This is an issue for many students each semester, as such, we do not make exceptions for overriding this pre-requisite. All students planning to major in COM should wait for their grade to be processed for the prior term, and then work with advising to move from pre-major to major, so they can enroll in the core require courses.

These four courses are reserved for students who are declared in the major or minor. Be aware that there are several classes in the Communication Studies department students can enroll in without a petition, assuming they meet the pre-requisites. Those courses and the pre-requisites noted in the UNLV course catalog are each listed below.

Please note that while Communication Studies strives to offer several courses online each semester, we are not a strictly online degree program. If you are unable to take an in-person course in a given semester, consider taking courses outside of the department that can help you work towards your degree. Our online classes fill quickly, so also being sure to enroll as soon as possible can help to make sure you get the classes you need.

COM 495: Independent Study is an opportunity for a student to work closely with a faculty member on an agreed upon topic. It is an option for students who wish to conduct a specific research project that falls outside the scope of existing course offerings. Independent studies are overseen and directed by a Communication Studies faculty member and completed fully in one semester, or over the course of a full summer. Access this document to learn more about the criteria to apply for and participate in COM 495. Once you have your COM 495 faculty director in place and application materials ready, please submit it through our departmental permissions form.

While COM 495: Independent Study can be repeated twice (up to six credit hours) it is very rare for a student to be allowed to participate twice, and never in the same semester. Please see the above-mentioned guide for specific details on getting permission and enrolled for a COM 495 class.

You cannot take the same course for additional credits. Please work with advising to find a suitable replacement course option. Recent courses that were previously a COM 330 and now have their own code include: COM 327 (Popular Culture), COM 332 (Online Relationships) and COM 427 (Love and Romance in Popular Culture).

To participate in an internship through the COM department you must meet the basic requirements (minimum 3.0 GPA, have taken 12 upper division credits in the department). Students who meet this requirement are encouraged to connect with our internship coordinator. You can also checkout our website details about the application process and opportunities.

Students who do not meet the minimum requirements cannot complete an internship through the Communication Studies department. Keep in mind there are non-COM internship opportunities through campus you might explore if you do not meet our requirements. These may not be used for COM major credits, however.

Students must pre-register an internship through the internship coordinator for Communication Studies to ensure they receive COM 495 credit. Internship applications will not be processed once a semester begins—they are only processed for the next semester.

We have several student clubs that we encourage majors and minors to participate in—be sure to check out our honors society, Lambda Pi Eta if you are a junior or senior who meets the requirements.

There is a wide range of opportunities for Communication Studies majors. Examples of recent jobs from our graduates include, working for a non-profit, communicator director for a political party, and admissions specialist. Check out this page from the National Communication Association that spotlights careers of those with a degree in Communication Studies. The sky is the limit!

We encourage you to first connect with your advisor in your college to determine the necessity of completing such a form. If you and your advisor believe this is a good idea, please download the appeal form for instructions on submitting these requests.