Communication Studies, B.S. Degree Requirements (124 hours)

Print Degree Planner (opens a new window) |

Degree Plan (SPCHCOMBS)

General Education Curriculum

GEC 01. Written Communication (6 hours)

ENG 101 - Composition One 3 hrs.
ENG 102 - Composition Two 3 hrs.

GEC 02. Natural Science (8-10 hours minimum)

Select 2 courses with labs:

AST 111 - General Astronomy I 3 hrs. (Recommended) AND
AST 111L - General Astronomy I Laboratory 1 hr.
AST 112 - General Astronomy II 3 hrs. AND
AST 112L - General Astronomy II Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 103 - Biology and Society 3 hrs. ◊ (Recommended) AND
BSC 103L - Biology and Society Laboratory 1 hr ◊ (Recommended)
BSC 110 - Principles of Biological Science I 3 hrs. AND
BSC 110L - Principles of Biological Science I Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 111 - Principles of Biological Science II 3 hrs. AND
BSC 111L - Principles of Biological Science II Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 250 - Human Anatomy and Physiology I 3 hrs. AND
BSC 250L - Human Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory 1 hr.
BSC 251 - Human Anatomy and Physiology II 3 hrs. AND
BSC 251L - Human Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory 1 hr.
CHE 104 - Chemistry and Our Environment 3 hrs. (Recommended) AND
CHE 104L - Chemistry and Our Environment Laboratory 1 hr. (Recommended)
CHE 106 - General Chemistry I 3 hrs. AND
CHE 106L - General Chemistry I Laboratory 1 hr.
CHE 107 - General Chemistry II 3 hrs. AND
CHE 107L - General Chemistry II Laboratory 1 hr.
GLY 101 - Physical Geology 3 hrs. (Recommended) AND
GLY 101L - Physical Geology Laboratory 1 hr. (Recommended)
GLY 103 - Historical Geology 3 hrs. AND
GLY 103L - Historical Geology Laboratory 1 hr.
MAR 151 - Introduction to Ocean Science 3 hrs. AND
MAR 151L - Introduction to Ocean Science Laboratory 1 hr.
PHY 103 - Introductory Physics 3 hrs. AND
PHY 103L - Introductory Physics Laboratory 1 hr.
PHY 111 - General Physics I 3 hrs. AND
PHY 111L - General Physics I Laboratory 1 hr.
PHY 112 - General Physics II 3 hrs. AND
PHY 112L - General Physics II Laboratory 1 hr.
PHY 201 - General Physics I with Calculus 4 hrs. AND
PHY 201L - General Physics I with Calculus Laboratory 1 hr.
PHY 202 - General Physics II with Calculus 4 hrs. AND
PHY 202L - General Physics II with Calculus Laboratory 1 hr.
PSC 190 - Living in a Material World 3 hrs. (Recommended) AND
PSC 190L - Lab for Living in a Material World 1 hr. (Recommended)

GEC 03. Humanities (9 hours)

ENG 203 - World Literature 3 hrs.

Select 2 courses, 1 History required:

HIS 101 - World Civilizations: Beginnings to 1500 C.E. 3 hrs.
HIS 102 - World Civilizations: 1500 to the present 3 hrs.
PHI 151 - Introduction to Philosophy 3 hrs. *
PHI 171 - Ethics and Good Living 3 hrs. *
REL 131 - Comparative Religion 3 hrs. *

GEC 04. Aesthetic Values (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

GEC 05. Social and Behavioral Sciences (6 hours)

Select 2 courses:

ANT 101 - The Human Experience: A Global Perspective on Human Diversity 3 hrs.
COH 100 - Concepts of Wellness 3 hrs.
ECO 101 - Basic Economics 3 hrs.
GHY 101 - World Geography: Dynamics of a Changing Earth 3 hrs.
PS 101 - American Government 3 hrs.
PSY 110 - General Psychology 3 hrs.
SOC 101 - Understanding Society: Principles of Sociology 3 hrs.

GEC 06. Mathematics (3 hours)

Select 1 course:

MAT 100 - Quantitative Reasoning 3 hrs. ***
MAT 101 - College Algebra 3 hrs.
Higher-level MAT course

GEC 07. Writing-Intensive Requirement (Major Area)

CMS 310 - Research Methods in Speech Communication 3 hrs. (WI)
ENG 101 & ENG 102 prerequisites

GEC 08. Speaking Intensive Requirement (3 hours)

CMS 111 - Oral Communication 3 hrs. (SI)

GEC 09. Capstone Requirement (Major Area)

CMS 493 - Supplemental Capstone Activities 1 hr. (Capstone)
Must be taken Senior Year; ENG 101 & ENG 102 prerequisites

Note:

*This course satisfies both the GEC requirement and a program requirement for this major.

**This particular GEC course is recommended by this major.

***This course does not satisfy prerequisites for any other math course.

◊ GEC restrictions apply; see here .

GEC 07 - GEC 09 courses are specific to this major.

For full description of the GEC, see here .

Program Curriculum

DEG 01. Major Area of Study Requirements (40 hours)

CMS 101 - Introduction to Communication Studies 3 hrs.
CMS 111 - Oral Communication 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 201 - Rhetoric and Public Life 3 hrs.
CMS 305 - Interpersonal Communication 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 310 - Research Methods in Speech Communication 3 hrs. (WI)
CMS 311 - Persuasion 3 hrs.
CMS 330 - Small-Group Communication 3 hrs. (SI)
CMS 493 - Supplemental Capstone Activities 1 hr. (Capstone)
Designated Capstone course
Select 15 additional hours from the Department of Communication Studies .

DEG 02. Additional Requirements (18-21 hours)

Approved undergraduate statistics course
Select 9 hours of approved social science electives from the following disciplines: ANT, ECO, GHY, PS, PSY, SOC, WS

Select 1 option:

a. Select remaining history course not selected in GEC 03: HIS 101 or HIS 102

b. If both history courses selected in GEC 03, select 1 course:

PHI 151 - Introduction to Philosophy 3 hrs.
PHI 171 - Ethics and Good Living 3 hrs.
REL 131 - Comparative Religion 3 hrs.

Select 1 course:

PHI 151 - Introduction to Philosophy 3 hrs. *
PHI 171 - Ethics and Good Living 3 hrs. *
REL 131 - Comparative Religion 3 hrs. *

Select 1 course:

ENG 200 - Introduction to Drama 3 hrs.
ENG 201 - Introduction to Fiction 3 hrs.
ENG 202 - Introduction to Poetry 3 hrs.
FLM 170 - Introduction to Film Studies 3 hrs.
HIS 201 - Survey of United States History to 1877 3 hrs.
HIS 202 - Survey of United States History since 1877 3 hrs.
WGS 301 - Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies 3 hrs.

Select 1 course not selected in GEC 05:

DEG 03. Electives

Choose electives as needed. (See Hours to Degree below.)

Hours to Degree

124 hours are needed to graduate with a BS in Communication Studies. At least 50 percent of the hours applied to a degree at The University of Southern Mississippi must be earned from a senior college, and 45 of these hours must be in courses numbered 300 or above. The student must earn at least 21 of the last 30 hours of course work and at least 12 hours in the major area of study from Southern Miss. See Residence Hour Requirements for more information.