About the Communication Department

Mission

The Communication Department's mission is twofold: (1) to educate and encourage students to effectively communicate through oral, written, and electronic media in a multicultural society, and (2) to prepare students for communication positions in mass media, business, government, education, and nonprofit organizations—sectors that are vital to the growth and maintenance of a democratic society.

Meaning of the Degree

The Communication Department offers a Bachelor of Science degree in Communication with options in Multimedia Journalism, Public Relations, Organizational Communication, and Interpersonal Communication. Although students choose one option, the curriculum allows them to take courses in the other options as well. This results in a well-rounded student having integrated knowledge about multiple fields of communication.

We expect our students to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary for analyzing, interpreting, participating in, and explaining a diverse, complex, and ever-changing society. CPP’s learn-by-doing ethos is reflected in our classes that provide students with a strong foundation in communication theory and practice. Communication graduates go on to work in a range of fields including public relations, social media, journalism, marketing, management, human resources, and corporate communication.

Quality of the Degree

The Communication Department’s goal is to enable students to become communication experts and leaders. Our curriculum is organized around five learning outcomes. Upon completing the program, students will:

• Master the ability to orally present well-supported and well-reasoned original ideas and arguments in a clear, concise, and organized fashion;
• Master the ability to write clear, concise, and compelling messages appropriate to the platform they are using and the community they are engaging;
• Demonstrate the ability to conceptualize, analyze, and evaluate communication processes and the impacts they have on their personal lives and our society;
• Demonstrate the ability to develop original research ideas, collect and analyze data using the appropriate research methods, and write theoretically and practically significant research studies;
• Demonstrate the ability to thrive in diverse personal and professional settings by becoming self-reflective, flexible, and open communicators in order to contribute to productive collaborations and manage conflict effectively. 

Our internship program is a natural extension of the CPP’s learn-by-doing philosophy whereby students apply the knowledge and skills learned in the classroom to the demands of today’s workplace. The internship program provides opportunities for students to gain on-the-job work experience, establish professional contacts, assess and improve their knowledge and skills, and develop professional portfolio materials.