Unlike other colleges and universities, which rely solely on staff advising, full-time faculty members in the Department of Communication serve as undergraduate advisors.  While advisors offer suggestions on course selection, their primary objectives are to assist students in meeting their personal and professional goals and to help with such important tasks as choosing minors, planning for graduate school, or preparing for study abroad.  Communication major advisors usually prefer that advisees come by during their office hours or set up meeting appointments via e-mail.

Students are assigned an advisor once they have declared the major.  Students should meet with their major advisors each semester to discuss careers and graduate school planning, scheduling, degree audits, networking opportunities, and other topics of interest. Students are strongly encouraged to consult Cougar Trail for scheduling/registration times (based on cumulative credit hours), as well as course schedules and descriptions. Students should regularly check their Edisto e-mail accounts for important campus-wide and departmental announcements and information.

The Office of Academic Advising is a helpful resource for undergraduates, especially with regard to general education requirements and other “frequently asked questions.” The Office of Career Services is a comprehensive resource (internships, graduate schools, job placement) designed to help students from freshman year to graduation. Both offices are located in the Lightsey Center, located on Calhoun Street. 

Graduate and Law School Planning

Many Department of Communication graduates apply for admission to highly selective graduate and law schools.  If you are interested in graduate or law school, please discuss this possibility with your major advisor at the earliest opportunity.  Ordinarily, students should plan to take such exams as the GRE or LSAT early in the senior year.

Mandatory Undergraduate Advising

All communication majors are strongly encouraged to meet with their major advisors during every semester.  Beginning with registration for the 2008 Spring Semester, all undergraduate communication majors with cumulative grade point averages below 2.25 or major grade point averages below 2.25 are required to see their major advisors before registering for courses.  A registration “hold” will prevent all communication majors meeting one or both of these criteria from registering for courses in future semesters or summer terms. 

Advising holds ordinarily will be removed no more than three business days after the student has seen her or his advisor. Students with mandatory advising should meet with their advisors at the earliest opportunity to avoid problems with registration delays and course availability.

Graduate Advising

Graduate students are temporarily advised by the Graduate Director at the beginning of their program.  Master’s students ordinarily select their faculty advisors after the first full semester of graduate study.  See the Graduate Director for more information.