Communicating Social Issues

students at table
Communicating Social Issues Minor

Learn how media can inspire social and political discourse, organize collective action and amplify underrepresented voices and experiences. Understand communication as a part of a larger global power dynamic and how to use it build and assess strategic approaches in campaigns, advocacy, and social movements across disciplines.

The Communication Social Issues minor is open to all undergraduate students at The University of Texas at Austin.

ATTENTION: The Communicating Social Issues minor has a different name, number of total hours, and required courses for the catalogs prior to 2022-2024. Be mindful of these differences when viewing the minor requirements and completing the minor application.

Click on tab for the specific catalog year associated with your major. Only courses listed on your specific catalog will count towards your minor.

NOTE: You can find your catalog in the Profile section at the bottom of the IDA Audit Request page.

2022-2024 Catalog

The Communicating Social Issues minor is open to all undergraduate students following the 2022-2024 catalog.

  •  The Communicating Social Issues minor requires a total of 15 hours of coursework.
  • 9 hours of coursework must come from outside of major requirements. Only six hours of overlap between major and minor courses is allowed for this minor.
  • 9 hours of coursework must be taken at upper division level.
  • 9 hours of coursework must be taken in residence.
  • All courses must be taken for a letter grade, unless the course is only offered on the pass/fail basis. Only courses with a grade of C- or better will be counted towards the minor.

Contact the Moody Minors Advisor for more information or questions about the Communicating Social Issues minor.

The title of this minor on the 2022-20204 catalog is Communicating Social Issues. Be mindful of the differences in minor name, total hours and requirements from the previous catalogs.

Students pursuing the Communicating Social Issues minor under the 2022-2024 catalog are responsible for the following requirements:

Six hours of required coursework:  
COM 307 Overview of Social Justice and Media  
COM 321 Communicating Social Justice Capstone  
Nine hours of coursework from the following:  

ADV/ P R  320

Integrated Communication for Nonprofit Organizations  

ADV/ P R  322

Health Communication: Messages, Campaigns, and the Media  

ADV/ P R  323

Public Communication of Science and Technology  

ADV/ P R  324

Communicating Sustainability  

ADV 336

Multicultural Issues in Advertising and Public Relations (any topic)  

CLD 301

Introduction to Communication and Leadership  

CMS 338

Leadership Stories  

CMS 338L

Leadership and Public Memory  

CMS 340K

Communication and Social Change  

CMS 342K

Political Communication  

CMS 344K

Lying and Deception  

CMS 354

Conflict Resolution  

CMS 358C

Identity In Relationships  

CMS 363P

Politics and Protest in Sports  

CMS 364K

Gender and Communication  

COM 316

Photographic Communication  

COM 323.2

Communication Internship (Topic 2: Social Change Internship)  

COM 327

Independent Study in Social Justice  

J 301F

Fundamental Issues in Journalism  

J 308S

Introduction to Media Studies  

J 313P

Multimedia News Reporting  

J 315R

Contemporary Representation in Media  

J 322J

Reporting Social Justice  

J 330L

Community Life: Documented  

J 341F

Understanding African Americans and the Media  

J 341J

Minorities and the Media  

J 341M

Representation in the News Media  

J 348D

Gender and the News  

J 348M

Diversity in News Organizations  

J 351F

Journalism, Society, and the Citizen Journalist  

J 356R

Race and Digital Media Cultures  

J 358S

Communicating Social Change  

RTF 301S

Social Activism in Film  

RTF 307

Media and Society  

RTF 323C

Screening Race  

RTF 328C

Gender and Media Culture  

RTF 329C

Digital Media Production  

RTF 335.2

Television Analysis and Criticism (Topic 2: Race, Class, and Gender in American Television)  

RTF 335.4

Television Analysis and Criticism (Topic 4: Queer Television)  

RTF 342.8

Topics in Global Media (Topic 8: Development Communication and Social Change)  

RTF 345.8

Studies in Film History (Topic 8: Social Documentary)  

RTF 345.9

Studies in Film History (Topic 9: Women Behind the Camera)  

RTF 359.8

Studies in Media and Culture (Topic 8: Women and Sports Media)  

RTF 359S.5

Studies in Media and Culture (Topic 5: Queer Media Studies)  

RTF 359S.9

Studies in Media and Culture (Topic 9: Latina Feminisms and Media)  

RTF 359S.15

Studies in Media and Culture (Topic 15: Black Television Comedy)  

RTF 365.15

Topics in Media and Society (Topic 15: Latinx Media, Arts, and Activism )  

SLH 314L

Sociocultural Bases of Communication

In addition to specific course requirements, students must also fulfill the hour totals for overall, in residence, and upper division coursework as well as meet the grade minimums for each minor course.

Under specific circumstances, the minor faculty committee may consider course substitutions for minor course requirements. Approval of any petition is not a guarantee.

Students must meet with the Moody Minors Advisor to discuss a petition.

2018-2022 Catalogs

The Communication and Social Change minor is open to all undergraduate students following the 2018-2020 and 2020-2022 catalogs.

