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The Communication Studies Department is located in West House

 

 

Mailing Address:
Humanities Division
Western Oregon University
345 N. Monmouth Ave.
Monmouth , OR 97361

 

Humanities Division Office Location:
MA (Maaske) 319

 

Phone:
(503) 838-8408 (Voice)
(503) 838-8056 (Fax)

 

Department Chair:

Dr. Nick Backus

Associate Professor

West House 201
Nick Backus
Telephone: (503) 838-8851
E-mail: backusj@wou.edu ckusj

 

 

The mission of the Department of Communication Studies is:

Excellence in teaching, research, and service in communication—the processes that occur when individuals interact in interpersonal, group, family, organizational, or public situations—based on sound theory and practice.

 

We concentrate on understanding similarities and differences among contexts and perspectives to prepare students for effective communication throughout life.

 

Our students develop skills in ethical, reflective, and effective message production, evaluation, and response including: synthesis and acceptance of communication styles reflecting our diversity in standpoint, cultural background, and belief; development of abilities to make informed, critical analyses of communicative acts; and the ability to apply knowledge to facilitate effective communication. @w

 

The Communication Studies Major: u.edu

In the liberal arts tradition, including both humanistic and social scientific study, the department offers a 66-hour major. Students, in close consultation with a department advisor, select courses from

• Interpersonal and Organizational Communication
• Rhetoric and Critical Thinking
• Media, Culture, and Society

The Communication Studies Minor consists of 27 hours, 15 of which must be upper division, selcted by the student in close consultation with a department advisor.

 

Communication Studies Program Goals:

• Promote student development of abilities to make informed, critical analyses of communication;
• Provide students with the ability to apply their knowledge to facilitate effective communication; and,
• Encourage students to synthesize and accept varieties of communication styles reflecting diversity in standpoint, cultural background, and belief.

Program learning outcomes:

Goal 1: Understanding of multiple theoretical perspectives and diverse intellectual

underpinnings in communication as reflected in disciplinary philosophy and/or history

Goal 2: Competency in effective communication with diverse others

 

Goal 3: Competency in multiple forms of presentation

 

Goal 4: Competency in analysis and interpretation of contemporary media and public

discourse.

Goal 5: Competency in reflective construction and analysis of arguments and discourse

intended to influence beliefs, attitudes, values, and behaviors

 

Goal 6: Competency in systematic inquiry (the posing of research questions, testing of

hypotheses, and development of conclusions)

Goal 7: Competency in analysis and practice of ethical communication

 

Goal 8: Competency in human relational interaction, including complex social organization.

 

 

Communication Studies Faculty

Dr. Molly Mayhead Professor	Dr. Frank Nevius Associate Professor
Dr. Claire Ferraris Associate Professor	Dr. Nick Backus Associate Professor, Chair
Dr. Emily Plec Associate Professor	Dr. Butch Evans Adjunct Assistant Professor
Mr. William Andersen Adjunct Instructor