Your ability to effectively communicate is essential to your potential career success. In our department, you can develop the flexible, practical skills you will need after graduation. You'll learn from nationally recognized faculty in small classes. <br><br>We'll help you develop your communication abilities. Our courses cover the history, theory, and application of communication. These courses reflect liberal arts, humanities, and social science traditions as approaches to theory and application. <br><br>Communication Studies examines how humans communicate. We study messages and meaning - how and why and people communicate, the tools and methods people use, and the consequences of their interaction. <br><br>We balance the practical application of skills with critical and theoretical understanding. We look at the context of interaction, tooeverything from family dynamics to business and social environments, to mediated and global cultures. <br><br>The department also sponsors co-curricular activities in public speaking, debate, performance studies (oral interpretation), and public relations, all of which are open to non-majors.