Communication Studies Major

Develop Crucial Communication Skills for Your Future Career

A crucial skill in any professional environment is the ability to communicate well and convey your meaning clearly and succinctly. As a communication studies major, you will study human interaction in all contexts: interpersonal and family relationships, small groups, intercultural associations, organizations, and the media. You will also study the very skills today’s employers are looking for — like critical and analytical thinking, problem-solving, and team building, as well as oral, written, and interpersonal communication skills.

Develop your understanding of communication theory and research methodologies, and your proficiency in oral, written, and mediated communication. A communication studies major can open the door to creativity and connectivity in a vast array of career fields, including social media, journalism, business administration, public relations, broadcasting, sales, marketing, law, human resources, pre-seminary, and education.

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Communication Studies at Concordia
The Concordia Courier
Forensics (Speech & Debate) at Concordia University Irvine

What Students Are Saying

Student and Alumni Success

Graduates from Concordia University Irvine’s Communication Studies major are putting their degrees to work and excelling in various professional callings and postgraduate studies.

Concordia Prepares, God Provides

Celina Stratton '17

Celina Stratton, who graduated from Concordia in 2017, shared her inspiring success story, detailing her experiences during and after university. Combining her passions for service and sports with her Communication Studies major, Stratton now works for the Los Angeles Chargers in community relations.

First Gen Performance

Diego Perez '17

At the 2017 National Speech tournament, Diego Perez '17 advanced beyond preliminary rounds in four events and finished ranked #10 nationally. He’s one reason CUI’s speech team is edging closer to the kind of national stature and dominance that the debate team has enjoyed as #1 or #2 in the nation for the past five years.

Communication Opens Doors to Friendships and Opportunities

Nokukhanya "Noks" Lucy Shabalala '16

College wasn't on the immediate radar for Nokukhanya "Noks" Lucy Shabalala '16. Her priority—along with her older siblings—was working to put food on the table and helping to provide an education for the younger siblings in her large family in South Africa.

From Softball to the Reporting Field

Erica Anderson '06

Erica Anderson '06 came to CUI to play softball and graduated with a desire to pursue a career in journalism. Today she is a general assignment reporter at WNCT in Greenville, N.C., filing daily stories for broadcast and the web.

Where Our Alumni Are Working

Broadcast & Social Media
Public Relations
Journalism
Human Resources
Finance
Marketing

Education
Retail
Sales
Management
Event Planning

Counseling
Real Estate
Law
Law Enforcement
Nonprofits

Opportunities for Communication Studies Majors

Today's employers are looking for applicants who work well as part of a team, are good at decision-making, and have excellent communication skills. Our relationships within our surrounding community, along with our location in Southern California, afford you the chance to practice these skills outside the classroom.

Academic Opportunities

As a Communication Studies major, you can combine your degree with a related minor, double major, or study abroad.

Extracurricular Activities

Communication Studies offers many opportunities for you to become involved with on-campus events, clubs, and organizations. Our students also regularly participate (and excel) in national competitions.

Lambda Pi Eta Honor Society

Internships

Our goal is to guide students toward their vocation by developing their collaboration skills, critical thinking, creativity, and communication skills. Internships allow students to develop valuable contacts in their career field. Below are just a few examples of where our students have interned.

Anaheim Ducks
The Orange County Transit Authority
The Orange County Register

PBS So Cal
The Orange County Sheriff's Public Information Office

Graduate Schools Attended

University of Texas at Austin (3)
USC's Annenberg School of Communication
UCLA

UNLV's Boyd School of Law
Cal State Fullerton
Cal State Long Beach

Cal State Los Angeles
San Diego State
Chapman University

Florida International University
Wayne State University
New York University (2)
Louisville University

Curriculum

You will study a varied curriculum that includes both the classical courses associated with the discipline and those that reflect contemporary developments in the field.

Sample Communication Courses

COM 222: Theory and Practice of Journalism
3

This course will introduce the basics of journalism writing, style, theory, investigation, ethics, and interviewing including news, features, sports, review, and opinion styles. At least six (6) written articles will be submitted to The Concordia Courier.

COM 371: Introduction to Social Media
3

This course will explore the fundamentals of and introduce social media and other emerging technologies and tools, current trends and future directions, benefits, values, and risks. Case studies will be reviewed to assess how social media impacts and influences fields such as communication and marketing and how it informs future trends and developments. Prerequisites: (WRT 102 or WRT 201) and (COM 280 or MKT 341).

COM 412: Media and Script Writing
3

This course will examine script writing for radio, television and film with projects including announcements, commercials, news, features, documentaries, comedy, and game and music shows.

COM 422: Studies in Public Relations
3

Public relations (PR) as a communication discipline will be examined in this course with an emphasis on developing and implementing campaigns including presentations by PR professionals and in-class projects/exercises on topics such as public relations in nonprofit organizations, corporate and social responsibility, media relations, technology, and ethical issues.

COM 488: Communication Research Methods
3

As an introduction to the research process, this course will examine how research is planned and designed; introduce the process of data collection and analysis; explore the methodology for communication research (including sampling, questionnaire design, and introduction to statistics); and provide experiences in conducting original research. Prerequisite: COM 280.

