Mission and History

Mission

The Communication Studies department at Kutztown is dedicated to providing quality education for students to succeed in their personal, professional, and civic lives. To achieve this we are dedicated to advancing Communication in its various subfields including rhetoric, performance studies, strategic communication, media studies, and interpersonal communication. In addition, the Communication Studies department houses the Social Media Theory and Strategy program (SMS), which focuses on content creation and dissemination; content, data, and network analysis; and marketing and monetization made possible by social media platforms. Finally, we advance our mission through service learning projects, which help students to connect with their communities and become better citizens in the 21st century. 

History

The history of the Communication Studies Department at KU reflects the changes and continuities within the discipline of communication studies as well as the new challenges for communication in the 21st century. Initially devoted to the performative aspects of communication, the department began as the Department of Speech Communication and Theatre. While incorporating its initial roots, the department now focuses on the academic and business demands of today. To meet the cultural, civic, and business demands in today's complex and rapidly changing world, the department engages five interrelated areas: Rhetoric, Performance Studies, Strategic Communication, Media Studies, and Interpersonal Communication.