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Communication

Bachelor of Arts in Communication

Woman in a radio station speaking into a microphone

Our undergraduate program features an innovative curriculum that prepares our majors for careers in the 21st century. From core courses in communication theory and methods, to emphasis areas such as media and mass communication, health communication, and strategic communication, the curriculum is forward-thinking and prepares students to compete for careers in the communication profession or to continue their education in graduate school. Our majors develop an integrated skill set in oral, visual, and written communication and learn how to present information and interact in a digital communication environment. This diverse skill set enables students to meet the challenges of the rapidly evolving communication profession.

Whether you hope to manage a business, produce documentaries, coordinate public relations and publicity for a major corporation, promote a nonprofit or tell stories as a news reporter, the secret to success is effective communication. Tell our faculty your thoughts on where you want to be at graduation, and we will work with you to get you there.

Our curriculum is forward thinking, from core courses in communication theory and methods to our focused plans of study listed below. You’ll find that many classes, such as those in broadcast production and public relations, are taught by industry professionals who can give you practical insight that can put you a step ahead at graduation. If you think you want to pursue an advanced degree, this major provides a strong foundation for graduate studies in the humanities, social sciences, business and law.

  • Focused Plans of Study

    Communication plays an integral part in the sports world, and it is imperative for sports professionals to have a strong communications foundation to be successful and competitive. Clemson's sports communication major provides a multi-faceted and holistic approach to sports communication that spans how sport is communicatively enacted, organized, produced, and consumed. Our students gain a strong theoretical foundation regarding the creation, consumption, and effectiveness of messages across sports contexts. During your time in this degree program, you'll be enabled to develop a customized study that allows you to focus on your areas of interest (e.g., social media, public relations, organizational communication and interpersonal communication), while networking with people who work in the sports communication industry.

  • Career Options

    Graduates from our program have found jobs in:

    Development (fundraising, grant writing)

    Media Production

    Political Communication/Campaign Management

    Public Relations

    Radio and Television Production

    Sales and Management

    Special Events Coordination

    Sports Production and Promotion

    Organizational Training and Development

    Hospitality and Leisure

    Human Resources

    Allied Health

    Social Work and Counseling

  • Apply

    Thank you for your interest in pursuing a major in the communication department. Our goal is to maintain our number of students to that which can be well served by our faculty resources. We strive not for quantity, but for quality in our group of student majors. The information detailed on this page applies only to currently enrolled Clemson University students who are seeking a change of major (e.g., changing from undeclared to communication, changing from psychology to communication, etc.). The department accepts a maximum of only 30 internal transfer students per year. The selection process is very competitive. Meeting the minimum criteria to apply to the major is no guarantee of admission. The typical profile of a successful applicant to the major includes a GPR of approximately 3.0 or higher, a superior writing sample, and an overall application which demonstrates an understanding of and commitment to a career in communication.

    Application Process

    A committee of faculty members will review applications twice a year, according to the schedule printed below. Late applications will not be considered.

    Semester: Fall 2023
    Application Deadline: 
    Monday, August 28 at 4:30 PM
    Decision Date: Mid-September

    Semester: Spring 2024
    Application Deadline: 
    Monday, January 15 at 4:30 PM
    Decision Date: Mid-February

    Minimum Requirements to Apply

    To be eligible to apply for admission to the Department of Communication, applicants must have completed 15 credit hours, including ENGL 1030, COMM 1010 and COMM 2010 (with a B or better). Students must have a minimum GPR of 2.5 to apply. However, as noted above, a GPR in that range is typically not competitive in the application process.

    In order for an application to be considered by the department’s Undergraduate Admissions Committee, it must include a completed online application, statement of purpose (a quality response to the prompt requesting an explanation for interest in pursuing a major in communication), a brief writing sample (e.g., a completed paper from a previous class with the grade removed), and an up-to-date resume. By providing all information listed in the application, the applicant agrees to a full review of all materials, including their transcript to verify the minimum course/GPA requirements are met.

