The Department of Communication Studies is dedicated to several distinct purposes within the university and the world at large. While primarily grounded in the social sciences, the department also recognizes, embraces, and represents the humanities and liberal arts roots and foundations of its discipline. We also celebrate our many applied areas where theory meets practice.
Our primary purpose is to provide our majors with undergraduate and graduate degree programs in which the philosophy, practice, criticism, and study of communication are appropriately emphasized and balanced. Such integration makes our program well suited to preparing our students for both graduate education and professional careers. This commitment is expressed through a wide variety of applied learning opportunities for both our students and faculty.
Our commitment is to higher education, and to collaboration with students that is dynamic and interactive. We strive to serve as models of the subjects we teach. As educators, the department values reasoned advocacy, artistic expression, and pragmatic success. We encourage and empower students as responsible communicators equipped to consume, analyze, create, and enact communication ethically and effectively. We intentionally connect the curriculum to holistic personal growth as well as one’s growth as a communication specialist.
We explore all viable research and creative venues that afford scholarly expression. These include texts, articles, broadcast artifacts, digital media products, scripts, performances, convention/conference presentations, workshops, and seminars.
Service to our discipline, college, university, community, and region is also a vital part of our mission. Sharing communication expertise with these publics enhances the department's visibility and credibility. It also helps promote our program as well as the university's general directive.
In sum, we seek to use our knowledge, skills and talents to help students become all they can be as people and communication specialists during their time with us.