Return to: Programs by Department

Assistant Professor Scott Anderson, Chair
Professors: Hall, Hill, Pan
Associate Professors: Bhandari
Assistant Professors: Scott, Tetteh, Thatcher
Instructors: Bahn, Freeze, Gray, Robins, Scott

The Department of Communication offers a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies and a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communication. Students may choose an optional emphasis in public communication, interpersonal communication, or organizational communication in the Communication Studies program. The Department of Communication also offers Certificates in Athlete Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Promotion, Debate and Forensics, Health Communication, Nonprofit Communication, Public Relations and Advertising, and Social Media Management.

Communication Studies Program:

Communication Studies focuses on the ways that people make use of both verbal and nonverbal messages to generate meanings within various contexts, cultures, and media. Since 75% of a person’s day is spent communicating in some way, the importance of being able to communicate clearly cannot be overemphasized. Communication skills are essential to personal satisfaction and academic success, as well as employment.

Courses provide a strong theoretical foundation in communication as well as an emphasis on improvement in practical communication skills. Majors in Communication Studies have the flexibility to focus on specific areas of interest while obtaining a thorough understanding of communication. Students may also choose to become involved with departmental activities such as the debate team or Lambda Pi Eta, the national honor society for communication students.

Strategic Communication Program:

Strategic Communication uses public relations, advertising, social media, and organizational communication to build mutually beneficial relationships with key stakeholders. Effective organizations use strategic communication to help achieve their goals and objectives and recognize that groups inside and outside the organizations are critical to their success. Communication is strategic when it uses research and evaluation to determine how goals and objectives are effectively reached.

Students graduating from this program will know and understand how to use advertising, public relations, social media, branding, crisis communication, media relations, research methods and evaluation tools to help organizations communicate with their publics. They will be prepared to work for companies big and small, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations such as universities, hospitals, museums and NGOs.

Students earning a Bachelor of Science in Strategic Communication must complete the following:

1. Earn no more than three hours of internship credit towards the 120 hours required for graduation.
2. Take a senior exit exam on the study day prior to final exams of his or her last semester of enrollment.
3. Complete an exit survey and submit a resume prior to graduation.

Programs

• Communication Studies, BA
• Communication Studies, Emphasis in Interpersonal Communication, BA
• Communication Studies, Emphasis in Organizational Communication, BA
• Communication Studies, Emphasis in Public Communication, BA
• Strategic Communication, BS

• Communication Studies, Minor
• Strategic Communication, Minor

• Athlete Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Promotion
• Debate and Forensics, Certificate
• Health Communication, Certificate
• Nonprofit Communication, Certificate
• Public Relations and Advertising, Certificate
• Social Media Management, Certificate

Return to: Programs by Department