Majors Manual. Your Map to a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication. Other Departmental Resources

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1 Majors Manual Your Map to a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication Your path to your Bachelor of Arts in Communication (not "communications"!) will be clear and manageable if you inform yourself thoroughly and plan carefully. To build your academic career, you ll want to empower yourself by learning about the programs and policies that might apply to you or benefit you. Please consider this manual as a valuable planning tool so that you can learn about departmental requirements, policies, procedures, and opportunities. Each year, the manual will be updated during the summer. While your requirements won t change over the years, some of the departmental policies and/or opportunities might change. Other Departmental Resources If you check the manual and you need further clarification, please ask! The following contacts stand ready to help you: 1. Your faculty advisor Your advisor is your primary contact with the department. Advisors are assigned and listed in Hokie Spa. 2. Department s Advising Center (130A-C Shanks Hall). Continuing Students Ms. Kimberly Higgs, Advising Coordinator 130A Shanks, kimberlyhiggs@vt.edu, New Students Ms. Susan Stinson, New Student Coordinator 130B Shanks, susans40@vt.edu, Director of Undergraduate Programs, Dr. Marlene Preston 130C Shanks, mpreston@vt.edu, Majors Scholar Site -- As a supplement to the Majors Manual, you should also be enrolled in a Scholar site for COMM majors. Routine announcements and deadlines will be posted on and ed from that site. At the minimum, you should receive a monthly announcement.

2 Majors Manual -- Contents 1. Undergraduate Advising and Resources Departmental advising University and College Resources 2. Building Your Undergraduate Career University Requirements-- CLE COMM Requirements; Progress to Degree University Electives -- Minors, Cognates, Double Major, Dual degree, Honors Foreign Language Double-counting Courses Hours NOT counting toward graduation Academic Eligibility 3. Tools for Planning and Documenting Progress 4-year Planner DARS 4. Course Enrollment Planning for Course Request Requesting Courses Reviewing and Adjusting Courses Withdrawing from Courses Transferring Credits from Other Institutions 5. Course Success Managing Schedules Behaving Ethically Meeting with Faculty Handling Responsibilities Outside of Class Addressing Classroom Conflict Securing Support 6. Opportunities Study Abroad Internships Independent Studies and Field Studies Undergraduate Research 2

3 Part 1 -- Advising and Resources The Department of Communication makes every attempt to help undergraduates discover possibilities and work to meet their goals. The department coordinates advising among advising partners faculty and students by providing a departmental Advising Center, this Majors Manual, the Scholar site for majors, and through a student listserv. Of course, we can't have effective advising without students contributions. As a Communication major, you should fully inform yourself by reading the information available to you, and then double-check with your advising team whenever you have a question. Advising -- Shared Responsibility The departmental advisors have prepared for our undergraduates in countless ways. We've informed ourselves about departmental, college, and university policies and programs; we've learned from our former students as they have worked their way through the undergraduate years and into their careers; and we've tried to anticipate and attend to the academic needs of our current students. We share this advising responsibility with our majors. You'll maximize your chances for success if you develop good advising and course-management habits: Read and respond to from your advisor and from the department. Study the information provided about requirements and policies (department, college, university websites). Maintain a personal copy of your advising folder. Prepare yourself for meetings with your faculty advisor -- check requirements, list questions, bring forms that need signatures. Meet with your faculty advisor at least once per semester before Course Request. Follow through by taking the courses you've been advised to take. Seek advice when you have questions or concerns by setting up a meeting with your advisor, sending professional , and/or stopping by the Advising Center. Departmental Advising To coordinate the department's advising efforts, advising records are maintained in files in the main office of the department. Anyone in the department who assists a student with advising may access that file. The core of our departmental advising includes the following: 1. Your Faculty Advisor A faculty member will be assigned to you as an advisor (as noted on Hokie Spa), and you should meet with this person at least once a semester, usually just before Course Request. At that point, you should come prepared with a tentative list of courses to request for the following semester, and then you might discuss your interests beyond that semester plan, such as internships, study abroad, and/or careers. Make an appointment by sending to your advisor or signing up on the door. Please get your advising folder from the main office before meeting with your faculty advisor. 2. Advising Center Advising Coordinator for Continuing Students Ms. Kimberly Higgs kimberlyhiggs@vt.edu 130A Shanks

