The School of Communication Studies (COMS) offers a liberal arts education, emphasizing the scientific and artistic bases of communication. The school is firmly committed to providing quality instruction in the theoretical bases of human communication and the application of theory in specific contexts. The core courses combine theory and practice as students study the historical and conceptual foundations of the field of communication. An historical understanding of communication theory is useful but insufficient in a globally competitive world, so the major in communication studies also equips students with the competencies most prized by employers: strong oral and written communication, effective interpersonal and group communication, critical thinking, meeting planning, and problem-solving/decision-making (Booher, 2003). Students complete a rigorous academic program consisting of courses in theory, research methods, presentations, and engaged learning practica. Elective courses in the school complement the required courses and expand the students' repertoire of competencies and skills. Enhancing the core and concentration-specific classes are courses in a related area, the study of other cultures, and contemporary technology. Students identify the means of completing the related area by working one-on-one with their academic advisors. The related area is an opportunity for students to "customize" their career interests in ways that set them apart from their peers when undertaking internship or job searches. A bachelor's degree in communication studies is perfect preparation for a career in corporate training, foreign service, law, politics, labor relations, human services, campaign management, event planning, account representation, sales, or survey research. All told, the major is designed to augment students' lives and careers through a clearer understanding of the effects of communication and messages in their professional and personal lives.

Students concentrating their studies in communication and public advocacy focus on the integration of political and legal communication theory and practice. These studies emphasize the role of communication in argument, debate, and politics, including the ethical and rhetorical implications of constitutional guarantees and persuasive strategies characteristic of contemporary political communication. Recent graduates are attending nationally-ranked law schools, working as state legislative staff, lobbying in Washington, D.C., and managing political campaigns. Health communication graduates are concerned with meeting people's communication and knowledge needs in such areas as the relationships between patients and their health care providers, family dynamics, dissemination of health information, and cultural and gender influences on communication. Recent graduates are employed in health care organizations as patient advocates or in human resources, national nonprofit health agencies, and as pharmaceutical company sales representatives. Students focused on organizational communication are developing skills and competencies enabling them to understand the dynamics of, and function more effectively in, organizational structures. Recent graduates are employed in major consulting firms, national financial service companies, conference planning businesses, and information management organizations. Our students often find their placement match while completing an internship. Although not a requirement in the major, the most highly motivated students are the ones likely to seek meaningful experiences through an internship. These experiences often confirm students' decisions to seek post-baccalaureate employment in those fields. Students also find their career directions while engaged in research teams supervised by faculty members. This chance to engage in meaningful research while an undergraduate often turns research team members in the direction of graduate school after completing their undergraduate studies.