Communication Theory
We offer courses focusing on social scientific approaches to communication that deal with human interaction in a variety of contexts, spanning interpersonal, group, and intercultural settings. Our faculty members have interests in such topics as communication in personal relationships, message formation and processing in group decision making, language usage, conflict situations, persuasive campaigns, and intercultural communication settings.
Rhetorical Studies
Our courses in rhetoric and public address treat speech and communication as a humanistic/critical study. As such, rhetoric conceives discourse as a process of establishing, maintaining, negotiating, and opposing social truths. Courses in this area emphasize argumentation and persuasion, rhetorical theory and criticism, American public address, the rhetoric of diverse groups and cultures, and the study of ethics in public communication.
Electronic Media
Our studies in electronic media focus on historical, structural, cultural, and critical aspects of domestic, foreign, and international electronic media. Interest areas of our media faculty include historical development of media, media programming and audience impacts, critical/ethical evaluation of radio, TV, and a variety of new electronic media.