The Communication Arts major does not have an admission requirement. Students interested in pursuing the major are encouraged to meet with a Communication Arts academic advisor. Please see the Communication Arts website for instructions on how to declare the major.
Students may declare only one option in the major: Communication Science and Rhetorical Studies or Radio-Television-Film.
Non–Letters & Science students will need permission from their school or college to pursue an additional major in Communication Arts.
On This PageAll undergraduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Madison are required to fulfill a minimum set of common university general education requirements to ensure that every graduate acquires the essential core of an undergraduate education. This core establishes a foundation for living a productive life, being a citizen of the world, appreciating aesthetic values, and engaging in lifelong learning in a continually changing world. Various schools and colleges will have requirements in addition to the requirements listed below. Consult your advisor for assistance, as needed. For additional information, see the university Undergraduate General Education Requirements section of the Guide.
Students pursuing a bachelor of arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. The College of Letters & Science allows this major to be paired with either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science curriculum.
Non–L&S students who have permission from their school/college to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Communication Arts offers two options within the major:
Students declare one of the two options and complete a minimum of 10 courses and at least 30 credits in the major. Please note that COM ARTS courses numbered below 200 as well as COM ARTS 605 , COM ARTS 614 , and COM ARTS 615 do not count in the major.
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Students may apply to pursue Honors in the Communication Arts major in consultation with a Communication Arts undergraduate advisor. To be accepted students must have:
To earn Honors in the Major in Communication Arts, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
Submission and approval of a Senior Honors Thesis Proposal is required prior to the term in which students enroll for COM ARTS 681 Senior Honors Thesis . See the Communication Arts undergraduate advisor for current process. Approval of the completed thesis by the thesis advisor and a second Communication Arts faculty member is required.
| Requirements | Detail |
|---|---|
| Total Degree | To receive a bachelor's degree from UW–Madison, students must earn a minimum of 120 degree credits. The requirements for some programs may exceed 120 degree credits. Students should consult with their college or department advisor for information on specific credit requirements. |
| Residency | Degree candidates are required to earn a minimum of 30 credits in residence at UW–Madison. "In residence" means on the UW–Madison campus with an undergraduate degree classification. “In residence” credit also includes UW–Madison courses offered in distance or online formats and credits earned in UW–Madison Study Abroad/Study Away programs. |
| Quality of Work | Undergraduate students must maintain the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, or academic program to remain in good academic standing. Students whose academic performance drops below these minimum thresholds will be placed on academic probation. |
Please see any of the Named Options for a four-year plan.
Communication arts academic advisors assist students throughout their undergraduate studies. Please see the Communication Arts website for advising options.
Steffie Halverson, 6114 Vilas Hall, 608-262-2285, advising@commarts.wisc.edu
Mary Rossa, 6068 Vilas Hall, 608-262-0992, advising@commarts.wisc.edu
The Communication Arts Department offers a wide array of courses. All the courses listed in the Guide are not offered each semester. Please see Course Search and Enroll for current course offerings.
The communication and media career advisor assists students with career preparation, such as exploring career options, learning internship and job search strategies, and writing resumes and cover letters.
Pam Garcia-Rivera, 5114 Vilas Hall, 608-890-1046, pgarciariver@wisc.edu
The Department of Communication Arts encourages students to apply the knowledge and skills they attain through coursework to professional settings. Internships and part-time jobs at television networks, nonprofit organizations, talent agencies, magazines, radio stations, advertising agencies, production companies, government agencies, and other communication-related businesses help students gain work-related experience and explore career options. Advising emails and postings provide communication arts majors with information on opportunities across the country.
Communication arts offers a one-credit, online academic course to accompany a student's internship experience: COM ARTS 614 Field Experience in Communication and COM ARTS 615 Second Field Experience in Communication .
Throughout the academic year, students have the opportunity to participate in several communication-focused, career-related events.
After completing a liberal arts education with a communication arts major, communication arts alumni pursue a variety of careers. In a recent survey, communication arts alumni were asked to provide and categorize their occupation. The results are available on the Department of Communication Arts website:
Every L&S major opens a world of possibilities. SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps students turn the academic skills learned in their major, certificates, and other coursework into fulfilling lives after graduation, whether that means jobs, public service, graduate school or other career pursuits.
In addition to providing basic support like resume reviews and interview practice, SuccessWorks offers ways to explore interests and build career skills from their very first semester/term at UW all the way through graduation and beyond.
Students can explore careers in one-on-one advising, try out different career paths, complete internships, prepare for the job search and/or graduate school applications, and connect with supportive alumni and even employers in the fields that inspire them.
Please see the People section of the Department of Communication Arts website for additional information.
Robert Asen, Professor; Anirban Baishya, Assistant Professor; Robert Glenn Howard, Professor; Jenell Johnson, Professor; Marie-Louise Mares, Professor; Sara McKinnon, Professor; Zhongdang Pan, Professor; Allison Prasch, Associate Professor; Catalina Toma, Professor; Lyn Van Swol, Professor; Lillie Williamson, Assistant Professor; Susan Zaeske, Professor
Kelley Conway, Professor; Jonathan Gray, Professor; Aaron Greer, Associate Professor; Eric Hoyt, Professor; Derek Johnson, Professor; Jason Lopez, Assistant Professor; Lori Lopez, Professor; Darshana Mini, Assistant Professor; Jeremy Morris, Professor; Ben Singer, Associate Professor; Jeff Smith, Professor
Craig Erpelding, Teaching Faculty II; Erik Gunneson, Teaching Faculty II; Sarah Jedd, Teaching Faculty III; Mary McCoy, Teaching Faculty II
Steffie Halverson, Academic Advisor; Mary Rossa, Academic Advising Manager
Pam Garcia-Rivera, Career Development Manager
UW–Madison offers many opportunities to get involved. Communication arts majors join student organizations across their areas of interest.
See the Department of Communication Arts website for a sampling of other UW–Madison student organizations that may be of interest to communication-focused students.
Communications arts majors are encouraged to look at study abroad programs and opportunities across the globe. Our students have studied in cities such as London, Rome, Tel Aviv, Prague, Galway, Sydney, Madrid, Bologna, Cape Town, Paris, Copenhagen, and Buenos Aires. When planning for their semester abroad, students should think beyond courses required for their major. Students are encouraged to take courses from a variety of subjects to satisfy requirements and elective credits for their degree.
Communication science research team members gain hands-on research experience. Undergraduate research assistants may learn to code and enter data, interview participants, gather and prepare research materials, run experiments, and perform other activities required to complete a research study. Reading and writing assignments related to the research activities are assigned throughout the semester. Opportunities to participate in a research team vary from semester to semester.
Students apply for scholarships online through Wisconsin Scholarship Hub. The Department of Communication Arts offers the following scholarships:
The Communication Arts Department and Alumni Summer Internship Fund helps Communication Arts majors participate in internships with businesses or non-profit organizations.
See the scholarship and internship fund sections of the department website for additional details and opportunities.
Select a section…Communication Arts
College of Letters & Science
Communication Arts, BA
http://map.wisc.edu/s/vwahyb9u
Communication Arts
608-262-2543
6117 Vilas Hall
821 University Ave., Madison, WI 53706
Communication Arts Department
Steffie Halverson, Undergraduate advisor in the major
advising@commarts.wisc.edu
608-262-2285
6114 Vilas Hall
Com Arts Advising
Mary Rossa, Undergraduate advisor in the major
advising@commarts.wisc.edu
608-262-0992
6068 Vilas Hall
Com Arts Advising
