Emerson College Department of Communication Studies

Emerson College Department of Communication Studies
Name	Emerson College Department of Communication Studies
Established	1970s
Parent institution	Emerson College
Location	Boston, Massachusetts
Type	Academic department
Chair	Department Chair
Website	Emerson College

Emerson College Department of Communication Studies is a department within Emerson College focused on teaching and research in interpersonal communication, rhetorical studies, media criticism, and organizational communication. The department integrates classroom instruction, applied research, and experiential learning drawing on traditions from Harvard University, Boston University, Northeastern University, and regional cultural institutions such as the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Boston Public Library. Faculty and students engage with topics linking rhetorical practice to civic life, performance, journalism, and digital media, working alongside partners like the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum and the American Civil Liberties Union.

History

The department traces roots to liberal arts initiatives at Emerson College during the late 20th century, shaped by intellectual currents from Kenneth Burke, Marshall McLuhan, and scholars associated with Columbia University's communication programs. Early curricular development responded to cultural shifts reflected in landmarks like the Civil Rights Act debates and the rise of cable networks exemplified by CNN. Expansion occurred in parallel with the growth of media industries centered in New York City and Los Angeles, drawing visiting lecturers from institutions such as the New School and the University of Southern California. Over decades the department formalized majors and graduate offerings, aligning with accreditation practices observed at the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business and peer units at Syracuse University.

Academic Programs

Undergraduate offerings include majors and concentrations in rhetorical studies, interpersonal communication, and organizational communication, with curricula influenced by seminal texts from Aristotle, Kenneth Burke, Michel Foucault, and contemporary theorists associated with Stanford University and Yale University. Graduate programs emphasize applied research and professional practice, mirroring program structures at Northwestern University and University of Pennsylvania. Courses cross-list with departments in Visual and Media Arts, Performing Arts, and departments linked to internship pipelines at organizations like The New York Times, The Boston Globe, NPR, and TED Conferences. Pedagogy incorporates methods from scholars at University of Chicago and University of California, Berkeley including rhetorical criticism, discourse analysis, and ethnographic fieldwork.

Faculty and Research

Faculty include scholars with doctoral training from institutions such as University of Michigan, Ohio State University, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, and Pennsylvania State University. Research spans rhetoric and public address, persuasion and health communication, mediated interpersonal interaction, and organizational discourse, engaging with funding agencies like the National Endowment for the Humanities and partnering researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard Kennedy School. Faculty publish in journals affiliated with International Communication Association, National Communication Association, and presses such as Oxford University Press and Routledge. Visiting scholars and adjuncts have ties to practitioners from Brookings Institution, Pew Research Center, Council on Foreign Relations, and industry leaders at Facebook and Google.

Facilities and Resources

Facilities include seminar classrooms in Emerson's Walker Building and studios in the Paramount Center, equipped with production suites comparable to resources at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and USC Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism. Research labs support qualitative and quantitative work, with software and databases used at ICPSR and access to archives at institutions like the Library of Congress and the Schlesinger Library. The department leverages performance spaces similar to those at Carnegie Mellon University and collaborates with campus units such as the Office of Career Services and the Center for the Arts for events, screenings, and speaker series featuring guests from Public Broadcasting Service and HBO.

Student Organizations and Activities

Student life features clubs and honor societies modeled after national groups like Pi Kappa Delta and Lambda Pi Eta, and activity-based organizations that mirror cohorts at Society for Human Resource Management and Association for Business Communication. Students produce publications and podcasts with editorial practices akin to staff at The Atlantic and Vox, and participate in debates, moot courts, and public speaking competitions affiliated with National Forensic League and American Parliamentary Debate Association. Internship networks place students at cultural institutions including the Museum of Science (Boston), policy centers like the Urban Institute, and media outlets such as Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

Alumni and Career Outcomes

Alumni pursue careers in public relations, corporate communication, broadcasting, nonprofit leadership, and academia, joining organizations like Edelman, Weber Shandwick, CBS News, ABC News, CNN, and universities including Boston University and Syracuse University. Graduates have earned fellowships and awards associated with Fulbright Program, Rhodes Scholarship, Pulitzer Prize recipients, and leadership roles in civic organizations such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Career services report placement trends similar to peer institutions including George Washington University and Georgetown University.

Community Engagement and Partnerships

The department maintains partnerships with civic and cultural organizations across Greater Boston, including collaborations with the Boston Mayor's Office, Massachusetts Department of Public Health, and community groups like Facing History and Ourselves. Service-learning projects link students with nonprofits such as United Way and Habitat for Humanity, and research initiatives support policy conversations convened by think tanks like the Bipartisan Policy Center. Public programming brings speakers from Smithsonian Institution, Kennedy Center, and media forums like South by Southwest.

Category:Emerson College