Policies & Requirements

The College of Media, Communication and Information provides students with a world-class education to succeed as professionals and citizens in the ever-changing media, communication and information environment. Undergraduate degree programs are available in Communication, Information Science, Journalism, Media Production, Media Studies, and Strategic Communication.

In addition to completion of requirements for their designated major and core requirements for the College, all students in CMCI develop knowledge in a secondary area of study, typically by completing a minor or certificate. This requirement supports breadth of learning and allows students to develop skills outside their chosen major. 

Academic Excellence

Dean's List

Students in the College of Media, Communication and Information who have completed at least 12 credit hours of CU Boulder coursework for a letter grade in any single semester with a term GPA of 3.75 or better are included on the dean's list and receive a notation on their transcript and a letter from the dean.

Graduation with Honors

CMCI students may graduate with the honors designations of cum laude, magna cum laude or summa cum laude by completing the CMCI honors program, which involves completing a senior honors project within the major. Students interested in graduating with honors should contact the associate chair for their major department to learn more about this opportunity.

Graduation with Distinction

Students will graduate with CMCI Distinction if they have at least 60 credit hours completed at CU Boulder and have a GPA of 3.75 or higher at the time they apply to graduate, for all coursework completed at the University of Colorado. This distinction is not updated after final grades post or projected based on anticipated final grades—it is determined based on the GPA posted at the time of application. This aligns with campus policy.

Program Awards and Scholarships

Alumni and friends of CMCI have made possible scholarships and awards to officially admitted students in CMCI. The application is open from November-March. Students must submit a completed application by the deadline, which is posted each year. For more information and applications instructions, visit the university's Scholarships website. Incoming first-year students who have received a CU Boulder Esteemed Scholarship are automatically considered for a CMCI Merit Scholarship. For more information, visit CMCI's Financial Aid and Scholarships webpage.

Academic Standards

Good Academic Standing

Good academic standing in the college requires a cumulative GPA of 2.00 or above in University of Colorado work and a 2.00 GPA for all CMCI major coursework. Grades earned at another institution are not used in calculating the GPA at the University of Colorado. However, grades earned in another school or college within the University of Colorado system are used in determining a student's scholastic standing and progress toward the degree. Please refer to campus Academic Standing policies for further information about academic and registration processes for students earning below a 2.00 cumulative GPA.

Academic Ethics

The College of Media, Communication and Information maintains the highest standards of intellectual honesty. Cheating; plagiarism; illegal possession and distribution of examinations or answers to specific question; alterations, forgery, or falsification of official records; presenting someone else's work as one's own or performing work or taking an examination for another student are examples of acts that may lead to suspension or expulsion. Reported acts of academic dishonesty are referred to the Honor Council. For more information, see the Academic Integrity section.

Policy on Grade Appeals

The following shall be the official policy of the College of Media, Communication and Information regarding grade appeals.

Campus policy states that faculty members have primary authority in the area of grading and are charged with carrying out their responsibilities in a professional manner. The Dean's office has the authority and responsibility to deal with changes of grades in special and unusual cases such as those that might involve unprofessional faculty conduct in assigning the grade. Students should be aware, however, that neither Chairs nor Deans can require an instructor to change a properly assigned course grade.

Faculty are expected to assign grades in ways that are consistent, fair and conscientious. When a student believes a course grade has been improperly assigned, the student should first contact the course instructor to see if the issue can be resolved. If discussion between the student and faculty member has not led to a resolution, the student shall have the option of making a formal appeal utilizing the procedures outlined below:

1. The student shall have the option of making a formal written appeal to the chair/associate chair of the department in which the course was taken. The appeal must specify the inappropriate or unprofessional nature of the grade rendered and the remedy desired by the student, and it must be submitted within 45 days of the end of the academic term in which the course was taken.
2. The chair/associate chair will meet with the student and with the faculty member who taught the course. The instructor will be asked to submit a formal, written response to the student's written appeal. If the chair/associate chair is unable to broker a solution mutually acceptable to both student and instructor, then the chair shall appoint an ad hoc student ethics committee, which will review the dispute. The committee shall consist of two impartial faculty members competent in the subject matter of the course in question.
3. The department chair will convene the committee and provide the committee with the student's written appeal and the written response from the faculty member. Within 30 days, the committee will submit a report and recommendation to the chair, and the chair will recommend to the instructor either:
   1. that the originally assigned grade stand; or
   2. that a new grade be assigned.
4. In cases where a change of grade is recommended and the instructor does not wish to accept the recommendation, the materials will be submitted to the Dean of CMCI who will review the materials and make a final decision within 30 days of receipt. There is no appeal of the decision of the Dean.

