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Degree Program

The department was established in 1937 and has grown to more than 500 undergraduate students and 30 active graduate students. There are 16 tenure-track and 15 annually contracted faculty. The department is the second-largest communications program in Illinois and third-largest academic program at Eastern. This size ensures the department has the resources necessary to provide a quality education.

Graduation Requirements

Undergraduate communication studies majors at Eastern earn a bachelor of arts degree. To earn the degree, students must complete the graduation requirements listed in the university catalog. These requirements include, but are not limited to:

1. Complete at least 120 semester hours with an overall GPA of at least 2.00 and a major GPA of at least 2.00.
2. Complete at least 40 semester hours of upper division courses (3000-4000 numbered courses).
3. Meet all of EIU's general education requirements
4. Meet EIU's foreign language requirement, which is either two years of the same foreign language in high school, or two semesters of the same foreign language in college.
5. Complete the Electronic Writing Portfolio.
6. Complete all of the requirements in a selected option in the major.

• Broadcast News (.pdf)
• Communication Theory and Practice (.pdf)
• Corporate Communication (.pdf)
• Electronic Media Production (.pdf)
• Media Studies (.pdf)
• Public Relations (.pdf)
• Rhetoric and Public Advocacy (.pdf)

Multiple Options

Communication studies majors are allowed to complete more than one option in the major. If the same course is required in multiple options, the student may take the course once and count it in other options. An elective course in the major may not be counted in more than one option.

Minors

Communication studies majors are not required to declare or complete a minor.  If students want to expand their area of study by selecting a minor, the department is directly involved in several minors.