Pre-Major Exam Suspended*

Students who have completed the three pre-major courses (COM 134, 135, 143) by the end of the Fall, 2009 semester may submit an application to the major by December 18, 2009. Your overall GPA and your GPA in the three pre-major communication courses will be calculated to create a combined score which will then be ranked in comparison with the other students in that semester’s applicant pool. Students will be notified of their admission status before the start of classes in January. You will need at least three to four semesters after the semester you are admitted to complete the major requirements.

Check back here in December for information on how to apply.

The Pre-Major in the Department of Communication

Before being admitted as a major in the department, students must successfully complete the pre-major course requirements which include:

• COM 134 Introduction to Speech Communication
• COM 135 Public Expression and Critical Inquiry
• COM 143 Introduction to Mass Communication Theory and Issues

Students may not take these courses a second time to improve their grades. Only the first grade in any given course will be considered in the admission decision. Students must earn at least 30 semester hours, complete each of the three pre-major courses, and successfully apply before being admitted to the major.

See your academic advisor if you have any questions about the pre-major or admission to the major process.

* Recently, the Department has completed a review to assess how the pre-major enrollment management system is working. In general, evidence suggests that it is a transparent and equitable admission process. However, in the interest of continuously improving the system, the department wants to examine whether the benefits of the pre-major exam component justify its costs. The Department will suspend the exam for three semesters beginning with the Spring, 2009 semester. This streamlined process will allow the department to let students know about the results of their application earlier.