Communication Studies, B.G.S.

Creative Expression for Engaging Community - 9 hrs

• Written Communication - 3 hrs:

• ENGL 1301 - Composition and Rhetoric 3 hrs ¹

•  

  Oral Communication - 3 hrs from:

• COMS 1301 - Speech Communication 3 hrs , COMS 1303 - Professional Communication  3 hrs, COMS 2302 - Communication in the Classroom  3 hrs, or COMS 2303 - Public Speaking  3 hrs²

•  

  Creative Arts - 3 hrs from:

• ART 1301 - Art Appreciation 3 hrs , ART. Studio Course 3 hrs, MUSI 1303 - Music Appreciation  3 hrs, MUSI 3305 - Music in American Culture  3 hrs, MUSI 3306 - History of Jazz  3 hrs, MUSI 3307 - Music in Film and Visual Media  3 hrs, MUSI Performing Ensembles 3 hrs, HUMA 2300 - Survey of the Humanities  3 hrs, or ENGL 3330 - Introduction to Film  3 hrs³

Cultural Perspectives within Community - 12-13 hrs

• Literature - 3-6 hrs:

• ENGL 1302 - Composition and Reading 3 hrs ¹
• Any 2000-level through 3000-level ENGL literature elective⁴

•  

  History - 3-6 hrs:

• HIST 1301 - Western Civilization to 1648 3 hrs , HIST 1302 - Western Civilization since 1648  3 hrs, HIST 1303 - World Civilization to 1500  3 hrs⁵, HIST 1304 - World Civilization since 1500  3 hrs⁵, HIST 2301 - United States History to 1877  3 hrs, HIST 2302 - United States History since 1877  3 hrs, or any 3000-level HIST course (except HIST 3301 )⁶ 

•  

  Multi-Cultural - 0-4 hrs⁷:

• COMS 3303 - Intercultural Communication 3 hrs , ENGL 2303 - World Literature  3 hrs, ENGL 3318 - Colonial and Postcolonial Literature  3 hrs, ENGL 3322 - Marginalized Voices in American Literature  3 hrs, Foreign Language 3-4 hrs⁸, GEOG 1302 - World and Regional Geography  3 hrs, HIST 1303 - World Civilization to 1500  3 hrs⁵, HIST 1304 - World Civilization since 1500  3 hrs⁵, HIST 3306 - Latin American History  3 hrs, HIST 3308 - History of American Women  3 hrs, HIST 3309 - History of the 20th Century World  3 hrs, HIST 3313 - African American History  3 hrs, HIST 3330 - History of the Non-Western World  3 hrs, HIST 3334 - History of the Latinx in the United States  3 hrs, SOCI 3320 - Cultural Diversity /JUAD 3320 - Cultural Diversity  3 hrs, or THST 3333 - World Religions /PHIL 3333 - World Religions  3 hrs

Critical Examination of Creation and Community - 12-14 hrs

• Math - 3-6 hrs:

• MATH 1303 - Mathematics for Liberal Arts 3 hrs , MATH 1304 - College Algebra  3 hrs⁹, or higher

•  

  Science - 3-8 hrs ^{10, 11}

•  

  Social Perspectives - 3-6 hrs:

• POLS 2301 - American Government 3 hrs
• ECON 2307 - Principles of Macroeconomics  3 hrs¹², EDUC 2307 - Child and Adolescent Development  3 hrs¹³, GEOG 1301 - Introduction to Physical Geography  3 hrs, PHIL 1301 - Introduction to Philosophy  3 hrs, PSYC 1301 - General Psychology  3 hrs¹⁴, or SOCI 1301 - Introduction to Sociology  3 hrs 

Christian Foundations for Life in Community - 9 hrs

• Christian Studies - 6 hrs:

• RLGN 1301 - Old Testament History 3 hrs ¹⁵
• RLGN 1302 - New Testament History 3 hrs ¹⁵

•  

  Additional Requirements - 3 hrs:

• BASC 1200 - Best Achievement Strategies for College 2 hrs and EXSS 1112 - Concepts of Fitness and Wellness  1 hrs¹⁶ or BASC 1301 - Best Achievement Strategies for College  3 hrs¹⁷
• GRAD 0001 - Senior Seminar 0 hrs ¹⁸

Notations:

