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Communication Major & Minor

Tackle challenges as diverse as the world itself

Communication, in one form or another, has been a core part of the social sciences at Cornell since its founding. Students in the Department of Communication learn to understand audiences, shape messages and interact with individuals and technologies. Through the study of science, media and technology, you’ll develop essential skills for leading in the rapidly changing communication landscape.  

Communication is a process engaged in by people, between people and with the aim of influencing people. It happens inside of real social contexts: communities, organizations, teams, nations, societies. It happens with the aid of information technologies that are themselves a product of the social world. 

As a Communication student, you’ll gain the theoretical strength and methodological rigor of the social sciences, and get to learn—even take part in—grounded, empirical research about some of the most pressing social issues of the day.  

Major in Communication

Bachelor of Science (B.S.)

Communication majors at Cornell learn how communication interacts with media, science, and technology, while developing skills to succeed in complex work environments. The communication curriculum offers students opportunities to experience the breadth of the field and to develop a depth of understanding in a chosen focus area.

Specific topics that Communication majors study are as diverse as the faculty and students who explore these areas in Communication research projects and courses.

CALS seeks students who maintain a rigorous high school curriculum and demonstrate an outstanding record of academic achievement.

  • 4 Units of English

  • 4 Units of Mathematics (including pre-calculus, statistics recommended)

  • 3 Units of Science (including biology and chemistry, physics is strongly recommended)

  • An additional unit of science is also strongly recommended

COMM 3075 - Writing With and About AI

In the age of artificial intelligence, the ability to use generative AI tools to assist with content production is quickly becoming an in-demand professional skill. At the same time, there is a valid concern that over-reliance on LLMs in writing hinders critical thinking, problem solving, and genuine intellectual inquiry. This course will help students develop critical AI literacy skills and explore the limitations and affordances of LLMs in writing and content creation. Students will practice integrating AI tools into the composing process in an ethical and transparent way. Through a variety of creative, analytical, and research-based assignments, students will create original work while reflecting on the role of AI in knowledge-making.

COMM 3190 - Data and Society

The purpose of this class is to learn to “see” the work that data does in our modern world. Data and society are fundamentally entangled. In this class, we will pull on the different strands of this entanglement to better understand the role that data plays across a range of distinct contexts. This is a survey course, intended to expose you to a broad array of issues. We will explore the role that data plays in domains as varied as representative democracy, search engines, employment, and genetic sense-making. We will examine how economic and political interests shape what data exists and how those data are used. You will also get to explore the communicative role that data plays in decision-making.

COMM 3400 - Global Media Industries

In this class, students will learn about entertainment media, media systems, new media and the ways in which they interconnect with globalization, colonialism and imperialism. Here, students will contextualize media across national contexts paying attention to how mass media shapes or is shaped by social, political, religious and economic factors. They will learn how to do critical comparative analyses of entertainment media across nations and from these analyses make projections about how media have and will influence key events intra-nationally and transnationally.

Minor in Communication

The Minor Program of Study in Communication gives students a balanced background in communication theory and practice. The broad applications of our curriculum will contribute and advance your understanding of a broad range of disciplines. The minor consists of 21 credit hours.

The minor consists of 21 credit hours.

Students must complete:
COMM 1101: Introduction to Communication – Fall only

Two courses from the following, only one of which can be a writing course (2310 or 3000-3099):
COMM 1300: Visual Communication – Spring only
COMM 2010: Oral Communication
COMM 2310: Writing about Communication (Very limited spots for non-majors)
COMM 2820: Research Methods in Communication Studies – Fall only
COMM 3010: Writing and Producing the Narrative for Digital Media
COMM 3020: Science Writing for the Media
COMM 3030: Organizational Writing
COMM 3040: Writing and Editing for the Media 
COMM 3060: Connecting Experience: Creating a Personal Brand and Implementing an ePortfolio
COMM 3070: Communicating Today: Creating Strategic Messages Across Media
COMM 3080: Environmental & Sustainability Communication 
COMM 3090: Experiential Writing in the Yucatan: Environmental and Cultural Communication

One Focus Area Introductory Course from the following:
COMM 2200: Media Communication – Fall & Summer only
COMM 2450: Communication and Technology – Fall & Summer only
COMM 2760: Persuasion and Social Influence – Spring only
COMM 2850: Communication, Environment, Science and Health – Spring only

