Mar 28, 2024  
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog 
    
2020-2021 Undergraduate Catalog [Archived Catalog]

Communication Studies (B.A./B.S.) with Secondary Education Certification


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33 Major Hours + 41 Education Certification courses, 120 Degree Hours

For a teaching major in Communication Studies, complete the Communications Studies degree along with the appropriate teaching certification courses. Students should also meet with advisors in the School of Education’s Center for Student and Professional Services  to discuss requirements.

No minor is required for this program.

Electives (11 hours)


The remaining 11 hours in the major are to be selected from any courses with a SPCM prefix. Three courses (9 hours) must be upper-division courses (300/400-level). 

Arts & Sciences-College Degree Requirements (B.A. & B.S.)


In the spirit of the liberal arts, requirements for the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees in the College of Arts and Sciences promote greater breadth and depth in undergraduate study of the humanities, social sciences, the natural sciences, and mathematics. The BA is distinguished by its emphasis on foreign language, while the BS focuses on natural sciences and mathematics.

All students must meet regental graduation requirements (SGR) , in addition to College of Arts and Sciences requirements and the requirements for their chosen major and minor (or double major). To complete general education requirements in the humanities and fine arts, B.S. students take ENGL 210: Introduction to Literature, an additional general education course in the humanities (excluding English), and a course meeting the university’s aesthetic experience requirement.

SGR-System General Education Requirements

  SGR #1-Written Communication   6 credit hours
  SGR #2-Oral Communication   3 credit hours
  SGR #3-Social Science   (2 different disciplines/prefixes) 6 credit hours
  SGR #4-Humanities and Fine Arts   6 credit hours
        *3 credit hours must be in Arts
      *3 credit hours must be in Humanities
      *ENGL 210 cannot double count for SGR#4. It is taken in addition to required Humanities courses.
  SGR #5-Mathematics   3 credit hours
  SGR #6-Natural Science   6 credit hours

A summary of the College of Arts and Sciences degree requirements follows. In addition to the degree requirements listed below, all students in the College of Arts and Sciences must complete a minor or double major.

Students in an approved 3+3 fast-track option with the USD School of Law may substitute the first year of law coursework for the minor or second major. Students should consult their academic advisor for guidance in fulfilling degree requirements.

Bachelor of Arts (33-35 credit hours)


Required Minor or Double Major 18+ credit hours


Introduction to Literature 3 credit hours *


Language Requirement 6-8 credit hours


Two semesters of a single language other than English (options include Arabic, French, German, Greek, Lakota, Latin, Russian, and Spanish, and American Sign Language-SGR Goal #4 ) 6-8 cr    

Most lower-division language courses meet the general education requirement in arts and humanities (SGR Goal #4 ).  Students who have taken substantial language courses in high school may be able to satisfy the language requirements by taking more advanced courses in that language at the University.  SPAN 120  and SPAN 121  (Medical Spanish I and II) may not be used to fulfill the BA language requirement. Contact the Department of Modern Languages and Linguistics  for more information.

Humanities and Social Sciences Distribution Requirement 6 credit hours


In addition to the BOR general education requirements in these areas as noted above, B.A. students must take two humanities or social science courses (minimum six credit hours) from among the following prefixes: ANTH, CJUS, CLHU, DCOM, ENGL, FREN, GEOG, GER, GREE, HIST, INTS, LAKL, LATI, LDR, LING, MCOM, MFL, MSL, NATV, PHIL, POLS, selected PSYC (per Psychology section of the catalog ), REL, RUSS, SOC, SPAN, SPCM, SUST, and WMST.

The courses must be taken outside the student’s major and minor unless the student is a double major or completes more than two programs (for example, a major and two minors).

Bachelor of Science (38-45 credit hours)


Required Minor or Double Major 18+ credit hours


Introduction to Literature 3 credit hours *


Humanities and Social Sciences Distribution Requirement 6 credit hours


In addition to the BOR general education requirements in these areas as noted above, B.S. students must take two humanities or social science courses (minimum six credit hours) from among the following prefixes: ANTH, CJUS, CLHU, DCOM, ENGL, FREN, GEOG, GER, GREE, HIST, INTS, LAKL, LATI, LDR, LING, MCOM, MFL, MSL, NATV, PHIL, POLS, selected PSYC (per Psychology section of the catalog ), REL, RUSS, SOC, SPAN, SPCM, SUST, and WMST.

Natural Sciences 6 credit hours


Distribution requirement in natural science:

Two courses must be taken in addition to laboratory courses meeting the BOR SGR #6 requirement; total of BS and BOR SGR natural science courses must be at least 12 cr. and at least two prefixes must be included. Additional courses must be chosen from the following prefixes: ANAT, BIOC, BIOL, CHEM, ESCI, MICR, MTRO, OCEN, PHGY, PHYS, and selected PSYC (per Psychology section of the catalog ).

Mathematics 5-12 credit hours


Choose either Option A or B as listed below.

  Each option also meets the general education requirement in mathematics (SGR Goal #5 ):

OPTION A (5 credit hours):

OPTION B (7-12 credit hours):

Complete one of the following combinations listed below:

Courses or Programs Leading to Professional Licensure or Certification


The University of South Dakota as of July 1, 2020, cannot confirm whether any particular course or program meets educational prerequisites for professional licensure or certification in states other than South Dakota. If you are planning to apply for licensure/certification in a state other than South Dakota after completion of your program, contact the academic department offering your major or CDE at 605.658.6152 or by email at cde@usd.edu. USD is working to comply with these requirements and will provide up-to-date information as it becomes available.

If your learning placement course (internship, externship, clinical, rotation, practicum, independent study, study away, etc.) or your online course will be taken outside South Dakota, please reference the State Authorization webpage below.

Information about State Authorization & Professional Licensure

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