Communication (COMS, JOUR)

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The Department of Communication offers both a B.A. degree and a B.S. degree for majors in communication studies and in journalism. Students may pursue a double major in communication studies and journalism or a major in one area and a minor in the other. Further, communication studies majors can pursue emphases 1 and 2 or emphases 2 and 3.

In addition, the department offers courses of study leading to a minor in communication studies, which can be tailored to meet a variety of interests including teacher certification; a minor in journalism; and an interdisciplinary minor in applied communication which is offered jointly with the Department of English. Several of the department’s lower-division courses can be used by non-majors toward fulfilling area requirements in the university’s general education program.

Internship opportunities are available for academic credit and/or transcript recognition for both communication studies and journalism students in related areas such as advertising, sales, promotions, human resources, special events, public relations, writing/editing, creative/technical production, web design, graphic design, broadcasting, marketing, education, politics, newspaper/ management, photojournalism, film, consulting, training, and public speaking. Interested students should consult with the departmental director/coordinator of internships.

Certain communication studies courses are also offered for the interdisciplinary minors in applied communication, international studies, linguistics, public administration, and women’s studies.

In no case does the Department of Communication allow a course to count twice in any double major, double emphasis, or major-minor combination.

Communication Faculty

Gretchen Bisplinghoff, Ph.D., Northwestern University, assistant professor
Robert Brookey, Ph.D., University of Minnesota, associate professor
Ferald J. Bryan, Ph.D., University of Missouri, associate professor
Gary Burns, Ph.D., Northwestern University, professor
Kate Cady, Ph.D., University of Iowa, assistant professor
Jeffrey P. Chown, Ph.D., University of Michigan, Presidential Teaching Professor
Arthur P. Doederlein, Ph.D., Northwestern University, assistant professor
David Gunkel, Ph.D., DePaul University, associate professor
Janice D. Hamlet, Ph.D., Ohio State University, associate professor 
Johanna Hartelius, Ph.D., University of Texas at Austin, Assistant professor
David Henningsen, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, associate professor
Mary Lynn Henningsen, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, associate professor
Richard Holt, Ph.D., University of Illinois, associate professor 
Induk Kim, Ph.D., Purdue University, assistant professor
Betty LaFrance, Ph.D., Michigan State University, associate professor
Mary S. Larson, Ed.D., Northern Illinois University, professor
Robert Miller, Ph.D., Northwestern University, associate professor
Joseph Scudder, Ph.D., Indiana University, associate professor
Kathleen S. Valde, Ph.D., University of Iowa, associate professor
Laura Vazquez, Ph.D., Northwestern University, associate professor
Karen Whedbee, Ph.D., University of Wisconsin, associate professor
Kerith Woodyard, Ph.D., University of Utah, assistant professor

William Cassidy, Ph.D., University of Oregon, assistant professor
Sabryna Cornish, Ph.D., University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, assistant professor
Orayb Najjar, Ph.D., Indiana University, associate professor 
Thomas Oates, Ph.D., University of Iowa, assistant professor
Craig Seymour, Ph.D., University of Maryland, College Park, associate professor
Dale Zacher, Ph.D., Ohio University, assistant professor

Journalism

Communication Studies

Admission to the major in communication studies in the Department of Communication is limited. See “Limited Admissions and Limited Retention Requirements” in this catalog.

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