Undergraduate Program

College of Arts and Sciences and Department of Communication and Journalism Undergraduate Admission Requirements

A minimum of 26 credit hours; 23 credit hours must be in courses acceptable toward graduation.

A cumulative grade point average of at least 2.00 on all work.

Transfer students must have a 2.00 transfer GPA.
Continuing UNM students must have a 2.00 institutional GPA.

Demonstrated academic achievement by satisfying the following:

Completion of General Education Curriculum: Communication.
Completion of General Education Curriculum: Mathematics and Statistics.
Completion of General Education Curriculum: Second Language.

Completion of Department of Communication and Journalism major admission coursework with grades of "C" or better:

Communication: COMM 1115 and one 3-credit hour CJ or COMM course at any level.
Journalism and Mass Communication: COMM 1140 and COMM 2135.

Degrees Offered

Bachelor of Arts in Communication (B.A.)
Concentrations: Critical Studies in Mass Media; Environmental Communication; Intercultural Communication; Interpersonal Communication; Media Studies; Organizational Communication; Public Communication.
Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication (B.A.)
Concentrations: Digital Field Multimedia; Multimedia Journalism; Strategic Communication.

Departmental majors should choose a minor in other departments in the College of Arts and Sciences or in another college or unit of the University, such as the College of Fine Arts, the Anderson School of Management, or the College of Education. A distributed minor is available and must be approved by the Department Chair before the beginning of the senior year.

Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degrees Program

Juniors or seniors majoring or minoring in Communication or in Journalism and Mass Communication may seek admission to the Master of Arts (M.A.) in Communication under the Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degrees Program. See the "Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degrees Program" section of this page for specific admission information and requirements.

Admission Requirements

For admission to the Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in either Communication or in Journalism and Mass Communication, a cumulative GPA of 2.50 is required. Additionally, students must have taken and passed MATH 1130 or a higher-level core MATH class.

Graduation Requirements

Graduation requirements of the B.A. in either Communication or in Journalism and Mass Communication include:

Complete major courses as specified by the department;
Earn a grade of "C" (not "C-") or better in each course used to fulfill major requirements;
Earn a 2.50 GPA for all coursework in the major;
Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 at graduation.

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

To earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Communication, students must complete 36 credit hours in departmental courses, including the required program core courses. Twenty-one of the required 36 credit hours must be taken in courses 300-level or above. Students must complete COMM 1115 with a grade of "C" or better before being admitted as majors. COMM 1115 is a prerequisite for CJ 300 and 301. CJ 300, 301, and (332 or 333) must be completed before taking 400.

Program Core Requirements

		Credit Hours
CJ 300	Theories of Communication	3
CJ 301	Communication Research Methods	3
CJ 332 -or- CJ 333	Business and Professional Speaking Professional Communication	3
CJ 400	Senior Seminar: Perspectives on Communication	3
COMM 1115	Introduction to Communication	3
	Total	15

Concentrations

Students must complete at least 9 credit hours in one of the B.A. in Communication concentrations:

Critical Studies in Mass Media (partnership with the Film and Digital Arts department in the College of Fine Arts)
Environmental Communication
Intercultural Communication
Interpersonal Communication
Media Studies
Organizational Communication
Public Communication

The courses may be taken in any order.

Critical Studies in Mass Media

No minor is required for students completing this concentration. Students completing this concentration are also only required to complete a minimum of 80 hours taught by Arts & Sciences departments versus the standard 90 hour requirement.

		Credit Hours
	Required Course
CJ 461	Media Criticism	3
	Additional Required Courses (Choose two from):
CJ 365	History of Media	3
CJ 469	Multiculturalism, Gender and Media	3
COMM 2130	Media Theories	3
	Subtotal	9
	Film and Digital Arts Department Required Courses
FDMA 1210	Digital Video Production I	3
FDMA 2110	Introduction to Film Studies	3
FDMA 2520 -or- FDMA 2610 -or- FDMA 303	Introduction to Cinematography Directing I Moving Image Art	3
FDMA 2525	Video Production II	3
FDMA 310 -or- FDMA 324	Writing Digital Narrative Introduction to Screenwriting	3
FDMA 375 -or- FDMA *410	Producing for Film and Digital Media The Business of Law of Film and New Media	3
FDMA *401	Digital Post Production	3
FDMA 450	Capstone I: Senior Projects	4
FDMA 451	Capstone II: Senior Projects	4
	Subtotal	29
	Total	38

Environmental Communication

Either CJ 313 or CJ 339 is required for the concentration. The other course may be taken as part of the remaining 6 credit hours.

