TCU students who wish to major in Strategic Communication must apply for admission, which is competitive and requires multiple steps. The major requires five long (fall and spring) semesters to complete.
Fall dates will be in the first six weeks of the semester and will be posted here once they’re determined. Email stratcomm@tcu.edu to request email notification once the dates are set.
Eligibility
Who may apply
- Incoming first-year students who have been admitted to TCU.
- Students transferring into TCU with a GPA of at least 3.0 from a four-year institution and 3.25 from a two-year institution
- Current TCU students who have completed at least one semester at the university and have a TCU GPA.
Who is ineligible to apply
- Potential TCU students who have not yet been admitted to the university.
- TCU students with more than 80 college credits (because the major requires at least five long semesters to complete).
How to apply
Applications to the major open within the first six weeks of each long semester. To receive dates and instructions for completing the application, please contact the department’s main office at stratcomm@tcu.edu. Applicants will be required to:
- Independently complete a personal narrative about reasons for selecting the strategic communication major and another creative assignment.
- Read and sign the Ethics and Professionalism Statement for the Department of Strategic Communication
- Provide basic information for departmental advising records; and
- Submit a resume and transcripts verifying the GPA (for internal and external transfer students only)
Completed applications will be evaluated by an application committee. Applicants will be notified by the Department once admission decisions have been rendered. In the event of a formal appeal concerning the application process, the chair of the Department of Strategic Communication will appoint three faculty members in the department to review the appeal and report to the chair.
To be considered for admission, students must complete all of the following, based on their current student status:
INCOMING FIRST-YEAR STUDENTS
Once admitted to TCU, first-year students may only declare strategic communication as a major before orientation sessions begin at the end of May. In order to be admitted for the fall semester, they must:
- Have completed NO hours at TCU. (This does NOT include hours awarded for AP or IB courses, or dual-credit hours awarded in high school through another university or college)
- Complete all steps of the application process.
Once TCU orientation sessions begin, first-year students must wait until the spring semester to apply to the major.
INTERNAL TRANSFER STUDENTS
Any student currently enrolled in another degree program at TCU must have a 2.5 minimum overall TCU GPA (and should have at least a 3.0 GPA to be competitive). Students should complete the online application during the first six weeks of the fall or spring semester.
EXTERNAL TRANSFER STUDENTS
The TCU Office of Admission makes the decision on all transfer applicants. Student who wish to be considered for provisional admission to the major should have at least a 3.0 transfer GPA from a four-year institution and a 3.25 GPA from a two-year institution. Students may enroll in the gateway courses (STCO 23113 Advertising or STCO 23123 Public Relations) during their first semester, if the GPA requirement is met; they have met with an academic adviser; and have read and signed the ethics and professionalism statement.
Continued Success
Strategic Communications students must earn a C or higher and a combined 2.5 GPA in the two introductory courses, STCO 23113 Advertising and STCO 23123 Public Relations, before enrolling in additional strategic communication courses. Students must also complete MATH 10043 Elementary Statistics or INSC 20153 Statistical Analysis (or equivalent) with a C- or higher before enrolling in many of the advanced courses requiring this prerequisite. Students must earn a C or higher in each strategic communication course counted toward major degree requirements.
In the event of a formal appeal concerning the application process, the chair of the Department of Strategic Communication will appoint three faculty members in the department to review the appeal and report to the chair.