• About the Department
• Choosing Communication
• Undergraduate Programs

  • How to Apply or Declare
  • Course Descriptions
  • Advising in the Department of Communication
  • Major/Minor Requirements
  • Planning Your Academic Career
  • Working with Your COMM Advisor
• Graduate Program
• Student Resources
• Student Opportunities
• National Advisory Council
• Martin Center
• Give to the Department
• Contact Us

Interested in joining undergraduate studies in the Department of Communication? First (if you have not already) you will need to apply to the College of Charleston. Next, you will declare a major or minor in Communication (COMM). 

Select one of the buttons above for detailed instructions on how to join our department. We can't wait to meet you and get started in your COMM journey at CofC!!

Apply to the College of Charleston

What an exciting time as you explore the College of Charleston and apply to become a Cougar! The College is here to help through the entire application process. What is your intended academic track? Are you an incoming freshman? A transfer student? Looking into graduate studies? An adult (21+) learner? We've got you covered! Check out Applying to the College for information on how to apply.

Already received a CofC acceptance letter? Congratulations! Keep scrolling below to see instructions on how to declare an undergraduate major or minor in COMM.

If you are looking for information on our master's program, hop over to our Communication Graduate Program for relevant information.

Declare a Major or Minor in Communication

There are a few ways to decide if Communication is the right program of study for you:

• Review major/minor requirements and course descriptions.  Do the courses sound interesting?  Are you interested in the topics and/or areas you can explore in this discipline?
• Pay close attention to the content of COMM 214, COMM 215, or COMM 216. Did you find the subject matter interesting? Exciting? Challenging?
• Browse the College bookstore or local bookshops.  Review some textbooks or pop culture focused on communication.  Take a trip to the library (or at least the Communication databases) and review some of the journals in our field.  Do the books/articles interest you?  Do you find yourself wanting to learn more?
• Discuss your interest in becoming a Communication major or minor with your instructors and advanced students in our major. Talk with our professors about their courses, research interests, and view of the field.
• Do some self-assessment.  What do you like?  What are you good at?  What is important to you?  What are the career opportunities in this field? Do they match up with your personal and professional goals?  Determine what is important to you – try to align your choice of major with all of the above.  
• Review the faculty biographies.  Do the teaching and research interests of these faculty members sound interesting to you?  Are you interested in learning more?  Would you be interested in taking their classes or working with them in these areas of research?

Additionally, much like a music major will consider his/her aptitude for music, a person considering majoring/minoring in Communication should determine if they have an aptitude or passion for the field.  Take this yes/no quiz to see if you possess that aptitude or passion: 

1. Do you like to create interesting messages, either written or spoken?
2. Do you like the writing process?
3. Do you like to write your ideas persuasively?
4. Do you like to speak in a way that others want to listen?
5. Do you like to tell a story that will move people?
6. Do you like to organize events or campaigns that accomplish goals? 

If you answered 'yes' to three or more questions, you may have communication aptitude! Even though you may have a lot to learn about communicating effectively, your fundamental passion will lead you to success. If you have a strong desire to communicate effectively, then we invite you to declare yourself a Communication Major.

(If you answered 'no' to two or more questions, then you probably should not major in Communication. If your passion does not involve either writing or speaking, then Communication is likely the wrong major for you.)

If you decide this is the major/minor for you, then declare your major/minor as soon as possible so that we can assist you in planning your academic career.

HOW DO YOU DECLARE IN COMMUNICATION?

Declaring your major or minor in Communication is quite simple. Follow the instructions listed below!

1. Log in to MyCharleston. The College's new MyPortal system is not setup for students to declare or add majors yet. 
2. Click on the Academic Services tab. 
3. Look for the Program of Study Management channel, and click on the link Open Program of Study Management (POSM) System. 
4. Notice that there are several buttons representing different actions you can take. Select Declare or Add a Major OR Declare or Add a Minor and follow the directions. 

Next steps: 

• Be on the look out for a confirmation email. Once you complete the declaring process listed above, you will receive a confirmation email (in your Cougar email) from the department noting your acceptance into the major and your new advisor.
• Schedule your meeting with your advisor to review your academic progress and develop a plan of study. This meeting should be scheduled as soon as possible, once you receive the email with your declaration approval. In advance of the meeting date, you should review advising session expectations.

(See more instructions on POSM on the Registrar's Office website.)

You can find details regarding course requirements on COMM Major/Minor Requirements. If you have questions about your program of study or your assigned COMM advisor, please contact Dr. Lynn Cherry (cherryl@cofc.edu), Associate Chair of the Department of Communication.