The Communication program offers a major in communication, as well as minors in liberal arts communication  and secondary education speech communication. The goal of the program is to develop graduates  who possess communication  competence,  in both theory and practice.

Communication Major

The communication  major offers four emphases to prepare students for careers in jour- nalism, public relations, advertising, teaching, management, human resources and for advanced education in graduate school. The curriculum  follows a sequence for student development.  As freshmen, students  learn the principles of, and have experiences in, various contexts  of communication. They also become familiar with the methods  of communication  research (100-level courses). As sophomores, students  become acquainted with specialized subject matters and hone skills in research, writing and critical thinking (200-level courses). As juniors, students engage in deeper exploration of theoretical and ethical perspectives (300-level courses). As seniors, students participate in advanced research and work-oriented  experiences.

Learning Outcomes for Communication

Upon successful completion of major requirements,  students are expected to demonstrate:

1. An understanding of the theories and principles of human communication  that will facilitate their professional and personal effectiveness.
2. Skill in responsible and sensitive communication  with diverse others.
3. The ability to conduct systematic inquiry skillfully.
4. The ability to develop and convey oral and written messages effectively.