Communication Studies

Established in 1963, the Department of Communication Studies at San José State University has more than 650 students in the major, 70 students minoring in communication, 36 students in the graduate program, 10 graduate teaching associates, 15 tenured and tenure-track faculty, and 40 lecturers. The department's mission is to educate individuals in competent and ethical communication for meaningful participation in diverse local and global communities. The B.A. and M.A. programs focus on four primary areas or cornerstones: democracy, diversity, technology, and globalization. Democracy affirms the balance of individual freedom and socio-political consensus shaped through dialogue, argument, and persuasion between individuals and groups. Diversity explores the variety and complexity of communication efforts to shape beliefs, values, and perceptions in different communities and cultures. Technology interrogates the implications of human communication in a mediated world. Globalization recognizes the interconnectedness, integration, fragmentation, and conflict within human societies and cultures in global contexts. Join us in the conversation about these key areas of the human experience – your experience. Sign up for a class, talk with an instructor, attend a workshop, and Listen, Speak and Engage!