M.A. The study of communication is among the oldest of liberal arts, dating from the ancient Greeks' concern with the role of communication in social, cultural, and political life, and preparing students to be competent participants.
Demand continues today for broadly educated, culturally competent people.
The communication program fosters cultural competence through experiential learning within the context of theoretical course work. By the end of their program of study, communication majors are expected to be able to demonstrate two levels of cultural competence, professional and theoretical. Twelve competencies state the assumptions common to courses in the major. Student understanding of the competencies is demonstrated through a portfolio of their work as majors prepared as part of COMM 495, Senior Seminar. It is the student's responsibility to be aware of the requirements of the major at the time it is declared, as well as any changes in the major instituted by the faculty.