Undergraduate Program Overview

Overview of Undergraduate Program

Peer Advisors

Staying Connected and Informed with the Comm Department

College of Letters & Science Undergraduate Advising

Overview of Undergraduate Program

We provide baccalaureates with knowledge of social science scholarship in communication in an accessible, supportive, and respectful atmosphere while simultaneously aiding students to apply theory and research to pressing social problems. Admission to the undergraduate major requires completion of four pre-major classes (introduction to communication, theory, methods, and statistics) with a GPA requirement that is the highest in the College of Letters & Science. Within the major we provide extraordinary opportunities for undergraduate communication students to go beyond the ordinary. We encourage study in other cultures, languages, and places, and participation in the University of California's Education Abroad Program, we have an internship program which provides opportunities within the Santa Barbara area, and we encourage participation in the University of California's Washington D.C. and Sacramento internship program.

The department has an active program for students who wish to participate in faculty research projects. These Undergraduate Research Students have an opportunity to participate in all phases of research from the design of experiments and field research to the analysis of data and interpretation of results to learn not only about research that has been done by others but also to be part of the discovery process itself. The department's Senior Honors Program offers a challenging learning experience that spans four quarters of the student's academic career. During that time, students conduct an independent research project under the supervision of a faculty advisor and write a Senior Honors Thesis.

Please direct your questions regarding the major in Communication at UCSB to Tania Dunson, the Undergraduate Advisor. The undergraduate advising office is located in the Social Sciences and Media Studies building, room 4009. Office hours during the regular academic year are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to noon and 1:00-4:00 PM; she accepts both walk-ins and appointments. You may also contact Tania by telephone at (805) 893-2493 or email. You may also wish to browse the Frequently Asked Questions pages.

The College of Letters and Science is your key resource for information and advising on matters that are not directly related to the Communication department. You can make an appointment with an L&S advisor by calling (805) 893-2038, or visit them on the first floor of Cheadle Hall. They also have an excellent website, with lots of useful information for students. 

Peer Advisors

Each year the Department of Communication employs three undergraduate peer advisors. Although they are students themselves, peer advisors have extensive knowledge about the ins and outs of the Communication major, as well as the rest of the university. Peer advisors work under the guidance of Tania Dunson, the undergraduate advisor, assisting undergraduates through all stages of their time at UCSB.

How do peer advisors help? Peer advisors perform a variety of tasks for students serving both pre-majors and majors. They help students chose classes, plan out the prerequisites of the communication major, and determine eligibility for entrance to the major, and other upper division specialty courses, such as the research assistantship class (199RA), the Honors Program, and senior capstone classes. Additionally, peer advisors are there to help keep students on track, succeed in the major, crash classes, determine which EAP courses are transferable for credit, earn a double major, and most importantly, answer any student questions.

Because peer advisors are such an integral asset to all undergraduate students involved with the communication major, they are carefully chosen and they receive extensive training. Training for peer advisors begins in the spring quarter when they shadow the current peer advisors. Typically, they continue training, working over the summer with Tania Dunson. Peer advisors get their debut during summer‘s transfer orientation, when they meet with each and every transfer student to address any of their immediate concerns and also schedule appointments for more intensive advising sessions.

Meet your Peer Advisors (click on Staff and look for the Peer Advisors)! Our Peer Advisors are well informed and eager to help. You may contact them by telephone at (805) 893-2493 or email them at ucsbcommpeers@yahoo.com.  The peer office is open on a drop-in basis and the hours vary by quarter. Hours are posted on their office window in the Social Sciences and Media Studies building, room 4007, or can be found at the Peer Advisors listing above. Please stop by to see them with any academic questions.

Staying Connected and Informed with the Comm Department

Current UCSB students: Stay connected to the Communication Department by joining our listserv.  Please make sure you sign-up using your UCSB umail address.  We send out announcements regarding Comm course info, schedule updates, student organization announcements, and more!

Pre-Comm majors join at https://lists.lsit.ucsb.edu/listinfo/precommundergrad.comm

Full Comm majors join at http://lists.lsit.ucsb.edu/listinfo/commundergrad

College of Letters & Science Undergraduate Advising

Please see the College's Undergraduate Advising page for many advising resources "to help you enhance your undergraduate experience and complete your bachelor's degree in a timely manner."