4 Ms. Higgs is in the Advising Office all week long, and she s available to help you with your questions and concerns. You may be able to drop in for a quick question; otherwise, please send an to make an appointment. Ms. Higgs handles force-adds for the department and tracks your path to graduation. New Student Coordinator Transfers and Freshmen Ms. Susan Stinson susans40@vt.edu 130B Shanks Ms. Stinson is available to assist students who are transferring in or out of the major. She also offers support to students who may be encountering academic difficulties. If you would like to meet with Ms. Stinson, please send an to set up an appointment. Director of Undergraduate Programs Dr. Marlene M. Preston mpreston@vt.edu 130C Shanks You might be referred to Preston if you have needs or questions that seem to fall outside the usual guidelines. Dr. Preston attends to undergraduate policies, including progress toward degree. If you need to meet with her, please send to set up an appointment. 3. Majors Scholar site and Listserv -- The COMM Majors Scholar site can be easily accessed along with your other course materials. The listserv of all Comm majors is used to distribute important information about upcoming events, opportunities, and academic information. Please read these messages and follow up as appropriate. University and College Resources University Catalog and Academic Policies -- Curriculum for Liberal Education (CLE) Check this site for an explanation and list of the requirements in the Curriculum for Liberal Education. Specific considerations related to the COMM major are noted in another section about the CLE and the major. College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences Our college offers many resources! You may need to visit the Dean's Office in Wallace Hall to document an absence from a class, to drop off a form, or to manage some academic problem. (If you need to "see the dean," start in the office of the CLAHS Associate Dean in Wallace Hall.) Be sure to explore... CLAHS site: CLAHS Office of Undergraduate Academic Affairs: 4

5 Undergraduate Advising Many of your questions about policies and procedures are addressed at this site: The A-Z glossary is particularly helpful at that site. We have not duplicated this information in this departmental handbook. Part 2 -- Building Your Undergraduate Career Your undergraduate career is a wonderful puzzle that will fit together to create a picture of your strengths and interest -- one that you will be the basis for your lifetime learning, your future graduate work, and/or your career(s). Choose well, plan well, and perform well! To earn this degree, you will accumulate a minimum of 120 hours with the best GPA you can manage. (You need a minimum 2.0 to stay on as a Comm major. See "Progress to Degree" at the end of this section.) All courses taken to fill university, major or minor requirements MUST be taken for a letter grade -- not Pass/Fail. The overall structure of your undergraduate work is represented on this chart. Requirements 1. Curriculum for Liberal Education (CLE) 2. Communication courses 3. University Electives (including minor, cognate, electives) 4. Foreign Language -- H.S. or college --3 yrs; 0-3 hours Minimum to Graduate credit hours *Graduating in 4 years is certainly feasible 40 courses in 8 semesters 5 successful courses each semester! 1. University Requirements-- Curriculum for Liberal Education (CLE) The Curriculum for Liberal Education is a University requirement, designed to ensure your broad experience across varied disciplines. Take advantage of this opportunity to experiment with other disciplines and widen your areas of expertise. Faculty in the Department of Communication encourage students to take courses in other areas! See the Timetable or the CLE course list ( for the many courses from which you can choose. Area 1, Writing and Discourse -- Take two courses. Comm majors who enroll as freshmen take COMM 1015 and 1016, Communication Skills I and II. Transfer students take English 1105 and 1106 (or the equivalent). 5

