A student at the University of Missouri--Columbia with significant experience in making public presentation may be eligible to substitute a more advanced course for Comm 1200: Introduction to Speech Communication" subject to the approval of the Department of Communication and the department in which the student is majoring. Significant experience may include activities such as extensive participation in speech or debate activities in high school or extensive job experience in making public presentations. This policy does not mean that the student will receive 3 hours of credit for Comm 1200. Rather it means that the student may take one or more of the following advanced courses in place of Comm 1200:

Com 3572 Argument and Advocacy
Com 3575 Business and Professional Speaking
Com 3576 Persuasive Speaking

The student may request eligibility for a more advanced course in order either to meet a program requirement of Comm 1200 or in order to take more challenging course work. The procedure for substituting an advanced course for Comm 1200 is as follows:

1. The student will provide the following to the Course Director of Comm 1200:
   1. A written description and any other documentation of the public speaking experiences.
   2. A written letter of recommendation from an appropriate individual (e.g., coach or supervisor) attesting to their public speaking skills.
2. Upon receipt of the documentation, the Course Director of 1200 will examine the documentation and make a recommendation whether the student should take Comm 1200 or is eligible for a more advanced course. Decisions of the Course Director may be appealed to the Department Chair. When the student is eligible for the advanced courses, this will be reported on the Eligibility for Substituting Course Work for Comm 1200 Form.
3. The student will take the Eligibility Form to the appropriate departmental or college advisor from his/her major and in some cases, to the Dean of the appropriate college for approval and signatures. Then the form will be placed in the student's file and the Department of Communication files. In the case of students planning to apply to be communication majors, this form will be signed by the departmental advisor and included in the application for major materials.
4. The student will enroll in one of the three advanced courses named above.