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Department of Communication Studies

Undergraduate Program

Student Advising Guide

 

Basic Premise:
Students must read the URI catalog and student handbook, and are responsible for fulfilling all requirements for graduation.

As a Communication Studies major, you may choose an advisor from any of our full-time faculty members in the department. Be sure to complete your course-planning worksheet before meeting with your advisor.

In addition to attending "open advising" hours, students are encouraged to schedule regular meetings with their advisors to ensure they are making successful progress toward graduation.

Basic Caution:
No advisor can waive any requirements or make exceptions--only the Dean's office can. Even the department chair cannot make exceptions--only the Dean's office can. "But my advisor told me..." is not an excuse for failing to complete all graduation requirements. While faculty make every effort to provide correct advice, students should double-check advice in the catalog and question the advisor, the chair, or the dean's office, if it seems contradictory.

In short:
Part of the requirements for graduation is understanding and fulfilling all the requirements for graduation.

Basic Requirements for Communication Studies Majors

  1. Complete your general education requirements. Complete them as early in your college career as possible. In some cases, a student may benefit from spreading out his/her general education classes over a longer period of time.
  2. Complete your major. You should not exceed 51 "Com" credits as any Com credits over 51 will be counted on top of the 120 credits required for graduation. For example, if you take 54 "Com" credits, you will have to graduate with 123 credits, when all you need is 120..
  3. Complete 120 credits with at least 42 of those credits at the 300 or 400 level. The total of 42 may be counted from your major, electives, a minor or general education credits as long as they are 300 or 400 level courses.

Options Beyond the Basics

  1. Complete a minor and/or even a second major.
  2. Explore internship opportunities later in your college career. (Internships are a main indicator of future job placement.) Departmental internships (1-6 credits) are coordinated by Sharman Brown (csintern@etal.uri.edu), and full-time internships (15 credits) are handled through the Office of Internships and Experiential Education (http://www.uri.edu/internships/).
  3. Explore study abroad programs. Communication Studies students often report that studying abroad was the highlight of their college career. Be sure to seek approval for all courses to be taken abroad before you leave. Retroactive approval can be difficult, if not impossible.
  4. Get involved in student organizations, student government, URI Debate, URI-TV, WRIU, Lambda Pi Eta (the Communication Studies Honors Society), the URI Speaking Center, or off-campus activities (for example, volunteer at shelters, literacy projects, environmental groups, social or political groups, etc.). In addition to their intrinsic worth, these affiliations always supplement and strengthen your resume when you are seeking an internship and employment.
  5. Maintain an updated worksheet for Communication Studies majors-- copies are available online and in the main office.