6 Area 2, Ideas, Cultural Traditions and Values -- Take any 2 courses. Note: Some Comm majors take COMM 2064 Rhetorical Tradition, which also counts in a Comm option or as a Comm elective. Area 3, Society and Human Behavior -- Take 2 courses. All Comm majors take COMM 1014, Introduction to Communication Studies; they may choose any other course in Area 3. Area 4, Scientific Reasoning and Discovery -- Take 2 science courses -- any two shown on the list of options for Area IV. The courses can be from different disciplines, and no labs are required. Area 5, Quantitative and Symbolic Reasoning -- Take 2 math courses -- any two shown on the list of options for Area 5. Area 6, Creative and Aesthetic Experience -- Take 1 3-credit course -- any one shown on the list of options for Area 6 Area 7, Critical Issues in a Global Context -- Take 1 course -- any one shown on the list of options for Area 7. Courses taken to meet CLE requirements may ALSO count toward minor or major requirements. Some CLE courses count in either of two areas (for example, 2 o 6) -- not both. GEOS 1024, Resources Geology counts in both Areas 4 and COMM Requirements See the checksheet for your graduation year The requirements in COMM are designed to help prepare majors across four years of undergraduate study and include emphasis in one of three majors: Public Relations, Communication Studies, or Multimedia Journalism. Progress to Degree Majors must make satisfactory progress toward graduation. The criteria for that progress are listed on the checksheet. Students who do not meet these standards are not progressing satisfactorily toward the degree. If they are unable to meet the requirements, they will not continue as COMM majors. Students who are not progressing satisfactorily toward the degree must notify the department of their intentions. 3. University electives-- Beyond the CLE and departmental requirements, students can complete university electives, minors, cognates and/or double majors in order to meet the 120-hour graduation requirement. This work is another way in which students can broaden their expertise. Some students choose to do course work in the University Honors Program. Comm majors may complete a minor or cognate. Many students complete two minors/cognates or a double major. (See a list of possibilities in Section VII.) No COMM course used to fulfill the requirements for a minor may also count to fulfill requirements for the major. Minors -- Students choose a discipline, such as Psychology or Biology, and visit that department's website to learn about the requirements for the minor -- usually 6 courses -- and the process for declaring a minor in that department. (Please note that the 6

7 number of requirements for the Business Minor is significantly greater than the number of requirements for most minors.) A minor is listed on the transcript. Minors are offered by many departments, and there are special programs in some areas, such as the Business Leadership Minor, International Studies Minor, and the Professional Writing Minor. Cognates -- A cognate consists of 6 courses from more than one department, focused on a theme, such as Sports Marketing or Children's Issues. Students choose the themes and the courses that would support that focus; then they fill out a cognate form to be approved by the faculty advisor. Ms. Higgs has a cognate notebook in her office; please consider those models if you would like to plan one of your own. A cognate is not listed on the transcript, but is listed on graduates' resumes to demonstrate their preparation in a specific field. (Please see the end of this file for further discussion of cognates.) Double Major/Dual Degree -- Students who complete requirements for majors in two different departments should seek advising in both departments. Such work requires especially careful planning so that the student can build a plan of study around courses that may be offered at competing times. Double major -- Students can choose to major in two different disciplines, designating one as the primary and one as the secondary major (listed in that order on the diploma). The department of the primary major maintains the student's records as the student works toward the usual goal of 120 hours to graduate. Dual degree -- Students may earn a 2nd degree (and separate diploma) by fulfilling the requirements of 2 majors and earning a minimum of 150 hours. Honors -- Students who meet requirements for University Honors may take courses designated as "H" on the Timetable and may enroll in Honors Colloquia, all of which will count toward graduation. Students may strive for a B.A. Degree "in Honors" a program that combines independent study and research in the student s major field of interest with a comprehensive program of study designed by the student and his/her department advisor. Information on the Honors program is available at 4. Foreign language Foreign language requirements must be met by the time students graduate although many students have met these requirements before they entered Virginia Tech. Comm majors who are transferring credits from high school or dual enrollment must have credit for 3 years of a single foreign language or credit for 2 years each of 2 languages. Students who completed 2 years of a language in high school will need to take the 1106 course in that language (or its equivalent) in college, hours that will count toward graduation. Of course, these are minimum requirements; majors are encouraged to continue their study of foreign languages and cultures while they work through their undergraduate curriculum. 5. Double-counting Courses As noted above, several policies relate to the double-counting of courses to meet various requirements. Those policies include the following: 7