This policy applies to the principal instructor in the course, whether that person is a faculty member or GPTI.

Policy on Waiver of Degree Requirements

The College of Media, Communication and Information does not waive degree requirements or excuse students from completing degree requirements. Petitions for exceptions to the academic policies stated here may be submitted to the ad hoc Committee on Academic Rules and Policies. Such petitions will be considered only if they meet all three of the following conditions:

• The student must document that she/he has made every effort to fulfill the policy or requirement as defined and must demonstrate that no other options exist for fulfilling the requirement as defined in this catalog.
• The student must document that she/he is prevented from fulfilling the policy or meeting the requirement as defined here for compelling reasons beyond the student's control.
• The student must demonstrate to the satisfaction of the faculty committee that she/he has fulfilled or will fulfill the intent of the policy or the requirement through an appropriate alternative.

Students who believe that their circumstances meet the conditions to submit a petition must first consult with their academic advisor. If the advisor offers options for meeting the requirement or policy as defined here, the student must pursue those options and should not submit a petition.

Students who believe that their circumstances meet the conditions to submit a petition, who meet with their academic advisor, and it is agreed they meet the requirements for a petition, should submit a petition to the Assistant Dean of Student Experience. Upon review it will be a) sent back for more information b) denied if alternatives are available and need to be pursued by the student or c) forwarded to the ad hoc Committee on Academic Rules and Policies for review and decision if an exception will be granted.

Credit and Enrollment

Requirements for Admission

Students will apply to the College of Media, Communication and Information in one of the six undergraduate majors. Students who are not eligible for admission directly into the major may be admitted to the CU Program for Exploratory Studies.

Transfer Students

Students applying to transfer into the College of Media, Communication and Information from another institution must meet the following criteria:  Students who enter with more than 36 credit hours must have a GPA of at least 3.0 from their transfer institution and must have completed an introductory course in the major they intend to pursue.  Students who enter with 36 or fewer credit hours must have a GPA of at least 3.0 from their transfer institution but do NOT need to have completed the introductory course for the major they intend to pursue. For more information, see the undergraduate Transfer of College-Level Credit section.

Attendance Regulations

Students are expected to attend classes regularly and to comply with the attendance policies specified by their instructors at the beginning of each semester. A student who does not attend the equivalent of the first week's sessions of a class during a term may be administratively dropped from the class.

Credit Policies

Major Requirements

All coursework taken for major requirements must have a grade of C- or better in order to be counted toward the major requirements. Additionally, a grade of C- or better must be earned in CMCI 1040, which is required of incoming first-year CMCI students, or in CMCI 2030, which is required of all transfer students from other universities.

Pass/Fail and Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory

In addition to the university's general policies, majors in the CMCI may not take any of the following courses pass/fail: CMCI core requirements, certificate or minor courses, business, secondary area of study or CMCI courses pass/fail or satisfactory/unsatisfactory.

The one exception to this policy is the APRD internship course (APRD 4931 Internship), which is a course designated only as S/U and for which 3 credits may be counted toward the major if appropriately registered.

This is restricted up to six credit hours outside the CMCI major, CMCI core requirements, certification or minor courses, business or additional field of study may be taken pass/fail.

For transfer students, this is restricted to one credit hour for every eight credits attempted at the University of Colorado, up to the maximum of six credit hours.

Transfer Credits

Credit in subjects transferred from other institutions to the University of Colorado is limited to the amount of credit given for similar work at the University of Colorado.  All transfer credit is subject to approval of the associate dean of CMCI. Work from another accredited institution of higher education that has been completed with a grade of C- (1.70) or better may be transferred to the University of Colorado. Categories of transfer coursework not accepted by the university are described in the undergraduate Transfer of College-Level Credit section. All courses transferred from junior and community colleges carry lower-division credit. Courses transferred from four-year institutions generally carry credits at the level at which they were taught at the previous institution, but can be subject to review on a course-by-course basis.

