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Being a transfer student can be overwhelming at times. We encourage you to take advantage of the resources that the Communication department and College of Letters and Science have to offer you. Take control of your education by being responsible for the requirements you must fulfill. Here are some resources and helpful hints from the Communication Department to ensure your transition is as smooth as possible.

Who do you see for assistance in the Department of Communication and College of Letters and Science?

The Communication Undergraduate Advisor is Tania Dunson. Tania advises undergraduate students about major requirements, transfer courses, petitions, and just about anything else related to the Communication major.
Office: Social Sciences and Media Studies 4009
Hours: Monday - Friday 9-12 & 1-4
Phone: (805) 893-2493
Email: tdunson@comm.ucsb.edu

There is one Peer Advisor, Amanda Johnson. She also assists with advising, student petitions, choosing Communication courses, and general information about the Communication major. She is also a resource for students who want to discuss issues that concern them as undergraduates at UCSB.
Office: Social Sciences and Media Studies 4007 (just next door from the Undergraduate Advisor)
Hours: Vary by quarter
Phone: (805) 893-5701
Email: ucsbcommpeers@yahoo.com

The College of Letters and Science also has advisors who assist students with questions about the College and general degree requirements. Questions about graduation requirements will be directed to this office.
Office: 1117 Cheadle Hall
Hours: Monday-Friday 9-12, 1-4 (Walk-in and by appointment)
Phone: (805) 893-2038 or (805) 893-3201

Helpful Hints

It is not a good idea to take Comm 1 and 88, or 88 and 89 together in the same quarter, even though they may be offered in the same quarter.

It is a good idea to take Comm 87, statistics, (or an equivalent course such as Pstat 5) as soon as you can (if you have not taken an equivalent course at your previous school). This is suggested because of the likelihood that your math skills will be sharper the closer you are to when you finished high school. Tutors are available at CLAS (Campus Learning Assistance Services) for some of UCSB's statistics courses.

The prerequisite course to Comm 89 is Comm 1 (or a transferable equivalent). Keep this in mind as you plan your lower-division courses. You cannot take Comm 1 and 89 together in the same quarter.

You may NOT take upper-division Communication courses if you have not completed the four required lower-division Communication courses, or transferable equivalents. You must be successfully admitted to the full Communication major to start your upper-division course work. There are no exceptions to this rule during the regular academic year. During summer quarter, any student may take upper-division Communication courses, except those numbered 180 and above. Keep in mind that regardless of the number of upper-division Communication courses completed during summer quarter, you will not be admitted to the full Communication major without successful completion of pre-major requirements.

So what other courses do you take while you're finishing up your lower-division Communication courses? You have a couple of options. You can take upper-division courses outside the Communication department major (see below for restrictions), or if you are looking into a minor or double major, you can go to the department you are interested in to see if you can begin taking courses that will count toward that major or minor.

You MAY take upper-division courses outside of the Communication major if you have junior standing (check GOLD for your class standing). However, you must meet the prerequisites and any special requirements outlined in the Schedule of Classes and General Catalog for those courses. Check the current information for upper-division courses before you register.

Never underestimate office hours! It may be advantageous for you to check in with your professors and T.A.s at the beginning of the quarter to let them know that you are a transfer student, and are adjusting to a new campus and UCSB student life.

Communication Department Requirements/Checklist

If you have taken courses at another school that you believe will count towards your Communication lower-division prerequisite courses (1, 87, 88, 89), you need to fill out a Petition for Degree Requirements. You must do this even if www.Assist.org tells you that the courses are equivalent. Do this as soon as you transfer to UCSB to avoid problems when you want to declare full major.

When you return this document, you need to provide your syllabus for these courses for evaluation. You will also need to return it with a self-addressed, stamped envelope.

In order to be admitted into the Communication major, you must get a 3.00 GPA average (B average, plusses and minuses do count) in the four lower-division Communication courses. If you have taken equivalent courses to any of the lower-division courses at a different college or university, those grades do not transfer. So, for example, if you took courses at a Community College that were equivalent to Comm 1 and Comm 87, you need to get a 3.00 average in Comm 88 and Comm 89 at UCSB to be admitted into the major.

You may NOT take any of your lower- or upper-division Communication courses Pass/No Pass. You must take them for a letter grade. This also applies to any courses you wish to apply to the major (i.e. Pstat 5 for Comm 87 or Psy 102 for upper-division units).

You must come into the Undergraduate Advisor or Peer Advisor's office to declare your major as Communication. Transfer students are officially admitted as Pre-Communication. The change from Pre-Communication to Communication is not automatic. You must go into the office during the quarter in which you are taking your last Communication lower-division course to begin your transition into Communication.

Degree Requirements/Checklist

When you first begin courses at UCSB, print out a copy of your New Student Profile from the Registrar's website. This will tell you where you stand at UCSB with your General Education Requirements and your IGETC certification. Bring this with you, along with any transcripts from other colleges, when you go in to see the Undergraduate or Peer Advisors.

You must complete 60 upper-division quarter units to graduate. In order to graduate with a degree in Communication, you must complete at least 40 of these units in Communication (10 courses, 4 units each). The 20 remaining units may be taken inside or outside of the Communication department.

Please print out this useful worksheet to help you figure out how many units you need to complete at UCSB and in which areas to graduate.
Unit Flow Chart

In order to help you plan the rest of your classes at UCSB, use this sheet:
Four Year Plan

If you are thinking about becoming a double major, talk to the Peer or Undergraduate Advisor in both the Comm and other department to fill out a Memo of Understanding for Double Majors.

This form is due at the time you submit your major paperwork and requires a self-addressed stamped envelope.

As soon as you gain Senior standing (when you earn 135 or more units), go to the Registrar's Office to request a Senior Progress Check. This document will inform you of your progress toward your unit requirements, Subject A fulfillment, American History and Institution requirement and your General Education Program requirements.