Welcome to Communication Studies
Communication is central to the ongoing processes of culture and society and is therefore a vitally important field of study. At CSUN, the Department of Communication Studies offers a curriculum that embraces a wide range of disciplinary traditions in the study of human communication. These include: rhetorical studies, performance studies, cultural studies, language behavior and communication theory. Coursework includes introductory and advanced study in interpersonal communication, group communication, organizational communication, intercultural communication, rhetorical analysis, textual analysis and performance studies. Read more about us
Why Comm and not Comms?
Communication
If you do not understand why we call ourselves the Department of Communication Studies and not Communications, you will after reading the following paragraphs. The term “communication” reflects our department’s focus and approach to communication—which simply means the process by which humans use symbols, verbal and nonverbal, to create meaning and form relationships with other humans within a variety of contexts, cultures, and mediated environments. This definition of Communication is the essence of what we teach, research, and do in our department through Performance Studies, Rhetorical Studies, and Communication Science.
“Communications,” on the other hand, is often used to refer to the products—the messages that are transmitted or distributed—or to the equipment (like wireless or fiber optic cables) that conducts the transmission. While these are integral elements of communication studies, they do not form the basis for our program at CSUN. You might consider Journalism or Cinema Television if this is your interest. Thus, we prefer “communication” to emphasize more than an applied art of communicating (a verb) but rather the study of communication (a noun). We hope you have a better understanding of why we are not called “Communications.”
NOTE: The paragraphs above were slightly modified from the Department of Communication Studies at Cornell University and it provides an accurate and adequate answer to why we use Communication and NOT Communications.
FEATURED NEWS
CSUN 3rd in Nation for Latino Communication and Journalism Degrees
July 15, 2019

CSUN ranks third in the nation for the total number of bachelor’s degrees awarded to Hispanics or Latinos majoring in communication or journalism. Read more
NEW PUBLICATION! The Prayer Box
September 24, 2018

NEW PUBLICATION! The Prayer Box is a charming and deceptively simple story that illuminates for children some hard-to-grasp ideas like the benefits of time, nurturing, private thoughts, hopes and conversations with God. Read more
NEW PUBLICATION! Postcolonial Grief: The Afterlives of the Pacific Wars in the Americas
September 24, 2018

Jinah Kim's first book, Postcolonial Grief: The Afterlives of the Pacific Wars in the Americas will be published by Duke University Press in December 2018. Read more
NEW FACULTY PUBLICATION! Teaching Teachers With Theater!: Performance Training & Tactics for Classroom Teachers
September 23, 2018

NEW FACULTY PUBLICATION! Jim Senti’s work exposes K–12 classroom teachers to the activities and training that will help them become a more comfortable, connective, exciting, and engaging teacher in the classroom. Read more
NEW FACULTY PUBLICATION! A Field Guide to Internships: An Interactive Resource for Discovering Your Career
September 23, 2018

Motivate students to: (1) explore myths and benefits of internships, (2) prepare for internships through deep self-work, (3) become familiar with labor laws and internships, (4) develop relationships through mentoring, (5) build networks online and on ground, and (6) troubleshoot workplace interactions. Read more