Multi-dimensional in its approach, Communication Studies Department uses the rich resources of both the humanities and the social sciences in exploring the human capacity for speech - when, where, why, how, and with what effect people interact through language and extra-linguistic symbols - and focuses on the theory and practice of human communication in a variety of contexts: interpersonal, intercultural, instructional, organizational, political, in dyads, in small groups, and in the mass media. The Communication Studies program prepares students for graduate work or careers in a wide variety of occupations that place a premium on excellent communication skills. The Communication Studies degree program is now among the most popular in the College of Liberal Arts.
Modified from coms.calpoly.edu
Senior Projects from 2014
Learn By Traveling Through AIESEC: The Importance of Studying and Experiencing Intercultural Communication, Haley Gross
A Feminist Exploration of Gender and Communication in the Professional Sales Workplace, Chelsea Heil
Virtual Brand Communities and Brand Loyalty: A Case Study of MINDBODY Inc.'s Virtual Brand Community, Dillon Katz
The World Is My Classroom, Dante Pisana Logie
The Power of PLUR: EDMC as a Reflection of a New Generation, Nichole Lorenz
The Music Says My Soul. The Beat Says My Life: Electronic Dance Music Culture, Megan McDonald
A Comparative Analysis of the First Inaugural Addresses of Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Barack Obama, Siobhan Miller
Brave: A Feminist Perspective on the Disney Princess Movie, Danielle Morrison
The Deceptions of Powerful Female Roles: A Feminist Critique of Homeland, Shelby C. Murray
From Superhero to Human: A Genealogical Criticism of Depictions of Police Officers in Media from the 1970s to the Present, Samantha Wendy Ann Neher
A Look at Intercultural Communication in the Adult ESL Classroom: Using English to Empower not Overpower, Ashley Elizabeth Nelson
A Study of the Effect of Product Placement in Television Shows and its Influence on Consumer Behavior, Danielle Patton
Perceptions of the Communications Studies Major: Is There a Female Stereotype?, Kyle Petersen and Karina Almaguer
Respect, Cho Chang, and Asian Representation: A Critical Analysis of the White Gaze in Harry Potter, Kaitlin Pham
"The Falling Man" as Viewed in the Lens of the "Public Sphere", Laura Reinacher
Studying Communication: Deepening my Understanding and Insights, Katie Sepa
Humble Me: Increasing Awareness of Ethnocentrism and of the Need for Ethnorelativism Through a Spoken Word Performance Event, Corinne H. Sherman
Poly Royal 2014: Applying Communication Concepts in order for a Successful Annual Rodeo Event, Shyan Souza
Gender Representation in Sports Communication, Michelle R. Stiller
Cal Poly Open House: An Application of Communication Principles, Jillian Syftestad
Proposal for a Media Effects Study: What Preschoolers and Kindergartners Retain from Animated Children's Films with Intricate Storylines, Samantha Lynne Tanner
The Miscommunication of Standardized Education, Eliott James Walker
Entering a Musical Haze: How Music Festivals Have Created Their Own Culture, Kaitlyn Weaver
From Print Culture to Digital Culture: Effects on Communication, Culture, and Technology, Brent Weber
Where Does it Hurt? A Cultivation Theory’s Perspective on Domestic Violence, Kendra Grace White