College of Communication and Information

Jennifer D. Greer, Ph.D., is Dean of the College of Communication and Information.

The College of Communication and Information consists of the Department of Communication, the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication, the School of Journalism and Media, and the School of Information Science. The Department of Communication educates its students in interpersonal, small group, mass, health and organizational communication, and communication theory and research. Graduates pursue a variety of career paths in areas such as business and organizational communication, digital and mass communication, health communication, human communication, and sport communication. The Department of Integrated Strategic Communication prepares students for careers as professionals in the allied areas of advertising, public relations, and direct response communication. The journalism area within the School of Journalism and Media educates its students for professional careers in the media as writers, reporters, producers, editors, and broadcasters. The media arts and studies area within the School of Journalism and Media educates its students in telecommunications technology, management, programming, research, audio-video production, and the societal consequences of electronic media. The School of Information Science provides students with the basic knowledge and skills required to function effectively in beginning professional positions in various types of libraries and information-providing agencies.

Accreditation

Journalism majors in the School of Journalism and Media have national accreditation from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC).

Undergraduate Programs in Communication and Information

The University of Kentucky grants the following degrees in the College of Communication and Information:

Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Science

Students pursuing either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science select from these majors: communication, information communication technology, integrated strategic communication, journalism, and media arts and studies. Students may also select a minor in communication, a minor in information studies, a minor in journalism studies, and a minor in media arts and studies. Students may not double-major within the School of Journalism and Media; students majoring in integrated strategic communication or journalism may not minor in media arts and studies. Students majoring in integrated strategic communication or media arts and studies may not minor in journalism studies. Students majoring in information communication technology may not minor in information studies. University requirements for a double major stipulate that each major be in a separate department (see the Graduation Requirements section of this Bulletin). Students in the School of Journalism and Media and the Department of Integrated Strategic Communication must take a minimum of 72 semester credit hours outside of journalism and mass communications.

Undergraduate Certificates in Communication and Information

The University of Kentucky grants the following undergraduate certificates in the College of Communication and Information:

Scholarships and Financial Aid

The College of Communication and Information has several opportunities for students to obtain scholarship funding. The college awards four scholarships to incoming freshmen and two scholarships to rising juniors and seniors. The School of Journalism and Media awards nearly $45,000 in aid from various scholarship funds annually. The Department of Communication also has funding available for rising juniors and seniors. Generally, the deadline for scholarship applications is early in the spring semester. For specific information on scholarships, go to http:/ /ci.uky.edu/ci/scholarships, or contact the Office of Student Services in Blazer Hall.

Admission Policy

Admission to the University is sufficient for admission to the College of Communication and Information as a premajor for students who have completed less than 30 semester hours. An application must be filed with the college in order for a student to be considered for admission as a premajor or major. However, admission as a premajor does not guarantee admission as a major in one of the degree programs in the College of Communication and Information. In general, admission as a major depends upon the qualifications and preparation of the applicant, as well as the availability of resources for maintaining quality instruction. Additionally, depending on the timing of admission into the major program, students may not have access to major classes until subsequent semesters.

Upper-division admission into a degree program is necessary in order to be granted a baccalaureate degree from the College of Communication and Information.

Transfer Students

The journalism major in the School of Journalism and Media is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (ACEJMC). Under ACEJMC guidelines, no more than 12 hours of major courses from a student’s previous institution(s) may be counted toward a degree in journalism at the University of Kentucky.

Admission to Degree Programs

Admission without provisions to the University is sufficient for lower‐division admission to the College of Communication and Information. However, lower‐division admission to the College or any admission to the University does not guarantee upper‐division admission to one of the degree programs in the College of Communication and Information. In general, admission depends upon the qualifications and preparation of the applicants, as well as the availability of the resources for maintaining quality instruction.