    It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete. The Undergraduate Admissions Committee will not consider incomplete applications.

    The department will mail notification of acceptance or rejection to students on or about the appropriate decision date noted above. If there are any questions about this process, please contact Lori Pindar, Ph.D., at 864-656-5747 or lorip@clemson.edu.

  • Academic Advising

    Our academic advisors work with freshmen, sophomores, students changing majors, and transfer students. Services include:

    • Academic advisement
    • Course selection
    • Transferability of courses; and
    • Completion of various academic forms.

    Academic advisors are also available to meet with prospective students considering various majors within the colleges. All students are encouraged to make appointments with an advisor in their intended major.

  • Internships

    Students of communication are gaining wonderful, practical experience in a variety of fields not just across the country but around the world. Over the past ten years, our students have worked in every major job market in America with some of the giants in the communication industry. Communication students can use internship experience to discover their interests or to more finely tune the process of achieving academic goals. Jobs seem to cover a whole spectrum of interests. Places where students have completed internships include:

    In addition, students have worked in a host of television markets and for public relations firms, political organizations and sports teams. Students participating in an internship must work a minimum of 120 hours and are evaluated by the site supervisor. They may complete two semesters of internship experience. For more information, contact Dr. Lori Pindar.

     

  • Change of Major Application

    Application submission opens on August 1. In order for your application to be considered, all information must be submitted/uploaded by the....

    DEADLINE - Monday, January 15 by 4:30pm


    IMPORTANT

    At the bottom of this page is a link to a form to submit for your change of major request. BEFORE filling out the form, you must submit a Statement of Purpose, Writing Sample and Resume. After uploading these documents, please fill out the form below. Note: Students can only apply to one program (Communication or Sports Communication) per application cycle. Attempting to apply to both programs will mark both applications ineligible for review.

    Submit Your Statement of Purpose

    Your statement of purpose should be no longer than 500 words. Your statement should make a detailed, compelling argument for your admission that addresses: your reasons for applying to the Communication/Sports Communication major, your coursework, employment, extracurricular activity, and/or community service in Communication/Sports Communication or related fields to date, your professional and/or personal aspirations that would be well-served by a Communication/Sports Communication education, your plan of study if admitted to the major (i.e., courses of interest to you), and your unique contributions to the department, if admitted.

    Submit a PDF file of your Statement of Purpose in the following format: LastNameFirstNameYearSOP.pdf


    Submit Your Writing Sample

    Submit a PDF file of your Writing Sample in the following format: LastNameFirstNameYearWS.pdf

    Please note ONLY ONE WRITING SAMPLE is permitted and your writing sample should come from the  COMM 2010 course.


    Submit Your Resume

    Submit a PDF file of your Resume in the following format: LastNameFirstNameYearResume.pdf

     
    Once you have submitted your Statement of Purpose, Writing Samples and Resume, please
  • Virtual Change of Major Meetings

    The Department of Communication will have virtual change of major meetings throughout the semester. These meetings are for current Clemson students who are interested in applying to Communication or want to learn more about the Communication minor. The dates are provided below along with the Zoom link. If you have any questions, please reach out to Kaela Gardner at kaelag@clemson.edu.

    January

    • Friday, January 12th-9am, 11am, and 2:15pm
    • Tuesday, January 16th-11:30am, 2:30pm

    February

    • Tuesday, February 6th-11:30am, 2:30pm

    March

    • Tuesday, March 5th-11:30am, 2:30pm
    • Friday, March 8th-9am, 11am, 2:15pm
    • Tuesday, March 26th-11:30am, 2:30pm

    April

    • Tuesday, April 2nd-11:30am, 2:30pm
    • Friday, April 19th-9am, 11am, 2:15pm

    Zoom Link: https://clemson.zoom.us/j/3773057369

  • In-Person Change of Major Meetings

    Thursday, December 7th 1pm-2pm in Edwards Hall 538

    Thursday, April 25th 1pm-2pm in Edwards Hall 538

Department of Communication
Department of Communication | 408 Strode Tower