Department of Communication

Introduction

The study of communication is essential for participating in an increasingly complex and mediated global environment. The Department of Communication's mission is to advance communication for the public good. Through its teaching, research, and service, the department addresses the many ways communication functions to create, sustain, and transform personal life, social relations, political institutions, economic organizations, and cultural and aesthetic conventions in society; promotes competencies required for various modes of mediated and non-mediated communication; and develops skills for analyzing, interpreting, and critiquing communication problems and questions. The curriculum is designed to enable students to develop the capacities to be knowledgeable and responsible producers and consumers of communication through engagement, critique, and creativity. The programs of study offered by the department reflects its vision of citizen-scholars building a better North Carolina and world.

Advising

Department advising for the major in communication studies is conducted by

1. a full-time lecturer/advisor who holds office hours in Bynum Hall and Steele Building (see the department’s website for the advisor’s office and office hours),
2. the director of undergraduate studies for the Department of Communication (see the department’s website for the director’s office and office hours), and
3. representative faculty members.

Facilities

The department has extensive media production and performance studies facilities located in the Media Arts Space at 108 East Franklin Street, Swain Hall and Bingham Hall. The Media Arts Space is home to state-of-the-art media production equipment, classroom space, and editing suites. Swain houses our Black Box theatre, where numerous live performances are staged. 

Graduate School and Career Opportunities

Upon completion of their degrees, students are prepared for graduate study and research in communication. Advanced study may be pursued in a problem-defined approach to communication research. A substantial number of graduate assistantships allow M.A.-through-Ph.D. and Ph.D.-only candidates to gain experience in research, teaching, production, and administration. Graduate study is characterized by intensive participation in seminars, original research and creative activities, and close work with individual faculty members. Students are also prepared for advanced study in related academic disciplines such as law, public policy, and leadership.

The career outlook for students with degrees in communication studies is promising, and graduates enter a variety of professions that value communication knowledge and skills. Communication studies majors are prepared to serve as communication specialists in business; in federal, state, and local governments and agencies; and in public service. Some of the specific areas in which majors pursue careers are teaching, social advocacy, nonprofit leadership and management, public relations and advertising, personnel management and training, management consulting, video and film production, and game design.

According to the Federal Bureau of Labor, overall employment in media and communication occupations is projected to grow 6 percent by 2032, resulting in 68,600 currently non-existing jobs over the decade. About 114,300 jobs are projected each year. The median annual salary for media and communication professionals was $66,320 in May 2023, which was higher than the median annual salary for all occupations of $48,060.

An understanding of communication provides a strong base for a range of career options. A majority of employers surveyed stress the need to hire people with strong oral and written communication skills, critical thinking and interpretive skills, and the ability to communicate through multiple modalities across different audience types. These are all tools that communication majors learn to use effectively. The mission of the department is to go beyond narrow technical training by providing a liberal arts approach to communication. This provides the student with maximum latitude for promotion and advancement and avoids limited career opportunities resulting from narrow approaches to the field.

The burgeoning growth of communication industries and support fields provides a range of career opportunities. Graduates of the department, who number well over 4,000, are engaged in a variety of occupations ranging from work for international corporations to jobs at local nonprofit organizations.

Majors

• Communication Studies Major, B.A.

Minor

• Screenwriting Minor

Graduate Programs

• Ph.D. in Communication Studies

Courses

• Communication Studies (COMM)

Professors

Renee Alexander Craft, Torin Monahan, Patricia Parker, Tony Perucci, Joyce Rudinsky, Avi Santo.

Associate Professors

Sarah E. Dempsey, Julia Haslett, Christian O. Lundberg, Steven K. May, Michael Palm, Kumi Silva, Michael S. Waltman.

Assistant Professors

Kelsey Brod, Lisa Calvente, E. Chebrolu, David Dooling, Aaron Shapiro.

Adjunct Professors

Greg Flaxman, Amanda Graham, Mark Katz, Daniel Kreiss, Chérie Rivers Ndaliko, Christopher Nelson, John Pickles, Barry Saunders, Randall Styers.

Teaching Professor

Joseph Megel.

Teaching Associate Professors

Michael Acosta, Kristin Hondros, Kevin Marinelli, David Monje.

Teaching Assistant Professors

Megan Fitzmaurice Mahan, Irina Kruchinina, Jessica Speed Wiley.

Professor of the Practice

Dayci Brookshire, Maxwell Carraher, Joy Goodwin, James Lampley.

Visiting Lecturers

Eric Barstow, Howard Craft, Raphael Ginsburg, Stella Rosen, Emily Spivey.

Professors Emeriti

Bill Balthrop, Carole Blair, Beverly Long Chapin, Dana Coen, Robert Cox, Howard D. Doll, Paul Ferguson, Lawrence Grossberg, Ken Hillis, Gorham A. Kindem, Dennis Mumby, James W. Pence Jr., Della Pollock, Edward Rankus, Lawrence B. Rosenfeld, Francesca Talenti, Julia Wood.