasion	3
CMST 3074	Persuasive Public Speaking	3
CMST 3124	Interpersonal Communication	3
CMST 3134	Public Advocacy	3
CMST 4174	Digital Advocacy Campaigns	3
CMST 4214	Web Content Management Strategies	3
CMST 4224	Topics in Media Criticism	3
CMST 4244	Topics in Communication	3
COMM 4204	Communication Internship	1-6
JMC 1114	Introduction to Media Production Technology	3
JMC 2074	Introduction to Sports Media	3
JMC 3254	Media and Politics	3
JMC 4014	Media Effects	3
JMC 4264	Social Media Theory and Practice	3
JMC 4334	Communication Ethics	3
JMC 4374	New Communications Technology	3
PR 3324	Corporate Communication	3
PR 4074	Organizational Communication	3