Residence Requirement

CMCI students must complete a minimum of 45 credit hours in University of Colorado Boulder courses. Of these 45 credit hours, a minimum of 30 credit hours must be in upper-division credit hours completed as a matriculated student in the College of Media, Communication and Information at the University of Colorado Boulder and at least 15 of these upper-division credit hours must be in the major. A maximum of 6 credit hours taken at other University of Colorado campuses (CU Denver and UCCS) can be counted toward the minimum 45 credit hours required on the Boulder campus. Courses taken while on CU Boulder study abroad programs, through CU Boulder Continuing Education or CU Boulder correspondence courses are considered to be in residence.

Senior Requirement

Graduating seniors in CMCI majors are expected to apply to graduate prior to their final anticipated enrollment window at CU. Students are expected to understand their degree audit and requirements to graduate. CMCI Advising partners with students to affirm they accurately enroll in what is needed to complete all degree requirements. Students need to apply prior to their last enrollment window to allow time to adjust schedules and for advising to communicate instances where the graduate is missing a requirement. This also allows departments to project enrollment needs in required and/or senior level courses.

Note: Later campus deadlines ensure graduates are in the ceremony event program and in campus processing system so that a degree can be conferred. Applying late jeopardizes a student being recognized in campus and college event programs.

Advising

Majors are encouraged to consult an academic advisor each registration period. Incoming first-year students are required to meet with their advisor in CMCI during the first four terms.

Advising is available throughout the academic year, and major degree tracking sheets are provided. However, students are ultimately responsible for fulfilling all degree requirements and understanding their degree audit. Appointments can be made with CMCI academic advisors in Buff Portal Advising.

Incoming first-year students are required to meet with their assigned primary advisor during the first four terms. This aligns with campus expectations around first year students to ensure proper connections to campus resources through advising and progress through their intended degree program.

Dual Degree/Double Major Programs

Students may complete requirements in two fields and receive two degrees from the university. Such double-degree programs are available combining CMCI with business, engineering, music or disciplines in the College of Arts and Sciences. Students must make application for a double degree program in both CMCI and the Leeds School of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences or the College of Music. Any other combined program must be arranged by consulting both programs. All double degrees shall consist of a degree within CMCI and a degree outside CMCI.

Students may double major within CMCI. The primary major will determine whether the degree is a BA or BS. Students may not get a double degree within CMCI.

Enrollment Policies

CMCI departments determine and manage course enrollment. Enrollment capacities, course scheduling, faculty/instructor assignments, course requirements and waitlist structures are controlled at the department level.

Faculty do not make decisions about individual course enrollment. Students who seek enrollment into a CMCI course must engage in the campus registration process and adhere to policies related to enrollment windows, waitlists, adding, dropping, course reservation, etc.

Enrollment concerns or questions should be directed to individual department administrative staff who will work with the Chairs of the department to determine course enrollment details as needed. Discretion is at the department level to modify or adjust any enrollment details for courses run through the department.

Colorado Student Bill of Rights

In the interests of promoting timely graduation and facilitating the transfer of students among the institutions of higher education in the state of Colorado, the College of Media, Communication and Information and the University of Colorado Boulder adhere to the Student Bill of Rights as presented in Colorado Statute 23-1-125.

• 23-1-125. Commission directive - student bill of rights - degree requirements - implementation of core courses - competency test - prior learning
  1. Student bill of rights. The general assembly hereby finds that students enrolled in public institutions of higher education shall have the following rights:
     1. Students should be able to complete their Associate of Arts and Associate of Science degree programs in no more than 60 credit hours or their baccalaureate programs in no more than 120 credit hours unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the commission;
     2. A student can sign a two-year or four-year graduation agreement that formalizes a plan for that student to obtain a degree in two or four years, unless there are additional degree requirements recognized by the commission;
     3. Students have a right to clear and concise information concerning which courses must be completed successfully to complete their degrees;
     4. Students have a right to know which courses are transferable among the state public two-year and four-year institutions of higher education;
     5. Students, upon completion of core general education courses, regardless of the delivery method, should have those courses satisfy the core course requirements of all Colorado public institutions of higher education;
     6. Students have a right to know if courses from one or more public higher education institutions satisfy the students' degree requirements;
     7. A student's credit for the completion of the core requirements and core courses shall not expire for ten years from the date of initial enrollment and shall be transferable.

