Hello, I am Professor Lawless from the Communication Studies Department.  
In this video, we will provide you with course suggestions for your first semester.  When you arrive on campus, we will review the requirements for your
major during Orientation. You will also be assigned an advisor at this time.

The goal of the Communication Studies major is to provide students with the tools to understand, engage in, and critique all varieties of human communication.  The major provides a strong liberal arts foundation that prepares students for careers in public service, public relations, business, marketing, law, consulting, education, public health, non-profit administration, social work, and other professions.

Our department seeks to educate students about the social and cultural impact of discourse and deliberation, and to prepare students to use their knowledge to work for a just and more humane world.  We believe that this major will prepare you well for work, personal life, and citizenly engagement.

For the Communication Studies major, you will take 11 courses in our
Department.  Three of these are required foundational courses. Students will then choose two courses from a methods sequence, and then complete six upper-division courses that they choose themselves.  The required courses provide a foundation for the major and should be taken early in your college career. The three required foundational courses are: Rhetoric and the Public Sphere, Communication and Everyday Life, and Communication and Culture.  Next, students will choose two of three possible research methods courses to take. The three courses to choose from are: Critical & Rhetorical Methods, Quantitative Research Methods, and Qualitative Methods. 

Our major offers students a great deal of flexibility after the completion of the foundational and methods courses.  It is designed to provide students the opportunity to work closely with an advisor to tailor an academic plan that fits their own academic and professional interests.  Our advanced courses build upon and expand what is learned in the foundational courses covering the broad topics of culture, the public sphere, and interpersonal communication. We also offer other advanced area courses in Health Communication, Rhetoric, Interpersonal and Family Communication, Intercultural Communication and Public Relations. We have an Internship course and small Special Topics seminars focused on topics within the professors area of research.  The internship class allows you to explore career possibilities throughout San Francisco and the special topics courses allow you to work closely with faculty studying the most recent research in the field. These classes often have one or more of the foundational courses as a prerequisite.

A student typically registers for 16-18 credits per semester.  Four, 4 credit courses and perhaps 1 or 2 credits of extracurricular activities.
If you take four classes worth four credits each for four years, you will graduate on time with 128 credits completed. Students often choose to focus on University Core requirements for the first semester.  The single most important course to take the first semester is your Core Rhetoric and Composition course. 
Developing good writing and speaking skills is essential to your success in the classes you will take at USF.  You should know which class to register for. If you do not, please review the chapter on Rhetoric and Composition.

Our foundational courses require a good deal of writing and have a Rhetoric and Composition pre or co- requisite.  Because these classes are a co-requisite, it is essential that you register for a writing course your first semester.

Besides your core writing requirement, you will take three additional
4-credit courses.

We suggest that you enroll for a first-year seminar or a transfer seminar.  These seminars serve as a great introduction to the University and allow you to work closely with a professor in a small class. 
Depending on your writing class placement, or if you are a transfer student, in addition to a composition course, we recommend that you take 1-2 Foundational
Communication Studies courses: either Rhetoric and the Public Sphere,
Communication and Everyday Life, or Communication and Culture. Then
take 1-2 other courses that you still need to fulfill.  For example, you can begin or continue a foreign language, take a transfer seminar or choose from the core options we offer.

For your other 1-2 Core courses, you may want to begin by taking your Foreign Language, or a course in any of the other core areas such as History, Ethics, or Visual and Performing Arts. Try taking a course in an area where you have some interest or are considering getting a minor. You should feel free to explore a bit in your first semester at USF. Most students have ample room to take electives or pick up a minor without any additional semesters. The one area you may want to skip is Core Area E: Social Sciences because you will fulfill this requirement in the Communication Studies major.
Because you can take up to 18 credits every semester there are also many 1-2 credit courses that you may like to consider.

You can register for a College success course
a physical activity course
a computer science course
You can get involved in a play production
Or, you can join one of the choirs or vocal groups


Once you have selected your classes, your schedule should resemble
something like this:
RHET 110 Written Communication I
COMS 202 Rhetoric and the Public Sphere
SPAN 101 First Semester Spanish
First Year Seminar
1-2 Unit Activity Course

Or this for transfers:
COMS 202 Rhetoric and the Public Sphere
COMS 204 Communication and Culture
RHET 250 Academic Writing at USF
Transfer Year Seminar
1-2 Unit Activity Course

If you are a transfer student, you may have completed some of these courses. It is important for you to review your degree evaluation to determine which courses you need to complete.  

Spend some time navigating the Schedule of Classes to familiarize yourself with the layout.  Look for courses that you would like to register for, including specific sections. Spend some time doing this to find a schedule that works for you. You should also keep a back up list in case some classes are closed. If you need help, please contact us.

Once you have completed the quiz, you will be eligible to sign-up for classes when registration opens.  After you register we will review the classes you have selected.  If necessary, we will recommend course adjustments. 

We look forward to meeting you during Orientation.  During Orientation we will review the major requirements and you will have the opportunity to meet faculty and fellow students.  

Welcome to USF!