Overview
Overview
We offer face-to-face instruction at the Pelican Bay campus of Cal Poly Humboldt. The site is accredited and provides the same curriculum, taught by the same instructors, as the Arcata campus. We are proud to be the first campus in the CSU system to offer a Bachelor of Arts in a maximum-security yard. Our students in this program achieve some of the highest GPAs in the major. Students take 4 to 5 classes per semester, receive career and academic advising, and engage in academic research. This comprehensive support ensures that students are well-prepared for their future endeavors, both academically and professionally.
Program Requirements
Program Requirements
Prospective students should have completed the "golden four" general education courses: oral communication, critical thinking, English composition, and mathematics. They should also have completed 60 semester credits or 90 quarter credits, with at least 30 transferable General Education credits. Students eligible for Pell Grants will receive assistance in applying for funding. Additionally, prospective students must fill out an application and provide the necessary information for Cal Poly Humboldt to review their transcripts. Other requirements may apply.
Cal Poly Humboldt offers a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communication for Pelican Bay students who have completed their Associate's Degree. This degree completion program provides 60 units of targeted courses to help students finish their BA degree. The program began in Spring 2024 with an initial cohort of 20–27 students. In the first semester, students were offered one course, with a full course load starting in Fall 2024. The first cohort is expected to graduate in Spring 2026. Upon completing the program and the necessary General Education requirements, students will receive their Bachelor of Arts in Communication.
Students in the cohort program will take 6–15 units of coursework per semester, typically 3 or 4 classes, with the expectation that most will graduate in two to three years. Some students may be able to count previous coursework towards their degree, potentially accelerating their progress, while others may take slightly longer. Communication faculty advisors will help guide students on the best pathway to maximize their educational success.
Cost of Attendance
Cost of Attendance
There is no cost to individual students. Students will be guided through the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) process to access Pell Grants if eligible. However, Pell Grant eligibility is not a requirement to apply to this program. The goal is to provide access to a Bachelor's degree for students at Pelican Bay.
Learning Environment
Learning Environment
This program is designed to be face-to-face for students at Pelican Bay. However, in certain circumstances, such as health, pedagogical, or security concerns, we may offer some courses in alternative instructional modes. Our commitment to engagement and intellectual connection with faculty will not be compromised.
The initial cohort is planned for 20-27 students, ensuring high-quality educational opportunities for Pelican Bay students.
Transfer
Transfer
Communication is one of the most common degree pathways in California, facilitating easy transfer opportunities. If a student moves to another prison in California, they may continue their studies at another university in Communication, though this is not a guarantee of admission or enrollment elsewhere. Students are accepted into Cal Poly Humboldt. Those who are released are invited to enroll in courses on the Arcata campus. Communication advisors will assist released students with academic opportunities, including partial-term class support and changes in instructional mode. Project Rebound counselors can help bridge re-entry resources and support the transition.
Provisional Course Catalog
Provisional Course Catalog
Spring 2024
- Comm 309B (3 units, DCG, UD GE C or D)
Summer 2024
- Comm 321 Digital Communication or Comm 420 Rhetoric of Science 4 Units
Fall 2024
- Comm 108 Oral Interpretation (3 units LD Major, LD C)
- Comm 214: Persuasive speaking (3 units LD Major)
- Upper division elective CRGS 308 (3 units UD Area F, American Institutions)
- Comm 438 Leadership Communication (4 units UD Major)
Spring 2025
- Comm 319W: Research Methods (4 units UD Major)
- Comm 300: Contemporary Public Discourse (3 Units Major, UD Area C)
- Comm 213: Interpersonal Communication (3 units LD Major)
- Upper division elective (3-4 units)
Fall 2025
- Comm 105 Intro to Communication (3 units, LD GE D) (tied to new cohort)
- Comm 315 Social Advocacy (4 units UD major)
- Comm 420: Rhetoric of Science (4 units UD Major) may be swapped out for an UD elective
- Upper division Area B GE (3 units)
- Comm 108: Oral Interpretation (3 Units LD major and LD GE area C)
Spring 2026
- Comm 450: Strategic Communication (4 units UD major)
- Comm 432: Critical cultural communication (4 units UD major)
- Comm 210: Argumentation and Debate (3 units LD major)
- Upper Division Elective (3-4 units)