Michael O. Wirth, Dean
<Michael J. Palenchar, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
Betty Bradley, Director of Advising
https://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 School of Communication Studies also offers an undergraduate honors program.
Programs for which accrediting is available are fully accredited. The advertising, journalism and electronic media, and public relations programs 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.
Study Abroad programs are strongly encouraged in the College of Communication and Information. Students may select from a wide variety of faculty-led summer programs. CCI faculty members currently lead study abroad groups to Cyprus, London, Italy, France, Australia, Ireland, and Belgium. Students may also choose to participate in semester-long study abroad programs. Communication and Information courses are available at selected universities in Denmark, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Students are encouraged to check the study abroad link on the college web site at https://www.cci.utk.edu/.
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.
College Core Areas
Students in the Schools of Advertising and Public Relations, Communication Studies, and Journalism and Electronic Media study 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.
Satisfactory/No Credit Option
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 or unrestricted electives.
uTrack Requirements (for students entering Fall 2013 or later)
Universal Tracking (uTrack) is an academic monitoring system designed to help students stay on track for timely graduation. In order to remain on track, students must complete the minimum requirements for each tracking semester known as milestones. Milestones may include successful completion of specified courses and/or attainment of a minimum GPA. uTrack requirements only affect full-time, degree-seeking students who first entered Fall 2013 or later. uTrack does not apply to transfer students who enter prior to Fall 2015.
Progression Requirements
All Journalism and Electronic Media majors must complete the core courses – JREM 175 , JREM 200 , and JREM 230 and all uTrack milestone requirements for the major before taking 300- or 400-level Journalism and Electronic Media courses. Unless a declared honors major, Communication Studies majors must complete all milestone requirements for the major before taking 300- or 400-level Communication Studies courses.
Internal Transfer and Readmission Requirements
Students in other UT colleges interested in a major in the College of Communication and Information will be required to meet the milestones for their intended major. All students must contact an advisor in the CCI Center for Undergraduate Studies and Advising regarding their eligibility for the major. Until achieving good standing, an academic probationary student will be advised as a prospective student. A CCI advisor will determine the steps necessary to move from prospective to admitted student.
Communication and Information students readmitted to the University are readmitted into the College. Upon readmission, an advisor in the CCI Center for Undergraduate Studies and Advising will evaluate the student’s eligibility for their intended major.
Requirements for Graduation
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. Advertising, Journalism and Electronic Media, and Public Relations students must complete at least 72 hours in courses other than communication and information, journalism and electronic media, advertising, and/or public relations. Students must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all College courses used to fulfill graduation requirements.
All courses in the core Advertising progression, ADVT 310 - Advertising and Public Relations Design , ADVT 340 - Advertising and Public Relations Research Methods , ADVT 350 - Advertising Creative Strategy , ADVT 360 - Advertising Media Strategy , ADVT 380 - Advertising Professional Seminar , ADVT 450 - Advertising Management , ADVT 470 - Advertising Campaigns , and ADVT 480 - Advertising Issues , must be taken at UT Knoxville. A grade of C or better must be earned in these courses for the hours to count toward requirements for the major.
All courses in the core Public Relations progression, PBRL 310 - Advertising and Public Relations Design , PBRL 320 - Public Relations Writing , PBRL 340 - Advertising and Public Relations Research Methods , PBRL 370 - Public Relations Cases , PBRL 380 - Public Relations Professional Seminar , PBRL 420 - Advanced Public Relations Writing , and PBRL 470 - Public Relations Campaigns , must be completed with a grade of C or better for the hours to count toward requirements for the major.
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. Students must achieve a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all College courses used to fulfill graduation requirements. CMST 312 - Survey of Interpersonal Communication , CMST 342 - Survey of Organizational Communication , CMST 352 - Communication Theory , CMST 354 - Research Methods in Communication Lab , CMST 360 - Professional Skills in Communication Lab , CMST 356 - Research Methods in Communication Studies , and CMST 499 - Proseminar in Communication Studies must be completed at UT Knoxville.
For both the BA and BS, at least 18 hours in major courses must be taken at UT Knoxville.
Minors
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. At least six of the credit hours required for a minor must be completed at UT Knoxville.
Academic Programs
