Each student program for a major or minor in the department is developed individually. The major or minor program is designed within a basic disciplinary framework that allows a range of options for addressing the student's educational goals, strengths, and weaknesses in coordination with other programming. A minimum of 30 credit hours are required for the major, and 18 hours are required for the minor. Upper-level courses from other departments may be included in the major as they fit into the department's curricular categories, contribute to a comprehensive and cohesive program of study, and advance the student's educational goals. Courses from other departments should not comprise more than six of the first 30 hours of the major, and all selections must be approved by a committee of the Rhetoric and Communication Studies faculty.
Students are responsible for fulfilling any prerequisites for such courses.
In every case, the complete program of study should provide a sound background in the discipline, a strong liberal arts education, and the flexibility needed to complete an educational program that can prepare the student for both specific career goals and responsible leadership in a changing world. All program decisions for the major or minor must be approved the student's academic advisor in the department. Departmental majors and minors must take at least one course from each of the four curricular areas listed below. These divisions and their courses are listed below. Theory identifies foundational concepts, patterns, and problems as they have been developed in the study of effective communication from antiquity to the present.