Students living in California who wish to pursue a degree in communications may want to study this list of Communication Degrees in California. The schools mentioned here are very different in their requirements for graduation. Of course, graduation requisites depend upon the degree being sought, but they also hinge upon the size of the school and its perspective on communications education. However all of the schools note that globalization has a tremendous effect upon communication and is shaping the way we speak and write as well as what appears in media. There is a focus on looking toward international ideas and study, even study abroad.
University of California—Several Locations
College of Letters and Science Department of Communication Studies
The University of California has nine campuses: Berkley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, Santa Barbara and Santa Cruz. The course of study in the Department of Communication Studies involves the knowledge of human communication through its history, symbols, media and environment. Students in this area can pursue careers in business management, journalism, education, law and motion pictures and television, to name a few of the professions accessible to graduates. “US News and World Report” ranks it as number 112 of Best Colleges. The school is accredited by The Western Association of Colleges and Schools.
Bachelor of Arts in Communications
Courses in this degree come from twelve departments in the College of Letters and Science and the School of Fine Art. Students may take a tack in mass communication and media studies or from many technological offerings. This is a 180 credit hour program including a university-mandated series of general education courses as well as lower and upper division communications classes. Upper division classes list a practicum, statistics, Freedom of Communication, and seminars. At the end of the program, there is an opportunity for an internship and a field experience. The University of California also offers international experience in study-abroad courses. Tuition for the university is $12,862 per year.
Master of Arts in Communication
This graduate degree program features small classes and offers a thesis or non-thesis track. The thesis track includes 32 hours of academic coursework and research, done independently, that ends in a formal thesis paper. The non-thesis track involves 40 hours of classwork and a written and oral comprehensive exam. The extra eight hours are elective classes. Typically, students take all required classes in the first two quarters. Students in the thesis track are enrolled in a research class throughout both years of study to afford them time to prepare their thesis project, but that class carries no credits. Graduate students in good standing who are campus residents may qualify to be employed as teaching assistants.
Contact
College of Letters and Science
200 Rolfe Hall
University of California at Los Angeles (however there are several campuses)
Los Angeles, CA 90095
310-825-3303
Email through the website
Website
California State University
College of Liberal Arts Department of Communication Studies
This school offers degrees in Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Communication, Rhetoric, and in cultural communication issues as well as public affairs and general speech. Princeton Review rated it as the #3 best university for value and it has been touted as the 4th best public master’s degree in the country for value. The school is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. It has an impressive “study abroad” program. The website says that the faculty of this school is well known for their excellence in research, teaching and in service.
Bachelor of Arts in Communications
This degree is a 120 credit hour program. There are 48 credits of general education classes, 36 of upper division classes 15 units of lower core classes which must be taken the first year. In addition, all communications students take COM 200 which is an introduction to communication studies. The general education course is a liberal arts selection from which students may choose natural and behavioral sciences, English composition, history, mathematics and fine arts classes to satisfy the requisite. The 36 hours of upper division classes include 15 core classes and 21 units of electives. The degree offers options in interpersonal communications and in culture and public affairs.
Master of Arts in Communication.
This program is a minimum of 30 semester hours which includes four thesis hours. Of the 30 hours, 24 must be taken in residence at the university. At the end of the program, graduates must pass a comprehensive exam or write a thesis. The thesis option involves independent research and presentation (usually as a formal paper). No more than three of the credits may be taken outside of the communications department or transferred from another school. Internships and student teaching are also offered, but do not count toward the credits. Graduate student teaching assistants earn $950 a month, but the tuition is not waived for them. Typically, those earning graduate degrees in communications go on to get doctoral degrees, or teach communications at the community college level. In-state tuition for seven units or more is $2,736 for undergraduates and $3369 for graduate studies.