Statewide Guaranteed Transfer of General Education Courses

As of fall 2003, the two-year and four-year transfer articulation agreements among Colorado institutions of higher education were replaced by a statewide guaranteed transfer of approved general education courses taken at any Colorado public institution of higher education. Under the statewide guaranteed transfer program, up to 31–33 credit hours of successfully (C- or better) completed coursework will automatically transfer and apply towards graduation requirements at the receiving institution. The coursework must be drawn from the list of approved guaranteed transfer courses and must meet the distribution requirements of the guaranteed transfer program. Further information about the statewide transfer program, including the list of approved courses and distribution requirements, can be found on the Colorado Department of Higher Education's Complete College Colorado! webpage.

As of fall 2006, a student graduating with an Associate of Arts or an Associate of Science degree from a Colorado community college and entering the College of Media, Communication and Information is exempt from the written communication requirement and the lower-division component of the core curriculum, with the exception of CMCI 2030. Additional information on the evaluation of transfer credit of Colorado community college coursework and its application in select arts and sciences major programs can also be found on the College of Arts & Sciences' Student Resources webpage.

Students are required to follow the graduation requirements listed in this catalog at the time of their initial entry onto the Boulder campus.

Credit Policies

Advanced Placement Program

See the undergraduate Credit by Examination section.

International Baccalaureate

Any student admitted to a University of Colorado campus after June 30, 2003, who has graduated from high school having successfully completed an International Baccalaureate (IB) diploma, program will be granted 24 credit hours of college credit. No tuition will be charged for these credit hours. These credit hours will be granted, however, only if the student receives a score of 4 or better on an examination administered as part of the IB diploma program.

In addition, college credit is granted for International Baccalaureate examinations at the higher level with a score of 4 or better. For specific equivalencies, contact the Office of Admissions at 303-492-2458 or visit the International Baccalaureate website.

Credit/No Credit

Credit/no credit changes must occur during the schedule adjustment periods each semester as outlined in the Registrar's academic calendar.

Credit Taken as a Nondegree Student

Once a student has been admitted to a degree program, credits from the Division of Continuing Education such as ACCESS, Boulder evening credit courses and CU Boulder correspondence classes may be eligible to be applied toward the degree. Students will receive initial advising during orientation once they have been accepted to a degree program in the College of Media, Communication and Information.

Incomplete Grades

An I grade is given at the discretion of the course instructor only when a student has satisfactorily completed a substantial portion of a course and, for reasons beyond the student's control, is prevented from completing all work for the course within the term. Incomplete grades must be requested by the student and should not be awarded by the instructor for non-attendance. (In the case of nonattendance, the instructor should award the student the grade(s) earned.) If an incomplete grade is given, the instructor is required to document the reasons/grounds for awarding the incomplete grade, the specific work and conditions for completion of the course and the time frame within which the coursework must be completed. The maximum time the instructor can allow for the completion of the coursework and subsequent award of a course grade is one year from the end of the term the course was taken. After one year, if no final grade is awarded, the I will change to the grade of F. A copy of the Incomplete Agreement signed by the student and instructor and accompanied by documentation of the extenuating circumstances that resulted in the awarding of an incomplete should be filed with the CMCI Advising Office and a copy should be given to the student.

Independent Learning

A maximum of 30 credit hours of correspondence/online learning work may count toward the degree. CMCI and Arts and Sciences courses offered by the CU Boulder Division of Continuing Education carry resident credit.

Independent Study

With departmental approval, students may register for independent study during the normal registration periods for each semester. Students may not register for more than 6 credit hours of independent study credit during any term. No more than 9 credit hours of independent study taken in a single department or program can be applied toward the total credit hours needed for graduation. A maximum of 16 credit hours of independent study may count toward the degree. The minimum expectation for each hour of credit is 25 hours of work.

