The school of communication at Northern Arizona University identified four areas--survey, written, oral, and theory--to be included in the core curriculum for all communication majors. As a follow-up to the deliberation by the school's curriculum committee, a study was undertaken to determine if such central curricula could be found in similar schools of communication. Directors, deans, chairs or curriculum coordinators at 40 institutions were asked to respond to a questionnaire and to include any information, brochures or other details that would describe the intent and purpose of their curricula. The results indicated that schools seem to be moving toward a common process of communication instruction. The vast majority of institutions specifically designated particular core courses. Based upon the data gathered, it appeared that most core courses center around four conceptual or applied areas that are basic to all communication/mass communication fields: writing skills, communication survey or history, communication theory (blended with theory and research), and communication law and ethics. (HOD)