Theory Eligibility

After grades have posted each semester, advisors will review students' Theory eligibility status. Eligible students can enroll in COMM Theory courses for the next semester with their final core course(s) (COMM 228 and/or COMM 300) in progress. Students pending eligibility in Summer sessions will have access to open Theory courses starting after the W period begins for the latest applicable Summer course.

Students who have not met the requirements will be dropped from any theory courses until they become eligible.

Example: If you are completing COMM 228 in Fall 2019 and it is your final core course, you will be eligible to register for COMM theory during your priority registration for Spring 2020.

Requirements

  1. Must be a declared COMM major student
  2. Must have a 2.5 GPA between COMM 101 and COMM 228; minimum grade of C in each course. For example:
    1. COMM 101 (C) + COMM 228 (B)
    2. COMM 101 (B) + COMM 228 (C)
  3. Must have a passing grade in COMM 300 (D or higher)

If you do not meet the criteria above, then you must find a new major (even if you are a senior).

If a student receives a grade lower than (A) or (B) in ENGL 102, ENGL 108 or ENGL 109H, they will need a grade of (C) or better in COMM 300 to meet the Mid-Career Writing Assessment requirement.

Special Eligibility Circumstances

To ensure that our system accurately identifies all students eligible for Theory courses, please email your advisor if one of the following applies to you:

  • ou have completed a transfer course equivalent to COMM 101, 228, or 300
  • You have already taken PSY 290A, and will use that in place of COMM 228
  • You received an Incomplete in COMM 101, 228, or 300, which has now been changed to a grade
  • If you earned a Pass for any COMM Core Course (101, 228 or 300) during the Spring 2020 semester (regular semester session or 7 week 2), please reach out to your Academic Advisor and ask about what this means for your Theory Eligibility 

Not Theory-Eligible Yet?

Here are a few courses you can take that count as Theory, but do not have the prerequisites listed above*:

  • COMM 301
  • COMM 311
  • COMM 318
  • COMM 325
  • COMM 402
  • COMM 411 

​Not all courses will be offered every semester. Additionally, COMM courses offered in Winter and Summer Sessions do not have pre-requisites. 

Please note, we do not recommend taking courses out of sequence. Attempting to take courses out of sequence may cause you to miss foundational knowledge necessary to succeed in theory-based courses.