The Communication Arts major offers a liberal arts approach to studying communication. The value of the liberal arts approach is that students not only learn specific skills, they also gain a deep understanding of communication theory, history, research, and criticism. Our students learn to apply communication principles in different contexts and with a variety of different media. As a result, the Communication Arts major prepares students for a wide range of jobs and careers, including those that don’t exist yet.
Courses in Communication Arts deal with a diverse range of communication-related topics and approach them from a variety of theoretical, practical, and aesthetic perspectives. The curriculum is designed to foster an understanding of communication processes, improve communication and digital literacy skills, and develop the capacity for critical appraisal and reflection.
The Communication Arts major has two named options:
- Communication Science and Rhetorical Studies: explore the social, psychological, and practical aspects of communication and human behavior with a focus on public, mass, online, organizational, group, and interpersonal communication.
- Radio–Television–Film: explore the history, theory, criticism, cultural uses, and production practices of television, film, radio, and digital media.
How to Get in
| Requirements | Details |
|---|---|
| How to get in | No application required. All students who meet the requirements listed below are eligible to declare. For information on how to declare, visit Advising & Careers. |
| Courses required to get in | None |
| GPA requirements to get in | None |
| Credits required to get in | None |
| Other | None |
Students may declare only one option in the major: Communication Science and Rhetorical Studies or Radio-Television-Film.
Non–Letters & Science students will need permission from their school or college to pursue an additional major in Communication Arts.
University Requirements
All undergraduate students must complete both the following Core General Education (Core GenEd) and University Degree and Quality of Work requirements. The requirements below apply to students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution is Summer 2026 or later.
Students whose first term at UW-Madison or whose earliest post-high school college attendance at any institution occurred before Summer 2026 should refer to the archived Guide for the requirements that apply to them.
Core General Education (Core GenEd) Requirements
| Civics & Perspectives | 3 credits of Civics & Perspectives coursework. |
| Communication & Literacy | 6 credits of Communication & Literacy coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingenglishplacement |
| Humanities & Arts | 6 credits of Humanities & Arts coursework. |
| Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning | 6 credits of Mathematics & Quantitative Reasoning coursework. This requirement may be partially satisfied by a qualifying placement test score. For more information see this tiny url: https://go.wisc.edu/qualifyingmathplacement |
| Natural Science & Wellness | Complete both:
|
| Social & Behavioral Science | 3 credits of Social & Behavioral Science coursework. |
| Total Credits | 30 credits. |
For more information see the policy.
University Degree and Quality of Work Requirements
All undergraduate degree recipients must complete the following minimum requirements. Requirements for some programs will exceed these requirements; see program requirements for additional information.
| Total Degree | 120 degree credits. |
| Residency | Complete 30 credits in residence. A course is considered “in residence” if it is taken when in undergraduate degree-seeking status and:
|
| Quality of Work | Achieve at least the minimum grade point average specified by the school, college, and/or academic program. |
| Math | Demonstrate minimal mathematics competence by: |
| English Language | If required to take the UW-Madison English as a Second Language Assessment Test (MSN-ESLAT), demonstrate minimal English language competence by:
|
| Language | Complete one:
|
| Major Declaration | Declare and complete the requirements for at least one major. |
College of Letters & Science Degree Requirements: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Students pursuing a Bachelor of Arts degree in the College of Letters & Science must complete all of the requirements below. Some courses satisfy more than one L&S degree requirement (visit College of Letters & Science: Requirements for details).
This major can be paired with either the Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree requirements.
Bachelor of Arts Degree Requirements
| Communication | Complete both:
|
| Quantitative Reasoning | Complete both:
|
| Ethnic Studies | one 3+ credit course with the Ethnic Studies designation |
| Language | Complete either:
|
| L&S Breadth: Humanities | Complete 12 credits with the Humanities or Literature designation, which must include at least 6 credits with the Literature designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Social Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Social Science designation. |
| L&S Breadth: Natural Sciences | Complete 12 credits with the Natural Science, Biological Science, or Physical Science designations, which must include both:
|
| Liberal Arts and Science (LAS) Coursework | at least 108 credits |
| Depth of Intermediate/Advanced work | at least 60 credits at the Intermediate or Advanced level |
| Major | Declare and complete at least one major. |
| Total Credits | at least 120 credits |
| UW-Madison Experience |
|
| Quality of Work |
|
Non–L&S students pursuing an L&S major
Non–L&S students who have permission from their School/College to pursue an additional major within L&S only need to fulfill the major requirements. They do not need to complete the L&S Degree Requirements above.
Requirements for the Major
Communication Arts offers two options within the major:
- Communication Science and Rhetorical Studies
- Radio–Television–Film
Students declare one of the two options and complete a minimum of 10 courses and at least 30 credits in the major. Please note that COM ARTS courses numbered below 200 as well as COM ARTS 605, COM ARTS 614, and COM ARTS 615 do not count in the major.
Students must select one of the following options:
Residence and Quality of Work
- Minimum 2.000 GPA in all COM ARTS and major courses
- Minimum 2.000 GPA on at least 15 credits of upper-level work in the COM ARTS major, in residence. (Upper-level in the COM ARTS major includes courses at the Intermediate or Advanced level).