Contact
California State University—Several Locations
Long Beach Campus: California State University
1250 Bellflower Blvd.
Long Beach, CA 90840
562-985-4259
Ann.johnson@csulb.edu
Website
California Polytechnic State University
Communication Studies Department
The US News and World Report ranks this as one of the best universities. The focus of the communications department is on communication in many contexts: “interpersonal, instructional, intercultural, organizational, political, in dyads, in small groups or in the mass media.” The curriculum includes 39 courses and the school has nearly 30 faculty members. It is the most popular major in the liberal arts college; in fact, there are 1200 applicants for the 50 annual admissions. “Cal Poly” is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
The purpose of the degree is to hone students’ critical reasoning skills, to help them to communicate effectively through the written word and through speech, and to assist them in understanding how culture shapes their daily lives. This degree path has 180 credit hours—64 general education and other university mandated classes, 25 “designated support” credits and 23 units of free electives. There are also 68 units of communication studies courses (40 required units, 12 restricted electives and 16 upper-level electives. The support courses consist of statistics, western civilization and psychology. At the end of the program, students complete a senior project which is presented as a formal paper. At least 90 hours must be spent on the project, which must be completed only by communications majors. Tuition for this degree is $8997 in-state and $20, 157 out-of-state.
Contact
Communication Studies Department
California Polytechnic University
San Luis Obismo, CA 93407’
rbessel@calpoly.edu
Website
University of Southern California
School for Communications and Journalism
This school is located in Los Angeles, which is one of the nation’s most diverse cities. The school stresses a collaborative learning style in which students interact with faculty, even assisting in research. The intent of the school is to encourage students to be entrepreneurial and to take risks. The programs stress ethics in practice. A positive aspect of the school is its small class size. Through its associations, it offers great internships in Los Angeles and around the world. The School for Communications and Journalism is accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Master in Global Communications
This exciting program is the first degree of its kind in the world. The focus of the degree is the study of how globalization affects communication, politics, culture and media. Study takes place in two of the world’s largest media capital cities: London and Los Angeles. The degree offered is a joint master’s degree from University of Southern California Annenburg School of Communications and Journalism and the London School of Economics and Political Science. The first year is completed in London accumulating 18 credits over three terms. The second year, comprising 24 credits, is spent at the University Of Southern California. At USC the students must complete COMM 598 and twenty elective credits from the school of communication. At the culmination of the program, students must create a final research paper based on their experiences at both schools.
Contact
Annenburg School for Communications and Journalism
University of Southern California
3502 Watt Way
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0281
213-740-6180
ascadm@usc.edu
Website
City College of San Francisco
Speech Communications Department
The goal of this two-year public college is to develop communication skills in interpersonal areas, in public settings and groups. The school does offer some online classes, but most programs of study are hybrids—that is, they require some on-campus presence as well. The school has several campuses and a joint classroom agreement with San Francisco State University. There are more than 70 computer labs with 1200 computers available to students. The school is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges.
Associate of Arts T Communication
This associate degree is intended to allow students to go on to a bachelor degree program. Students successfully completing the associate T degree are guaranteed admission to any California State University campus. There are 60 credits in the degree path, 18 in the major and 39 general education classes in math, natural sciences, behavioral and social sciences, humanities, US history and government and physical skills and knowledge classes. Some of the requisite courses are: “Elements of Public Speech” and “Intercultural Communication.” Electives include either “Reading, Writing and Critical Thinking” or “Advanced Composition.” The college also encourages students to participate in forensics activities such as debating or acting. Tuition is $46 per credit in-state rate and $187 per credit out-of-state.
There are many campuses of this college. The website has a directory from which they may be accessed. Main campus admissions:
City College of San Francisco
50 Phelan Ave.
Conlan Hall, Room 107
San Francisco, CA 94112
415-239-3000 main switchboard
admit@ccsf.edu
Website
San Diego State University
School of Communication
This school, founded in 1897, boasts a strong faculty that is widely published in academic journals. Students benefit from small classes and an atmosphere of collaboration where faculty/ student partnership is strong. There are 34,000 students and 9000 faculty and staff members. The university is accredited by the Commission for the Accreditation of Schools and Colleges Western Association of Colleges and Schools. US News and World Report ranked the school as one of the “Top 100” in the United States.
Bachelor of Arts in Communications
Students in this 120 credit hour major learn how effective communication impacts their wellbeing from communicating with their physicians to intercultural communication. This is a major in the liberal arts and sciences and so the coursework draws from many disciplines. Students must choose a minor, and the school recommends “Leadership Development.” To enter the degree program students must demonstrate writing proficiencies by successfully completing the GWAR exam. Once in the major, students have seven years to complete it. Graduation requires proficiency in a second language as well. The minor in this degree program is 15 to 24 credits at a minimum of a 2.0 GPA. Undergraduate tuition is $6866 annually for California residents and $18,026 for out-of-state- students.
