The Undergraduate Program in Communication Studies

Note: All online information regarding our undergraduate program is provided for your convenience. In the event of a conflict, official printed versions supersede their electronic counterparts.

What is Communication Studies?

Communication Studies (CMS) is the study of communication in relationships. These relationships can range anywhere from interpersonal to organizational. CMS majors are given the skills and knowledge they need to apply to a great variety of career paths. Each student is encouraged to decide what that career path may be through internships, career exploration, and interaction with faculty.

Students are asked to choose from three different tracks within CMS, based on their interests:

Corporate Communication is a specialization in Organizational Communication that focuses on communication between and among individuals and groups in organizations, including corporate, non-profit, and governmental organizations.   Organizational Communication is the study of human interaction within complex organizations – including leadership and organizational behavior. Research projects among the faculty have focused on the process of understanding the effect of power, time, and sequence on messages, and how the understanding of others and communication with them occur over information and communication technologies.

Human Relations is a specialization in Interpersonal Communication and focuses on interaction in a variety of human relationships and cultures. This includes both verbal and nonverbal communication, face-to-face communication, and intercultural communication.

Political Communication is a specialization in Rhetorical Theory and focuses on communication in public settings, including political communication, persuasion, and argumentation theory.

Each track provides a student with a coherent grouping of courses, supported by a variety of courses he or she selects to complete degree requirements. (Please see “degree reqs” under the Current Student site for more complete information about which courses are required for each track.) Any track chosen from these offerings prepares a student for careers in corporate work, law, politics, teaching, counseling, or any job involving interaction with people.

Special programs in the Department of Communication Studies include internships, the departmental honors program, and an active National Communication Association student organization. The Department also oversees the University of Texas debate and individual events programs. For further information about these programs, call (512) 471-5251.