Communication Studies

Communicating in all the right ways

Government, non-profit, corporate and small business are all consistent when asked what they need to succeed: Leaders and organizers who can communicate effectively. Our program focuses on those key "soft" skills of how humans interact and how they make meaning of the words and symbols that bombard them all day, every day. These are skills that transcend fields and go to core ideals of what moves society forward.

All students in the School of Media and Communication begin their journeys with a small set of core courses. These are COM110, a one-hour class that discusses the careers and opportunities available in Media and Communication; COM210, a two-hour skills class centered on Digital Skills, and COM310, Social and Digital Media, which introduces students to analyzing and creating social media. Communication Studies students then take courses that show how communication works in health, legal, political, organizational and social settings or courses that enhance skills in interviewing, argumentation and public speaking. We also offer classes that focus on such topics as crisis communication, humor, deception, and persuasion. Majors can study gender issues, social movements, political campaigns, race relations, and interpersonal conflict.

Strong Freshman applicants will present a 2.5 minimum GPA in core academic subjects. It is understood that most foreign education systems do not follow the same core curriculum as taught in U.S. high schools. Therefore, each applicant will be evaluated on criteria particular to the educational system of the country in which they completed their studies. However, it is expected that a college preparatory curriculum include courses in English, Math, Science, and Social Science.