Student
Resources: A variety of special programs and opportunities provide CCPA
majors with significant advantages in their training. These include off-campus
programs in the United States and abroad, as well as opportunities for internships
and special honors classes.
CCPA Off-Campus Learning Opportunities
SMU-in-London
SMU-in-London, now in its 22nd year, is a rewarding summer program
designed especially for SMU communication arts students. During
the month-long program, SMU students earn six hours of academic credit.
The program begins
in early July and concludes at the beginning of August. It is
based at Regent's College, located in the heart of London in beautiful
Regent's
Park. Included in the cost of the program is tuition for two
courses, room and board, local transportation, day-trips in and around
London, a sightseeing
bus tour, theater outings, and field trips scheduled as part
of individual classes. In addition to a challenging curriculum, students
spend time exploring
this dynamic city—theatres, museums, historical buildings, cathedrals,
business and media centers and British seats of government. Students
also travel to cities outside London on group outings and independently.
The following courses are usually offered at SMU-in-London: International Communication, British Advertising Campaigns, News Reporting in Europe, British Advertising Account Planning and Screen Artists in British Cinema. Classes are taught by CCPA faculty, as well as professors from the other communication arts divisions. There are no prerequisites, but application is required for admission to the program.
Applications and brochures for the program are available from the International Programs Office located at 3108 Fondren Drive, or the CCPA office. Space is limited, so apply early.
SMU-in-Taos
Since 1997, 23 students have studied the nonprofit sector during
June at SMU's campus at Fort Burgwin in Taos, New Mexico. In addition
to class time (during which students master skills of writing specifically
for nonprofit organizations), students also intern for local nonprofits
that include Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), Rocky Mountain
Youth Corp, Taos Art Association, Habitat For Humanity, Milicent Rogers
Museum and Casa De Corazon. Students complete professional-quality materials
for the audiences specific to the nonprofit while living at Fort Burgwin,
a restored 19th-century fort in the Carson National Forest. For more
information on the program, contact the CCPA office.
Washington Studies Program
CCPA is partnered with American University to support a semester-long
Washington, D.C. curriculum. Additionally, shorter seminars
are scheduled yearly as part of our "Hilltop on the Hill" program.
During Presidential election years, student programs are offered at both
the
Democratic and Republican National Conventions and at the Inaugural.
CCPA Honors Program
Students may apply for admission to the CCPA Honors track after completion
of 60 credit hours with a 3.5 overall GPA or better. To graduate with
honors, students must take six hours of Honors-designated CCPA courses
and the CCPA 4375 Honors Thesis in Communication Theory course. Students
accepted to the CCPA Honors track must maintain a 3.5 or higher overall
GPA in all SMU course work to graduate with the Honors distinction. The
top 10 percent of each class is eligible for faculty nomination into
Kappa Tau Alpha, the national communication honor society.
