Humanities & Communication, B.A.

Equipping you with a distinctive academic perspective integrating the humanities and communication that will set you apart in a range of professional fields.

The B.A. in Humanities & Communication offers a unique interdisciplinary academic journey that will deepen your understanding of these two distinctive fields and sharpen your communication, critical thinking, and cultural competency skills while also positioning you to specialize your studies through any of the program’s eight areas of concentration.

Empowering You to Excel in Your Chosen Profession

The program has produced a number of CSUMB valedictorians and seen its graduates ascend to a wide range of impressive career positions of leadership, from award-winning major college coaches to successful entrepreneurs to the Mayor of Monterey.

Program alumni have gone on to successfully advance their education and careers at some of the country’s elite graduate institutions, including: 

  • Harvard University
  • New York University
  • Northwestern University
  • Stanford University
  • UCLA
  • University of California – Berkeley
  • University of Michigan
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Public University Price, Private University Experience

A Lifetime of Value

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Aubrey Amila

Humanities and Communication

CSUMB is very transformative. It made me become a better collaborative individual. I’ve definitely become more confident within myself.

Humanities & Communication, B.A.

The Humanities & Communication program offers a unique array and integration of courses that link communication with the humanities and ethnic studies, providing you with a distinctive degree that will set you apart from graduates of other programs. 

 

Educational Objectives

Our supportive, nurturing program culture means you’ll have extensive access to faculty mentors and staff who are dedicated to advising and guiding you through the program every step of the way.

Our unique integration of several related areas of study offers a distinctive approach to learning both the fields of communication and the humanities, which delivers an excellent foundation for a wide range of career paths.

Our eight areas of concentration will empower you to blend skills development in communication, critical thinking, and cultural competency with specific areas of study including communication studies, creative writing and social action, English studies, English subject matter preparation, historical studies, journalism and media studies, legal studies, and philosophy and applied ethics.

For more information, please visit the Program Catalog

Complete all of the following courses:

  • HCOM 300 - Major ProSeminar Units: 2
  • HCOM 475 - Senior Capstone Units: 4

Complete one of the following courses:

  • HCOM 303 - Academic and Professional Writing Units: 3
  • HCOM 312 - Deliberation and Advocacy Units: 3

Complete one of the following Ethical and Effective Communication courses:

  • HCOM 304 - Relational Ethics Units: 3
  • HCOM 310 - Free Speech & Responsibility Units: 4
  • HCOM 321 - Introduction to Rhetoric and Culture Units: 4

Complete one of the following Social and Cultural Analysis courses:

  • HCOM 343 - Race and Gender Justice Units: 3
  • HCOM 353 - California At Crossroads Units: 3
  • HCOM 369 - Asian American History Units: 3

Complete one of the following Engaged Creative Practice courses:

  • HCOM 328 - Latina Life Stories Units: 4
  • HCOM 329 - Auto/Biografias Units: 4
  • HCOM 330 - Intro Creative Writing Units: 4
  • HCOM 371 - Community Journalism Studies Units: 4

Complete one of the following Humanistic Inquiry courses:

  • HCOM 290 - Tacos, Territories, and Transnationalism: Research Methods Units: 3
  • HCOM 301 - Ways Of Knowing Units: 3
  • HCOM 327 - Survey American Literature Units: 4
  • HCOM 362 - Constitutional History Units: 3
  • HCOM 391 - Race and Ethnicity in the United States Units: 3

Complete one of the following Service Learning courses:

  • HCOM 307S - Soc Impct Of Mass Media SL Units: 5
  • HCOM 317S - Advanced Composition, Composition Theories, Service Learning Units: 5
  • HCOM 339S - Creative Writing and Service Learning Units: 5
  • HCOM 340S - Topics in Social Movements Service Learning Units: 5
  • HCOM 350S - Oral Hist/Comm Mem SL Units: 5 (RTI)
  • HCOM 432S - Social Action Writing SL Units: 5 (RTI)

Complete at least 2 units from the following courses:

  • HCOM 408 - Fact or Fiction? Units: 1
  • HCOM 419 - Digital Publishing Practicum Units: 2
  • HCOM 470 - Graduate Admissions Workshop Units: 2
  • HCOM 471 - Professional Writing Workshop Units: 2
  • HCOM 474 - Practical Research Skills Units: 2
  • HCOM 476 - Advanced Public Speaking Workshop Units: 1-2
  • HCOM 477 - Communication in Everyday Life Units: 2

The program is highly focused on social inequality and injustice, and our students regularly engage in service-learning opportunities to deepen their understanding of social, cultural, and civic aspects related to personal and professional identities.

Some of our service activities include refurbishing computers and making them available for low-income families for almost no cost, teaching community members how to use software to bridge the digital divide for underprivileged communities, creating digital marketing and ecommerce sites for small businesses and local farmers, and helping local schools secure and stabilize their computing networks.

Faculty & Staff

Our faculty are dedicated mentors to their students and offer a wide range of opportunities for personalized guidance, through formal events and activities to informal meetings and advising sessions.

Wendy Rutledge

Wendy Rutledge

Administrative Support Coordinator

David Erwin

David Erwin

Administrative Support Assistant

Phuong Nguyen

Phuong Nguyen

Associate Professor

Phuong Nguyen

Phuong Nguyen

Department Chair AY

Phuong Nguyen

Phuong Nguyen

Special Consultant

Patrick Belanger

Patrick Belanger

Special Consultant

Patrick Belanger

Patrick Belanger

Professor

Hojin Song

Hojin Song

Associate Professor

Hojin Song

Hojin Song

Special Consultant

Mridula Mascarenhas

Mridula Mascarenhas

Associate Professor

Estella Porras

Estella Porras

Instr Fac,Spcl Pgms-For Credit

Estella Porras

Estella Porras

Professor

Sriya Shrestha

Sriya Shrestha

Assistant Professor

Jeremias Zunguze

Jeremias Zunguze

Associate Professor

Kaiqi Hua

Kaiqi Hua

Assistant Professor

Kaiqi Hua

Kaiqi Hua

Special Consultant

Jennifer Fletcher

Jennifer Fletcher

Professor

Qun Wang

Qun Wang

Professor

Kelly Medina-Lopez

Kelly Medina-Lopez

Associate Professor

Questions? We’re Here to Help!

Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you have about the Humanities & Communication program.

Our experienced and supportive admissions staff is here to provide all the individualized guidance you need.

Study Humanities & Communication in an inspiring coastal environment where we are truly committed to mentorship and an engaging student experience.

Find out more about the Humanities and Communication program and other degrees offered in the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences.