Department of Communication Studies

Division of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Xavier South Suite 510 - (504) 520-5087 - http://www.xula.edu/communicationstudies

Communication Studies is a broad academic area that studies and applies communication in many different contexts, including relationships, culture, and performance. In Communication Studies, classes are connected to New Orleans and beyond; students attend national conferences and performance festivals; and students and faculty collaborate on research projects. In addition, the department sponsors provocative campus events. In essence, Communication Studies considers the diverse ways that people make their worlds through communication by doing that work alongside students. In doing so, Communication Studies trains students to apply their communication skills
to a chosen profession and/or graduate school.

Communication skills are at the top of every employers “must have” list when hiring new graduates, so all department majors develop a strategy for applying their communication skills to the career of their choice. The interdisciplinary approach to the study of communication is also great preparation for graduate school in a wide range of disciplines, from the Humanities to the Social Sciences.

Because students are educated in a broad range of areas, including Applied Communication, Communication and Culture, and Performance Studies, a degree in Communication Studies prepares graduates for a wide array of career choices.

The Department of Communication Studies provides a program of study leading to the Bachelor of Arts degree. To earn the B.A. degree, Communication Studies majors must earn a “C” or better in all of their required major courses, take a lower-level and an upper-level CMST service-learning designated course and pass CMST 4900  (Communication Studies Capstone), which satisfies the University’s senior comprehensive exam requirement. Students are strongly encouraged to take advantage of the flexibility in the major and the core curriculum in order to apply 9 free elective credits to study abroad, double major, or double minor.

The Department also offers CMST 1010  and CMST 1011H  (Fundamentals of Public Speaking and Honors), CMST 1400  (Interpersonal Communication), CMST 1500  (Intercultural Communication), and CMST 1080 (Health Communication) which fulfill the essential core requirement in communication. CMST 2010  (Performance of Literature) fulfills the Fine Arts requirement of the core curriculum.

Honors in Communication Studies - Students with a cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 will graduate with an honors distinction in Communication Studies by completing a minimum of any three CMST courses with a total of 9 credit hours with a combined GPA in all CMST courses of 3.5 or higher. At least three of these hours must be completed at the 3000-level or higher. This distinction and its criterion of a 3.5 GPA in Communication Studies applies to all students, including students majoring and minoring in Communication Studies. To be eligible, students must have an overall GPA of 3.0.

Concentration in Communication Studies - Students choosing a double concentration in Communication Studies and another discipline may complete any 12 hours of CMST coursework. An additional 12 hours is required in the other selected discipline of which specific courses might be required. Students are advised to check with the selected department that houses the discipline for the most up-to-date requirements.

Mission and Learning Outcomes

The Communication Studies program is committed to the promotion of social justice through its curriculum, research, and community service. The program equips students for the responsibilities of global citizenship, leadership, and service in an increasingly complex world that requires sophisticated theoretical, critical, and practical understanding of human communication. Communication Studies courses focus on communication processes found in both the humanities and the social sciences in the following areas: Applied Communication, Communication and Culture, and Performance Studies.

In order to satisfy this mission, the Department of Communication Studies:

• educates students in the philosophy, history, theory, and practice of communication studies from a variety of perspectives;
• trains students to become ethical communicators;
• assists students in articulating the relationship between communication, culture, and identity;
• engages students in service-learning practices that demonstrate civic engagement and promote social justice;
• equips students with communication research skills; and
• prepares students for graduate school in communication and/or careers that require skilled professional practices in communication.

Programs

• Communication Studies Minor