Communication Studies examines how human beings, individually or institutionally, make sense of the world or act in the face of meanings others seek to impose on them. As communication becomes more technological, it becomes important to understand individual efforts to persuade as well as the cultural and political-economic structures and media forms that affect how meanings are made. The department's origins were in a major program emphasizing rhetoric, public address, and organizational communication and a separate minor program in journalism. These approaches include both humanities and social-science perspectives. Oral and written communication skills vital for personal, political, social and vocational effectiveness.
Classes stress speaking and writing.
Reasoning and critical thinking abilities that enable one to create and evaluate arguments in interpersonal and organizational discourse and images and narratives in media. Knowledge of small group and interpersonal communication to understand and practice effective group functioning in personal and organizational contexts. Understanding of theories of communication and modes of criticism that provide classical and contemporary perspectives useful in framing and analyzing communication acts. This includes understanding the philosophical and cultural assumptions of theories and modes of criticism and their relation to social critique. Sensitivity to ways historically constructed differences of class, culture, education, ethnicity, gender, geographical origin, race, and sexuality affect freedom of speech, access to the media, and the pursuit of social justice.