8 1. Work done in a major or minor may count toward meeting the CLE requirements. In essence, such courses double-count for the major or minor and for the CLE. 2. Each course in the CLE counts toward the fulfillment of one area requirement in the CLE. Some are listed as fulfilling requirements in one area or another area. Resources Geology (GEOS 1024) counts in two areas -- 4 and No COMM course used to fulfill requirements in a minor may be used to fulfill requirements in the COMM major. 6. Hours Which Do Not Count Toward Graduation The number of total credits on the grade report is not necessarily the same as the total hours passed that are effective toward graduation requirements. Listed below are typical situations yielding pass hours that must be subtracted to determine the total credits that count toward graduation requirements: 1. Transfer and/or advanced placement credits that have been subsequently duplicated by courses at Virginia Tech. 2. Credits earned at Virginia Tech that have been duplicated by repeating courses or taking courses ruled to have duplicated credit. 3. Transfer credits allowed from a two-year college that are more than one-half (60 hours) of the total 120 credit hour requirement for graduation. 4. Credits for HNFE (Human, Nutrition, Food and Exercise) activities courses that exceed a total of 3 semester hours, the maximum allowed toward a bachelor s degree. Such courses might include tennis, racquetball, etc. 5. More than 8 credit hours of independent study and/or undergraduate research combined, whether taken on a pass/fail or A-F basis. (If taken P-F, these hours also count toward the maximum number of P-F hours allowed.) 6. Pass-fail credits that exceed 10 percent of the credits completed at Virginia Tech toward the requirements for graduation. 7. Credits received for passing English 1004 and/or EDCI 1004 (College Success Strategies). 8. Transfer credits over 18 hours earned during the last 40 hours which count toward graduation. (Once you have completed 80 hours which count toward the 120 required for graduation, do not take more than 18 hours of your last 40 hours at another school; 18 hours are the maximum allowed to be transferred back to Tech for graduation credit during this period.) 7. Academic Eligibility -- See Virginia Tech students must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA overall. With a GPA less than 2.0, a student faces academic probation. While on probation, a student may take no more than 16 credits per semester and should meet with an advisor. See the University Catalog for information about first, second, and final suspension. 8

9 Part 3 --Tools for Planning and Documenting Progress Four-year Plan Example: Year 1 Fall (15 hours) Spring (15 hours) Year 2 Fall (15 hours) Spring (15ours) Major course(area 1) Major course (Area 1) Major course Major course CLE Area 2 Major course (Area 3) Major course Major course CLE Area 4 (Science) CLE Area 4 (Science) CLE Area CLE Area CLE Area 5 (Math) CLE Area 5 (Math) CLE Area CLE Area CLE, Minor or Elective Core, Minor or Elective Minor or Elective Minor or Elective Year 3 Fall (15 hours) Spring (15 hours) Year 4 Fall (15 hours) Spring (15ours) Major course Major course Major course Major course Major course Major course Major course Major course Minor Minor Minor Minor Elective Elective Elective Elective Minor or Elective Minor or Elective Minor or Elective Minor or Elective Semester 1 1. Comm Comm Semester 3 1. Comm 2. Comm Semester 5 1. Comm 2. Comm Semester 7 1. Comm 2. Comm Semester 2 1. Comm Comm Semester 4 1. Comm 2. Comm Semester 6 1. Comm 2. Comm Semester 8 1. Comm Capstone

