Welcome
Welcome to the Communication Studies Department at Cal Poly, home to more than 200 student majors and minors.
The modern discipline of Communication Studies can be traced back to the academies of ancient Athens, where the study of discourse as a means of sharing information and gaining influence formed the core of the academic curriculum.
Understanding the process of human communication is no less important in the Information Age than it was in the Golden Age of Greece and Rome. Contemporary courses in Communication Studies focus on the theory and practice of human communication in a variety of contexts: interpersonal, intercultural, instructional, organizational, political, in dyads, in small groups, and in the mass media.
The goal of the Communication Studies curriculum is to enhance understanding of the nature, processes and effects of human communication. Multi-dimensional in its focus, the discipline uses the rich resources of both the humanities and the social sciences in exploring the human capacity for speech - how, where, when, why, and with what effect people interact through language and extra-linguistic symbols. The Communication Studies major leads to a Bachelor of Arts degree that prepares students for graduate work or careers in a wide variety of occupations that place a premium on excellent communication skills. The Communication Studies minor is designed to complement other majors in the university through a series of required and elective courses addressing various facets of human communication.
As you can see from the accomplishments of our faculty as reflected on their individual pages, there is a high level of professional activity and engagement within the department. The Communication Studies Department encourages majors to become involved in professional meetings, to submit papers to student conferences, to aspire to qualify for Lambda Pi Eta - the national communication honor society - and to participate in the activities of the Communication Studies Club and the Cal Poly Debate team. Involvement beyond the classroom adds to the quality of the educational experience available through our courses, and takes advantage of the university's tradition of providing attention to the individual undergraduate student and encouraging a sense of intellectual community among faculty and students.
Take a peek at the various pages on this site to learn more about the Cal Poly Communication Studies Department. Please remember to come back and visit our site again.