Current CU Students (IUT)

Q. I have a 2.499 and the minimum GPA to apply is a 2.500. Can I still apply?

The minimum overall GPA to be admitted is a 2.500. There is no petition process for admission for students below a 2.500. Students with below the minimum GPA are encouraged to submit an application by the “Priority Deadline”. The application will be deferred at that time and will be reviewed once grades have been posted for the semester.

Q. I received below a B- in the course required to apply to my intended major. What should I do now?

This can be a complicated question. If you are able to take additional coursework in the major, we will average all the courses in the major to reach to the minimum 2.500 in major coursework.

Here are some general guidelines:

• If you received a C/C- in the prerequisite course:
  • If you are applying to Communication, Media Studies or Information Science, you can take additional lower-division courses in that department.
  • If you are applying to Journalism or Media Production (Critical Media Practices), you may have the opportunity to take additional courses in the major on a space available basis towards the end of registration. If you are applying to Strategic Communication (Advertising, Public Relations and Design), you will NOT be able to take additional APRD courses with the exception of APRD 1004 and 3006, which are open to all students.
• If you received below a C-, it may be in your best interest to retake the course. All courses need to be at least a C- or better to count for the major. In terms of your application to CMDI, we would look at the second grade for admission purposes. You can also look at additional courses as stated in the guidelines above, however, there may be prerequisites in place that will prevent you from taking more courses with a grade below a C-.

Q. I have met the admission requirements for two majors, which one is less competitive and should I apply to that one instead of the major I want?

You should apply to your intended major. No major is more competitive to get into than the others. Admission is based solely on submitting your application by the “Priority Deadline” and meeting the minimum requirements for that major. If you meet the minimum requirements and have submitted your application by the deadline, you will be admitted. If you miss the deadline, all applications are reviewed for admission on a space available basis.

Q. Is it possible to be denied admission to CMDI?

Yes, here are the most common reasons a student may be denied admission:

• Not meeting the CMDI IUT Requirements
• Applying after the deadline
• Lack of space availability

Q. I was admitted as “On-Track”? What does that mean and how can I meet with an advisor?

On-Track admission means that you have met the overall GPA and credit hours requirements, but you are currently enrolled in the prerequisite course for the major. As an On-Track student, you will be assigned a CMDI advisor and have registration access to certain courses in your new major. Once you see the CMDI advisor on Buff Portal Advising, you can access their calendar to schedule an appointment.

If you complete the prerequisite course with a B- or better and maintain your overall GPA, your major will officially change a few weeks after the semester has ended. If you do not meet the minimum requirements, you will be denied admission and courses you are enrolled in for the major will be dropped from your schedule.

Q. I would like to double major in CMDI. Should I submit an application to both majors?

No, you should submit your application to your primary major choice. Once you are admitted, you can talk with your CMDI advisor to add the second major. The soonest you can request to add or change your major is the start of classes of the semester that you are admitted. If you want to change to (or add) Strategic Communication, you must have under 60 credits at the start of your first semester in CMDI and have taken APRD 1003. Please be aware that CMDI does not guarantee course availability for students who change their majors after registration. Because of this, you may need additional time to complete your degree.

Q. I’m a junior/senior and just found your college. How long will it take me to earn my degree?

You should plan on at least 4 semesters once you have been admitted. If you plan to go abroad or are completing a double degree, it could be 5 or even 6 semesters. Our degree programs are not designed to be completed in less than 4 semesters. Please be aware that if you have completed 60 credits at CU Boulder, you are no longer eligible for admission to the Strategic Communication (APRD) major.

Q. My current advisor mentioned something about a “Residency Requirement”. What is this and will it affect my timeline for graduation?

Here is our Residency Requirement from the catalog:

CMDI 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 Communication, Media, Design 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.

The portion above in bold can affect your graduation timeline. Let’s say, for instance, that you are able to complete a good majority of the major requirements without being in the major, and you apply to the major for admission your second semester of senior year. If admitted, you will still need to complete 30 hours of upper-division coursework (15 hours must be upper-division in your major) starting the semester you are admitted. This will most likely move your graduation to that summer or even the next fall semester.

Q. Can I meet with an advisor in CMDI to plan my next semester?

Our CMDI IUT coordinator has open appointments on Buff Portal Advising. You can see those appointments by clicking on the “Meet with a Different Advisor” tile. The appointment times are limited and can fill quickly. Appointments can be made up to two weeks in advance. We also have Peer Advisors who can help with any registration questions or issues. The Peer Advisors are current juniors and seniors in CMDI and have lots of experience with the classes and majors within CMDI.

Ralphie’s Help Lab and your current advisor are also great resources to help you with some planning until you are able to meet with the IUT coordinator. Please do not wait to register for courses because you haven’t met with an advisor!

Q. I am applying to CMDI this semester and plan to go abroad next semester. Where should I go and what should I take?

In CMDI, we encourage our students to go wherever they want! There are a few programs that offer elective coursework in CMDI and a lot of our students gravitate towards those. The Education Abroad office works with our students to help them narrow down their choices for programs, so be sure to meet with an advisor there as you are planning your abroad semester. What courses should you take? All of our students take upper-division electives or core classes (Historical Views and Diversity and Global Cultures) while they are abroad. Occasionally, there are courses offered that count in our majors, and that should be reflected on the course approval list on the Education Abroad website.

Q. Can I take courses in CMDI if I am not a student in the college?

Any student regardless of college can take the prerequisite courses for our majors (APRD 1003, JRNL 1000, MDST 1001 or 1002, COMM 1210 or INFO 1701, 1111 or 1121). Here are some guidelines for courses beyond those listed above:

• If you are interested in Communication, Media Studies or Information Science, you can take additional lower-division courses in those departments if they are not major-restricted.
• If you are interested in Journalism or Media Production (Critical Media Practices), you may have the opportunity to take additional courses in the major on a space available basis AFTER current majors have registered for courses.
• If you are interested in Strategic Communication (Advertising, Public Relations and Design), you will NOT be able to take additional APRD courses with the exception of APRD 1004 and 3006, which are open to all students.

Q. I am taking the prerequisite course to apply to CMDI this semester. What should the rest of my schedule look like?

You can work on your core requirements, minor or double degree requirements or electives. For electives, if you are a junior or above, you should consider taking an upper-division course. This will help you meet the 45 hours of upper-division you need to graduate. For core classes, our IUT students are not required to take CMDI 1040 or 2030.

Q. I heard CMDI requires students to complete a minor along with your major. Is that true?

Yes, it is. More specifically, CMDI requires that all students, regardless of major, complete a Secondary Area of Study. This can be done with a minor, double major or double degree. For all majors, except Journalism, it can also be completed with an academic certificate of at least 12 credit hours. Remember this is a graduation requirement, and will need to be completed in order to receive your degree in CMDI.

Q. I would like to get an internship. Is one required and can I do it for credit?

The only majors that require an internship are Journalism and Media Studies. Internships can be done in the other majors (except for Information Science) for upper-division elective credit. You can only receive credit for an internship if you have been admitted to CMDI and have met the appropriate prerequisites. Visit our internship website for more information.