Communication Studies Department

The Department of Theatre Arts and Communication Studies provides courses of study as well as co-curricular activities to meet the interests of majors and the general student body. A number of courses in the department are open to all students who wish to explore theatre, dance or video production as an interest area. Advanced courses (3000 level and above) are usually open to students with appropriate prerequisites. Many of the courses in the department address Hamline Plan competencies.

Studies in theatre are an integral part of the traditional curriculum in the arts, broadening understanding of human interaction as well as enhancing the appreciation of the dramatic arts. Theatre and the allied disciplines of dance and video production are all part of the effort of the Department to integrate aesthetic, humanistic and social scientific perspectives in the study of this fundamental form of human communication.. The Department regularly offers study abroad opportunities for students seeking to expand their understanding of the universal language of the performing arts.

This section describes the courses and facilities for the Communication Studies department.

Postgraduate Opportunities: Communication Studies

Corporations typically cite knowledge and skills in communication as among the most important assets a college graduate brings to business. Students may pursue diverse career opportunities in wide- ranging fields related to communication. Career choices by majors include law, human resources, higher education administration, social service work, community organizing, speech writing, legislative work, public relations, advertising, sales, management, performing arts management, work in broadcast or print media, journalism, teaching, and other areas.

Honors in Communication Studies

Communication studies majors who have a minimum GPA of 3.5 in major courses are invited to apply for the departmental honors program. A student pursuing departmental honors will complete a serious extensive independent research in an area of interest, under the supervision of a departmental faculty member. Candidates for departmental honors must apply to the department for honors and obtain approval for the proposed project no later than 14 months prior to expected graduation. If approved, the candidate works closely with a departmental faculty supervisor to complete an independent research project, culminating in a written honors thesis which is then presented and defended to an examination committee. If both the written thesis and the oral examination are deemed worthy of honors, a copy of the thesis is filed in the Hamline University Bush Library and departmental honors are awarded at graduation.

Faculty

Departmental faculty combine active professional work in their respective fields with their primary role as educators. All faculty members in Communication Studies are involved in professional areas of their specializations beyond the campus, nationally and internationally, presenting research, and working as consulting professionals in various capacities.

Verna C. Corgan, associate professor. BA 1984, MA 1986, PhD 1992, University of Minnesota. Publications in communication ethics and legal communication. Teaching and research interests: legal rhetoric, communication ethics, argumentation, communication and rhetorical theory, persuasion, public speaking, small group communication, gender and communication.

Suda Ishida, associate professor. BA 1988, Chiang Mai University, Thailand; MA 1996, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; PhD 2002, University of Iowa. Publications in global media studies. Teaching and research interests include media studies, global media and social-political conflicts, cultural and critical theories, history of U.S. journalism, and intercultural communication.

Patricia R. Palmerton, professor, head of communication studies. BA 1972, Macalester College; MA 1979, PhD 1984, University of Minnesota. Publications in rhetoric, social change, curriculum development, communication education, and instructional communication. Teaching and research interests: communication and rhetorical theory, argumentation, gender and communication, small group communication, interpersonal communication, communication and conflict, research methods. Consultant in communication and education, and communication processes in organizations.