Communication and Theatre

(Administered by the Department of Communication, Art, and Theatre)

Department Chairs - Croft, Heaton

Professors - Croft, Heaton, Koch

Associate Professor - Gress 

The study of Communication began thousands of years ago. Even so, there is more yet to learn about how and why humans communicate. Our curriculum is organized around three principles we call “The 3 A’s”-Analysis, Application, and Artistry. These principles guide all courses, activities, and projects.

Analysis (questioning and understanding)-Communication impacts all aspects of our lives; therefore, we think it’s important for our courses and activities to directly impact your understanding of how people communicate across a variety of contexts-interpersonal, public, small group, mass mediated, and intercultural.

Application (functions and uses)-You’ll also learn how to enhance and improve your communication skills and apply them in your daily lives as well as in your future career.

Artistry (aesthetics and performance)-No matter its context or its technological sophistication, all communication is inescapably a performance at some level. You’ll develop a sense of how aesthetics and design impact the messages we share.

Within this program, we promote Internships, pre-professional programs, and co-curricular activities as an integral part of the student’s learning experience. We’re big advocates of learning-by-doing. We’ve developed several pre-professional activities that give you multiple ways to get involved on campus, off campus, and in preparation for careers and graduate study. And you can earn academic credit by participating in:  Intercollegiate Debate, Community Outreach, MOrE (Masquers Outreach Ensemble), the Petit Jean Performance Festival, Fat Tuesday Debutantes Improvisational Comedy Group, University Theatre (on stage and back stage), Impromptu Speaking and Interview Skills, and/or Individual Research.

The communication major offers four areas of emphasis:

Communication Studies

Organizational Communication
Strategic Influence and Civic Leadership
Theatre Studies

We also offer a Communication Major with Education Licensure. Students seeking Integrated Language Arts licensure (ILA) for Adolescence - Young Adults (AYA) should complete the requirements for the Communication major with an emphasis in Communication Studies plus other course work required for licensure. (See Education for the additional requirements).

Minors are available in Film Studies, Organizational Communication, Performance Technology, Public Speaking, and Theatre.

All Communication majors, regardless of area of emphasis, must adhere to the following guidelines: must make at least a C in UC 120 - Oral Communication and TH 121 - Introduction to Theatre

We also offer two courses in American Sign Language:

ASL 110 - Elementary American Sign Language I and
ASL 111 - Elementary American Sign Language II

Communication Learning Outcomes:

The communication major is able to prepare and deliver an effective public presentation that includes a clear message, coherent pattern, and needed supporting materials.
The communication major effectively demonstrates the ability to analyze critically a communication event or artifact from a theoretical perspective.
Each Communication Major will demonstrate competence in a specific communication context.

Communication Program

We designed the Communication major with an emphasis in Communication Studies to help students understand how human beings create and share meaning with each other. We also strive to give them the opportunities to put that knowledge to good use in their everyday lives.

Excellent communication skills (interpersonal, group, public or intercultural) are valued components in leadership positions in business and professional areas. We encourage our majors to create a personalized profile of skills and knowledge for versatile use in a variety of fields.

Organizational Communication Program

The Communication major with an emphasis in Organizational Communication stresses both performative and analytical skills within systematic contexts. A substantial focus upon an applied area is included. We want our students to develop an appreciation for and understanding of: (A) the historical development of the field of organizational communication, (B) the especially complex nature of human interaction when it takes place within an organization, and (C) the role that communication plays in helping the individual interpret, modify, control and adjust to the organizational environment.

In addition to core courses in organizational communication, students with this major will need to select an area of specialization. A student can meet this requirement by completing 9 - 12 hours of supplemental course work in an area of interest. Students, with advisor approval, create their own area of concentration by taking courses in a specific academic area or by combining courses from multiple disciplines. Additionally, a student might satisfy this requirement by completing a minor, a second area of emphasis within the communication program, or a second major outside the communication program,

Strategic Influence and Civic Leadership Program

Choosing our words (and images) in public may be more important today than it has at any point in human history. Leadership within professions and citizenship at large will increasingly rely upon an understanding of how communication intersections with civic matters. We crafted this major for students who have an interest in the legal profession, government service, nonprofit administration, or political advocacy.

Theatre Studies Program

The Theatre Studies major provides the student with theoretical and practical experiences in the various arts that, in a collaborative environment, become the art of theatre. Classroom and production training are offered to prepare students for work in regional or community theatres, liturgical drama, or graduate programs. We want our students to develop an appreciation for and an understanding of theatre as an art, a craft, and a tool of communication. To that end, our course offerings examine the traditions of the past and methods for creating the theatrical art of the future.

Minors are available in:

Film Studies
Organizational Communication
Performance Technology
Public Speaking

Strategic Influence and Civic Leadership
Theatre