10 Registering Your Graduation Date Apply for graduation early! The application for degree is submitted to the Registrar's Office. At that point a degree audit (DARS) is performed to see how the student is progressing toward graduation. This graduation analysis helps students to plan for the final semesters at Virginia Tech. Even if students are uncertain as to exactly when they will graduate, they should still apply for graduation at the beginning of the junior year and make a reasonable guess as to their graduation date. The graduation analysis does not commit to graduation, but it serves as an excellent tool by reviewing the requirements left to complete. Students should view it as a planning guide for the senior year. Completing the Application for Degree Log on to Hokie Spa Select Degree Menu Select Application for Degree Select Undergraduate Select the major you wish to register/update Select the correct anticipated graduation date Ensure all other information is correct Submit DARS The Degree Auditing Report is available through Hokie Spa and is an important tool! You should use it to make a 4-year plan, track your progress, and check requirements. Discuss it with your advisor. Part 4--Course Enrollment As you consider your courses for each semester, review your requirements (check sheet), check your records in Hokie Spa, update your four-year plan, and meet with your advisor. Planning for Course Request Course Request occurs in the middle of each semester and allows students to plan for the subsequent semester. The dates for Course Request are shown on the University calendar. Timetable -- The listing of available courses for each semester is found on the Timetable, which can be accessed through Hokie Spa or from the quicklinks at The Timetable usually opens during the week before Course Request. You can search the Timetable by department or by area of the CLE to find courses that will be offered in the coming semester. Click on the course number to read the course description; click on the CRN (section number) to see any restrictions, prerequisites, or notes. Prerequisites and restrictions -- Any prerequisites for a course must be completed before Course Request. If a course requires sophomore standing (30 hours), a student must have those hours completed before Course Request will accept the request -- even if the requirement will be met before the beginning of the subsequent semester. 10

11 See Academic level -- Grading options -- Required courses for the major, minor or the CLE must be taken for a letter grade. Of courses taken as university electives, only 10% of classes taken at VT may be taken pass-fail. (Transfer credits or credits earned through AP or IB are not counted in this calculation.) Students who wish to take courses P-F must have earned at least 30 credits and must have a minimum of a 2.0 GPA. Pass-fail credits earned for an internship, independent study, undergraduate research and field study are included in the total (10%) allowed towards graduation. These will NOT count towards the minimum requirement in the major. See Pass-Fail -- Course load per semester -- Official full-time enrollment for each semester must be 12 hours or more in regular A-F option, or P/F (not audit) to permit certification of full-time student status for Veterans Administration or Social Security benefits, Guaranteed Educational Loans, Basic Grants, College Scholarship Assistance Program, and most other purposes. Communication majors should plan to take no more than 2 COMM classes each semester. This schedule will help you to focus on your in-major courses and to keep a high in-major GPA. This will also allow you to build your skills and knowledge over time so that you can benefit from one class when you take another class. In order to complete the hours required in the major, you need no more than 2 COMM classes each semester. Overloads (more than 19 hours per semester) require permission by the Dean. You and your advisor must fill out and sign a form that you will then take to the Dean s Office (Wallace Hall) for approval. Unless such permission has been obtained in advance, the request for an overload will not be honored; you will be scheduled for the first available hours you have listed on the on-line registration for which you are eligible. The normal maximum number of hours that may be taken during the summer is 6 hours per session. If you want to take an overload during summer, discuss this with your advisor during the registration period for summer registration. Requesting Courses Course request -- Students may access Course Request through Hokie Spa. Course Request is usually open for one week, and there is no advantage in submitting your request early in the week. Schedules are filled according to priority with special needs students first, then seniors, juniors, sophomores, and finally freshmen. When requesting courses, enter the most important or hardest to get courses first, and the scheduling system will try to place you in those classes and then fill in around them. Put classes with the most seats (large lectures) at the end of your list because those spots are easier to get. The system will also try for alternate sections of a course if the requested section is full. In order to maximize the scheduling possibilities, request 6 classes. 11

