Complete all courses listed below unless otherwise indicated. Also complete any corequisite labs, recitations, clinicals, or tools courses where specified and complete any additional courses needed beyond specific college and major requirements to satisfy graduation credit requirements.

Universitywide Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the Universitywide Requirements.

NUpath Requirements

All undergraduate students are required to complete the NUpath Requirements.

Communication Studies Requirements

Common Requirements
COMM 1101Introduction to Communication Studies4
COMM 1112Public Speaking4
or COMM 2301 Communication Research Methods
Foundation Course
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:4
Persuasion and Rhetoric
Communication Theory
Principles of Organizational Communication
Communication in a Digital Age
Cluster Course
Complete 4 semester hours from the following:4
Sex, Relationships, and Communication
Global and Intercultural Communication
Communication and Gender
Communication Law
Free Speech in Cyberspace
Writing-Intensive
Complete 8 semester hours from the following:8
Mobile Communication
Health Communication
Interpersonal Communication
Communication and Inclusion
Political Communication
Communication Criticism
Environmental Issues, Communication, and the Media
Free Speech: Law and Practice
Communication and Sexualities
Theories of Conflict and Negotiation
Nonverbal Social Interaction
Youth and Communication Technology
Crisis Communication and Image Management
Communication Studies Electives
Complete 12 semester hours from the following:12
COMM courses between COMM 1100 - 4999, which have not been used to satisfy other degree requirements.
Visual Storytelling in Journalism
Introduction to Film Production
MSCR courses in the ranges MSCR 2100 - 2199, MSCR 3100 - 3199, and MSCR 4100 - 4199.
Public Relations Principles
Public Relations Practice

Design Requirements

Art + Design Fundamentals Required
ARTF 1220Elements of Visual Composition2
Art + Design Fundamentals Electives
Complete 6 semester hours of the following:6
Representational Drawing
Abstract Drawing
Making with Form and Materials
Making with Video, Sound, and Animation
Designing Interactive Experiences
Design Required
ARTG 1001
and ARTG 1002
Design Perspectives: An Introduction to Design in the World
and Seminar for Design Perspectives
4
ARTG 1270
and ARTG 1271
Design: Process + Practices
and Studio for Design: Process + Practices
4
ARTG 1290
and ARTG 1291
Typographic Systems
and Studio for Typographic Systems
4
Design Elective
Complete 4 semester hours of ARTG courses, as long as prerequisites have been met and courses have not been used to fulfill other requirements of the program. 4
Art + Design History Elective
Complete 4 semester hours of ARTH courses.4
Art + Design Elective
Complete 4 semester hours of ARTD, ARTE, ARTF, ARTG, ARTH, ARTS, or GAME courses as long as prerequisites have been met.4
If ARTG 5000 Topics in Design (or any other topics course in the subjects listed above) is completed more than once, the additional completions may be allowed toward the electives.

Design Option

Complete one of the following options:8
Creative Fabrication
Creative Fabrication Design Principles
Topics in Creative Fabrication Inquiry
Experience Design
Experience Design Principles
Topics In Experience Design Inquiry
Graphic Design
Graphic Design Principles
Topics In Graphic Design Inquiry
Information Design
Information Design Principles
Topics in Information Design Inquiry
Interaction Design
Interaction Design Principles
and Interaction Design Principles Tools
Topics In Interaction Design Inquiry

Integrative Requirement Courses

Complete 4 semester hours from the following:
COMM 2200Visual Communication4

Capstone Experience Course

Complete 4 semester hours from the following:
ARTG 4550Design Degree Project4
or COMM 4755 Production Capstone
or COMM 4901 Seminar in Communications

Supporting Courses

Introduction to College
ARTF 1000Art and Design at Northeastern1
or COMM 1000 Communication Studies at Northeastern
Experiential Learning
EEAM 2000Professional Development for Co-op1
Writing Requirements
First-Year Writing
ENGW 1111First-Year Writing4
or ENGW 1102 First-Year Writing for Multilingual Writers
or ENGW 1114 First-Year Writing with Service-Learning
Advanced Writing in the Disciplines
COMM 3409Advocacy Writing4
or ENGW 3314 Advanced Writing in the Arts, Media, and Design
or ENGW 3315 Interdisciplinary Advanced Writing in the Disciplines

Communication Studies Grade Requirement

No more than two grades below a “C” in Communication Studies courses may be used to satisfy degree requirements.

Communication Studies and Design Major Credit Requirement

84 semester hours required in the major

Program Requirement

128 total semester hours required

Sample Plan of Study

Four Years, Two Co-ops in Summer Session B/Fall

Year 1
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer Session AHoursSummer Session BHours
ARTF 1000 or COMM 10001COMM 1112 or 23014Elective4Elective4
COMM 11014ARTG 1270
and ARTG 1271
4Elective4Elective4
ARTF 12202COMM Foundation4  
ARTF elective2COMM Cluster4  
ARTG 1001
and ARTG 1002
4EEAM 20001  
ENGW 11114   
 17 17 8 8
Year 2
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer Session AHoursSummer Session BHours
ARTG 1290
and ARTG 1291
4ARTH Elective4Elective4Co-op0
ARTF Elective 12COMM Elective 24Elective4 
ARTF Elective 22COMM Writing Intensive 14  
COMM 22004Elective4  
COMM Elective 14   
 16 16 8 0
Year 3
FallHoursSpringHoursSummer Session AHoursSummer Session BHours
Co-op0ARTG elective4COMM 3409, ENGW 3314, or ENGW 33154Co-op0
 COMM Elective 34Elective4 
 COMM Writing Intensive 24  
 Design Option Level 14  
 0 16 8 0
Year 4
FallHoursSpringHours  
Co-op0ARTG 45504  
 A+D Elective4  
 COMM Elective 34  
 Design Option Level 24  
 0 16  
Total Hours: 130