- Home
- Academics
- Communications
- About the School
- Curriculum Revision
Curriculum Revision

Reimagining our curriculum
For three years, the School of Communications and its dedicated teachers, scholars and mentors collaborated to reimagine our curriculum.
We have looked at communications industry trends now and what lies ahead. We have had difficult and challenging conversations about how we can best educate and prepare you – our students – for an industry moving at lightning speed. And we have thought about our accrediting bodies, the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications and the Commission on Sport Management Accreditation, and their standards, along with Elon and School of Communications values.
Every decision has been made collaboratively to serve you.
We are now ready to begin implementing the new curriculum, starting gradually in fall 2023.
So, what is this process and how will it affect you?
In short, new students beginning in fall 2023 will adhere to the new curriculum.
But returning students, who entered the School of Communications before fall 2023, have a choice, and a chance to decide which curriculum path is best for their academic journey. While the new curriculum offers disciplinary depth, the curriculum you started with has served us well since 2015, and we believe you will be prepared if you decide to stay on your current pathway.
Returning students can either proceed with the existing courses and your major as you’ve envisioned through your four-year plan. Or, you can switch to the new curriculum.
For those that choose to move to the new curriculum it means the following would apply to you:
- You would have new courses within the major. For more information on each of the majors, click on the department/program tab below that represents your primary major:
-
Your COM core curriculum courses would change, including the addition of COM 2000: Inclusive Communication (2 credit hours). For more information, visit the COM core curriculum webpage outlining new changes.
- You would have to complete the university’s new Advancing Equity Requirement (AER). As part of the 4-credit course, students will explore and deepen their understanding of their own and others’ identities and learn about the historical, political and cultural causes of racism in our society.
Our faculty academic advisers are prepared to help you as we ease into the new curriculum, and we are all prepared to answer your questions. There is a lot to digest, so please read our communications carefully, beginning with FAQs below.
Once you have reviewed the changes and are ready to make a decision, please complete this survey where you can change your catalog year to 2023-2024 and your degree audit will reflect the new curriculum for your primary major.
If you are choosing to stay in the current curriculum, you do not need to take any action at this time.
Cinema & Television Arts
As a Cinema & Television Arts (CTA) major, you have a choice to either stay in the current curriculum and complete the major requirements provided in your degree audit or transition to the new curriculum, starting in August 2023. Between now and the start of the next academic year, we hope to provide guidance on what the best decision is for your situation. For your convenience we have provided the 2023-2024 Academic Catalog for the Cinema & Television Arts A.B and the Cinema & Television Arts BFA, as well as some answers to common questions students have about your possible transition.
CTA students interested in the new curriculum are required to complete the following survey.
For more information, contact your academic adviser or Staci Saltz, chair of the Department of Cinema & Television Arts Department.
Communication Design
As a Communication Design (CDE) major, you have a choice to either stay in the current curriculum and complete the major requirements provided in your degree audit or transition to the new curriculum, starting in August 2023. For your convenience we have provided the 2023-2024 Academic Catalog for the Communication Design A.B., as well as some answers to common questions students have about your possible transition.
CDE students interested in the new curriculum are required to complete the following survey.
If you have questions, please work with your academic adviser or Ben Hannam, chair of the Department of Communication Design, to help determine your best path. This is a timely discussion, because you will need to meet with your academic adviser in the next few days to register for the fall semester. Make a point to talk about the new CDE curriculum if you have any questions.
Journalism
As a Journalism (JOU) major, you have a choice to either stay in the current curriculum and complete the major requirements provided in your degree audit or transition to the new curriculum, starting in fall 2023. For your convenience we have provided the 2023-2024 Academic Catalog for the Journalism A.B., as well as some answers to common questions students have about a possible transition.
JOU students interested in the new curriculum are required to complete the following survey.
If you have questions, please work with your academic adviser or Anthony Hatcher, chair of the Department of Journalism.
Media Analytics
As a Media Analytics (MEA) major, you have a choice to either stay in the current curriculum and complete the major requirements provided in your degree audit or transition to the new curriculum, starting in August 2023. For your convenience we have provided the 2023-2024 Academic Catalog for the Media Analytics A.B., as well as some answers to common questions students have about your possible transition.
The MEA curriculum change was minimal and thus the choice to change to the new curriculum would be based on the following changes:
MEA students interested in the new curriculum are required to complete the following survey.
If you have questions, contact your academic adviser or David Bockino, director of the Media Analytics program.
Sport Management
As a Sport Management (SPT) major, you have a choice to either stay in the current curriculum and complete the major requirements provided in your degree audit or transition to the new curriculum, starting in August 2023. For your convenience we have provided the 2023-2024 Academic Catalog for the Sport Management B.S., as well as some answers to common questions students have about your possible transition.
SPT students interested in the new curriculum are required to complete the following survey.
If you have additional questions, contact with your adviser or Cara Lucia, chair of the Department of Sport Management.
Strategic Communications
As a Strategic Communications (STC) major, you have a choice to either stay in the current curriculum and complete the major requirements provided in your degree audit or transition to the new curriculum, starting in August 2023. For your convenience we have provided the 2023-2024 Academic Catalog for the Strategic Communications A.B., as well as some answers to common questions students have about your possible transition.
STC students interested in the new curriculum are required to complete the following survey.
If you have additional questions, contact with your adviser or Vanessa Bravo, chair of the Department of Strategic Communications.