Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies

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, public relations, strategic communication, and market research among many others. The undergraduate curriculum focuses upon the application of theory and research in human communication to a variety of personal, social, and organizational settings. Majors may elect to follow one of five areas of emphasis (health, integrated, interpersonal, social media and communication technology, or strategic and organizational communication). All majors complete a capstone sequence that consists of two courses intended to integrate academic coursework and apply course material to real-world experience. HEALTH COMMUNICATION Facilitate your preparation for health-related careers by focusing on communication over the lifespan, health campaigns, mediated communication, and persuasion. Learn how to design and evaluate effectively health messages to be communicated interpersonally, organizationally, and within the community at large. INTEGRATED COMMUNICATION Gain exposure to a generalist communication education. Tailor your degree program to enhance communication skills with your own goals and passions in mind with assistance from your advisor. INTERPERSONAL COMMUNICATION Develop your ability to investigate, identify, and enact effective behaviors in personal relationships such as family, co-workers, small group, friends, and romantic partnerships. This knowledge complements fields that involve or focus on the betterment of these relationships. SOCIAL MEDIA & COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY Gain expertise in the emerging role of social networking and social media in human communication for interpersonal, instructional, organizational, and strategic contexts. Be prepared to apply the theory of social media technology to meet personal and professional goals. STRATEGIC AND ORGANIZATIONAL COMMUNICATION Develop your ability to successfully navigate any organization by improving your understanding of organizational communication, social media, small group dynamics, persuasion, and communication campaigns. Major Learning Goals Upon successful completion of the B.A. degree, Communication Studies majors will be able to: Describe the major theories of human communication and apply them to various contexts. Critique communication messages from a social science perspective. Cite evidence of the impact of communication on human behavior in interpersonal and/or organizational contexts. Identify and describe the functions of media in a democratic society. Investigate the role of verbal and nonverbal messages in the human communication process. Examine the intersection of communication and culture. Design and evaluate effective strategies for social influence. Critically examine ethical issues involved in various communication contexts. Evaluate social science criteria to evaluate communication research. Analyze the role of communication in conflict and conflict management. Careers Business Government Healthcare Journalism Law Media Public Relations Social Media