With its unique specializations in the arts, communication, and the liberal arts, Emerson College offers a range of options within and across those fields. Many students arrive on campus with an interest in one or more of them—and the desire to learn more about these areas before declaring their major.
About The Undergraduate Discovery Program
The Emerson College Discovery Program is designed to help undeclared first-year students further explore and understand the various academic options across the College, while establishing a foundation in communication skills and earning credit. Discovery Program students have the unique opportunity to take classes in subjects spanning many of the College’s academic departments: Communication Sciences and Disorders; Communication Studies; Journalism; Marketing Communication; and Writing, Literature, and Publishing.
During the first semester, undeclared students will be enrolled in SOC 100: Discovery Lab, a specially designed foundational course where they will experience classes in each department, meet with faculty, and learn about major current trends and practices in communication and the arts. This exploratory course will be taken alongside other first-year foundational liberal arts requirements. Then in the spring semester, students will choose from a variety of introductory major courses, which will give the opportunity to delve deeper into select topics.
The Discovery Program offers a unique opportunity for students to learn more about curricular options at Emerson College and about their own future ambitions and aspirations at the same time. Our dedicated team of faculty and professional academic advisors provide expert guidance throughout each student’s journey in The Discovery Program so that they may enter their sophomore year prepared to declare the major—and maybe even a minor—that is right for them!
Note: Majors within the Performing Arts, Comedic Arts, and Visual and Media Arts departments are by application only and due at the end of the first semester pending eligibility requirements and program space availability. Please be advised that acceptance into these competitive majors is not guaranteed for current Emerson students (and not permitted for BFA Musical Theatre and BFA Acting).
The Discovery Program Foundational Course
SOC 100: Discovery Lab
The Discovery Lab will introduce students to major current trends in various communication-based fields and practices. Through interactive and dynamic explorations of practices and learning spaces across the many programs at Emerson, students will have the chance to experience classes in each department, meet faculty, learn about the exciting opportunities available in each of the departments, and engage with contemporary ideas and technologies that guide the future of communication practice. The Lab will help Discovery students better understand the relationship between community, society, and equity, and how these mindsets are essential to robust careers in communication-based fields.
The Discovery Program Departmental Courses
During the second semester of the Discovery Program, students may take any combination of up to two (2) of the following introductory major classes (pending seat availability):
Business of Creative Enterprises
BC 111: Creative Collaboration Seminar
Communication Disorders
CD 162: American Sign Language I
CD 193: Introduction to Communication Disorders
Communication Studies
CC 203: Intercultural Communication
CC 263: Argument and Advocacy
Journalism
JR 101: Discovering Journalism
Marketing Communication
MK 120: Communication, Media, and Society
MK 121: Marketing and Marketing Communication
Political Communication
CC 221: Global Political Communication
Public Relations
CC 250: Introduction to Public Relations
Sports Communication
CC 235: Sports Communication
CC 236: Sports Public Relations
Writing, Literature and Publishing or Creative Writing
LI 120: Introduction to Literary Studies
WR 211: Introduction to Creative Writing, Fiction
WR 212: Introduction to Creative Writing, Poetry
WR 216: Introduction to Creative Writing, Nonfiction
PB 207: Introduction to Magazine Writing