- 15 credits of COM ARTS major courses (200-699) taken on the UW-Madison campus.
Honors in the Major in Communication Arts
Students may apply to pursue Honors in the Communication Arts major in consultation with a Communication Arts undergraduate advisor. To be accepted students must have:
- Completed the fundamentals course and the two core courses for their declared option and
- Earned a minimum 3.500 GPA in all COM ARTS courses
Honors in the Communication Arts Major Requirements
To earn Honors in the Major in Communication Arts, students must satisfy both the requirements for the major (above) and the following additional requirements:
- Minimum 3.300 University GPA
- Minimum 3.500 GPA for all COM ARTS major courses
- Complete the requirements for the declared major option, to include:
- All theory, history, criticism courses taken to meet the regular major requirements within the declared option must be numbered 400 or higher.
- One additional theory, history, criticism course numbered 400 or higher.
- Three theory, history and criticism courses must be completed on campus.
- A two-semester senior honors thesis in COM ARTS 681 and COM ARTS 682, for a total of 6 credits.1
Footnotes
- 1
Submission and approval of a Senior Honors Thesis Proposal is required prior to the term in which students enroll for COM ARTS 681 Senior Honors Thesis. See the Communication Arts undergraduate advisor for current process. Approval of the completed thesis by the thesis advisor and a second Communication Arts faculty member is required.
Learning Outcomes
- Explain core content in either of the two tracks: Communication Science and Rhetorical Studies or Radio-TV-Film.
- Analyze communication from theoretical, historical, and critical perspectives.
- Communicate effectively in writing, orally, or via the creation of media content.
- Participate in communication practices that support diversity, equity, and inclusion for the historically marginalized.
Advising and Careers
Declare or Cancel This Major
Please follow the process described on the Communication Arts website.
Non–Letters & Science students need permission from their school or college to pursue an additional major in Communication Arts.
Communication Arts Academic Advising
Communication Arts academic advisors assist students throughout their undergraduate studies.
Communication Arts Courses
The Communication Arts Department offers a wide array of courses. All the courses listed in the Guide are not offered each semester. Please see Course Search & Enroll for current course offerings.
Career Exploration and Preparation
Student Organizations
UW–Madison offers many opportunities to get involved. Communication Arts students join organizations across their areas of interest.
Department-Affiliated Organizations
Gain Experience
The Department of Communication Arts encourages students to apply the knowledge and skills they attain through coursework to professional settings. Internships and part-time jobs at television networks, nonprofit organizations, talent agencies, magazines, radio stations, advertising agencies, production companies, government agencies, and other communication-related businesses help students gain work-related experience and explore career options.
Communication Arts offers a one-credit, online academic course to accompany a student's internship experience: COM ARTS 614 Field Experience in Communication and COM ARTS 615 Second Field Experience in Communication .
Attend Events
Throughout the academic year, students have the opportunity to participate in several communication-focused, career-related events.
Communication Arts Alumni Careers at a Glance
After completing a Letters & Science bachelor’s degree with a Communication Arts major, alumni pursue a variety of careers. In a recent survey, Communication Arts alumni were asked to provide and categorize their occupation. The results are available on the Department of Communication Arts website:
Study Abroad
Learning in Letters & Science emphasizes discovery, growth, understanding different perspectives, and challenging yourself, which makes studying abroad an excellent fit for many L&S students: studyabroad.wisc.edu
As a university with global influence, we have more than 300 study abroad programs in over 80 countries. These vary in length, academic focus, teaching format, language requirements, cost, and level of independence. There are many programs to complement every major and any year of college (including the final semester)—and all meet UW–Madison’s high academic standards. Students admitted into Letters & Science can even choose a short program in the summer before they start college or their whole first year: studyabroad.wisc.edu/launch. Talk with your academic advisor about how studying abroad might fit with your academic plan.
SuccessWorks
SuccessWorks at the College of Letters & Science helps you turn the academic skills learned in your classes into a fulfilling life, guiding you every step of the way to securing jobs, internships, or admission to graduate school.
Through one-on-one career advising, events, and resources, you can explore career options, build valuable internship and research experience, and connect with supportive alumni and employers who open doors of opportunity.
- What you can do with your major (Major Skills & Outcomes Sheets)
- Make a career advising appointment
- Learn about internships and internship funding
- Try “Jobs, Internships, & How to Get Them,” an interactive guide in Canvas for enrolled UW–Madison students
Resources and Scholarships
Scholarships
Students apply for scholarships online through Wisconsin Scholarship Hub. The Department of Communication Arts offers the following scholarships:
- Scott M. Broetzmann Scholarship in Communication Arts
- Christopher Neal Heinlein Memorial Scholarships
- S. Nelson and Carmella M. Nelson Scholarship
- Schweitzer Family Scholarship Fund
- Charline M. Wackman Awards for Summer Session
- Charline M. Wackman Awards (Fall Term)
- Keith Harris Wyche Memorial Scholarship
Summer Internship Fund
The Communication Arts Department and Alumni Summer Internship Fund helps Communication Arts majors participate in internships with businesses or non-profit organizations.
See the scholarship and internship fund sections of the department website for additional details and opportunities.