View Full Curriculum

Meet Your Professors

Professors in communication are active participants in helping you reach your educational goals. Our courses are developed and delivered by faculty who integrate classroom techniques with best business practices, real-world experience, as well as a Christian moral, ethical, and value perspective of leadership.

Konrad Hack

Konrad Hack's research focus centers on organizational leadership. He is the director of Concordia's highly successful forensics team. He also teaches the intro to argumentation and debate course for those who are looking for an introductory way to explore debate.

Assistant Professor of Communication Studies & Director of Forensics

Konrad Hack's research focus centers on organizational leadership. He is the director of Concordia's highly successful forensics team. He also teaches the intro to argumentation and debate course for those who are looking for an introductory way to explore debate.
Lucas Hatlen

Dr. Lucas Hatlen's research focus centers on digital media. He is the faculty advisor for Concordia's digital media lab, where he teaches students about a wide range of topics related to digital media. These topics include social media, podcasting, streaming, and esports.

Assistant Professor of Communication Studies

Dr. Lucas Hatlen's research focus centers on digital media. He is the faculty advisor for Concordia's digital media lab, where he teaches students about a wide range of topics related to digital media. These topics include social media, podcasting, streaming, and esports.
Erin Nelson

Dr. Erin Nelson is a member of the National Communication Association and has presented over 25 conference papers, published three book chapters, and is working on many research projects surrounding issues of health and interpersonal communication, specifically how cancer patients manage their uncertainty and disclosures to family members. She has recently been published in Health Communication, an article titled ‘Cyberframing Cancer: An Exploratory Investigation of Valenced Cybercoping on Cancer Blogs.’

Associate Professor of Communication Studies

Dr. Erin Nelson is a member of the National Communication Association and has presented over 25 conference papers, published three book chapters, and is working on many research projects surrounding issues of health and interpersonal communication, specifically how cancer patients manage their uncertainty and disclosures to family members. She has recently been published in Health Communication, an article titled ‘Cyberframing Cancer: An Exploratory Investigation of Valenced Cybercoping on Cancer Blogs.’
David Schulz

Dr. Schulz has a broad range of experience teaching communication courses at various universities including University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania State University, and California State University, Stanislaus. In 2006 he moved to Washington to start a new degree program in Communications at Trinity Lutheran College, where he taught: Public Speaking, Advertising & Marketing, Rhetorical Theory, Research Methods, Senior Capstone, Persuasive Messages and conducted study abroad trips to Greece and Italy. Dr. Schulz' research interests include Rhetorical Theory and Social Movements.

Professor & Chair of Communication Studies

Dr. Schulz has a broad range of experience teaching communication courses at various universities including University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Pennsylvania State University, and California State University, Stanislaus. In 2006 he moved to Washington to start a new degree program in Communications at Trinity Lutheran College, where he taught: Public Speaking, Advertising & Marketing, Rhetorical Theory, Research Methods, Senior Capstone, Persuasive Messages and conducted study abroad trips to Greece and Italy. Dr. Schulz' research interests include Rhetorical Theory and Social Movements.

More Faculty

One of our greatest assets at Concordia University Irvine is our dedicated faculty. In a small learning environment, our professors care about you—not just your performance—and they cultivate lifelong mentoring relationships with the students they teach.

Communication Faculty Talk to a Professor

Get in Touch

For more information about the Communication Studies major at Concordia University Irvine, we invite you to contact us directly.

David Schulz
Professor & Chair of Communication Studies
[email protected]
949-214-3323

For any questions or submissions related to Concordia's Communication Studies social media presence, we invite you to contact us directly.

Jenna Hoffman
Communication Studies Department Assistant & Social Media Manager
[email protected]

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In your college search, it's important that you find the right fit for you. That's why we offer both group visits and individual visits for you and your family throughout the year. Come experience our beautiful hilltop campus, sit in on a class, attend chapel, and dine in our cafeteria

Visit us at one of our upcoming Admissions events

Mar

15

Golden Eagle Day
March 15, 10:00 AM
Concordia University

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Get started on submitting your application for admission today. Applications received after February 15 are reviewed on a rolling basis.

Fall Deadlines to Apply
Early Action	Nov. 15
Early Action II	Feb. 15
Rolling	Aug. 15

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School of Arts and Sciences

Develop Crucial Communication Skills for Your Future Career

Communication Studies at Concordia

The Concordia Courier

Forensics (Speech & Debate) at Concordia University Irvine

What Students Are Saying

Student and Alumni Success

Concordia Prepares, God Provides

Celina Stratton '17

First Gen Performance

Diego Perez '17

Communication Opens Doors to Friendships and Opportunities

Nokukhanya "Noks" Lucy Shabalala '16

From Softball to the Reporting Field

Erica Anderson '06

Where Our Alumni Are Working

Opportunities for Communication Studies Majors

Academic Opportunities

Extracurricular Activities

Internships

Graduate Schools Attended

Curriculum

Meet Your Professors

Konrad Hack

Assistant Professor of Communication Studies & Director of Forensics

Lucas Hatlen

Assistant Professor of Communication Studies

Erin Nelson

Associate Professor of Communication Studies

David Schulz

Professor & Chair of Communication Studies

More Faculty

Get in Touch

Get Started

Request Info

Schedule a Visit

Apply Now

Explore the Opportunities