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Department of Human Communication Studies

As a member of the Department of Human Communication Studies, you will become a member of a community of scholars/ practitioners who are committed to inquiry regarding the nature of the communicative practices in personal relationships, groups and public settings. The mission of our department is to identify ways in which we can better understand who we are as members of cultures, groups and families; examine and critique ideologies and structures that constrain our contact with each other; identify ways to deliberate and reach just decisions in public, organizational and personal contexts; and create the means for dialogue and collaboration during conflict and struggle. This mission is realized through three distinct areas of emphasis in which you can specialize:

- Culture and Communication
- Interpersonal and Family Communication
- Rhetoric and Communication Ethics

Underlying Values
Our areas of research, graduate seminars, outreach activities, and community engagement are based on five interrelated values:

1) We see the merit in asking a range of descriptive, interpretive and explanatory questions about how our contact with one another occurs.

2) We recognize the importance of examining the historical and philosophical foundations of the discipline.

3) We engage in dialogue about current interdisciplinary issues in the social sciences and humanities.

4) We often employ a critical perspective to uncover how power and privilege are constructed and reflected in ideologies, structures and our own communicative practices.

5) We are committed to collaborating to transform our relationships, groups, and deliberative processes as global and local citizens.