Communications Studies

There is no major in Communications Studies at Cornell, though there is a combined Theatre-Communications teaching major which meets Iowa state-certification standards. Students are offered a variety of course-work from the discipline which can be used to supplement their educational needs. Courses such as Leadership, for example, while based in communication principles, are designed to support and draw from politics, sociology, psychology, and business in application.

The Communications Studies curriculum is based on COM 121, Speech Communication, which is a prerequisite for the upper-division communication courses. It is designed to give a broad-based understanding of the discipline as well as to develop oral communication skills. Most other courses have no prerequisite. Communications Studies coursework continues to play a substantial role for many interdisciplinary majors.

The Communications curriculum is composed of "service courses" which by nature emphasize breadth of experience. The introductory course focuses on transferable skills: structuring presentations, impromptu speaking, and critical listening. The Leadership and Media courses offer analysis of current communications theories and standards and their impact on the individual. Oral Interpretation integrates literature analysis with performance skills appropriate to conveying meaning.

• Course Schedule
• Course Descriptions