Master of Arts in Communication
The focus of this degree is human communication in all its forms and in cultural context. The graduate program has a low student/faculty ratio (20:1) and that is important with the atmosphere of collaboration because faculty members and students often collaborate on research projects and papers. There are 30 to 33 credits in the degree, including a second language requisite. A bachelor’s degree is required to enter the graduate program. Competencies in writing and oral presentation are expected and, if there are deficiencies noted from the undergraduate transcripts, students must take remedial courses which do not count toward the degree. The university also offers the opportunity to study abroad.
School of Communication
College of Professional Studies and Fine Arts
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive
San Diego, CA 92182-4560
619-594-8512
comm@sdsu.edu
Website
Santa Monica College
Communication and Media Studies
This program was renamed; formerly it was the Speech Department. The goal of its programs is to give students the confidence to interact with others including in multicultural dimensions. The school, accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges Western Association of Schools and Colleges, contains the John Drescher Planetarium. It is an affordable two-year community college. Tuition is $46 per credit hour for California resents and $230 per credit hour for non-residents.
Associate of Arts in Communication
The university requires that 50 percent of this degree program be earned at the school. The 60 unit degree path must be completed with a minimum 2.0 GPA, including twenty semester units in the communication emphasis. Students must also fulfill the university Global Citizenship requirement. At the associate degree level this means completing a minimum of three units in “American Cultures, Ecological Literacy, Global Studies, Service Learning or a Santa Monica College Study Abroad Experience.” The Service Learning course is comprised of at least 20 hours of significant and approved community service per semester along with classroom instruction. The university handbook documents classes which can be used to satisfy the Global Citizenship requirement.
Communications and Media Studies
Santa Monica College
1900 Pico Blvd.
Santa Monica, CA 90405
310-434-4000
Email through the website
Website
San Jose State University
College of Social Sciences Department of Communication Studies
This is the oldest institution of higher learning in western California. It is listed in the US News and World Report “Best Schools.” The school has 650 students enrolled in a major program, 70 earning minors and 36 graduate students. They stress learning through “democracy, diversity, technology and globalization.” It is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Senior Colleges and Universities of the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. There are 10 teaching associates and 15 faculty who are either tenured or on track to being tenured. There are also 40 lecturers.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies
In addition to SJSU general requirements for graduation students have to satisfactorily complete 42 credit hours in their majors. There are 10 core requisites and 24 units in “Foundation, Inquiry and Practice” courses. There is also a fourth component called “Engagement” which requires students to spend three hours per week or 45 hours per semester involved in extracurricular activities outside of the classroom to complete this component. It is worth a quarter of the class grade. There are also additional core classes and electives which help students tailor their degree program to meet the demands of the career path they have chosen. Students also participate in a community action/community service program and take several courses intended to widen their global perspective. Undergraduate tuition is $2736 per semester. Non-residents pay this fee plus $254 per unit.
Master in Communication Studies
This degree contains 45 units. The requisites include courses like: Communication Methodologies, Seminar on Interpersonal Communication and Performing Presentation Aesthetics. Included are four units of the “theories and foundations” of communication, three on communication research methods, two in advanced writing workshops and electives. Students may choose graduate seminars which are four units each, or graduate teaching practicum ( which is two units, but students must be enrolled in the graduate teaching assistant track).There are internships and mentorships with faculty members and a six unit thesis or four unit project glass as well as independent study course opportunities. Graduate tuition is $3360 per semester. Non-residents pay this amount plus $254 per unit.
Contact
Department of Communication Studies
San Jose State University
1 Washington Square
San Jose, CA 95112
408-924-5384
Roxanne.cnudde@sjsu.eu
Website
Communications is a major that deals with the fabric of social interaction. Whether it takes the form of spoken words, written material or art, human relationships depend upon the ability to express ideas, to understand and to be understood. Political alliances also hinge upon effective communication. California students and others who want to major in this very important area should study this list of Communication Degrees in California to find a school that meets their needs.
