Communication Studies, BA

Concentrations Available:

• Communication Studies
• Communication in Human Relationships
• Public Relations
• Speech Communication
• Sports Broadcasting and Communications
• Visual Communication

The Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies offers students the opportunity to acquire both a broad understanding of the principles of human communication and the practical skills necessary for effective oral and written communication. The degree has many applications, and after graduation students pursue diverse paths that include employment in event promotion, labor negotiation, political speechwriting, news journalism, public relations, education, and corporate communications. In addition, many communication studies majors decide to continue their study of the field at the graduate level or to pursue graduate work in a related field. Students who wish to earn the degree take 15 hours of core Communication Studies courses and an 18-hour concentration. The concentrations are listed below:

Communication Studies

This concentration allows students to acquire a broad understanding of the field of communication.

Communication in Human Relationships

This concentration develops students’ ability to analyze communication contexts, solve communication difficulties, and build productive relationships, both personal and professional. Courses in this concentration emphasize human communication as a meaning-making symbolic process and recognize communication as the key for creating and maintaining human relationships. Students will receive instruction on crucial communication processes such as cultural sensitivity, small group decision making and problem solving, conflict management, and nonverbal codes interpretation in contexts. They also learn to apply theories of human communication through course work, service learning projects, research experience, or internship. The concentration will prepare students for a range of career options that require excellent communication, analytic and problem solving skills including management, human resources, training and development in organizations, consulting and counseling, and health communications specialist. It is also excellent preparation for law school or other graduate education.

Public Relations

This concentration develops necessary skills and prepares future practitioners in planning and executing the building of relationships and coalitions to advance an organization or enterprise. Students will receive instruction in areas of mass media, communication law and ethics in addition to public relations courses. Emphasis is placed on the public relations process of research, planning, implementation and evaluation. Students in the public relations concentration will participate in service learning activities allowing them to work and gain practical experience with local non-profits and agencies. Graduates typically move to positions in media, governmental, investor, community, and employee relations; special events management; non-profit management; issues management; and public relations counseling.

Speech Communication

This concentration covers speechmaking and rhetorical analysis, providing direction for students interested in sales, marketing, strategic communication, politics, or developing advanced skills to use in emerging media and the “gig economy.” When Forbes ranks the top skills sought by employers each year, public speaking and argument analysis are perpetually the two skills most desired in potential hires, both of which are central to the study of speech communication. Speech communication students may be particularly concerned with issues surrounding public deliberation, civic engagement, and developing their critical thinking skills to benefit their communities, their nations, and the planet.

Sports Broadcasting and Communications

This concentration provides students with an understanding of the societal impact of sports and sports media, along with the skills and applied courses, using digital broadcast and video technology, to create sports content for distribution across multiple platforms, including interactive and mobile media, tablets, podcasts, television, radio and the Internet. Emphasis is given to live event production and preparing students for careers in a developing and changing sports media arena. Students will acquire job-market specific skills in one of the media industry’s growing sectors – sport media.

Students will learn to produce a broad range of content from live remote productions, live-to-tape events, television programs, and LSUA athletics and student-athlete features. Other facets of the program will include social media, podcasts, and the use of mobile technology and interactivity via the web. All of these tactics and platforms are fast becoming the standard in multi-mediated journalism and sports media.

Visual Communication

The visual communication concentration covers topics of visual/graphic design to prepare students to combine creativity, design, and problem solving skills to create visual communication. Students will work with industry standard software to create effective visual communication materials in digital and print formats. Graduates will move into graphic or visual communication and design careers within agencies, corporate communications departments, higher education, and freelance design work. The purpose is to develop design skills using industry standard software; develop concentration-specific tools for analysis, evaluation, and production; develop advanced skills in creating digital media and print pieces; use advanced methods to solve problems using visual communication; comprehend research and how it relates to determining messaging; synthesize advanced methods, theories, and practices to create, develop, and produce visual communication outputs.

Student Learning Outcomes

1. Graduates will be familiar with major concepts, theoretical trends, empirical findings, and historical trends in communication studies.

2. Graduates will understand and apply basic research methods in communication studies, including research design, data analysis, and interpretation.

3. Graduates will communicate effectively in a variety of formats and settings, including oral, written, and mediated communication.

Admission Requirements

Students must meet all requirements for admission to the university. The Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies has no separate or special admission requirements.

Degree Requirements

1. Students must complete all of the requirements pertaining to baccalaureate degrees as specified in Degree Requirements .

2. Students must take at least 30 hours at the 3000-level or above and at least 15 hours at the 4000-level.

3. Students are required to make a grade of “C” or higher in each course applied toward Core Major Courses and Concentration Courses.

Degree Audit

A fillable degree audit for students and their academic advisors is available here.