Communication & Media Studies, B.A.

Communication is at the heart of being human and encompasses everything from how we create and maintain relationships to how we generate and distribute messages and information in our communities, in a workplace and around the world. Communication is essential to our identity and our culture. Within the framework of a sound liberal arts education, the Department of Communication offers students three exciting majors that help prepare them for careers in a wide variety of fields and industries: Communication and Media Studies, Journalism and Public Relations. All Communication majors should have good writing and verbal skills and should display a critical curiosity about the world.

The Communication & Media Studies major recognizes that communication does not occur in a vacuum and is always situated in a cultural context. It is designed to help students develop an awareness of this cultural interplay, helping them become competent and sensitive global citizens who can adapt and navigate successfully in the ever-changing, cross-cultural environment.

Communication & Media Studies Major

The Communication & Media Studies major recognizes that we live in a world where national boundaries are disappearing as international and domestic concerns and issues intersect, interact and overlap. To ensure that our students are prepared for living and working in this new global community, the Communication & Media Studies curriculum is committed to examining the mutually constitutive relationship between culture and communication and its impact in a globally diverse and multicultural environment. Coursework in Communication & Media Studies examines the production, transmission, and reception of messages to inform, persuade, entertain, develop relationships and build community in an ever-changing, cross-cultural context.

Students undertaking a major in Communication & Media Studies:

• Learn theories, models, and concepts that investigate the relationship between culture and communication.
• Develop research skills relevant to the study of culture and communication.
• Cultivate a concern for communication ethics, social justice, and civic responsibility.
• Understand the dynamics related to communication technologies and new media and develop appropriate applied skills.
• Refine and foster writing skills, critical thinking skills, creativity, and problem-solving abilities.