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 to build and assess strategic approaches in campaigns, advocacy, and social movements across disciplines.
About the Minor
The Communicating Social Issues minor is open to all undergraduate students at UT Austin.
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.
2022-2024 Catalog and Beyond
The Communicating Social Issues minor is open to all undergraduate students following the 2022-2024 catalogs and beyond.
- 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.
Click on tab for the catalog year associated with your major. Only courses listed on your specific catalog will count towards your minor.
Students pursuing the Communicating Social Issues minor under the 2024-2026 catalog are responsible for the following requirements:
Requirement 1: COM 307 Overview of Social Justice and Media
Requirement 2: COM 321 Communicating Social Justice Capstone
Requirement 3: 9 hours of electives chosen from the following
- ADV 320 Integrated Communication for Nonprofit Organizations
- ADV 322 Health Communication: Messages, Campaigns, and the Media
- ADV 323 Public Communication of Science and Technology
- ADV 324 Communicating Sustainability
- ADV 336 Multicultural Issues in Advertising and Public Relations (any topic)
- ADV 378 Social Issues in Advertising and P R in New York City UTNY (Also listed as ADV 378 Social Issues - UTNY in course schedule)
- CLD 301 Introduction to Communication and Leadership
- CMS 338 Leadership Stories
- 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 - Social Change Internship (Topic 2 of Communication Internship)
- J 301F Fundamental Issues in Journalism
- J 308S Introduction to Media Studies
- J 313P Multimedia News Reporting
- J 341F Understanding African Americans and the 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
- RTF 303D Media and Culture (formerly RTF Media and Society)1
- RTF 323C Screening Race
- RTF 328C Gender and Media Culture
- RTF 335 2 - Race, Class, and Gender in American Television (Topic 2 of Television Analysis and Criticism)
- RTF 335 4 - Queer Television (Topic 4 of Television Analysis and Criticism)
- RTF 359 8 - Women and Sports Media (Topic 8 of Studies in Media and Culture)
- RTF 359S 5 - Queer Media Studies (Topic 5 of Studies in Media and Culture)
- RTF 359S 9 - Latina Feminisms and Media (Topic 9 of Studies in Media and Culture)
- RTF 359S 15 - Black Television Comedy (Topic 15 of Studies in Media and Culture)
- RTF 365 15 - Latinx Media, Arts, and Activism (Topic 15 of Topics in Media and Society)
- SLH 314L Sociocultural Bases of Communication
1Course number and title change effective Fall 2024. Students who complete RTF 307 Media and Society prior to Fall 2024, do NOT need to take RTF 303D. This is a major required course and priority registration will be given to RTF majors.
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.
Students pursuing the Communicating Social Issues minor under the 2022-2024 catalog are responsible for the following requirements:
Requirement 1: COM 307 Overview of Social Justice and Media
Requirement 2: COM 321 Communicating Social Justice Capstone
Requirement 3: 9 hours of electives chosen from the following
- ADV 320 Integrated Communication for Nonprofit Organizations
- ADV 322 Health Communication: Messages, Campaigns, and the Media
- ADV 323 Public Communication of Science and Technology
- ADV 324 Communicating Sustainability
- ADV 336 Multicultural Issues in Advertising and Public Relations (any topic)
- ADV 378 Social Issues in Advertising and P R in New York City UTNY (Also listed as ADV 378 Social Issues - UTNY in course schedule)
- 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 - Social Change Internship (Topic 2 of Communication 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 303D Media and Culture (formerly RTF Media and Society)1
- RTF 323C Screening Race
- RTF 328C Gender and Media Culture
- RTF 329C Digital Media Production
- RTF 335 2 - Race, Class, and Gender in American Television (Topic 2 of Television Analysis and Criticism)
- RTF 335 4 - Queer Television (Topic 4 of Television Analysis and Criticism)
- RTF 342 8 - Development Communication and Social Change (Topic 8 of Topics in Global Media)
- RTF 345 8 - Social Documentary (Topic 8 of Studies in Film History)
- RTF 345 9 - Women Behind the Camera (Topic 9 of Studies in Film History)
- RTF 359 8 - Women and Sports Media (Topic 8 of Studies in Media and Culture)
- RTF 359S 5 - Queer Media Studies (Topic 5 of Studies in Media and Culture)
- RTF 359S 9 - Latina Feminisms and Media (Topic 9 of Studies in Media and Culture)
- RTF 359S 15 - Black Television Comedy (Topic 15 of Studies in Media and Culture)
- RTF 365 15 - Latinx Media, Arts, and Activism (Topic 15 of Topics in Media and Society)
- SLH 314L Sociocultural Bases of Communication
1Course number and title change effective Fall 2024. Students who complete RTF 307 Media and Society prior to Fall 2024, do NOT need to take RTF 303D. This is a major required course and priority registration will be given to RTF majors.
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.
2020-2022 and Prior 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.
Click on tab for the catalog year associated with your major. Only courses listed on your specific catalog will count towards your minor.
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:
Requirement 1: COM 323 2 - Social Change Internship (Topic 2 of Communication Internship)
Requirement 2: 15 hours of electives chosen from the following
- ADV 320 Integrated Communication for Nonprofit Organizations
- ADV 322 Health Communication: Messages, Campaigns, and the Media
- ADV 323 Public Communication of Science and Technology
- ADV 324 Communicating Sustainability
- ADV 336 Multicultural Issues in Advertising and Public Relations (any topic)
- ADV 378 Social Issues in Advertising and P R in New York City UTNY (Also listed as ADV 378 Social Issues - UTNY in course schedule)
- 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 - Development Communication and Social Change (Topic 8 of Topics in Global Media)
- RTF 365 13 - Activist Media (Topic 13 of Topics in Media and Society)
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.
Students pursuing Communication and Social Change minor under the 2018-2020 catalog are responsible for the following requirements:
Requirement 1: COM 323 2 - Social Change Internship (Topic 2 of Communication Internship)
Requirement 2: 15 hours of electives chosen from the following
- ADV 320 Integrated Communication for Nonprofit Organizations
- ADV 322 Health Communication: Messages, Campaigns, and the Media
- ADV 323 Public Communication of Science and Technology
- ADV 324 Communicating Sustainability
- ADV 336 Multicultural Issues in Advertising and Public Relations (any topic)
- ADV 378 Social Issues in Advertising and P R in New York City UTNY (Also listed as ADV 378 Social Issues - UTNY in course schedule)
- 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 - Development Communication and Social Change (Topic 8 of Topics in Global Media)
- RTF 365 13 - Activist Media (Topic 13 of Topics in Media and Society)
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.
The Communicating Social Issues minor is open to all undergraduate majors following the eligible catalogs.
Eligible Catalogs: 2022-2024 and 2024-2026
The Communication and Social Change minor is open to all undergraduate majors following the eligible catalogs.
Eligible Catalogs: 2018-2020 and 2020-2022
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.
Visit this page and use the following directions:
- Click on link for "Request Restricted Minor"
- Select "COM Communication" for Field of Study
- Click "Continue"
- Select the appropriate minor title based on catalog eligibility
- 2018-2020 and 2020-2022 catalogs: "COMMUNICATION AND SOCIAL CHANGE (MNCCOM07)"
- 2022-2024 and 2024-2026 catalogs: "COMMUNICATING SOCIAL ISSUES (MNCCOM10)"
- Click "Continue"