San José State University : Communication Studies : Additional Major Information

Additional Major Information

E-Portfolio

Throughout your career in the Communication Studies Department, you will build an electronic portfolio of your assignments. This e-portfolio will represent your written, oral, and performance work as a Communication Studies major. The Department will use the e-portfolio to assess your overall learning in the program; and you will have a showcase of your work at the end of your college career. As you progress in the major, you will be instructed to save your assignments (papers, speeches, performances, etc.) because you will need to rework and evaluate some of them again in COMM 199C Senior Seminar.

Writing Skills Test and COMM 100W

You must complete and pass the Writing Skills Test (WST) before enrolling in any upper division GE courses (called SJSU Studies). More information is available on the SJSU Testing Services webpage. Also, you can also obtain the WST Bulletin, test dates, passing scores, sample test questions, and registration materials from the Information Center in the Student Union, or from either Testing and Evaluation or Student Resources in the Student Services Center. To meet the SJSU Studies Area Z requirement, Communication Studies majors take COMM 100W. You must take 100W before (or in same semester as) any of the other SJSU Studies courses in Areas R, S, and V.

Advising

Bring your advising packet (.doc), transcripts, Degree Progress Report, and list of questions to all of your advising sessions with your major advisor. Your transcripts, Degree Progress Report and other useful information are available by logging on to mySJSU. For questions about GE requirements, make an appointment with a GE advisor at the Academic Advising & Retention Services (408-924-2129). For questions about your minor, meet with an advisor in that department. For additional advising questions outside the major, go to SJSU's Advising Hub at sjsu.edu/advising.

Planning on a Teaching Career?

Please contact Dr. Deanna Fassett, teacher education advisor (924-5511; Deanna.Fassett@sjsu.edu) to discuss opportunities to teach at K-6, 7-12, or at community college level. We share a secondary credential with the Department of English.

Graduation Information

Obtain graduation application materials from Student Resources (in Admissions and Records, SSC), or the Forms page on Registrar's Office website. Begin preparation for graduation your junior year and complete major and minor forms by the stated deadline (usually about 9 to 10 months prior to anticipated graduation date). Pick up the major form in the department office (HGH 108). Complete the form with your major advisor and then take to the department office for the chair's signature.

Resources

Purchase the current SJSU Catalog in the Spartan Bookstore; it contains the requirements and rules that govern your SJSU career. The Catalog is also on the SJSU website. The schedule of classes for each semester is available from mySJSU and the SJSU Schedules page. These sources have information on admission and enrollment requirements, fees, and dates and information for placement exams (EPT, ELM, and WST). The catalog details readmission and graduation policies as well as degree requirements.