12 Reviewing and Adjusting Courses Class schedule -- A first draft of your schedule will be available several weeks after course request and will show up in Hokie Spa. You should review your class ticket as early as possible so that you can make plans for any adjustments that might be necessary through drop-add or force-add. Drop-add -- Twice each semester, students can use drop-add (available through Hokie Spa) to adjust their schedules: after class tickets are available (near the end of a semester) and at the beginning of a semester (at least a week before and a week into the beginning of the semester). The best time to find available seats in classes is at the opening of dropadd immediately prior to the start of a semester. (Check the University Calendar.) You don't need your advisor's permission to drop or add classes, but you should handle this process in accordance with the advising plan you've made with your advisor. As soon as you're sure that you're going to drop a class, please do so in order to free up that spot for someone else. However, if you're looking for classes in the CLE, don't drop a class unless you have a class to replace it. Force-add -- The force-add process allows students to try for a class that was unavailable during Course Request, either because the class was full or because the student had not met a prerequisite for the class at the time of course request. Departments handle forceadd requests in various ways. For COMM classes, go to the departmental website to check deadlines and to download the force-add form. All force-adds are handled centrally; instructors in the Department of Communication will not add students individually to classes. Dropping/Withdrawing from Courses Drop deadline -- Check the University Calendar for the last date to drop a class without a penalty. You don't need your advisor's permission to drop a class; just be sure to monitor your status as a full-time (12 hours) student if required for financial aid or any other benefits. Late withdrawal -- If you decide late in the semester that you need to drop a class, you will need to fill out a request and have it signed by your advisor. You have the option of taking this action twice in your undergraduate career. See Course Withdrawal and Late Drop--advising.vt.edu Repeating a Course If you receive a grade of F in a required course, you must repeat the course. If you receive a grade of D in a course and wish to retake it, you may do so, but you will not receive the credit hours for the repeated course. However, both grades will be averaged into your GPA. Students may repeat courses in which they received grades of C- or below, but this in not recommended unless the course was failed. Both grades stay on the record and figure into the cumulative GPA, but the course hours count only once toward graduation. A course that partially or completely duplicates another that the student has taken (e.g., Math 1015 and 1525) also does not count toward graduation. All repeated or duplicated credit hours should be subtracted from your total to determine the number that count toward graduation. 12

13 Transferring Courses from Other Institutions For the most comprehensive transfer information, see the Transfer Guide at the Registrar's website. Students may decide to take courses at other colleges or universities. Please consider the following transfer policies: If you are on academic suspension, you may not take courses for transfer. Hours transfer; grades do not. A limited number of courses may be transferred. Check the "Graduation" section of this website for information about hours that don't count toward graduation. Major upper-level courses are more difficult to transfer than are lower-level, elective courses because there are not equivalents. You should plan to take major courses, for the most part, at Virginia Tech. (Of the last 45 hours before graduation, only 18 can be transferred.) If you decide to take courses elsewhere and want to transfer them to Virginia Tech, you must first receive authorization. You should follow these steps: 1. Meet with your advisor to consider the decision to take courses elsewhere. 2. Investigate the course(s) that you want to take elsewhere. Gather information about their academic level, hours equivalent, and content. You can usually find this data on the school s website. 3. Check to see how the course at the transfer school will be credited at Virginia Tech. See the Transfer Equivalency Database (available with a search from the VT main page). 4. If the course that you want to transfer is not listed on either of these databases, check in the Advising Office for approval. 5. Complete the form to authorize your taking courses elsewhere. The authorization form is available at the CLAHS website. 6. Take the completed form to 238 Wallace for Dean's Office approval prior to taking courses. Note -- Upon completion of the courses, request that an official transcript be sent to the VT Registrar's Office. Resigning from the Semester Resignations without penalty are permitted up to the date shown on the Registrar's website. After that point, students should visit the Dean's Office. Students should clarify (1) implications for financial aid and (2) subsequent return to classes. Unless indicated otherwise, students are eligible to return to classes the following semester. Part 5 -- Course Success Managing Schedules Your social life is important, but your academic life is central. At the end of four years, your transcript will tell the story of your work ethic and your time management. (No prospective employer will ask for your "social transcript"!) Challenge yourself to take the most useful classes -- even if they meet on Fridays or at 8am. If you treat your academic life in the same way you should treat a 9-5 job, you'll find great success AND lots of time for your social life. 13

