Advising
A page within Communication Studies
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- Need the name of your faculty advisor? Check your Student Center in WINGS or Navigate.
College Academic Services
Your major determines which of the following colleges you are in:
- College of Business Administration (CBA)
- College of Arts, Social Sciences, & Humanities (CASSH)
- College of Science and Health (CSH)
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Each college office provides extensive academic services:
- Process change of major requests.
- Perform credit checks and degree verifications.
- Ensure accuracy of the Advising Report (AR) report.
- Interpret academic policies and procedures
- Advise incoming transfer students and assist with transfer credits.
- Approve off-campus courses for transfer credit.
- Notify and advise students who are ineligible or on probation
Academic Advising Center
- The Academic Advising Center provides academic advisors, career advising specialists, and pre-health advising.
- Assists students with academic advising, exploring majors, transferring to UWL, researching graduate schools, and careers.
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Catalog quicklink
In the Department of Communication Studies, we take advising seriously, and ask that you meet with your assigned advisor at least once every semester. Your advisor, who is a faculty member in the department, is trained to help you understand your advisement repo
rt, your university, college, and departmental requirements, and how to locate any additional services you may need while you are with us at UW-L.
Below, you will find answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding advising. Please take the opportunity to review the questions and answers, and do not hesitate to contact your advisor (listed on the right side of your WINGS account) if you have additional questions or concerns.
Frequently Asked Questions
Becoming a CST Major
How do I declare a CST major?
What are the emphasis areas in the CST major?
Do I need to declare a minor?
Why did extra classes get added from CASSH when I declared my official CST major?
Progressing in the Major
How long will it take to complete the major?
How does CST handle waiting lists and course overrides?
If a CST course has a pre-requisite course, can I take them both at the same time?
Are there any scholarships available for CST students?
Are there any CST organizations or clubs that I can join?
Advising Sessions
When does advising happen each semester?
How should I prepare for my advising meeting?
MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON!
Becoming a CST Major
Students can declare to become a pre-CST major at any time by filling out the appropriate form in Morris 260. However, to become an official CST major, students must meet the following requirements:
- Completion of a minimum of 45 semester credits (transfer students must have completed a minimum of 12 of the 45 semester credits at UWL).
- Successful completion ("C" or better) of CST 110 and either ENG 110 or ENG 112.
- Completion of CST 190 with a grade of "BC" or better or completion of CST 301 with a grade of "BC" or better.
- Achieve a UWL cumulative GPA of 2.70 at time of admission.
Students who have fulfilled these requirements must see the CST Department Chair or their CST faculty advisor to obtain approval to declare the major. A current Advisement Report (AR) will document fulfillment of admission requirements. The approval form then must be submitted to the Office of the Dean of the College of Arts, Social Sciences, and Humanities in Morris 235.
What are the emphasis areas in the CST major?
Majors in Communication Studies will choose from one of four emphasis areas in the department:
- Advocacy and Communication Criticism
- Interpersonal Communication
- Media Studies
- Organizational and Professional Communication
For a complete description of each of the emphasis areas as well as the course requirements for each, please click here.
Yes. Every CST major needs to declare either a minor or the CASSH/VPA Program Option (done in Morris 260). Students, in consultation with their advisor, should decide on the best path to develop a set of skills and/or knowledge that will be useful in their future endeavors. For a list of minors at UWL, click here. Some of the more popular minors for CST majors are: Business Administration, Psychology, Environmental Studies, Ethnic and Racial Studies, Professional Writing, Anthropology, English, Spanish, Sociology, and Women's Studies.
Instead of a formal minor, students may choose the CASSH/VPA Program Option to fulfill this requirement. The CASSH/VPA Program Option requirements are: Complete 18 credits in two or more departments or programs (at least 12 credits earned at the 300/400 level). These courses must be outside the student's major department and can be from any college. General education courses may apply provided they are not being used to fulfill minimum general education requirements. Students can declare this option in Morris 260.
You do not necessarily need to declare a minor or the Program Option when you declare your pre-CST major, unless you are within a few semesters of graduating.
Why did extra courses get added from CASSH when I declared my official CST major?
When you declare your official CST major, you will be asked to decide if you want to pursue a Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree. In either case, you will need to complete several courses as a way of fulfilling this requirement. Speak with your advisor about the best option for you, and also review the material here to understand the requirements for each.
Progressing in the Major
How long will it take to complete the major?
The minimum time it takes to complete the CST major is four semesters. Our four core classes build on each other, and must be taken in sequence. This unique set of core courses familiarizes students with the discipline of Communication Studies (CST 190), explores the breadth of communication theories that comprise the discipline (CST 301), trains students on communication research methods (CST 498), and provides an opportunity to engage in an independent original scholarly research project supervised by a CST faculty member (CST 499).
