THE MAJOR
The Communication
Studies major is a department within the College
of Arts and Letters.
JMU Concentrations: Conflict Analysis
and Intervention, Cultural Communication,
Health Communication, Interpersonal Communication, Organizational
Communication, Public Communication, Public Relations
Admission and Progression Standards for this major:
Click on the link to learn more about the admission and progression standards of this major: http://www.jmu.edu/advising/snapshots/SSSCOM.shtml
Description of Major:
Communication Studies is offered as a major and minor
at JMU. The School of Communication
Studies seeks to provide students with the opportunity
to study the messages and outcomes
resulting from human interactive processes that involve
the content and relationship dimensions of communication
sources, receivers, channels and contexts. Students
study the process of social influence which is found
in all forms of interaction. Within a liberal arts framework,
students in Communication Studies study the ways people
influence and relate to one another in speech, writing,
and visual symbols. The study of communication includes
the social scientific study of human communication behavior
in diverse contexts and the qualitative study of rhetoric.
The context of primary concern in the School of Communication
Studies is that involving face-to-face communication
between and among people. A concentration in Conflict
Analysis and Intervention prepares students to analyze
conflict interaction and explore various methods of
formal and informal conflict intervention in interpersonal,
workplace, and legal contexts. Cultural Communication is concerned with the role of communication in the construction
of cultural and ethnic identities. Health Communication
teaches students to study communication in a variety
of contexts within the health care environment. Interpersonal
Communication examines the communication processes
and effects that occur in a variety of settings including
personal relationships, groups, public encounters and
professional situations. In Organizational Communication
students study the ways people interact within large
organizations, such as business, government, educational
and non profit groups. Public Relations is concerned
with the management of communication between an organization
and its internal and external publics with the goal
of mutual understanding and influence. Public Communication is concerned with the presentation and management of
messages in public contexts. The School of Communication
Studies also offers minors in Conflict Analysis and
Intervention, Cultural Communication, Health Communication,
and Political Communication.
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 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 six different concentrations:
Conflict Analysis and intervention, Health Communication,
Interpersonal Communication, Public Relations, Public
Communication. The Conflict Analysis and Intervention
concentration trains students 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 health promotion
communication strategies. Interpersonal Communication
builds on the principles of human relations and persuasion
in face to face interactions between people. In Public
Relations one learns how to use words, signs and
symbols that inform and influence people and shape public
opinion. The Organizational Communication concentration
studies the ways people interact in large organizations
and understanding how these interactions facilitate
organizational goals. In Public Communication
students learn the analysis, preparation, and criticism
of public messages to prepare them for communications
in public life.
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,
Technical and Scientific Communication, Telecommunications,
Women’s Studies or Writing & Rhetoric.
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 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.
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