Communications Studies
There is no major in Communications Studies at
Cornell, though there is a combined Theatre-Communications teaching
major which meets Iowa state-certification standards. Students
are offered a variety of course-work from the discipline which
can be used to supplement their educational needs. Courses such
as Leadership, for example, while based in communication principles,
are designed to support and draw from politics, sociology, psychology,
and business in application. Cornell does offer an opportunity
for students to become involved in intercollegiate speech competitions
which have over the years garnered for the college many regional
and national awards.
The Communications Studies curriculum is based
on COM 121, Speech Communication, which is a prerequisite for
the upper-division communication courses. It is designed to give
a broad-based understanding of the discipline as well as to develop
oral communication skills. Most other courses have no prerequisite.
Communications Studies coursework continues to play a substantial
role for many interdisciplinary majors.
The Communications curriculum is composed of
"service courses" which by nature emphasize breadth
of experience. The introductory course focuses on transferable
skills: structuring presentations, impromptu speaking, and critical
listening. The Leadership and Media courses offer analysis of
current communications theories and standards and their impact
on the individual. Oral Interpretation integrates literature analysis
with performance skills appropriate to conveying meaning. Finally,
inter-collegiate forensics competition gives students an opportunity
to develop their skills over an extended period of time in a competitive
environment.
