Bachelor of Communication Studies at West Virginia University

The Department of Communication Studies offers a curriculum to meet the needs of liberal arts and pre-professional students oriented toward communication-related careers such as marketing, sales, recruiting, management, and market research, among many others. The undergraduate curriculum focuses on the application of theory and research in human communication to a variety of personal, social, and organizational settings.  Majors must select one of five areas of emphasis (health, integrated, interpersonal, social media and communication technology, or organizational communication).  All majors complete COMM 491, an internship, and COMM 403, the capstone course. These two courses allow students to integrate academic content with real-world experience.  For more information about this program, please go to http://communicationstudies.wvu.edu.

Selecting an Area of Emphasis:

Each Area of Emphasis will allow students to hone different skills.

• Health Communication

  • Design and evaluate effective health messages to be communicated interpersonally, organizationally, and culturally.
  • Explore contemporary issues in the U.S. health care system and develop the skills necessary for navigating diverse populations.
  • Prepare for careers in health care management, advocacy, and campaigns.

• Integrated Communication

  • Create and deliver messages for diverse audiences across communication contexts and relational partners.
  • Customize coursework across the health, interpersonal, social media and technology, and organizational communication areas of emphasis.
  • Prepare for careers across a variety of for-profit and nonprofit organizations.

• Interpersonal Communication

  • Develop and demonstrate the ability to relate to others across personal and professional relationships, including romantic relationships, friendships, family, small groups, and workplace colleagues.
  • Explore the behaviors and events that affect the development, maintenance, and termination of these relationships.
  • Prepare for careers in community relations, public service, and nonprofit management.

• Social Media & Communication Technology

  • Construct and deliver appropriate, effective, and ethical messages necessary for meeting the communication goals associated with social media and technology.
  • Analyze the role that social media and technology plays in shaping people's perceptions, behaviors, and social interactions.
  • Prepare for careers in media planning, social media coordination, and marketing.

• Organizational Communication

  • Create and implement messages designed to strategically navigate workplace interactions with superiors, subordinates, peers, and stakeholders.
  • Acquire ways to recruit, retain, and socialize organizational employees as well as develop leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
  • Prepare for careers in management, human resources, and training and development.

Students who earn a degree in the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences must complete the University requirements, the College requirements for their specific degree program, and their major requirements.

Minors

All students have the possibility of earning one or more minors; follow the link for a list of all available minors and their requirements. Please note that students may not earn a minor in their major field.

Communication Studies

Upon successful completion of the B.A. degree, Communication Studies majors will be able to:

1. Identify and explain the primary communication theories, perspectives, principles, and concepts associated with their area of emphasis;

2. Analyze and critique messages using communication theories, perspectives, principles, and concepts;

3. Interpret, design, and conduct original communication-based research;

4. Create and deliver effective communication messages across oral, written, and mediated channels appropriate to the audience, purpose, and context.