Communication

How do human beings understand and use the abundance of information that comes to them daily in social, political, and business contexts, or even in their families? How can they become more effective as producers and consumers of communication in today's information-based society?

The Department of Communication invites you to explore these and other related questions. We offer a stimulating undergraduate program that offers a major and minor in communication, and a graduate program that offers an Master of Arts degree in communication. Our graduate program has a broad focus in communication theory, organizational communication, and strategic communication practice. In our undergraduate program, you can choose from 3 tracks of specialization:

The Department of Communication is home to a diverse and productive group of scholars/teachers with a broad set of research interests that reflects the most current scholarship in the field of Communication. The department sponsors an undergraduate student communication club, Comm.Unity, as well as a chapter of the national Communication Honors Society Lambda Pi Eta. Our faculty participate in a wide-variety of interdisciplinary campus programs and initiatives including Latin American and Caribbean Studies, Women's Studies, the Ignatian Residential College, the Honors Program, Asian Studies, American Studies, and Service Learning.

Our classes are some of the most popular on campus, and we think you'll agree with a vast majority of employers who routinely cite good communication skills as the number one skill set they look for in future employees. Through our undergraduate course offerings, you'll learn to:

  • Acquire a critical understanding of human communication processes and contemporary communication media
  • Improve your oral and written communication skills
  • Heighten your visual awareness
  • Develop research skills
  • Learn to make key connections between communication practices and the social world

Fairfield's program prepares you for careers in a variety of communication industries. Each spring the department also hosts career panels in conjunction with Career Planning to help students think through their professional goals.

In addition, communication majors will develop an intensive understanding of the importance of communication in everyday life - both professionally and personally.  Many upper-level students participate in a for-credit internship program that has recently included work experience opportunities at sites such as:

  • "Live! With Regis and Kelly"
  • "The Late Show with David Letterman"
  • Michael Kors
  • Vogue Magazine
  • The NFL
  • The Special Olympics

In keeping with the University's Jesuit mission, we hope our majors and minors will also develop the skills necessary to make a valuable contribution to their society, and a commitment to influence the media and other organizations to become more just and socially responsible. We encourage you to develop a global awareness of communication processes, and we strongly suggest:

  • Becoming fluent in a second (or third) language
  • Taking courses with an international focus
  • Planning a study abroad experience

Print a summarized version of our program's overview.