Programs

Program Description

In order to better accommodate the increasing complexity of the undergraduate curriculum, student demand for more degree options in specialized areas, the need to better blend theory and practice, and the changing contours of communication fields with the advent of new media technologies and globalization, the College of Communication faculty recently approved five new BA degree programs. They are the BA in Communication Studies, the BA in Journalism, the BA in Media and Cinema Studies, the BA in Public Relations and Advertising, and the BA in Communication and Media.

The College of Communication also fields four Master of Arts programs in Communication Studies, Journalism, Media and Cinema Studies and Public Relations and Advertising. Whether you're intent on honing your media and communication skills for the workplace or preparing for entry to a PhD program, the balanced and insightful graduate programs in the College of Communication give you the experience to succeed.

Rich and robust curriculum

The curriculum in each major is both deep and broad, enabling students to gain practical expertise in their area of interest while gaining a working knowledge of related areas. The curriculum focuses on ethical practice and the convergence of traditional and new media, preparing students for professional practice in an evolving marketplace. No matter what their major, students learn to express themselves well in oral and written communications, to think critically about communication events all around them, to develop skills valuable in the workplace, and to communicate effectively in a diverse world.

Experienced faculty

With years of industry experience in the world’s leading media markets,faculty members in the College of Communication also are recognized for their research and their scholarly books and articles. Most importantly,their first love is teaching. Given their expertise in communication, our 32 full-time faculty members know how to create an interesting and provocative dynamic in the classroom. Here, you’ll find a free and lively exchange of ideas, a friendly interaction between students and teachers,and one-on-one attention in support of your goals.

The faculty in the College of Communication represents the breadth and depth of the discipline. Specialties cover the range of communication scholarship in rhetoric, speech communication, performance, public communication and media studies. The Communication College faculty engages in a variety of research and publication projects that enliven and enrich their teaching and community outreach. Current studies include such topics as: standup comedy; how media shape the terms of public debate; corporate culture and politics; public relations; storytelling and folklore; advertising; video art; minority radio history; attitudes about language and its use among and between groups in the U.S.; cultural history and U.S. cinema; persuasion styles of Chinese and U.S. rhetoric; and how newcomers adjust to organizations.

Real-world, cutting-edge facilities

Gain the technological expertise you need to work in multimedia and interactive environments in our state-of-the-art facilities, including a green screen studio and control room converged to a Mac Lab. The college has several high end editing suites, a PC Lab, and two multimedia smart classrooms. In addition, you’ll have access to digital technology facilities in the Digital Cinema lab, which includes a "Motion Capture System" as used in The Matrix.