Communication Studies

G. Stamp, Chairperson

bsu.edu/commstudies

The Department of Communication Studies offers programs in:

Advocacy and Public Communication

Entertainment and Sports Communication

Organizational and Professional Communication

Relational and Interpersonal Communication.

The major and minors are designed to prepare students to be informed, ethical creators and consumers of communication. We provide an environment that welcomes diverse voices in the discovery and creation of knowledge while promoting personal development, professionalism, and responsible citizenship.

Our programs prepare graduates for careers in business, government, politics, 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 24 credits of core classes that include communication, professional development, and internship or practicum courses. Communication studies majors are required to specialize in one of the following concentrations:

• Advocacy and public communication: This concentration considers how messages are constructed (and by whom), which meanings are privileged and excluded, and to what effects. Doing so requires the ability to analyze, critique, and create messages that influence society and promote ethical societal change. This concentration is for those who want to challenge ideas that perpetuate inequality and advance causes they care deeply about.

• Entertainment and sports communication: This concentration considers how messages create and challenge entertainment and sports identities, images, relationships, groups, and organizations. Entertainment and sports are powerful forces in our society and economy, encompassing fans, talent, players, sponsors, and media. This concentration is for those who want to be critical consumers, content creators, and leaders in the entertainment and sports industry.
• Organizational and professional communication: This concentration focuses on how organizational members create the vision and actions necessary to achieve goals and objectives. Professional wellbeing requires the ability to fulfill the organizational mission, create a collective organizational culture, and share information with internal and external stakeholders. This concentration is for the emerging professional who can take an idea from vision to action, helping their organization become a model in any given industry.  
• Relational and interpersonal communication: This concentration focuses on the understanding and shaping of personal and professional relationships. At the center of all successful relationships is communication. This concentration is for people who care deeply about the ability to connect with others and who see communication and relationships as a starting point to make our world better.  

Please note, students may not choose multiple concentrations but can take courses from the other concentrations as elective courses.

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 key communication skills and processes. Students choose the focus of their communication study. The communication studies minor is not open to communication studies majors.
• Management and organizational communication: This minor focuses on important communication and human relations issues, especially as they relate to improving skills and applying those skills in organizations. This minor is available to human resource management, entrepreneurial management, business administration and communication studies majors; other majors by permission of the department 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.