COM Specializations

Earning a degree in Communication provides the skills and knowledge considered most important by employers today. You can extend the value of your Communication degree even further by participating in one or more of the COM major’s specializations:

• Health and Wellness Communication
• Leadership in Organizations and Community
• Relationship and Family Communication
• Strategic Public Communication and Public Relations
• Communication and Technology

Specializations provide you with essential knowledge of communication methods and techniques and help you build the necessary skills to present yourself as an expert in several areas that are sought after by employers and organizations.

Each specialization is an 18-credit program that includes theory-based and practice-based courses by leading scholars and industry professionals. If you’re looking to gain a wider perspective, you may elect to combine specializations. View all specializations at once with our "At-a-Glance Chart". With careful planning, a specialization shouldn’t take any more credits that the major—contact an advisor in the Office of Student Services for expert advice.

• Specializations are open to Communication majors.
• You can earn more than one specialization as long as you satisfy all the requirements.
• Specialization course credits will apply toward satisfying your major’s degree requirements.
• Each specialization requires a total of six courses (18 credits).
• If you’re using a specialization to fulfill Communication major requirements, at least 6 credits of the 18-credit specialization must be at the 400 level.
• Once in the Communication major, you can declare the specialization in one of two ways:
  • SAS students: Use SASmyMajor to declare (as well as to un-declare) the specialization.
  • Non-SAS students: Visit the Major Specialization Declaration Form for Non-SAS Students to declare (or un-declare) the specialization.
• There are NO course substitutions permitted unless the Department of Communication has approved a new course/special topics course for a specialization.
• Courses already taken will count toward the specializations if they are on the approved list.
• All pre-requisites apply regarding enrolling in a course.

Contact Director of Undergraduate Studies in Communication Brian Householder for more information about specializations.