		Credit Hours
	Required Course
CJ 313 -or- CJ 339	EcoCultural Communication Rhetoric and the Environment	3
	Additional Required Courses (Choose two from):
CJ 314	Intercultural Communication	3
CJ 317	International Cultural Conflict and Community Building	3
CJ 318	Language, Thought and Behavior	3
CJ 327	Persuasive Communication	3
CJ 450	Health Communication	3
COMM 2121	Introduction to Interpersonal Health Communication	3
	Total	9

Intercultural Communication

		Credit Hours
	Required Course
CJ 314	Intercultural Communication	3
	Additional Required Courses (Choose two from):
CJ 318	Language, Thought and Behavior	3
CJ 320	Conflict Management and Mediation	3
CJ 323	Nonverbal Communication	3
CJ 413	Studies in Intercultural Communication	3
CJ 469	Multiculturalism, Gender and Media	3
COMM 2121	Introduction to Interpersonal Health Communication	3
	Total	9

Interpersonal Communication

		Credit Hours
	Required Course
COMM 2120	Interpersonal Communication	3
	Additional Required Courses (Choose two from):
CJ 318	Language, Thought and Behavior	3
CJ 320	Conflict Management and Mediation	3
CJ 323	Nonverbal Communication	3
CJ 344	Interviewing	3
CJ 421	Communication and Relationships	3
COMM 2121	Introduction to Interpersonal Health Communication	3
	Total	9

Media Studies

		Credit Hours
	Required Course
CJ 461	Media Criticism	3
	Additional Required Courses (Choose two from):
CJ 365	History of the Media	3
CJ 469	Multiculturalism, Gender and Media	3
COMM 2130	Media Theories	3
	Total	9

Organizational Communication

		Credit Hours
	Required Course
CJ 340	Communication in Organizations	3
	Additional Required Courses (Choose two from):
CJ 314	Intercultural Communication	3
CJ 344	Interviewing	3
CJ 443	Current Developments in Organizational Communication	3
COMM 2140	Small Group Communication	3
	Total	9

Public Communication

		Credit Hours
	Required Course
CJ 337	Rhetorical Theory	3
	Additional Required Courses (Choose two from):
CJ 327	Persuasive Communication	3
CJ 331	Argumentation	3
CJ 334	Political Communication	3
	Total	9

Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and Mass Communication

To earn a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) in Journalism and Mass Communication, students must complete the required program core courses as well as the requirements of their selected concentration, as shown below.

Program Core Requirements

		Credit Hours
CJ 350	Data Tools for Media Professionals	3
CJ 365	History of Media	3
CJ 478	Media Theory and Research	3
COMM 1140	Introduction to Media Writing	3
COMM 2135	Media Ethics and Law	3
COMM 2185	Multimedia and Visual Communication	3
	Total	18

Concentrations

Students must complete one of the B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication concentrations:

Digital Field Multimedia (partnership with the Film and Digital Arts department in the College of Fine Arts)
Multimedia Journalism
Strategic Communication

The courses should be taken in order.

Digital Field Multimedia

No minor is required for students completing this concentration.

		Credit Hours
	Required Courses
CJ 360	Video Journalism	3
CJ 367	Social Media for Journalists	3
CJ 375	Intermediate Reporting	3
CJ 475	Advanced Multimedia Journalism	3
COMM 1145	Sex, Lies, and Fake News: How to Use Media Wisely	3
COMM 2190	Writing and Editing for Multimedia Journalism	3
	Subtotal	18
	Film and Digital Arts Department Required Courses
FDMA 1210	Digital Video Production I	3
FDMA 2110	Introduction to Film Studies	3
FDMA 2520 -or- FDMA 2610 -or- FDMA 303	Introduction to Cinematography Directing I Moving Image Art	3
FDMA 2525	Video Production II	3
FDMA 310 -or- FDMA 324	Writing Digital Narrative Introduction to Screenwriting	3
FDMA 375 -or- FDMA *410	Producing for Film and Digital Media The Business of Law of Film and New Media	3
FDMA *401	Digital Post Production	3
FDMA 450	Capstone I: Senior Projects	4
FDMA 451	Capstone II: Senior Projects	4
	Subtotal	29
	Electives
	Choose from: CJ 314, 327, 332, 334, 340, 344, 361, 373, 374, 376, 387, 389, 390, 391, 393, 461, 464, 469, 488, 490; COMM 2130, 2245.	3
	Subtotal	3
	Total	50

Multimedia Journalism

No minor is required for students completing this concentration.

