College of Letters & Science
Communication Arts
Admission to the Major
Requirements for the Major
Enrollment Information
Honors in the Major
Distinction in the Major
Special Facilities
Courses
6117 Vilas Hall, 821 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706; 608-262-2543; commarts.wisc.edu
Professors Asen, Hilmes, Jacobs, Kepley, Lucas, Murphy, Pan, Smith, Zaeske; Associate Professors Beltran, Conway, Gray, Howard, Mares, Singer, Van Swol, Xenos; Assistant Professors Brown, Chavez, Gruffat, Johnson, Toma
Undergraduate advisor in the major: Mary Rossa, 6068 Vilas Hall, 608-262-0992, merossa@wisc.edu. For appointments, call 608-262-2543.
Faculty diversity liaison: Bill Brown, wbrown3@wisc.edu
The Department of Communication Arts conducts teaching and research in the principal media and modes of human communication, including rhetoric, film, mass media, human interaction, and digital communication. Courses deal with a wide range of communicative phenomena and approach them from a variety of functional, aesthetic, and theoretical perspectives. The curriculum is designed to help students enhance their understanding of communication processes, improve their communication and digital literacy skills, as well as develop their capacity for critical appraisal and reflection.
Communication arts majors should consult the department's undergraduate advisor to discuss requirements and courses each semester. Students who intend to major in communication arts should consult the advisor during their sophomore year. Information about requirements for the major is also available at the department office and on the department website.
Admission to the Major
To be admitted to the communication arts major, students must apply during the semester in which they are completing their third communication arts class numbered 200 and above (excluding Directed Study and UW Study Abroad) at UW-Madison. At the end of that semester, applicants with a grade point average in their communication arts courses numbered 200 and above (excluding Directed Study and UW Study Abroad) of 3.0 or higher will be admitted to the major. An appeals process, allowing students to petition for an additional semester to achieve the requisite GPA, is available for exceptional circumstances. See the advisor for details. Please note that students may not reapply for admission to the communication arts major, even if they continue to take classes in the Department of Communication Arts, unless they have been granted an additional semester through the appeals process.
Transfer students also apply to the communication arts major during the semester in which they are completing their third communication arts class at UW-Madison, regardless of course work completed elsewhere.
To apply for a communication arts major, students should bring a current, campus copy of their transcript to the Communication Arts Undergraduate Office or to the advisor's office and complete the application forms at least one month prior to enrollment. The department will retrieve grades as they are reported and confirm or cancel admission to the major. This procedure is very important; declared majors and applicants have priority enrollment for some courses.
Requirements for the Major
Students majoring in communication arts concentrate in either (1) communication science and rhetorical studies or (2) radio-television-film. Students selecting one of the concentrations outlined below should verify with the department the present accuracy of this catalog. Concentrations in oral interpretation, journalism, advertising, and public relations are not offered in this department.
Communication Arts 100, 105, and 181 do not count toward admission to the major or work within the major. Communication Arts 614 and 615, Field Experience in Communication, do not count towards a requirement within the major.
All students must fulfill the L&S requirement of at least 15 credits of upper-level work in the major completed in residence. All communication arts courses designated "I" (intermediate), "A" (advanced), or "D" (intermediate/advanced), with the exception of Com Arts 614 and 615, count toward this requirement.
1. Concentration in Communication Science and Rhetorical Studies
This program of study emphasizes the understanding of communication events and human interaction, in their psychological, social, and philosophical aspects. Students in this area focus on communication in interpersonal settings, in groups and organizations, in social media, in oratory and public address, and in the mass media, with attention to scientific methods as well as critical analysis. Students are expected to master qualitative and quantitative research skills, conceptual and analytical thinking, and effective oral and written communication.
Fundamentals (1 course): 260
Core Courses (2 courses): 360, 370, or 372 and 361 or 368
Applied Communication (1 course): 262, 263, 266, 272
Theory-History-Criticism (3 courses): 325, 360, 361, 368, 370, 371, 372, 374, 470, 472, 476, 525, 560, 562, 565, 570, 571, 575, 576, 610, 612, 616, 617, 667, 671, 674, 675
Radio-TV-Film (1 course): Any course from the Radio-TV-Film Concentration
Electives (2 courses): Any two Communication Arts courses numbered 200 and above (excluding 614, 615)
Total: 10 courses, 30 credits
2. Concentration in Radio-Television-Film
This concentration provides an opportunity to study the history, theory, criticism, cultural uses, and production practices of radio, television, film, and digital media. While there is no production major, students are required to take a media production course in order to gain a concrete understanding of the possibilities of this medium. Critical analysis as well as creative and scholarly expression are emphasized.
Fundamentals (1 course): 250
Radio-TV-Film Core (2 courses): 350, 351
Production (1 course): 355, 465, 466, 467, 609, 651, 659
Theory-History-Criticism (3 courses): 346, 347, 352, 354, 357, 358, 419, 450, 451, 452, 454, 455, 456, 458, 459, 460, 462, 463, 552, 556, 557, 558, 613, 655, 662, 663, 664, 665
Communication Science and Rhetorical Studies (1 course): Any course from the Communication Science and Rhetorical Studies Concentration
Electives (2 courses): Any two Communication Arts courses numbered 200 and above (excluding 614, 615)
Total: 10 courses, 30 or 31 credits
Enrollment Information
Priority enrollment for majors and applicants usually involves several days when non majors/applicants will receive ineligibility messages when they try to enroll in certain communication arts classes. Important information about enrollment, instructors' course consents, and course authorizations will be sent to majors and applicants by e-mail or posted on the department Web site.
Honors in the Major
Students who wish to pursue Honors in the Major in Communication Arts must first declare communication arts to be their major and then apply for admission to the department honors program. To be accepted into the honors track, students must have at least a 3.5 grade point average in their communication arts course work at the end of the semester in which they complete their third course.
In order to graduate with honors in communication arts, students must complete a set of four advanced courses within their chosen concentration and write a senior thesis. The exact specification of these advanced courses will be based on the particular area of study in which the student wishes to write his or her senior thesis (rhetoric, communication science, film, or media and cultural studies). After completing a certain number of these advanced courses, and maintaining a 3.5 grade point average in their communication arts courses, students must obtain the consent of a faculty member in their chosen area to serve as the senior thesis advisor. Students must obtain a thesis advisor no later than the end of the junior year. During the senior year, students pursuing Honors in the Major in Communication Arts must enroll in Com Arts 681 and Com Arts 682 in order to receive credit for work on the senior thesis.
Please note that students must have an overall GPA of at least 3.3 in all courses completed at UW-Madison at the time of graduation to earn an honors degree.
Students should not assume that the requirements specified in this catalog are complete or fully described. Students should check with the department honors advisor at least once a year to make sure that requirements have not been modified, as well as to seek guidance about planning the Honors in the Major curriculum that best reflects their special interests.
Distinction in the Major
Students not enrolled in the honors program who have earned a 3.75 or higher GPA within their communication arts courses are eligible for Distinction in the Major. Consult the department website for further information.
Special Facilities
Information about the Center for Communication Research, the Instructional Media Center, and the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research is available on the department website.