Minors & Certificates
Minors & Certificates
Minors & Certificates
Complement Your Major
The Department of Communication Studies offers four minors and a certificate designed to complement your major with focused study in communication, media, and culture. Whether you want to broaden your knowledge, deepen your expertise in a specific area, or build skills that translate directly to your career, these programs let you shape your degree around your interests.
Communication Studies Minor
Learn to communicate with purpose and think critically about the world around you with the Communication Studies minor. This program lets you select and complete courses that address your specific needs and interests, complementing your major with a flexible, personalized path.
You’ll develop skills in oral and written communication, learning to deliver coherent, well-organized messages to specific audiences. You’ll also learn to analyze texts, situations, and issues using credible evidence and a logical, systematic approach.
This minor draws on history, theory, and research methods across different communication contexts, helping you apply what you learn to real issues in your personal, professional, and civic life. The Communication Studies minor is designed for students in any major looking to strengthen how they communicate and make sense of the world around them, both in school and beyond graduation. This minor is available both on campus and through CSU Online.
To add a Communication Studies minor, contact Chris Gallegos at Chris.Gallegos@colostate.edu or Neely Santarao at Neely.Santaramo@colostate.edu.
Film Studies Minor
Explore the historical, theoretical, and critical approaches to analyzing film with the Film Studies minor, an interdisciplinary program coordinated by Communication Studies. You will study the narrative, artistic, cultural, economic, and political implications of cinema. In doing so, you’ll develop media fluency in film, gaining the ability to analyze, contextualize, and use the medium within the broader context of humanistic studies.
You’ll learn to analyze film as a distinct art form, research the political, economic, industrial, and cultural contexts in which films are created, and gain meaning and apply different methodologies of film analysis. Coursework builds critical thinking and writing skills to craft evidence-based, persuasive film analysis.
With the U.S. film industry ranking second only to India and continuing to grow, this minor offers a strong foundation for students interested in film, media, and cultural studies, regardless of major.
To add a Film Studies minor, contact Lyndsey Fowks at Lyndsey.Fowks@colostate.edu.
Media Studies Minor
Build a strong foundation in critical media studies with the Media Studies minor, jointly offered by the Department of Communication Studies and the Department of Journalism and Media Communication. You will study the impacts and roles of mass media in society, and how it shapes the way people think, communicate, and engage with the world around them. You’ll also learn to analyze a range of media forms, from news and popular culture to advertising and social media.
Courses examine media and film history, law, ethics, and the social and cultural consequences of media, along with multicultural and international media issues. Throughout, you’ll develop and apply skills in written, spoken, and mediated communication.
The Media Studies minor pairs well with any major interested in how media shapes public discourse and culture. Communication Studies majors may not apply SPCM courses toward this minor, and Journalism and Media Communication majors may not apply JTC courses. This minor is available both on campus and through CSU Online.
To add a Media Studies minor, contact Dakota Cotner (for last names A-M) at Dakota.Cotner@colostate.edu or Lyndsey Fowks (for last names N-Z) at Lyndsey.Fowks@colostate.edu.
Political Communication Interdisciplinary Minor
Explore how ideas communicate and shape the political process with the Political Communication minor. This interdisciplinary program emphasizes the knowledge and abilities relevant to participating in political environments, preparing you to engage in public discourse and decision-making.
The minor is particularly relevant for students interested in communication, law, politics, public administration, public deliberation, public policy, and other professions that deal with issues in public settings. Coordinated by the Department of Political Science, this minor is open to students from any major looking to strengthen how they understand and engage with political communication.
To add a Political Communication minor, contact Lauren Tighe at lauren.tighe@colostate.edu.
STEM Communication Undergraduate Certificate
The STEM Communication certificate is designed for STEM students who want to supplement their degree with strong communication skills and learn how to effectively convey complex scientific information across a variety of situations.
Through two required courses and two electives, you’ll develop strategies for communicating STEM content to key audiences and understand the diverse perspectives that shape STEM issues. You’ll also learn to articulate the role communication plays in sharing STEM content within broader social, economic, and cultural contexts.
Coursework builds skills in assessing misinformation around STEM content using both source-based approaches, which focus on sharing accurate information from trusted sources, and relationship-based approaches, which emphasize building relationships and listening effectively to counter misinformation.
This certificate gives you a competitive edge in STEM careers, where the ability to communicate clearly across audiences is an increasingly valuable skill.
To add a STEM Communication certificate, contact Lyndsey Fowks at CLA-Commstudies_Undergrad@colostate.edu.
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