Communication Studies Major
A major in communication studies provides the skills and education necessary to excel in a wide variety of careers. The major requires 30 credit hours of coursework.
Use this checklist to chart your progress toward completing the major.
Note: The following courses may be counted toward the major in the category corresponding to the topic of the course, with the permission of the director of undergraduate studies:
- CMST 1111: Freshman Seminar
- CMST 3840: Directed Readings
- CMST 3850: Independent Study in Communication
- CMST 3890: Selected Topics in Communication
- CMST 4960: Seminar in Selected Topics
- CMST 4961: Seminar in Selected Topics
Major Requirements
Communication Studies Minor
A minor in communication studies is an excellent accompaniment to many majors and can prepare you for a variety of careers or post-graduate study. Students must complete 18 credit hours for the minor.
Use this checklist to chart your progress toward completing the minor.
Note: The following may not be counted toward the minor:
- CMST 1111: Freshman Seminar
- CMST 3840: Directed Readings
- CMST 3850: Independent Study in Communication
- CMST 3890: Selected Topics in Communication
- CMST 4960: Seminar in Selected Topics
- CMST 4961: Seminar in Selected Topics
Minor Requirements
Courses
To view a full listing of courses offered by the Department of Communication Studies, see the Undergraduate Course Catalog.
Independent Studies
Independent studies must be rigorous, scholarly, and sufficiently different from existing courses. Moreover, they are available only in rare situations. In general, only students who are in the second semester of their senior year and have already completed the vast majority of requirements for the major are eligible for independent study.
Refer to the A&S policy on Independent Study for more information.
Courses Outside Vanderbilt
The Department of Communication Studies often receives requests from current students hoping to receive credit for courses taken at other universities (e.g., summer work elsewhere). Such courses need to follow university transfer credit policies.
As a rule, the Department of Communication Studies does not approve current students to receive credit for taking public speaking (or a similar course) at another university. There are several reasons why:
- Learning public speaking is rigorous, and many colleges and universities are unable to match the standards of instruction at Vanderbilt.
- Many colleges and universities offer public-speaking courses with large class sizes, which do not allow for the kind of personalized instruction offered at Vanderbilt.
- Large class sizes also entail too few or too brief speeches during the term.
- At Vanderbilt, public-speaking instruction is standardized on persuasive policy speeches, giving students several opportunities to develop cogent arguments about public affairs; public speaking at other colleges and universities often gives persuasive policy short shrift.
Due to these reasons, current students should not seek transfer-credit approval for public speaking taken at another college or university.
The best way to gain approval for coursework elsewhere is to compare course descriptions and syllabi at the pertinent college or university with course descriptions provided by Vanderbilt’s Department of Communication Studies. The more closely a course description or syllabus from elsewhere aligns with a Vanderbilt course, the more likely a student is to receive transfer-credit approval.
If you have questions about the approval process for communication courses elsewhere, contact the department's Director of Undergraduate Studies.
Declaring a Major or Minor
- Visit the University Registrar’s website.
- Click on “Major/Minor Declaration/Change.”
- Sign in and follow the prompts to select your major(s)/minor(s).
- Once you have completed all of the required documentation, click submit.
Once you have officially declared a communication studies major, you will hear from your faculty adviser as the registration period approaches to set up a meeting to discuss courses and lift the registration hold.
Note: You must meet with your CMST adviser to have the registration hold lifted. However, if you have already been approved to study abroad or are currently studying abroad, your hold is not active. In any case, you should contact your faculty adviser via email to discuss the courses you hope to take next semester.
Prior to advising, be sure you consult the list of CMST courses offered next semester and review your degree audit on YES.