Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I be a Communication major if I haven't taken COMM280 and COMM290 by the end of my sophomore year?
The Department will consider granting exceptions to majors who are unable to enroll in COMM 280 and/or 290 by the end of their sophomore years. Students who wish to petition for late enrollment should have fulfilled the following conditions for consideration:
You have already taken either COMM 280 or 290.
You have been previously waitlisted for either COMM 280 or 290.
You have transferred to Denison from another school.
Students wishing to petition must submit a written petition (available at petition form [pdf] ) and a transcript. The Department will evaluate student petitions on a case-by-case basis. Petition requests will accepted through October 15 in the Fall and March 15 in the Spring (unless the deadline is on a weekend or holiday in which case the deadline will fall on the following Monday that school is in session).
Q: What should I do if I want to request classes taken outside Denison's Communication department count toward the requirements for my major?
The Department will consider granting internship credit to students who meet ALL of the following requirements:
You must be a communication major or minor.
You must have a GPA of at least 3.0 in your Communication courses.
You must have a cumulative GPA of 2.5.
You must have completed COMM 280 and 290 PLUS at least one other relevant Communication course before the start of your internship.Students who meet the above requirements and wish to petition must complete the following:
You must submit a written petition (available at transfer credit [pdf]).
You must find a faculty advisor with whom you have had class. This is in order for your advisor to tailor a suitable academic component to the internship.
Q: Can I do two internships and have this count as one of my 300-level requirements?
A student can do two internships and have the resulting four credits count as an elective, but not as a 300-level course.
Q: Can I use a Directed or Independent Study to fulfill one of my 300-level requirements?
Directed and Independent Studies can be used to fulfill elective requirements, but not the 300-level course requirements. The requirement that students take two 300-level courses mandates that two courses be taken.
Q: What's the difference between an Independent Study and a Directed Study?
The differences between these, in addition to Senior Research and Honors Research, are explained in the College Catalogue, pp. 12-13. A directed Study involved intensive work in close association with a faculty person around a subject not offered within the curriculum. Independent Studies are relatively undirected, with faculty involvement typically at the beginning and conclusion of the project. Note that in neither case should independent work duplicate a regularly-offered course.
Q: Can Senior Research count as fulfilling the 300-level requirement?
No. Senior Research can be used to fulfill the elective requirements but not the 300-level course requirement.
Q: How many credits can transfer students bring in from other institutions?
The College norm is a maximum of 60 out of the 127 required for graduation. In the department, no more than 3 courses, or 12 credits, can be transferred into the major.
Q: How many credits can be earned in off-campus study programs?
Students can use 8 credits of off-campus study work towards the major requirement of 36. Minors can count four credits of off-campus work towards their 24 credit total.
Q: The Philadelphia Program includes an 8-credit internship. Can a student count these credits toward the major?
If the internship has involved Communication, the student can count two of the credits under our own internship policy, and the remaining six credits can be counted toward the 127 needed for graduation, but not toward the 36 needed for the major.
Q: Can I do my senior seminar off campus? Can I take a 300-level course off campus?
The 300-level courses and the senior seminar all must be taken at Denison. If upper-division courses are taken off campus, they can be used to fulfill elective requirements. When students take courses off campus, they should always be advised to bring back copies of syllabi, papers, etc. to demonstrate the level of the work they did.
Q: How many of my General Education requirements can I fulfill with Communication courses?
No more than two General Education requirements can ever be met by courses from a single department. However, if a student has passed out of a requirement (this would include either the R or the K), completion of the requirement via proficiency exam doesn't count toward that two course limit. So a student that proficiencied out of the R could meet two additional Gen. Ed. requirements through Communication courses. (Again, the same is true in Modern Language.)