A student may not use independent study projects to fulfill the college's general education requirements. Some departments further restrict the use of independent study hours toward meeting major requirements.

Repetition of Courses

If a student takes a course for credit more than once, all grades are calculated into the GPA. However, the course is only counted toward graduation once, unless a course description specifically states that it can be taken more than once for credit.

Students may also retake a course for grade replacement under the grade replacement policy. When a student retakes a course for grade replacement, the grade earned in the most recent prior attempt will still appear on the transcript, but their cumulative GPA and credit totals on the transcript will only include the grade from the latest attempt.

ROTC Credit

The ROTC courses listed below have been certified as acceptable college-level coursework by the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences or by other colleges and schools on the Boulder campus. These courses are counted as elective credit toward the degree. Courses not included on this list do not count toward any degree requirements. Transfer ROTC coursework must be evaluated as equivalent to coursework on this list to count toward degree requirements.

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
AIRR 3010 & AIRR 3020	Leading People and Effective Communication 1 and Leading People and Effective Communication 2	6
AIRR 4010 & AIRR 4020	National Security, Leadership Responsibilities/Commissioning Preparation 1 and National Security/Leadership Responsibilities/Commissioning Preparation 2	6
MILR 1011 & MILR 1021	Adventures in Leadership 1 and Adventures in Leadership 2	4
MILR 2031 & MILR 2041	Methods of Leadership and Management 1 and Methods of Leadership and Management 2 (students may not receive credit for either course if they have credit in OPMG 3000)	6
MILR 4072 & MILR 4082	Leadership 1: Adaptive Leadership and Leadership 2: Leadership in a Complex World	6
NAVR 2020	Seapower and Maritime Affairs	3
NAVR 3030	Naval Engineering Systems	3
NAVR 3040	Weapons and Systems Analysis	3
NAVR 3101	Evolution of Warfare	3
NAVR 4010 & NAVR 4020	Leadership and Management and Leadership and Ethics	6
NAVR 4030	Navigation	3

Withdrawal

See the Registration & Enrollment section for campuswide policies and withdrawal procedures.

Students in the College of Media, Communication and Information who withdraw two semesters in a row will have a dean's hold placed on their registration. Summer session is not counted as a regular semester. They will not be permitted to return to CU Boulder before one full academic year has elapsed (not including their semester of withdrawal). CMCI students may withdraw from all classes for a term until the last day that classes are taught by requesting withdrawal through the Office of the Registrar. Students cannot withdraw after classes have ended for a term except through the retroactive withdrawal process outlined in the Registration & Enrollment section.

These policies also apply to CMCI students who are enrolled in Continuing Education courses.

Students are encouraged to apply for leave of absence benefits with the Office of the Registrar when their withdrawal from the university is temporary. For more information, see the Registration & Enrollment section.

Readmission

CMCI students who request readmission to the college are always readmitted to their major of record at the time they last attended the university. Readmitted students who desire to pursue a major different from their major of record must follow the college's process for declaring a major after they have been readmitted.

Core Curriculum

Mission Statement

The Core Curriculum blends liberal arts learning with skills necessary for success in careers involving media, communication and information. It aims to cultivate ways of thinking and doing that serves the educational, vocational and citizenship needs of CMCI students. To these ends, the curriculum promotes expression, collaboration and critical literacy across multiple forms of communication—from speech and writing to computing and visual media. Those skills underwrite learning across the humanities, the arts and the social and natural sciences, insuring educational breadth. The Core Curriculum matches that breadth with focus through a secondary area of study that students choose to supplement their major—a double degree, a double major, a minor or academic certificate. Through designated history and diversity courses, the curriculum equips students to live in globalizing worlds, consider issues from multiple perspectives and engage in long-term thinking beyond the contemporary moment. Finally, the curriculum promotes both intellectual cohesion and independent learning through an introductory Common Experience course for all students and specialized Capstone Experiences tailored to particular majors and interests.