  •  The Communication and Social Change minor requires a total of 18 hours of coursework.
  • 9 hours of coursework must come from outside of major requirements. Only nine hours of overlap between major and minor courses is allowed for this minor.
  • 9 hours of coursework must be taken at upper division level.
  • 9 hours of coursework must be taken in residence.
  • All courses must be taken for a letter grade, unless the course is only offered on the pass/fail basis. Only courses with a grade of C- or better will be counted towards the minor.

For students under the 2020-2022 catalog

The title of this minor on the 2020-2022 catalog is Communication and Social Change. Be mindful of the differences in minor name, total hours and requirements for  the later catalogs.

Students pursuing Communication and Social Change minor under the 2020-2022 catalog are responsible for the following requirements:

Three hours of required coursework:
COM 323.2 Communication Internship (Topic 2: Social Change Internship)
Fifteen hours of coursework from the following:
ADV/ P R 320 Integrated Communication for Nonprofit Organizations
ADV/ P R 322 Health Communication: Messages, Campaigns, and the Media
ADV/ P R 323 Public Communication of Science and Technology
ADV/ P R 324 Communicating Sustainability
ADV/ P R 336 Multicultural Issues in Advertising and Public Relations (any topic)
CMS 340K Communication and Social Change
CMS 342K Political Communication
CMS 354 Conflict Resolution
J 315R Contemporary Representation in Media
J 341J Minorities and the Media
J 342G Reporting the World: A Critical Examination of the United States News Media
J 348D Gender and the News
J 351F Journalism, Society, and the Citizen Journalist
J 358S Communicating Social Change
RTF 301S Social Activism in Film
RTF 323C Screening Race
RTF 342.8 Topics in Global Media (Topic 8: Development Communication and Social Change)
RTF 365.13 Topics in Media and Society (Topic 13: Activist Media)

In addition to specific course requirements, students must also fulfill the hour totals for overall, in residence, and upper division coursework as well as meet the grade minimums for each minor course.

Under specific circumstances, the minor faculty committee may consider course substitutions for minor course requirements. Approval of any petition is not a guarantee.

Students must meet with the Moody Minors Advisor to discuss a petition.

For students under the 2018-2020 catalog

The title of this minor on the 2018-2020 catalog is Communication and Social Change. Be mindful of the differences in minor name, total hours and requirements for the later catalogs.

Students pursuing Communication and Social Change minor under the 2018-2020 catalog are responsible for the following requirements:

Three hours of required coursework:
COM 323.2 Communication Internship (Topic 2: Social Change Internship)
Fifteen hours of coursework from the following:
ADV/ P R 320 Integrated Communication for Nonprofit Organizations
ADV/ P R 322 Health Communication: Messages, Campaigns, and the Media
ADV/ P R 323 Public Communication of Science and Technology
ADV/ P R 324 Communicating Sustainability
ADV 336 Multicultural Issues in Advertising and Public Relations (any topic)
CMS 340K Communication and Social Change
CMS 342K Political Communication
CMS 354 Conflict Resolution
J 315R Contemporary Representation in Media
J 341J Minorities and the Media
J 342G Reporting the World: A Critical Examination of the United States News Media
J 348D Gender and the News
J 351F Journalism, Society, and the Citizen Journalist
J 358S Communicating Social Change
RTF 301S Social Activism in Film
RTF 323C Screening Race
RTF 342.8 Topics in Global Media (Topic 8: Development Communication and Social Change)
RTF 365.13 Topics in Media and Society (Topic 13: Activist Media)

In addition to specific course requirements, students must also fulfill the hour totals for overall, in residence, and upper division coursework as well as meet the grade minimums for each minor course.

Under specific circumstances, the minor faculty committee may consider course substitutions for minor course requirements. Approval of any petition is not a guarantee.

Students must meet with the Moody Minors Advisor to discuss a petition.

What next?

General Minor Eligibility

Undergraduate students under the 2020-2022 and 2022-2024 catalogs at UT Austin are eligible to apply for the Communicating Social Issues Minor.

A student's major college may have additional criteria that they must meet in order to pursue a minor. Prior to applying, students are encouraged to meet with an academic advisor in their own major to discuss how the minor fits into their degree plan.

Moody Student Eligibility

Moody students have additional criteria for pursuing a minor credential.

  • Moody students may only pursue one minor/certificate credential.
  • Moody students following the 2020-2022 and earlier catalogs must apply for their minor before they have completed 65% of their degree requirements.
  • Moody students following the 2022-2024 catalog must apply for their minor before they have completed 75% of their degree requirements.

Moody students should contact their advisor if they have questions about these policies.

  1. Visit this site
  2. Select "COM Communication" for Field of Study
  3. Click "Continue"
  4. Select the appropriate minor title based on catalog eligibility
    1. 2018-2020 and 2020-2022 catalogs: "COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE (MNCCOM07)"
    2. 2022-2024 catalog: "COMMUNICATING SOCIAL ISSUES (MNCCOM10)"
  5. Click "Continue"