Policy on Waiving Speech Communication

General Education Requirement

Since the issue of CLEP and waivers has arisen again in regards to our required writing course I felt it was necessary to once again clarifying our department policy with regards to challenging/waiving the speech communications general education required course.

For transferring purposes we accept any variation of COMM 111 (at UAF the course has been split into two acceptable options), 235, 237 or 241 from the University of Alaska as well as other colleges. We do not offer a challenge for credit for any of these courses. We do, however, offer a challenge exam to waive the required speech communication course. The process that has for the last twenty years is as follows.

Students interested in waiving the GER in speech communication will need to contact a full-time faculty in speech communication with a portfolio demonstrating that he/she is ready to meet the challenge. This portfolio would include a detailed resume (demonstrating competency in communication in interpersonal, group and public contexts), a list of references who could be contacted to support the student’s competency, and any other materials (videos, programs, newspaper clipping, etc. of performances/presentations) that demonstrate competency and readiness to take the challenge. The faculty member perusing this file would make a decision regarding the student’s readiness and administer the challenge. The challenge is currently in the form of three essay questions requiring lengthy analytical responses (approximately 7-12 pages in length) for which the candidate has up to a month to answer and submit followed by an oral presentation to the relevant faculty and other audience members. The challenge to waive is concluded with either a pass (or fail) decision made by the speech communication faculty member who signs the appropriate form indicating the student has passed the challenge, waives the GER, but does not receive credit for it. A student will have only one opportunity to challenge (should they fail they will be required to take one of the speech communication GER options) and forfeits the option altogether if they do not meet the time limitations set by the faculty member administering the challenge.

I hope this is helpful and avoids any further confusion on the part of students and their advisors regarding challenges and waivers of required speech communication courses. Thanks for listening.