Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communications Studies

4 Years On Campus Bachelors Program

Wayne State University

Program Overview

The B.A. in Communication Studies at Wayne State University develops strong oral, written, interpersonal, rhetorical, and research-based communication skills while exploring how communication works across individuals, groups, organizations, and society. It is a strong choice for students interested in careers across business, government, education, public relations, communication, media, law, and other fields where clear and persuasive communication is essential.

Curriculum Structure

Year 1: Students begin by building a strong foundation in communication through COM 1010 Oral Communication: Basic Speech, COM 2000 Introduction to Communication Studies, and COM 2110 Argumentation and Debate. These courses introduce speech preparation, communication principles, argumentation, debate, and the fundamentals of communicating effectively with different audiences.

Year 2: Students expand their understanding of communication through courses such as COM 2170 Persuasive Speaking, COM 2200 Interpersonal Communication, and COM 2300 Intercultural Communication. This stage develops practical skills in persuasion, interpersonal interaction, cultural awareness, and audience analysis.

Year 3: Students move into more advanced communication theory and specialized study through COM 3400 Theories of Communication, alongside options such as COM 3250 Introduction to Organizational Communication, COM 3300 Business and Professional Presentations, or COM 3150 Science Communication. At this stage, students can connect communication theory with professional, organizational, scientific, and public-facing contexts.

Year 4: The final stage emphasizes advanced analysis, professional application, and independent work through courses such as COM 4190 Rhetorical Criticism or COM 4210 Research Methods in Communication, selected 4000-level courses such as COM 4130 Communication Ethics or COM 4500 Leadership Communication, and 5000/6000-level options such as COM 5130 Communication and Social Marketing or COM 5320 Health Communication. Students complete COM 5900 Senior Project in Communication Studies, while COM 6190 Internship provides an opportunity to gain workplace experience.

Focus Areas

Public speaking, argumentation and debate, interpersonal communication, intercultural communication, organizational communication, communication theory, rhetorical criticism, communication research, communication ethics, leadership communication, public relations, social marketing, health communication, visual culture, professional presentations.

Learning Outcomes

Effective oral and written communication, persuasive communication, interpersonal and group communication, rhetorical analysis, communication research, critical thinking, audience analysis, intercultural awareness, professional presentation skills, communication ethics, leadership, independent research and project development.

Professional Alignment (Accreditation)

Wayne State University is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The university's current accreditation listing does not identify a separate professional accreditation specifically for the Communication Studies B.A.; the HLC accreditation therefore provides the institutional accreditation framework for the degree.

Reputation (Employability & Recognition)

Wayne State describes its Department of Communication as preparing students for careers across communication, journalism, media, and public relations, while the university promotes its position as a major public research university in Detroit. Wayne State's official publications also report that the university has been ranked among the Top 100 Public Universities in the Nation by U.S. News & World Report; a separate program-specific QS or Guardian employability ranking for Communication Studies was not identified in the university's official materials.

Experiential Learning (Research, Projects, Internships etc.)

Communication Studies at Wayne State combines classroom learning with opportunities to practice speaking, argumentation, research, professional presentations, independent projects, and workplace communication. Students can gain experience through the required senior project and available internship, while departmental activities such as debate and speech teams provide additional opportunities to develop confidence, persuasion, teamwork, and presentation skills. The Department of Communication is based in Manoogian Hall and is also associated with the Midtown Studio and Media Arts production labs, giving students access to a broader communication and media environment:

• COM 1010 Oral Communication: Basic Speech — develops speech preparation, delivery, poise, and confidence when communicating with different audiences.

• COM 2110 Argumentation and Debate — gives students practical experience developing arguments, evaluating opposing positions, and communicating persuasively.

• COM 2170 Persuasive Speaking — applies audience analysis and social psychology to persuasive speech construction and presentation.

• COM 3300 Business and Professional Presentations — develops practical skills in persuasive and informative presentations, speech writing, multimedia presentations, business communication, and report writing.

• COM 5900 Senior Project in Communication Studies — serves as the senior capstone and combines lectures and workshops with a service-learning or individual research project.

• COM 6190 Internship — provides on-the-job observations and work experience in business, service, social, governmental, and industrial organizations.

• Departmental Debate and Speech Teams — Wayne State students can participate in nationally ranked debate and speech teams, providing additional practice in public speaking, argumentation, competition, and presentation.

• Communication Research/Creative Activities — students can engage with the department's research and creative community through departmental research and creative colloquia.

• Manoogian Hall — houses the Department of Communication and provides the department's primary academic environment.

• Midtown Studio — a communication/media production facility developed in partnership with Detroit Public Television, Channel 56, giving students exposure to a professional media-production environment.

• Media Arts Production Labs — department-associated production facilities in Old Main that complement Wayne State's broader communication and media learning environment.

• Student Organizations — students can participate in organizations including Lambda Pi Eta, the communication honor society, as well as the Society of Professional Journalists and Public Relations Student Society of America, depending on their interests.

Progression & Future Opportunities

Graduates of the Communication Studies B.A. can apply their communication, research, presentation, persuasion, and critical-thinking skills across a wide range of professional environments. Wayne State specifically identifies career opportunities in areas including business, government, education, law, and other communication-related fields, while the broad curriculum also supports progression into communication, public relations, organizational, and media-oriented careers.

Typical job roles: Communication Specialist, Public Relations Specialist, Corporate Communications Coordinator, Communications Consultant

Career development can be strengthened through Wayne State's professional resources and practical opportunities:

• Career Services — provides career advising focused on internships, micro-internships, networking, career exploration, action planning, and the transition from college to employment.

• Career Fairs & Employer Networking — Wayne State's All-Majors Career Fair connects students with employers recruiting for internships, co-ops, part-time positions, and full-time roles.

• Internship Experience — COM 6190 allows students to gain workplace experience in business, service, social, governmental, and industrial organizations.

• Global Career Accelerator — Wayne State offers a for-credit work-based program open to students from any major, providing real-world experience, industry tools, certifications, and access to an early-career network.

• University–Industry Exposure — the Global Career Accelerator connects students with real-world case studies and companies, while the Department of Communication's Midtown Studio was developed in partnership with Detroit Public Television, Channel 56.

• Employment & Salary Data — Wayne State's official materials do not publish a current, program-specific employment rate or salary figure for Communication Studies, so no unsupported salary statistic is included here.

• Graduation Outcomes — university-wide data report an 82% second-year retention rate for full-time first-time bachelor's students and a 60% six-year graduation rate for the Fall 2019 first-time, full-time bachelor's cohort. These figures are university-wide rather than specific to Communication Studies.

• Long-Term Accreditation Value — Wayne State's institutional accreditation by the Higher Learning Commission provides an established accreditation framework for the university and supports the long-term academic value of the degree.

Further Academic Progression: Students can continue into Wayne State's M.A. in Communication, with graduate study available across areas such as communication studies, organizational communication, public relations, journalism, and related communication fields. High-achieving Communication Studies students can also explore Wayne State's AGRADE pathway, which allows eligible seniors to begin graduate study while completing the bachelor's degree and apply up to 15 approved credits toward both degrees.