Annually, degree programs in the College of Communication and Information will review the admission requirements and determine the cumulative grade-point average (Annual Admission GPA), if any, that would be acceptable below the 2.60 standard. The Annual Admission GPA will be no lower than 2.0 (see Appeal Process for special circumstances). This GPA will be made available in the Undergraduate Advising Office of the College of Communication and Information by October 15 of each year. This GPA will be effective the following fall. The GPA would be effective for any student applying for upper-division admission to a degree program, regardless of the time of her/his enrollment in the University.

In order to be admitted with upper-division status to any of the five undergraduate majors (communication, information communication technology, integrated strategic communication, journalism, and media arts and studies) offered by the College of Communication and Information, an applicant must fulfill the following requirements:

Enrollment in the University of Kentucky (Students are considered for acceptance by the college only after acceptance by the University.).
Completion of 30 semester hours of course work.
Completion of eight UK Core areas including Composition I & II, Quantitative Foundations, and Statistical Inferential Reasoning (STA 210 or STA 296 ).
Minimum of 2.6 cumulative grade-point average or the current Annual Admission GPA for the degree program, whichever is lower;
Completion of premajor requirements as stated below for each major: (a) Communication - completion of COM 101 , COM 252 , COM 249 , Composition & Communication I and II requirements with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.60 or greater in these courses. (b) Journalism - completion of JOU 101 , JOU 204 (grade counts double), any political science course with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00 or greater in these courses. (c) Integrated Strategic Communication - completion of PSY 100 , ISC 161 , and ISC 261 or JOU 204 , and a statistics course (e.g., STA 210 , STA 296 ) with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 or greater in ISC 161 and ISC 261 or JOU 204 . (d) Media Arts and Studies - completion of MAS 101 , MAS 201 , and a statistics course (e.g., STA 210 , STA 296 ) with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 or greater in these courses. (e) Information Communication Technology - completion of ICT 200 , ICT 201 , and ICT 202 with a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.00 or greater in these courses.
Submission of an application form.

Students meeting these requirements will be designated as majors or as students with upper-division standing in the program to which admission is granted. Any student not meeting one or more of these requirements may be granted premajor status.

Admissions Policy and Process

Applications from students outside the University of Kentucky seeking admission to the College of Communication and Information, whether for lower-division or upper-division status, may apply for admission during the appropriate dates listed in the University calendar. Students enrolled in other UK colleges on campus may apply for admission during the major change windows listed in the University calendar as approved times to change majors.

Appeal Process

Students who do not meet one or more of the requirements for admission, but who feel that this is due to extenuating personal, academic, professional, or intellectual circumstances, must describe these circumstances in detail in a separate letter of appeal. These circumstances will be considered by a committee of the appropriate program. This committee will be appointed by the Chair or Director of the program department or school. The applicant will be informed in writing of the committee’s decision, which also will be forwarded to the College’s Office of Undergraduate Studies.

Admission to Completion Programs

Students applying to the degree completion programs in Information Studies or Communication must also have completed 60 hours at another university or have taken an extended absence (at least one year) from UK before applying to the completion program.

Advising

All pre-major and major students will be assigned a professional academic advisor. Advisors are available throughout the year. Students must meet with an advisor each semester prior to Priority Registration.

Enrollment in Upper Division College of Communication and Information (CI) Courses

Enrollment in College of Communication and Information (CI) courses numbered 300-599 will be limited in order of priority to:

majors and minors in College of Communication and Information (CI) degree program;
non-College of Communication and Informationm (CI) students who are registered for specific programs requiring College of Communication and Information (CI) courses;
other students or categories of students with the express permission of the department offering the course (departments may choose to declare certain courses as open enrollment courses).

Graduation Requirements

To earn either the Bachelor of Arts or the Bachelor of Science degree in the College of Communication and Information, each student must (1) complete 120 hours of course work (excluding courses lower than the 100 level, courses with an R designation, physical education service courses, and/or EXP 396 /EXP 397 credits) with a grade-point average of at least 2.0 and (2) complete at least 42 hours in upper division courses (300 or above).

Other requirements include UK Core, premajor requirements, field of concentration (24-27 hours of major work and 15-18 hours of cognate courses earned outside the college as defined by the units), and a minimum of six hours of free electives.