Three courses of upper-level Communication from the following: 
ANTHR/COGST/STS 4330 - How Do We Know Nature? Language, Knowledge and the Environment - CESH
COML/ENG/MUSIC/PMA 2703 - Thinking Media - CMS
COMM  3100  Communication and Decision Making in Groups - CSI            
COMM  3110  Educational Psychology - CSI                    
COMM  3150  Organizational Communication: Theory and Practice - CSI        
COMM  3189  Taking America’s Pulse - CSI
COMM  3200  New Media and Society - CAT, CMS
COMM  3210  Communication and the Environment - CESH, CMS
COMM  3300  Media and Human Development  - CESH, CAT, CMS, CSI
COMM  3400  Personal Relationships and Technology - CAT, CSI
COMM  3450  Human Computer Interaction Design - CAT
COMM  3460  Crowds, Communities, and Technology - CAT, CSI
COMM  3560  Computing Cultures - CSI, CAT
COMM  3710   Crossing Cultures Through Film - CSI
COMM  3720   Intercultural Communication - CSI
COMM  3760   Planning Communication Campaigns - CSI, CMS, CESH
COMM  4200  Public Opinion and Social Processes  - CMS, CSI, CESH
COMM  4201  Information Policy: Research, Analysis, and Design - CSI
COMM  4220  Psychology of Entertainment Media - CAT, CESH, CMS
COMM  4250  Sports and the Media - CMS
COMM  4260  Gender & the Media - CMS
COMM  4280  Communication Law - CMS, CSI 
COMM  4292  Sexual Identities and the Media - CMS
COMM  4300  Ethics in New Media, Technology and Communication - CESH, CAT, CMS, CSI
COMM  4350  Communicating Leadership and Ethics - CSI
COMM  4360  Communication Networks and Social Capital - CAT, CMS
COMM  4380  Communication in Virtual Worlds - CAT
COMM  4400  Advanced Human-Computer Interaction Design - CAT
COMM  4410  Communicating Self in Social Media - CAT
COMM  4450  Computer-Mediated Communication - CAT
COMM  4560  Community Involvement in Decision Making - CESH
COMM  4650  Mobile Communication in Public Life - CAT, CMS
COMM  4660  Public Communication of Science and Technology - CESH
COMM  4760  Population Health Communication - CESH, CSI
COMM  4860  Risk Communication - CESH, CSI
COMM 4940  COMM Special Topics count ONLY if they are 3 credits (may be repeated if different topics)
COMM 4970  COMM Individual Study 
COMM 4990  COMM Independent Research


* There may be additional COMM Upper Level courses that are not listed. If you have a question about a particular course, contact program coordinator klo28 [at] cornell.edu (Kristie Milliman).

  • Upper-Level Communication courses must be between COMM 3100 and 4990 (excluding COMM 4950-4952, 4960, and 4980).
  • Only certain COMM 4940 Special Topics course will count in this area; please ask klo28 [at] cornell.edu (Kristie Milliman).
  • Students may also use an additional Focus Area Intro Course or COMM 2840 in this area.
  • Minor Transfer Credit Policy: Students can transfer up to 6 credits toward the 21 credits required for the minor. Only course equivalencies will count toward minor. To determine whether a course will be counted as an equivalent, please email klo28 [at] cornell.edu (Kristie Milliman) with a copy of the syllabus of the course in question.

Acceptance is automatic to the minor. If you complete the form, you are a listed a pursuing the minor until you let us know that you are no longer completing it. There is no penalty for lack of completion. 

Declare the Communication Minor

Transfer requirements

Study communication processes and put theory to use in understanding audiences, shaping messages, and interacting with individuals and technologies. Focus areas include: environmental, science and health, media studies,  information technologies and social influence.

Academic Record

  • Strong academic record at the college level. In general, competitive applicants have at least a 3.0 (B) average.

  • CALS Required Coursework should be completed or in-progress with a “B” or better before applying.

  • The most competitive applicants are full-time students who have met the GPA and course requirements.

 

For information about AP/IB/GCE Credit, Visit our Cornell Policy on Advanced Placement Credit for English, Math, Science, and Foreign Language. CALS adheres to these guidelines unless otherwise noted by the major.  

