Communication Studies

G. Stamp, Chairperson

bsu.edu/commstudies

Communication studies offers programs in public, interpersonal, and organizational communication. The major and minors are designed to prepare students for careers in business, government, politics, corporate communication, public affairs, not-for-profit enterprises, the media, and for graduate study.

Baccalaureate Degrees

Students may receive either a bachelor of arts or a bachelor of science degree in communication studies. Both degrees require completion of 21 credits of core classes that include foundation courses in the study of communication. Students are encouraged to complete these core classes prior to enrolling in more specialized COMM courses. It is also highly recommended that majors complete COMM 201 during the first semester in the department. After completing their core classes, communication studies majors are required to specialize in one of the following concentrations (i.e., students may not choose multiple concentrations):

• Interpersonal communication: This concentration exposes students to a range of courses that aid in understanding effective communication in personal relationships and small groups. Students will explore subjects such as relational development, nonverbal communication, and conflict management.
• Organizational communication: This concentration prepares students to apply communication theory and research in organizational contexts. Students will examine subjects such as business and professional communication, leadership, organizational communication theory, and training.
• Public communication: This concentration allows students to explore the principles that account for communicators’ attempts to influence their audience. Students will study such subjects as persuasion theory, campaign communication, and effective language use in public and mediated communication.

Students who declare a communication studies major must participate in departmental assessment activities.

The department also offers the following minors:

• Campaign communication: This minor provides insight into the communication used in political, issues-oriented campaigns. It requires courses in communication studies, journalism, and political science.
• Communication studies: This minor offers students a fundamental understanding of basic interpersonal, organizational, and public communication and the opportunity to choose the focus of their communication study. The communication studies minor is not open to communication studies majors.
• Management and Organizational communication: This minor introduces students to important communication and human relations issues, especially as they relate to improving human communication skills and applying those skills when dealing with associates at all organizational levels (available to human resource management, entrepreneurial management, business administration and communication studies majors; other majors by permission of COMM Studies chair).

Students interested in teaching speech communication at the middle school or high school level should refer to the English/language arts teacher certification program description.