Communication Studies, Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science

Communication studies—a social science similar to sociology and psychology—is the science of how communication affects our relationships with other people in a variety of contexts. Communication Studies is focused on human communication processes that can be generally classified into verbal and nonverbal. It deals with a variety of issues related to these processes, including the sharing of meaning, the encoding and decoding of messages, and the development of relationships using communication in a variety of contexts. Our department focuses on interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, nonverbal communication, and theories of communication, among other areas.

Our degree prepares you for a variety of fields, including teaching at all levels, public advocacy and public relations, governmental relations, human relations, education, patient advocacy, motivational speaking, and website development and marketing. Many of our students continue their studies in graduate programs or law schools.

Highlights

Faculty and students have ongoing research programs in such areas as social support, risk, sport communication, health communication, relational maintenance, organizational communication, instructional communication, intercultural communication, and mediated communication.  The program is actively involved in advising students about course sequences available to prepare them for a diverse careers where strong communication skills are key.

Requirements

Communication studies offers both the Bachelor of Arts (BA) and Bachelor of Science (BS). The BA option requires 14 hours of a foreign language plus a philosophy course, while the BS requires 8 hours of natural science plus a math/statistics or computer science course beyond the core curriculum science requirement.

Students should select a minor that suits their interests and career goals. Common minors include English, political science, foreign languages, psychology, criminal justice, or sociology.

Careers in Communication Studies

• Patient Advocate
• Human Resources
• Nonprofit Leader
• Manager
• Event coordinator
• Outside Sales
• Religious leader
• Consultant
• Attorney
• Secondary Teacher
• University Professor

Or continue your education with a graduate degree.

Program Breakdown