For information about College Credit Earned in High School, Visit CALS Policy on College Credit While Earned in High School  

Below are requirements for Transfer Students applying to CALS for Fall 2026

Required:

One College Writing/English Composition course 

Two Semesters of Introductory Biology (labs recommended) 

Strongly Encouraged (Not Required):

One Physical Science course (Chemistry, Physics, etc) 

One Public Speaking or Oral Communication Class  (Equivalent to COMM 2010)

Statistics  (Equivalent to AEM 2100)

(Or transfers with four full-time college semesters of study (post-high school) completed or in progress at time of application).

Required:

One College Writing/English Composition course 

Two Semesters of Introductory Biology (labs recommended) 

One Public Speaking or Oral Communication Class  (Equivalent to COMM 2010)

Statistics  (Equivalent to AEM 2100)

Strongly Encouraged (Not Required):

One Physical Science course (Chemistry, Physics, etc.) (Equivalent to any course that meets CALS Distribution for Chem/Phys/Physical Life Science)

Psychology or Sociology

All courses must be approved by CALS for transfer to the College before they can be considered for counting toward the Communication major. The following only applies to the Communication major:

  • Up to 12 credits of coursework may be counted towards Cornell Communication major, if approved, from transfer coursework.
    • Students may transfer communication credits that are course equivalencies; that is, courses which are taught in our department.
    • Students may transfer in one 3-credit communication practica course.
    • Students may transfer in one 3-credit upper level elective (from a study abroad or an institution of higher education) that is communication-related, even if it is not necessarily equivalent. This must be approved by the advisor.
    • Petitions for coursework outside of these parameters should be sent to the ac2396 [at] cornell.edu (Undergraduate Program Coordinator, )klo28 [at] cornell.edu (Kristie Milliman).
       
  • In addition to the 12 Communication credits, students may also transfer up to 12 credits toward their Outside Concentration, and 3 statistics credits, which are required for the Communication major.

All questions regarding communication transfer credits should be sent to the ac2396 [at] cornell.edu (Undergraduate Program Coordinator, )klo28 [at] cornell.edu (Kristie Milliman). 

For students looking to transfer Communication courses toward the major, please include a copy of the syllabus (which includes required readings, assignments and course work) in your email to Kristie. 

Apply
More about the Communication major

Careers in Communication

Students conduct a meeting

Business

  • Marketing manager
  • Gallery assistant
  • Business analyst
  • Product buyer
  • Social media customer care
  • Supply chain analyst
  • Business development coordinator
  • Wine sales and marketing manager

Communication

  • Social media coordinator
  • Public relations associate
  • Advertising analyst
  • Film production assistant
  • Web designer
  • Digital designer
  • Journalism staff writer
  • Digital marketing specialist
  • Marketing manager

Education/Research

  • Leadership coach
  • Numeracy interventionist
  • English instructor
  • Elementary teacher
  • Bilingual teacher
  • Communication assistant
  • Research aid
  • UX researcher
  • Research analyst

Entertainment

  • Marketing coordinator
  • Talent agent
  • Non-scripted television assistant
  • Creative artist assistant
  • Professional hockey player
  • Client service representative

More

Law officer

Harm reduction specialist

Nonprofit marketing and communication manager

Interaction Design Lab 

Discover research on social and technical issues in mobile computing, social networking, affective computing and design theory. The Department of Communication’s Interaction Design Lab’s goal is to understand how technology can help to enable healthier, more socially connected and reflective living.

Explore the lab
Communication lab

35%

of students

joined an off-campus experience, such as Cornell Abroad, Urban Semester and Cornell in Hollywood.

20

Countries represented

The Department of Communication includes students from 27 states and 20 countries.

Student Organizations

Student groups are a great way for students to explore their interest in many areas. Communication-related groups include:

  • The Cornell Daily Sun
  • Slope Media
  • Centrally Isolated Film Festival
  • The Thread Magazine
  • The Big Red Sports Network
  • Cornell Media Guild - WVBR Radio

Explore your opportunities

A CALS education goes beyond the classroom and gives students frequent opportunities to apply what they learn in real-world settings.

Students attend meeting

Additional Programs

People attending function

Extension & Outreach

Students work together on laptop

Department Resources