14 You should plan to work 2 hours outside class for every hour you're in class; if you're in the classroom 15 hours a week, you should be working outside class 30 hours a week. Of course, some weeks seem to require less work, and others are more hectic. If you schedule your class time and work time with some regularity, then you'll avoid the roller coaster of erratic studying (and performance) that some students sink into. Some college students are managing their study schedules for the first time. If that's true for you, please consider some of the time management seminars available on campus. Check the Student Success Center and the Cook Counseling Center. Behaving Ethically -- University Honor System The Virginia Tech Honor System, one of the University s proudest traditions, provides students with an opportunity to be responsible for their personal conduct. The Virginia Tech Honor Pledge -- I have neither given nor received unauthorized assistance on this assignment -- applies to all work submitted at Virginia Tech. As stated on its website, the Virginia Tech Honor Code embodies a spirit of mutual trust and intellectual honesty that is central to the very nature of the university, and represents the highest possible expression of shared values among the members of the university community. For more information about the Honor System, consult the university catalog, the university Student Handbook, or at Meeting with Faculty Your advisor and your instructors want to meet with you if you have questions. The office locations for Communication Faculty are posted outside Shanks 119. Office hours are designed so that you can drop in; each faculty member will also have office hours posted on his/her office door. If you need to set up a meeting at a time other than posted office hours, ask (in a polite or before or after a class) if your instructor can meet with you at some other time. Handling Course Responsibilities Outside of Class Submitting late work -- If your instructor is willing to accept a late assignment, please label that work with your name and the instructor's name, and then leave it with one of the secretaries in the main office, 1st floor of Shanks. Making up tests -- If are eligible to take a make-up test, your instructor will leave that test for you in the main office. Take the test as soon as possible or within the time frame specified by your instructor. Plan to arrive at Shanks before 3:00 so that you can finish your test before the staff leaves for the day. Addressing Classroom Conflict Students and instructors often see situations from different vantage points, and problems can arise. As a Communication major, you've studied about perception, interpersonal communication, and meeting audience needs. If you're struggling academically in a class, meet with the instructor to talk through the problem. Keep in mind that your perception of the problem might be different from the instructor's perception, and your goals for a class might also be different. 14

