Communication Studies
Requirements for a Concentration
Requirements for a Minor

Overview
The Communication Studies concentration draws on the traditional liberal arts study of communication. Students choose a variety of courses that help them understand and appreciate the role of communication in our society. Theory courses show students what constitutes and contributes to effective communication, performance courses help students develop and refine their own communication skills, and critical/analytical courses encourage students to choose communication strategies. Students learn to examine individuals, social groups, political figures and organizations, and media for the purpose of understanding why some communication strategies are effective, and others are not.

Communication Studies focuses on the essence of communication. The roots of the major, and communication as a discipline, stem from the development of skills in oratory, debate, interpersonal dynamics and written discourse, to name a few. Several newer courses, including Advanced Interpersonal Communication, Speech Writing, and Gender & Communication are testimony that this track continues to evolve with the addition of new faculty and a commitment to scholarship.

Many students continue into graduate programs, and others become employed in a variety of professions that require complex skills that this concentration provides. A number of courses in Philosophy, Psychology, and Theater, among others, are incorporated into the concentration's elective hours. Some Communication Studies majors take on a double major, or minor in a related field, to further broaden skills in communication and understanding.