Communication Studies (COM)

4116 William S White Building
(810) 766-6679
Fax: (810) 766-6834
http://www.umflint.edu/communication

Chair: Marcus Paroske
Director of Applied Communication Graduate Program: Dan Lair
Administrative Assistant: Gale Glover

Associate Professors Dan Lair, Marcus Paroske, Sarah Rosaen, Heather Seipke; Assistant Professors Danielle De La Mare, Chris Kowal; Lecturers: Jenell Barnard, Traci Currie, Joe Ghattas, Daniel Lake, Kim Laux, Tony McGill, William McMillan, Brian Schrader, Michelle Silva, Donna Ullrich

Professor Emeritus Charles Apple.

Communication Studies is a diverse field of study that prepares students for careers that require human interaction. By learning relevant theories of how people communicate combined with intensive training in public speaking, group collaboration, and appreciation for diversity, Communication Studies students are equipped to be leaders in a changing workforce and for graduate education. All Communication Studies students complete an internship in their chosen fields.

The Communication Studies department prides itself on a close working relationship between students and faculty. All students attend advising sessions every semester to make sure they graduate on time. Each student is also assigned a personal faculty mentor to help develop job skills and build well rounded resumes. Faculty strive to connect their classes to the community by having students work with real-world clients and through service leaning. Many students choose to be members of our successful competitive debate program.

The General Program in Communication offers three emphasis areas: Media Studies focuses on helping students be sophisticated consumers of mass media and to pursue work in the media industry; Professional Communication trains students to facilitate communication in corporate and professional contexts, including Public Relations, Advertising and Organizational Communication; Speech Communication takes a scholarly approach to understanding human relationships, intercultural communication, and persuasion.

The Communication Studies department also houses a graduate program in Applied Communication (MA). This fully online, part time program is designed for working professionals seeking leadership positions in any number of fields. More information can be found in the Graduate Studies section of this catalog, and at the Applied Communication link below.

Mission and Assessment

The goals of the Communication major are to offer intensive study into the process by which people create, exchange and interpret symbolic messages, and to be conscious of variables that make human communication rich, diverse and complex. Students of communication learn about and appreciate the breadth and depth of the discipline from its roots in classical antiquity to the changing roles of electronic media. The program participates in the University-wide effort to assess its academic programs. Information on assessment plans, including goals, methods and outcomes is available at http://assessment.umflint.edu.

Programs in Communication

General Program in Communication (BA)

Communication Honors Program (BA)

Minor in Communication

Minor in Argumentation and Advocacy

Teacher’s Certificate Minor in Speech

Applied Communication (MA)