Participating in the Communication Studies Honors program allowed me to challenge
myself not only as a student but as a person. Despite loving my major and having the
desire to pursue my master's degree, I felt that I wasn't "cut out" for graduate school.
The honors program provided me with rigorous course material that challenged me to
see beyond my self-doubt. I gained valuable research skills, confidence, and mentorship
that gave me the extra push I needed to see myself as a true scholar.
- Tori Bowser, '20
Members of our honors cohort at the Comm Awards Ceremony, May 2019
Graduating with honors is a mark of distinction, open to no more than 10% of the department's
graduating class.
Eligibility for COMM Honors
Complete 22 units in the Communication Studies major
Maintain a department GPA of at least 3.5
Maintain an overall SJSU GPA of at least 3.0
To apply
If you believe you are eligible and wish to apply, please email the Honors Coordinator
Oona Hatton at oona.hatton@sjsu.edu with the subject heading "Application for honors." Your email should include:
You will be contacted to confirm that you are a candidate for honors.
Honors candidates
Honors candidates must enroll in (and pass) one of the department’s MA graduate-level
seminars. This course can replace one of the required courses in the undergraduate
major (either COMM 199C or one of the F, I, or P requirements.) Alternatively, the
seminar can be counted towards elective units or it can be counted towards an MA in
Communication Studies. (Note that this option would be contingent on your acceptance
to the MA Program.)
Deadlines
If you plan to graduate in the spring, contact Dr. Hatton by November 1 of the previous semester. If you plan to graduate in the fall, contact Dr. Hatton
by April 1 of the previous semester.
Because no more than 10% of the graduating class can receive the honors designation,
candidacy does not necessarily guarantee acceptance. Applicants will be rated according
to overall GPA; those with top GPAs will receive priority. In recent years, all applicants
who passed their MA seminars have received honors.
Members of our honors cohort at the Comm Awards Ceremony, May 2019