Educational Goals

The Core Curriculum is designed to help CMCI students master ways of doing, thinking and investigating essential to studying and working in media, communication and information fields. These competencies may be studied and practiced in coursework either within or outside the college. Graduates of the college are expected to be able to demonstrate competence in the following:

• Multi-modal composition and expression: being able to use written, spoken, visual and digital media for effective expression, argumentation and communication of ideas and sentiments to audiences.
• Collaboration, design and creative problem solving: being able to work effectively and inventively with others in complex problem solving and design tasks.
• Communicative interaction: being able to look at phenomena from the perspective of symbolic and material interchanges among individuals, collectives and institutions.
• Media literacies: being able to interpret and critically analyze messages and formal conventions (genres, grammars, logics) in multiple modes and media of communication (visual, sonic, discursive) and to consider them from the perspectives of their audiences, political economies and histories.
• Quantitative and computational thinking: being able to approach and solve problems quantitatively and algorithmically, and to apply and utilize computing models and resources when advantageous.
• Institutional and organizational understanding: being able to consider problems, policies and collective action from the perspectives of different institutions and organizations—e.g., political, legal, economic and religious.
• Cultural understanding: being able to consider problems and social experiences comparatively, considering different global and domestic cultures, with attention to categories of race, class, ethnicity, religion, gender and sexuality.
• Historical understanding: being able to consider social, cultural, intellectual, technological and/or institutional phenomena in historical perspective.
• Ethical action: being able to recognize moral issues, deliberate intelligently about them and uphold the ethical standards of particular disciplines and practices.

Design of the Core Curriculum

The Core Curriculum is designed to be both flexible and comprehensive. While promoting a shared mission and identity for CMCI students through a set of college requirements, the Core Curriculum also promotes breadth and porosity of learning across all the schools and colleges of the CU Boulder campus. Most of the core requirements may be taken either within or outside the college, and many are covered by a student's major. Students who wish to double degree in a CMCI discipline and a discipline outside CMCI will find that the CMCI Core Curriculum dovetails almost entirely with the core or breadth requirements of other CU Boulder colleges and schools.

Core Curriculum at a Glance

Course List

Code	Title	Credit Hours
College Requirements
Common Experience: 1 course		4
Capstone Experience: 1 course		3-4
Secondary Area of Study outside the major		variable
Breadth Requirements
Composition and Expression: 2 courses:		6
Lower-division writing
Upper-division composition
Quantitative Thinking: 1 course		3
Computing: 1 course		3
World Language: third-year high school or third-semester college proficiency		0-3
The Natural World: 2 courses + a lab		7
People and Society: 2 courses		6
Humanities and the Arts: 2 courses		6
Point-of-View Requirements
Historical Views: 2 "H" designated courses (0–6 additional credit hours)		0-6
Diversity and Global Cultures: 2 “D” designated courses (0–6 additional credit hours)		0-6
Total Credit Hours		38-54

College Requirements

1. A Common Experience course: incoming first year students are required to take CMCI 1040 and students who transfer into CMCI from outside CU Boulder are required to take CMCI 2030. The common experience course introduces shared themes, values, ethical issues and competencies across the college and emphasizes the marriage of study and practice that will be the hallmark of CMCI as a whole. The course is four credits, and is structured as a lecture plus a lab/studio in which students create projects putting the lecture's ideas into practice by means of writing, speaking, design, visual presentation and other modes of expression, and by means of collaborative and active learning. Students must receive a C- or better in each course in order for them to count toward completion of the requirement.
2. An upper-division Capstone Experience: scholarly, lab-based or studio-based (1 course, 3–4 credit hours). This course fosters students' research, creative work, service learning and/or invention, and may include teamwork as well as individual achievement. This course may be taken within the major, or it may be offered as an interdisciplinary option.
3. An Secondary Area of Study outside the major (variable credit hours). Defined as a double degree, second major, a minor, or an academic certificate, this sequence of courses helps students develop the intellectual versatility necessary for successful study and work in media, communication and information fields.

Breadth Requirements

Breadth requirements may be satisfied either within or outside the college. They may also overlap with requirements for individual majors.

