Undergraduate Students

B.A. in Communication Studies

A degree in Communication Studies opens doors to allow students to be successful in just about any career from healthcare to human resources, from sales to social media, or from nonprofit organization management to promotions. Students can tailor the Communication Studies curriculum to meet their individual career and personal goals, which makes students with a B.A. degree in Communication Studies attractive to potential employers or graduate programs. Based on the specific Communication Studies courses students elect to take, our students are qualified to:

• design and evaluate effective health messages that are communicated interpersonally, organizationally, and culturally.
• create and deliver messages for diverse audiences across communication contexts and relational partners.
• develop and demonstrate the ability to relate to others across personal and professional relationships, including romantic relationships, friendships, family, small groups, and workplace colleagues.
• create and implement messages designed to strategically navigate workplace interactions with superiors, subordinates, peers, and stakeholders.
• construct and deliver appropriate, effective, and ethical messages necessary for meeting the communication goals associated with social media and technology.
• explore contemporary issues in the U.S. health care system and develop the skills necessary for navigating diverse populations.
• identify and institute behaviors that affect the development, maintenance, and termination of successful personal and professional relationships.
• recruit, retain, and socialize organizational employees as well as develop employees’ leadership, decision-making, and problem-solving skills.
• analyze the role that social media and technology plays in shaping consumers’ perceptions, behaviors, and social interactions.

Furthermore, the B. A. in Communication Studies is a SpeakWrite Certified Program^TM. SpeakWrite Certified programs incorporate and develop students’ written, verbal, visual, and mediated communication skills across the curriculum.

Program Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of the B.A. degree program in Communication Studies, students should be able to:

1. identify and explain the primary Communication theories, perspectives, principles, and concepts associated with the Communication discipline.
2. analyze and critique messages using Communication theories, perspectives, principles, and concepts.
3. interpret, design, and conduct original Communication-based research.
4. create and deliver effective communication messages across oral, written, and mediated channels appropriate to the audience, purpose, and context.