College of Communication and Information

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Michael O. Wirth, Dean
Sally J. McMillan, Associate Dean for Academic Programs
Betty Bradley, Director of Advising

http://www.cci.utk.edu

The College of Communication and Information fosters among students a sense of the legal and ethical responsibilities of access to information and the exercise of expression in a democratic society. Additionally, the college serves the professional goals of preparing students for careers in communication and information.

The college includes four schools – School of Advertising and Public Relations, School of Communication Studies, School of Information Sciences, and School of Journalism and Electronic Media. Four undergraduate majors are offered – advertising, communication studies, journalism and electronic media, and public relations. The four academic sequences have a core curriculum. This permits specialization at the junior and senior level.

Programs for which accrediting is available are fully accredited. The advertising, journalism and electronic media, public relations, and college-wide master’s program are accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The information sciences master’s program is accredited by the American Library Association and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education.

Exchange programs with the Dutch School of Journalism and Communication, Utrecht, and the Danish School of Journalism, Arthus, offer students an opportunity for a European semester. Tennessee students study European journalism and communication in the Netherlands or Denmark, but maintain their enrollment at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and pay only room, board, and transportation costs. A similar exchange program with Escuela de Comunicacion Monica Herrera in Ecuador also exists. Students also have an opportunity to study abroad as part of a summer study abroad program in Paris or as part of a communication consortium at Paderno del Grappa in Italy.

The college, or one of its units, is a member of the Advertising Research Foundation; American Academy of Advertising; American Advertising Federation; American Library Association; Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication; Association of Library and Information Sciences Education; Association of Schools of Journalism and Mass Communication; Broadcast Education Association; National Communication Association; Public Relations Society of America; Society of Professional Journalists; Southern States Communication Association; Special Libraries Association; Tennessee Library Association; and Tennessee Press Association.

Students in the Schools of Advertising and Public Relations, Communication Studies, and Journalism and Electronic Media take the following core areas.

• Overview/survey
• Writing
• Theory and research
• Free speech, law and ethics

Each unit designates a course (or courses) to fulfill the requirements.

No course that is part of the specific requirements of the college or of a student’s major can be taken under this option. With the exception of field experience courses or practica, this option applies only to general electives.

Entering and transfer students are first associated with the college as pre-majors. Students may progress into a major in communication studies after completing at least 30 hours of course work, including the college gateway course (CCI 150 - Communication in an Information Age ), with a minimum 2.5 UTK cumulative GPA.

Entering students may progress into a major in journalism and electronic media after completing at least 30 hours of course work, including the college gateway course  (CCI 150 ), with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA. Transfer students may progress into a major in journalism and electronic media after completing at least 30 hours of course work, including the college gateway course (CCI 150 ) and earning a minimum of 12 hours at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a minimum 2.5 cumulative GPA.

Entering students and students from other University of Tennessee colleges may be considered for progression into a major in advertising or public relations after completing the first-year curriculum in advertising or public relations with a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA in these courses. Transfer students must complete the first-year curriculum and earn a minimum of 15 credit hours at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, with a minimum 2.75 cumulative GPA. All applicants must submit a completed school application, statement of career goals, and an academic history.

At the completion of 45 hours, undecided students must be affiliated with the college as pre-majors or majors. (See the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, policy on University Students under Academic Policies and Procedures.) Communication and Information pre-majors must be accepted into a major before completion of 60 hours. Students  transferring from other University of Tennessee colleges with 60 or more hours of course work must be eligible for admission to a major upon completion of the college gateway course, CCI 150 . Until students progress into a major, they may not enroll in college courses numbered 300 or above.

The Bachelor of Science in Communication is awarded to majors who complete a program of at least 120 hours prescribed under the advertising, journalism and electronic media, or public relations requirements. At least 80 hours must be taken in courses other than journalism and electronic media, advertising, and/or public relations, with no fewer than 65 hours from the College of Arts and Sciences. Students must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all college courses used to fulfill graduation requirements.

The Bachelor of Arts in Communication is awarded to communication studies majors who successfully complete the 120 hours prescribed under the communication studies requirements. Students must earn at least a C in all communication studies courses completed for the hours to count toward requirements for the major.

For both the BA and BS, at least 18 hours in major courses must be taken at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

Disciplinary minors are offered in communication studies, information studies and technology, and journalism and electronic media. Students interested in a disciplinary minor should contact the director of the appropriate school.

An interdisciplinary minor in communication and information is available to students majoring in communication studies and students in majors outside the College of Communication and Information. Students interested in an interdisciplinary minor should contact the Director of Advising. 

At least six of the credit hours required for a minor must be completed at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.