1. Composition and Expression (2 courses, 6 credit hours):
   1. Lower-division writing (3 credit hours). This course develops the foundational skills in written expression expected of every CU Boulder graduate.
   2. Upper-division visual, digital, verbal, written and/or media composition (3 credit hours). This course requirement emphasizes the many alternative forms of composition and expression that CMCI students cultivate.
2. Quantitative Thinking (1 course, 3 credit hours): This course provides students with the ability to think at a certain level of abstraction, to manipulate symbols and to assess adequately the data that will confront them in their coursework and in their daily lives.
3. Computational Thinking and Literacy (1 course, 3 credit hours): This requirement is designed to cultivate an understanding of the basic principles of computational thinking and literacy in order to support students in becoming reflective consumers and producers of information and communication technologies in an increasingly digital world. Courses that fulfill this requirement may do so by introducing students to algorithmic thinking in ways that facilitate purposeful engagement with digital technology use and design; the basic principles and structures of digital computing systems; coding and scripting; information search, retrieval and organization techniques; and human-centered technology design. These topics are contextualized by the ways in which digital technologies shape and are shaped by their interactions with people, organizations and societies.
4. World Language (third-level proficiency): The goal of the language requirement is to encourage students to examine the formal and semantic structure of another language, significant and difficult works in that language, and one or more aspects of the culture lived in that language. This enables students to understand their own language and culture better, analyze texts more clearly and effectively, and appreciate more vividly the dangers and limitations of using a translated document. The language requirement concentrates on reading, although in some languages other abilities may be emphasized as well. Understanding what it means to read a significant text in its original language is essential for a liberal education according to the standards of this university.
   All students are required to demonstrate third-level proficiency in a single non-English modern or classical language. Students may meet this requirement by:
   a) completing a Level III course (typically the third of three consecutive years) of a single non-English language while in high school;¹
   b) graduating from a high school that uses a non-English language as its principal mode of instruction, or receiving, in high school, a Colorado or other state-sponsored Seal of Biliteracy; 
   c) passing an appropriate third-semester college course that is part of a three-course sequence of at least 12 semester credit hours, or earning AP or IB credit equivalent to such a course; or
   d) passing a CU Boulder approved proficiency examination. 
   For a listing of courses at CU that fulfill the Level III requirement, please refer to the Arts & Science World Language listing.
   
   
    
5. The Natural World (2 courses + lab, 7 credit hours): These courses study the nature of matter, life and the universe. They enhance literacy and knowledge of one or more disciplines in the natural or physical sciences, and enhance the reasoning and observing skills necessary to evaluate issues with scientific content. A laboratory or field experience helps students gain hands-on experience with scientific research, develop observational skills of measurement and data interpretation and learn the relevance of these skills to the formation and testing of scientific hypotheses.
6. People and Society (2 courses, 6 credit hours): These courses introduce students to the study of social groups, including social institutions and processes and the forces that mold and shape social groups, including values, beliefs, communication processes and organizational principles. They prepare students to approach social phenomena of all kinds in an informed and critical way; to describe, analyze, compare and contrast social phenomena; and to analyze their own sociocultural assumptions and traditions.
7. Humanities and the Arts (2 courses, 6 credit hours): These courses foster students' understanding of fundamental aesthetic, cultural, literary, philosophical and theological issues. They sharpen critical and analytical abilities so that students may develop a deeper appreciation of works of art and literature and of philosophical, ethical and religious ideas and belief systems.

1

A Level III course is defined as a high school course clearly designated as such (e.g., Spanish 3, Chinese 3 or German III) on the high school transcript or third-semester college course if the third-year course taken in high school is a concurrent/dual enrollment college course. Concurrent/dual enrollment college courses taken while in high school that are below the third semester level will not fulfill this requirement.

Point-of-View Requirements

Point-of-view requirements may be satisfied either within or outside the college, but at a minimum three of the 12 credit hours must be within CMCI. They may also overlap with breadth requirements and/or major requirements. In addition, a single course may be designated both "H" and "D."

1. Historical Views (2 "H" designated courses, 0–6 additional credit hours). This requirement enables students to understand that every contemporary issue has a history, and that an understanding of historical context and change is essential to an understanding of the contemporary moment. "H" designated courses emphasize longitudinal thinking and the investigation of the processes and the meanings of change over time.
2. Diversity and Global Cultures (2 "D" designated courses, 0–6 additional credit hours). This requirement increases students' understanding of the world's diversity and pluralism. "D" designated courses study some aspect of two broad and interrelated areas:
   1. the nature and meaning of diversity and the experience of groups marginalized because of their race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality or other characteristics; and
   2. cultures other than those of Europe and the United States.