1. ENGL 1301  and ENGL 1302  should be taken within first year of enrollment.
2. COMS requirement may differ by degree. The B.S.N. specifies COMS 1301  or higher. Students pursuing teacher certification should take COMS 2302 .
3. Creative Arts requirements for the B.S.N. specifies ART 1301  or higher, or MUSI 1303  or higher. The B.M. degree specifies ART 1301 , ART studio course, HUMA 2300  or ENGL 3330 . The B.S.I.S. EC-6 degree can take FNAR 2401 . The B.A. Worship Studies specifies MUSI 3305 .  Students pursuing the B.S. Mathematics with minor in Engineering dual degree must choose from ART 1301 , ART Studio Course, or MUSI 1303 .
4. Students in the B.S. Mathematics with minor in Engineering dual degree or who are seeking teacher certification must take an ENGL literature elective.
5. HIST 1303  or HIST 1304  can be applied to either History or Multi-Cultural sections.
6. HIST 2301  and HIST 2302  are required for teacher certification and the B.S. Mathematics with minor in Engineering dual degree.
7. To ensure broad training, no more than 6 credit hours from Literature or History may fulfill the requirements for Cultural Perspectives within Community; however, students may use the Multi-Cultural history or literature course options to fulfill 3 hours of Literature or History requirements, and then may also complete an additional Multi-Cultural course from a different discipline.
8. Students with two years of documented high school foreign language (minimum grade of ‘B’ or 3.0) may enroll in 2000-level courses (or higher where prerequisites allow) in that same language. Any student with significant informal background in a foreign language may contact the School of Humanities and Leadership for information about placement testing.
9. Students pursuing the B.A.S. Banking and Finance, B.A.S. Business Administration, B.A.S. Business Analytics, B.A.S. Computer Information Systems, B.A.S. Computer Science, B.A.S. Digital Marketing, B.A.S. Environmental Sciences, B.A.S. Mission in Business, B.B.A., B.S., B.S.I.S. Middle School Core Subjects, B.S.I.S. Middle School Math, or B.S.I.S. Middle School Science degrees are required to take MATH 1304 .
10. B.S.N. students must take BIOL 3410  to meet this requirement.
11. Students associated primarily with the Plainview campus must take a 4-hour laboratory science course to fulfill the Unified General Education science requirement. Students not associated primarily with the Plainview campus may fulfill the science requirement through a 4-hour laboratory science course or the 3-hour non-lab version.
12. ECON 2307  cannot be used for students pursuing the A.A.S. Business Administration, B.A.S. Business Administration, B.B.A. (all specializations), or B.C.M. Co-vocational Ministry with General Business specialization degrees.  Students in the B.S. Mathematics with minor in Engineering dual degree must take ECON 2307 , PSYC 1301 , or SOCI 1301  to meet this requirement.
13. EDUC 2307  is required for teacher certification.
14. PSYC 1301  is required for students pursuing the B.S.N. degree.
15. Wayland Baptist University will not accept RLGN 1301 - Old Testament History  or RLGN 1302 - New Testament History , or their equivalents, from any institution except other Baptist institutions to meet the core requirement in any Wayland degree. If a student has taken RLGN 1301  and/or RLGN 1302 , or their equivalents, at any institution except other Baptist institutions, then the student has two options to meet the core requirement: (1) take RLGN 1301  and/or RLGN 1302  at Wayland, or (2) take THST 4310 , THST 4311 , THST 4312 , THST 4313 , or THST 4320  in lieu of RLGN 1301 ; and/or take THST 4320 , THST 4321 , THST 4322 , or THST 4323  in lieu of RLGN 1302 . THST 4320  may be an option for either RLGN 1301  or RLGN 1302  as stated above, but may not count for both on the same degree plan. No other THST/MNST courses may substitute for either RLGN 1301  or RLGN 1302 . The Dean of the School of Christian Studies must approve any exception to this policy. RLGN 1301  or RLGN 1302 , or their equivalents, taken at non-Baptist institutions, may be transferred as elective credit with approval of the Dean of the School of Christian Studies and the Registrar.
16. Students who have served two or more years in the Armed Forces are exempt from EXSS requirements with DD-214 from basic training.
17. Students associated primarily with the Plainview campus must take BASC 1200  and EXSS 1112 . Students not associated primarily with the Plainview campus will take BASC 1301 .
18. GRAD 0001  not required for Associate degree.

Academic Major and Minor

The Bachelor of General Studies is comprised of a major in general studies with sixty hours, from which at least 36 hours must be upper-level. Students must choose two concentrations with 15 hours each which may not overlap in content. Due to the composite nature of this degree, a minor is not required.

Electives

Students may complete the minimum of 124 credit hours required for the degree with courses which complement or extend career preparation or pursue subject fields which hold special appeal. However, before using elective credit hours, students should check with their advisor to ensure that the hours are indeed elective and that upper-level credit hour requirements for graduation are being met. At least six (6) hours of upper-level electives may be required

General Studies Major Core (12 hours)

Students must make a decision prior to the senior year regarding the B.G.S. capstone experience.

• RSWR 3345 - Research Writing Methods 3 hrs or ENGL 3320 - Foundations of Technical Communication  3 hrs
• MGMT 3310 - Managerial Communication 3 hrs or ENGL 4314 - Professional Editing  3 hrs
• Ethics course (any discipline) 3 hrs
• GRAD 4300 - BGS Professional Capstone 3 hrs OR  GRAD 4301 - BGS Project Capstone I: Design and Research  3 hrs and GRAD 4302 - BGS Project Capstone II: Analysis and Presentation  3 hrs
  If student chooses the Project Capstone track, GRAD 4302  will be used to fulfill three hours in the Major Electives.

General Studies Concentrations (30 hours)

Students must choose two concentrations with 15 hours each.  Each concentration must have at least six hours of upper-level credit.  Concentrations may not overlap in discipline content.  Concentrations are available in art, broadcasting and multimedia production, business administration, communication studies, education, environmental science, environmental studies, exercise and sport science, graphic design, history, criminal justice administration, media arts, political science, psychology, and sociology.

• Concentration 1 - 15 hours (at least six hours of upper-level credit)
• Concentration 2 - 15 hours (at least six hours of upper-level credit)

General Studies Major Electives (18 hours)

Students must complete 18 hours of electives that are from different areas than the concentrations. Special attention should be paid to the level of the courses to insure that adequate upper-level hours are earned in the major. If the student chooses the Project Capstone track as part of the Major Core, GRAD 4302  will be used to fulfill three hours of upper-level electives in the Major Electives.