The School of Communication Studies (COMS) offers a liberal arts education, emphasizing the scientific and artistic bases of communication. The School is committed to providing quality instruction in the theoretical understanding of human communication and the application of theory in specific contexts. The core courses combine theory and practice as students study the historical and conceptual foundations of the field of communication. An historical understanding of communication theory is useful but insufficient in a globally competitive world, so the major in communication studies also equips students with the competencies most prized by employers including strong oral and written communication, effective interpersonal and group communication skills, critical thinking, meeting planning, and problem-solving/decision-making.
The faculty and staff of the School of Communication Studies are committed to scholarship, teaching, and service in ways that improve the community and offer directions for change in the world. Accordingly, we seek students who want to challenge themselves to develop their potential in and out of the classroom.
Career Pathways
Students majoring in Communication Studies focus their studies in one or more of the follow areas, preparing them for a variety of possible career paths.
Organizational Communication
Communication is a defining feature of organizations. Organizational communication is the study of how individuals construct and exchange messages to enable goal-oriented activity and cope with uncertainty. Coursework adopts a communication approach to exploring organizational structures, interpersonal relationships, power and control, leadership, organizational socialization, and diversity at work.
Health Communication
Students focused on health communication are concerned with people’s communication and knowledge needs in such areas as the relationships between patients and their health care providers, family dynamics, dissemination of health information, and the use of emerging technology to improve health and health care.
Communication and Public Advocacy
Students concentrating their studies in Communication and Public Advocacy focus on the integration of political and legal communication theory and practice. Coursework emphasizes the role of communication in argument, debate, and politics, including the ethical and rhetorical implications of constitutional guarantees and persuasive strategies characteristic of contemporary political communication.