Office: Hugh Gillis Hall 108

Telephone: 408-924-5360

Professors

Stephanie J. Coopman
Deanna L. Fassett
Ge Gao
Rona T. Halualani
Dennis Jaehne
Kathleen McConnell
Matthew Spangler
Shawn Spano
Anne Marie Todd, Chair
Federico Varona
Andrew F. Wood

Associate Professors

Marquita L. Byrd
Luis Felipe Gomez
Tabitha Hart
Priya Raman

Assistant Professors

Kristen Cole
Oona Hatton
Marie Haverfield
Nikki Yeboah

Overview

The Department of Communication Studies prepares competent and ethical communicators for meaningful participation in diverse local and global communities. The B.A. and M.A. programs focus on four primary areas or cornerstones: democracy, diversity, technology, and globalization. Democracy affirms the balance of individual freedom and socio-political consensus shaped through dialogue, argument, and persuasion between individuals and groups. Diversity explores the variety and complexity of communication efforts to shape beliefs, values, and perceptions in different communities and cultures. Technology interrogates the implications of human communication in a mediated world. Globalization recognizes the interconnectedness, integration, fragmentation, and conflict within human societies and cultures in global contexts. Our undergraduate and graduate degree programs prepare alumni for a wide range of careers in areas such as education, sales, marketing, public relations, human resource development, law, politics, and community service.

Communication Studies Honors Program

Students requesting departmental honors in Communication Studies will be evaluated against the following criteria: (1) a minimum GPA of 3.5 in all four unit upper division courses in the major (Foundations, Inquiry, Practice Courses, 101C and 199C); (2) have at least a 3.0 overall GPA; (3) satisfactorily complete one of the department’s four-unit graduate seminars; and (4) participate in a public honors colloquium to present a summary of the work produced in the selected graduate seminar. Contact the department office for details.

Programs

• Communication in the Information Age Minor
• Communication Studies Minor
• Communication Studies, BA
• Communication Studies, MA
• Communication Studies, Preparation for Teaching, BA (Not Accepting Students)
• Community Service Learning Minor

Courses

• COMM 282R - Seminar in Communication Pedagogy
• COMM 285A - Teaching Associate Practicum I
• COMM 285B - Teaching Associate Practicum II
• COMM 290 - Thesis and project supervision
• COMM 291 - Communication Studies Graduate Internship Program
• COMM 292 - Int’l Program Studies
• COMM 295R - Special Topics in Communication
• COMM 297 - Advanced Writing Workshop
• COMM 298 - Master’s Project
• COMM 299 - Master’s Thesis

• SPED 184Y - Student Teaching II - Classroom Teaching
• SPED 184Z - Student Teaching III - Classroom Teaching
• SPED 242C - Educational Internship in Teaching