Coordinator: Valerie A. Sulfaro
Phone: (540) 568-3997
Email: sulfarva@jmu.edu
Website: https://www.jmu.edu/commstudies/minors.shtml
The program in political communication is designed for those students wishing to supplement their major programs with an emphasis on communication skills, knowledge and abilities specifically relevant to participation in political environments. Students must complete a core set of courses, an internship in the field of political communication and a selection of electives. No course substitution will be permitted for any required course.
All political communication minors are required to take a PCOM internship in the Department of Political Science or the Department of Communication Studies . Before enrolling for a PCOM internship, students should have attained junior status, completed the PCOM core requirements and taken at least one upper level PCOM course. Some academic units may have additional prerequisites for their internship course. All SCOM majors with a minor in PCOM are required to take SCOM 495 for their PCOM internship requirement (and to have met the prerequisites for this course). POSC , INTA and PPA majors minoring in PCOM must complete POSC 493 to fulfill the internship requirement. All other majors may take either POSC 493 or SCOM 495 as a means of satisfying their internship. Before pursuing any internship, students must consult with the PCOM coordinator to ensure that the internship is suitable for the minor. All internships must incorporate political science and communication content.
SMAD majors may double count POSC /SCOM /SMAD 472 for the SMAD major and the PCOM minor.
All students must complete 25-26 credit hours for the minor.