15 Given that, try to address any conflict by (1) expressing your interest in and expectation of a good teaching-learning relationship, (2) providing a careful description of a specific problem, (3) sharing perceptions of the problem, (4) asking for suggestions that could help you to resolve the problem, (5) and planning a follow-up meeting to see if the anticipated benefit has occurred. Securing Support -- Writing Center, CommLab, Center for Academic Excellence Having difficulty with an academic or personal issue? Take early action to resolve minor problems before they become major ones. If you need suggestions about resources, please see your academic advisor. Everyone wants you to succeed, but your faculty and advisors can't help unless you let them know about your questions or struggles. Asking for support is a sign of strength and maturity, not weakness. CommLab is of special use to Comm majors. This resource for student speakers is available to help you with development and presentation of your speeches. Peer coaches will work with you one-on-one to build a good project. For more information or to make an appointment, please see Part 6 -- Opportunities The Department of Communication provides opportunities for students to extend their studies, work in jobs related to their course work, and build expertise and understanding beyond required courses. Specific opportunities and openings are posted on the department website as they become available. Students can earn credit for work on academic projects or activities with specific faculty. These experiences might be initiated by faculty members or students. If students have a project or special interest they'd like to pursue, they should contact faculty directly to ask if an independent study or field study might be possible. Many of the opportunities listed below may be taken for pass-fail credit. Please note that only 10% of the hours taken for graduation may be taken for pass-fail credit--no more than 12 hours. Students should choose carefully so that the transcript fully reflects the effort required for undergraduate credit. To add field study, independent study or research credits, students must submit completed and signed paperwork to the Advising Office by Friday at 4pm the first week of the semester (the last day to add courses). Field Studies Grading option: Pass-Fail Maximum hours: 6 According to the University Catalog, Field Study courses are work experiences approved by some departments and are selected to augment traditional classroom activities. The student is evaluated on the knowledge and skills acquired as a result of the experience. Emphasis is placed on the academic and practical value of the work. Field study projects might include data collection procedures, working as an assistant to a faculty member on his or her research project, or an activity involving several students working under the direction of a faculty member of members. Field studies are less formal than independent studies, and they are offered on a pass-fail basis. 15

16 Field studies are not used to support participation in student organizations. Students participating in such organizations should list those experiences on their resumes since those experiences will not be designated by credit on the transcript. Students participating in field studies must work with the faculty member to complete a form allowing the student to enroll for the field study. Forms must be submitted to the Advising Office by the end of the first week of the semester. Independent Studies Grading option: A-F or Pass-Fail Maximum hours: 6 According to the University Catalog, Independent Study courses generally involve extensive reading and tutorial sessions with the faculty supervisor and also may involve written papers. The subject of Independent Study usually is a continuation in greater depth of a topic covered in a regular course, allowing students to study topics of particular individual interest. Independent studies are offered for course credit and are graded (A-F) or pass-fail. (Check criteria for taking classes pass-fail.) A student and faculty member make a plan-- including goals, processes and evaluation--and submit forms to the department advising office. Usually students would submit a report of some kind at the end of the experience. To be eligible for independent studies, students must Have junior or senior standing in the University. 2. Meet the following GPA requirements: a minimum of 2.5 GPA. Research The Department also offers various types of research experiences to complement the research that is conducted within courses. Research participation involves limited hours spent as a participant in a research study. Students will usually learn about this opportunity from faculty who teach courses in which they are enrolled, and students will often receive some credit in that course for their participation in a study. Undergraduate Research Grading option: A-F or Pass-Fail Maximum hours: 6 According to the University Catalog, Undergraduate Research courses are individual research projects carried out by students under faculty supervision. The student defines the research topic, proposes a methodology, carries out the research, and writes a report. This experience would involve some activity beyond research participation; rather it might involve a student's collection or processing of data under the supervision of a faculty member. Undergraduate research may be taken P-F or A-F. To be eligible for undergraduate research credit, you must meet the following criteria; 1. Have junior or senior standing in the University. 2. Meet the following GPA requirements: a minimum of 2.5 GPA. Internships Grading option: Pass-Fail Maximum hours: 6 (3 at one organization) Students often participate in internships as they sample various work environments. The Internship Handbook (at includes the eligibility requirements for students wishing to do internships and contact information for further follow-up. Since internships are graded P-F, the credit can count toward graduation, but not as a COMM elective or requirement. 16

17 In some cases, faculty are willing to oversee an internship, assign a project (such as a written report), and assign a grade. In these cases, the student needs to secure permission of the faculty member, complete standard internship requirements, and enroll for independent study. Education Abroad Grading option for Study Abroad credits: A-F or Pass-Fail Students are encouraged to expand their learning opportunities by participating in a program outside the country. For opportunities, check the COMM Department website or the Office of Education Abroad. Many traditional courses can be taken for A-F credit and used as requirements or electives. 17