Academic Advising and Responsibilities

Students in the college are expected to assume responsibility for planning their academic program in conjunction with their academic advisor. Planning must be in accordance with college rules, policies and with departmental major requirements. Any questions concerning these provisions are to be directed to the student's primary academic advisor. The college cannot assume responsibility for problems resulting from students failing to follow the policies stated in the catalog, failing to understand their degree audit in consult with their academic advisor, failing to engage with or consult regularly with their assigned advisor throughout their degree progression, or from incorrect advice given by someone other than an appropriate staff member of the college.

All new students are required to attend a special orientation, advising and registration program on campus before enrolling. All senior students are expected to review their progress through degree and timeline to graduate with their assigned advisor which results in a student log of their path to graduation. This ensures consistency in processes and progression along the student experience in CMCI.

Advising

Academic advising is an integral part of undergraduate education. The goal of all academic advising is to help students make responsible decisions as they develop educational plans compatible with their potential and with their career and life goals. Advising is more than the sharing of information about academic courses and programs; it includes encouraging students to formulate important questions about the nature and direction of their education and working with them to find answers to those questions. Advisors confer with students about alternative course schedules and other educational experiences, but students themselves are responsible for selecting the content of their academic program and making progress toward an academic degree.

As students progress through their academic program, their questions and concerns change. CU Boulder offers a system of faculty, professional academic advisors and peer advisors to address these ongoing and multifaceted concerns.

Students are ultimately responsible for choosing appropriate courses, for registering accurately and for meeting all degree requirements. Academic advisors assist students in clarifying their interests, values and goals and help students relate these to academic programs and educational opportunities. As students work with their advisors, they help students develop a coherent and balanced program of study that fulfills graduation requirements and assist students in identifying and integrating into their programs educational experiences outside the classroom that enhance their personal, intellectual and professional development. Academic advisors also assist students in understanding academic policies, requirements, procedures and deadlines.

Responsibilities of Students and Advisors

Within the advising system on the Boulder campus, both students and advisors have responsibilities.

Students are responsible for:

1. knowing the requirements of their particular academic program, selecting courses that meet those requirements in an appropriate time frame, prioritizing courses that they need to register to progress toward graduation;
2. consulting with their academic advisor several times every term; establishing a timeline to degree in consultation with their assigned advisor.
3. scheduling and keeping academic advising appointments in a timely manner throughout their academic career, so as to avoid seeking advising only during busy registration periods;
4. being prepared for advising sessions (for example, by bringing in a list of questions or concerns, having a tentative schedule in mind and/or being prepared to discuss interests and goals with their advisor);
5. knowing and adhering to published academic deadlines;
6. monitoring their position on registration waitlists; and
7. reading their CU email on a weekly basis.

Advisors are responsible for:

1. helping students clarify their values, goals and abilities;
2. helping students understand the nature and purpose of a college education;
3. providing accurate information about educational options, requirements, policies and procedures;
4. helping students plan educational programs consistent with the requirements of their degree program and with their goals, interests and abilities;
5. assisting students in the continual monitoring and evaluation of their educational progress; and
6. helping students locate and integrate the many resources of the university to meet their unique educational needs and aspirations.

General Graduation Requirements

CMCI students must fulfill the following requirements for graduation:

1. Pass a total of 120 credit hours.
2. Maintain a 2.00 overall GPA and a 2.00 GPA in CMCI major coursework.
3. All courses taken for the major requirements must be passed with a C- or better.
4. Pass 45 credit hours of upper-division work.
5. Complete a minimum of 45 credit hours in University of Colorado courses on the Boulder campus. Of these 45 credit hours, a minimum of 30 credit hours must be upper division credit hours completed as a matriculated student in CMCI. Six of the 45 credit hours may be taken at other University of Colorado campuses. Courses taken while on CU Boulder study abroad programs, through CU Boulder continuing education or CU Boulder correspondence courses are considered to be in residence.
6. Complete a major offered by the College of Media, Communication and Information. Students are subject to the major requirements in force when they declare the major.
7. Complete the CMCI core and MAPS requirements (MAPS apply to students entering prior to Summer 2023).