		Credit Hours
	Required Courses
CJ 360	Video Journalism	3
CJ 367	Social Media for Journalists	3
CJ 375	Intermediate Reporting	3
CJ 475	Advanced Multimedia Journalism	3
COMM 1145	Sex, Lies, and Fake News: How to Use Media Wisely	3
COMM 2190	Writing and Editing for Multimedia Journalism	3
	Subtotal	18
	Electives
	Choose from: CJ 313, 314, 332, 333, 334, 344, 450, 469.	6
	Choose from: CJ 361, 363, 370, 373, 374, 376, 464, 492.	6
	Subtotal	12
	Total	30

Strategic Communication

No minor is required for students completing this concentration.

		Credit Hours
	Required Courses
CJ 327	Persuasive Communication	3
CJ 374	Design and Visual Presentation I	3
CJ 387	Introduction to Strategic Communication	3
CJ 389	Creative Concepts	3
CJ 390	Strategic Writing	3
CJ 391	Strategic Social Media	3
CJ 488	Strategic Planning and Campaign Development	3
	Subtotal	21
	Electives
	Choose from: CJ 332, 333, 340, 361, 367, 490, 492; COMM 2190, 2245.	9
	Subtotal	9
	Total	30

Shared-Credit Undergraduate/Graduate Degrees Program

Application Requirements

Be a declared major or minor in the Department of Communication and Journalism.
Have an overall UNM GPA of 3.5 or better.
Have a departmental GPA of 3.5 or better.
Have the approval of both the departmental Undergraduate and Graduate Directors to apply shared-credit hours.

Applying Shared-Credit Hours

With appropriate departmental approval, a student may apply up to 18 credit hours of 500- and 600-level communication courses to an undergraduate Communication and Journalism major or minor and, upon formal acceptance to the M.A. program, also apply those credit hours to the student’s approved graduate program of studies. Departmental approval is required for each specific course prior to registering.

Requirements

The following 500- and 600-level communication courses may satisfy the following undergraduate requirements:

B.A. in Communication or Communication Minor

One or more specific courses required for the degree core, or for the minor, can be satisfied with successful completion of one or more of the following: CJ 500, 501, 502, 507, 593, 604, 605, 606, 607.
One or more specific courses required for the degree concentrations or electives, or for the minor can be satisfied with successful completion of one or more of the following: CJ 502, 506, 514, 517, 519, 521, 566, 567, 568, 569, 593.

B.A. in Journalism and Mass Communication or Journalism and Mass Communication Minor

One or more specific courses required for the degree core, or for the minor can be satisfied with successful completion of one or more of the following: CJ 502, 567, 568, 569, 593.
One or more specific courses required for the degree concentrations or electives, or for the minor can be satisfied with successful completion of one or more of the following: CJ 502, 550, 552, 553, 593.

Credit hours of the approved 500- and 600-level courses apply toward the student’s undergraduate degree regardless of whether the student gains entry into the M.A. program, provided the student earns a grade of "C" or better in those courses.

However, UNM policies state that to remain in good academic standing, graduate students must maintain a cumulative grade point average of at least 3.0 ("B") in courses taken for graduate credit after admission to a graduate degree program. Therefore, students must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 for courses listed on their Program of Study/Application for Candidacy.

No more than 6 credit hours of coursework in which a grade of "C" (2.0), "C+" (2.33) or "CR" (grading option selected by student) was earned may be credited toward a graduate degree. Courses offered only on a CR/NC basis and required by the graduate program are excluded from this limitation. Furthermore, the Communication and Journalism Department requires that graduate students earn a grade of "B-" or better in all required M.A. classes.

Minor Study Requirements

Communication: Students who declare a minor in Communication must complete 21 credit hours in departmental courses, including COMM 1115, and 12 credit hours in 300-400 level courses. All departmental courses used to fulfill requirements in the minor must be completed with a grade of "C" or better.

Journalism and Mass Communication: A minor in Journalism and Mass Communication consists of 21 credit hours in departmental courses, including: COMM 1140, (2130 or 2185), 2135, 2190; and an additional 9 credit hours.

Departmental Honors

Students seeking departmental honors should obtain guidelines from the department office and make application to the Department Chair or the Director of Undergraduate Studies. Admission requires an overall GPA of 3.5 or better. An honors thesis must be completed during the senior year.

Keys and Symbols Reference