JMU Concentrations: Conflict Analysis and Intervention, Cultural Communication, Health Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Organizational Communication, Public Communication, Public Relations, and General Communication

Admission and Progression Standards for this major:

Tell me more about this field of study.
The discipline of communication studies encompasses almost all forms of interaction between and among individuals. Levels include interpersonal, small group, public and mass communication. Communication processes occur in a multitude of contexts and environments, which individuals, organizations, and societies use to communicate. A professional communicator crafts, produces, and delivers messages to specific audiences for a defined purpose, however, in this age of information filled with technological advancements, one must preserve the human element of communication and understand its influences on the processing of messages and meanings.

Tell me more about specializations in this major.
The primary concerns within the school include human communicative interactions within interpersonal settings such as dyads and small groups, public speaking, communication within organizations, between organizations and the public, as well as campaign communication processes. Within these contexts students study conflict resolution, communication in health settings, organizations and political settings, the interaction of culture and communication, language, nonverbal communication, written and oral communication skills and social influence among human beings in a variety of settings. There are seven different topical concentrations: Advocacy Studies, Conflict Analysis and Intervention, Cultural Communication, Health Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Organization Communication, and Public Relations. The Conflict Analysis and Intervention concentration trains students in the methods and practical applications of conflict resolution skills such as conciliation, mediation, arbitration and negotiation. In Cultural Communication students learn how communication practices function to create cultural and ethnic identities and how to deal with the challenges of communicating across cultures in a global community. In Health Communication students study communication interaction between health professionals and patients / clients as well as health promotion communication strategies. Interpersonal Communication builds on the principles of human relations and persuasion in face to face interactions between people. The Organizational Communication concentration studies the ways people interact in large organizations and how these interactions facilitate organizational goals. In Public Communication students learn the communication processes that citizens, government officials, interest groups and community service organizations use to campaign, deliberate, adjudicate, govern, and advocate for social change. In Public Relations one learns how to use words, signs and symbols that inform and influence people and shape public opinion.

What common major or minor combinations from other departments complement this major?
There are no common combinations but some examples might be Anthropology, Art, Creative Writing, Criminal Justice, English, Film Studies, Human Resource Development, Marketing, Modern Foreign Languages, Political Communication, Political Science, Pre Law, Psychology, Sociology, Sport Communication, Nonprofit Studies, Media Arts and Design, Music Industry, Women’s Studies or Writing, Rhetoric and Technical Communication.

CHARACTERISTICS OF SUCCESSFUL STUDENTS
Openness to others and a sense of professional drive are appropriate to a very competitive field. A desire to improve communication interaction in a variety of settings and possessing strong academic credentials. Good grades, strong writing skills, and related experiences are essential.

CAREERS
Many graduates choose typical career paths associated with this major. However, some graduates choose unrelated careers that utilize skills and experiences developed during their years in college. Keep in mind, that some fields will require graduate study or further training. The listing below offers examples of possible career paths and is not meant to be comprehensive.