B.S. in Communication Studies

There's more to JMU Communication Studies than meets the eye.

We are a community engaged in teaching, researching, and practicing communication as central to cultivating ethical, productive, and meaningful lives and relationships.

The JMU School of Communication Studies, one of the largest departments on campus with close to 800 majors and minors, features six unique thematic concentrations and a generalist option for students who want to take a wider range of classes. We also offer many engaged learning opportunities, ranging from service learning to undergraduate research, internships, and several exciting study abroad options.

Communication studies provide students with modern academic programs for the purpose of understanding human communication. Courses examine multiple, cross-disciplinary approaches for studying messages and outcomes resulting from human interactive processes that involve the content and relationship dimensions of sources, receivers, channels, and contexts. Emphasis is on person-to-person transactions involving face-to-face and social media venues at the interpersonal, small group, organizational, and public levels. Instruction employs ways of knowing and research methodologies of social science, historical/critical analysis, and art. Our graduates have successful careers in business, education, government, conflict analysis and intervention, health, public relations, entertainment, personnel management, politics, sales, conference and event planning, hospitality industries, and more.

A major in communication studies also provides valuable pre-professional preparation for graduate and professional studies in the fields of communication, counseling, law, management, ministry, and military. Through traditional classroom delivery and distance learning platforms, students acquire communication skill competencies in experiential classroom activities, research projects, studies abroad, and internships. Communication Studies graduates leave JMU prepared to participate effectively as citizens in the communication age.

We know that success requires equal parts intellect and action. At JMU, that’s what Being the Change is all about.

When students graduating from James Madison University proudly walk across the stage to receive their diplomas, they’re more than just educated. They’re members of a fellowship of doers. They know how to make things happen. They’ve honed their ability to think critically. They’ve learned the importance of a strong work ethic and they’ve become committed to and skilled at collaborating with others. Diplomas in hand, they leave campus determined to live lives of meaning and pursue careers of purpose.

Only two hours from Washington D.C., JMU is fast becoming one of the nation’s leading lights in higher education. That’s because students enjoy unusually engaged relationships with world-class faculty who are at JMU because they want to pursue knowledge and teach talented students.

JMU students, faculty and alumni are using equal parts intellect and action to succeed in every sort of pursuit: they’re boosting innovation and discovery, leading in business, advancing culture, improving health care, reforming education, renewing civil society, competing in athletics — they’re Being the Change in every imaginable way.