COURSE CURRICULUM

The Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies at Wright State University is a flexible liberal arts program designed to help students understand and improve how people create, share, and interpret messages across personal, social, and professional contexts. It focuses on building strong speaking, writing, and critical thinking skills while also teaching students to analyze communication from a social scientific perspective, especially in intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational, and media environments. The program combines theoretical learning with practical experience, allowing students to study traditional communication theories as well as modern media practices such as social media, digital communication, public relations, and mass communication effects. Students are encouraged to develop as effective communicators and critical thinkers who can evaluate arguments, analyze evidence, and understand how communication shapes society. The curriculum is highly flexible, letting students tailor their studies with electives and specialized courses based on their interests, such as persuasion, intercultural communication, organizational communication, interviewing, dispute resolution, and media studies topics. A key feature of the program is its emphasis on real-world application through activities like student media, radio, newspapers, clubs, internships, and community engagement opportunities, helping students gain practical experience alongside academic knowledge. The degree also includes foundational coursework in mathematics, research methods, foreign language, humanities, and social sciences to ensure broad intellectual development. Students are trained to understand global and multicultural perspectives and to engage with ethical and contemporary social issues, preparing them to participate actively in civic life. Overall, the program is designed to produce versatile graduates who can work in fields such as public relations, media, corporate communication, politics, marketing, and organizational communication, or pursue further studies, while also developing strong personal communication skills useful in any career path.