Question: What do overcoming problems in friendship, family, and romantic relationships; detecting deception in police interrogations; designing public relations campaigns for major hospitals; and pitching products to prospective clients all have in common?
Answer: They all are topics studied and taught in the Department of Communication Studies!
Communication Studies is an amazingly diverse major, encompassing everything from public relations to personal relationships. But the common thread running throughout all that we study and teach at UAB is how to handle challenging communication situations in ways that optimize personal and professional outcomes.
Study with Us
The Department of Communication Studies at UAB offers Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in human communication and mass media. When you choose our department as your academic home, you immediately join one of the top programs in the world. Faculty in our department are recognized internationally as the top experts in their chosen areas of research. Why is this important? Because when you take classes from the faculty in our department, you are learning from the best of the best. As just one example, four of our professors have been recognized as among the most prolific scholars in the field of communication, and two of those are currently in the Top 5 researchers of all time.
But at UAB, we’re not just about research. Superlative teaching is our top priority, and our aim as a department is to provide you with the finest communication education available anywhere! In our department, you will learn from some of the best teachers in the world. For instance, one of our professors was recently recognized by the National Communication Association as the best college teacher in the entire field of communication. Two of our professors have been nominated for the Carnegie Foundation U.S. Professor of the Year Award.
Studying Communication is for Everyone
Choosing to major in communication guarantees that you will learn knowledge and skills essential for success in today’s diverse workplaces. If you desire a career in fields such as public relations, broadcasting, or journalism, we have specializations for you. But we also offer classes addressing almost every career imaginable. You can take classes on topics as diverse as nonverbal communication, communication in romantic relationships, visual media production, and public relations strategy. You will learn about effective presentations, social networks, media criticism, and news reporting. Whether you are a scientist or a salesperson, a medical researcher or a musician, desire a career in politics or sports marketing, communication skills will be an essential part of your job; and we are here to help you acquire and master those skills.
But it’s not just about professional outcomes. Research clearly documents that communication knowledge and skills are essential for maintaining a satisfying friendship, family, and romantic relationships. This same research also demonstrates that the most important determinant of human happiness is having healthy, supportive relationships. Thus, when you learn about communication, you are learning about the bedrock for living a happy emotional life.
We hope that as you continue to explore our department, you will come to share our passionate enthusiasm for communication! Please browse our web pages and explore the links. In doing so, you will learn about one of the most exciting and dynamic communication departments in the world!