Department of Communication Studies

Charles H. Tardy, Chair
118 College Drive, Box 5131
Hattiesburg, MS 39406-0001
601.266.4271

Atkins-Sayre, Erickson, Hosman, Jung, Maugh, Meyer, Tardy, Venette

The Department of Communication Studies is dedicated to teaching students how communication fosters success in personal relationships, business settings and society. Focusing primarily on oral, face-to-face human interaction, our courses teach students how to persuade, manage conflicts, lead groups, interview and interpret nonverbal messages. Though our primary goal is to prepare students for life, we also enable students to find suitable employment in business, government and nonprofit organizations. This major also prepares students for careers as teachers, lawyers and clergy. Many surveys of employers indicate that the ability to communicate well with other people is the number-one quality sought in job applicants. The communication studies major offers undergraduate students an exciting, involving and evolving field of study. A graduate program awarding both master’s and doctoral degrees contributes to a stimulating intellectual environment for all students.

Degree Requirements

The department offers two degrees, the B.A. and the B.S. Both require a 25-hour core of foundational courses and 15 hours of electives in the major. Additionally, students in both degree programs must take the university’s general education curriculum and 21 hours of liberal arts courses. The B.A. includes a requirement for the study of foreign language and the B.S. includes a requirement for the study of quantitative reasoning or statistics. See the degree plan and semester-by-semester guide for details.

Programs

• Communication Studies, B.A. Degree Requirements
• Communication Studies, B.A. Semester-by-semester Guide

• Communication Studies, B.S. Degree Requirements
• Communication Studies, B.S. Semester-by-semester Guide

• Communication Studies Minor