Breadcrumb
Department of Communication
Communication is how ideas change over time
Our department develops inquisitive and eloquent student leaders through courses that develop facilitation, leadership, team-building, persuasion, and critical thinking. Students gain practical experience with interpersonal, small group, social advocacy, digital communication, public, nonverbal, organizational, and intercultural communication. Our students get a far-reaching set of skills and the practice to apply those skills to our world.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
A Bachelor of Arts in Communication develops practical and critical skills in interpersonal communication, social advocacy, digital communication, nonverbal, organizational, and intercultural communication, and prepares students for success in a dynamic range of fields.
Minors
A close-knit community
We offer exceptional opportunities to connect with our faculty in order to hone your understanding and skills in the field of communication.
Experience your learning
Experiential learning opportunities include internships, attending conferences, conducting original research, tutoring, and participating in the intercollegiate speech and debate program.
Embrace critical thinking
Our students are inquisitive and eloquent student leaders. Classes generate focused critical skills to better understand culture, gender, social advocacy and theories of communication in order to obtain a far-reaching set of skills to apply to our world.
Careers
Businesses need people who are thinkers and communicators. Our department provides an educational approach emphasizing important career skills that prepare students for success.
- Advertising
- Business Management
- Education
- Journalism
- Law
- Marketing
- Mediation
- Politics
- Public Relations
- Radio & TV Broadcasting
Alumni Updates
Craig Sides
CommunicationSpeech Communication, 1980
Craig was invited to be a guest on the "Bold Leadership Stories Show," Among all the guests, he, by far, has had the most views! Putting HSU on the map as the owner of Temecula Valley Solar. He thanked Humboldt State on his Facebook page.
Kristin Coker
Communication, 1989
Kristin is a proud alum of the Speech Communication Department! After graduation, she worked as an Admissions Counselor for Heald Business College. She traveled to San Francisco East Bay high schools and spoke of the importance of staying in school and striving for a higher education. Kristin also worked for a nonprofit organization called Contra Costa ARC, where she was an HR recruiter. The agency was developed to employ and educate adults with developmental disabilities.
Kristin says her degree was the best choice for me, as it opened many doors to many job market opportunities.
Michael Barnes
Communication, 2017
Michael Barnes ('17, Communication) claims it's been a whirlwind since he graduated from Humboldt! Since his formative years as an undergrad studying under the great minds of Joshua Frye, Maxwell Schnurer, Armeda Reitzel, Scott Payton, and Leslie Rossman (now at the University of Denver), he continued to earn a master's degree in Communication from San Diego State University. He is now working toward a Ph.D. in Communication at Ohio University, where he is studying Interpersonal and Organizational Communication from various methodological perspectives. He cannot thank the faculty at Humboldt enough for believing in him and pushing him to go beyond!
Achievements
Find out what our students, faculty, and staff are being recognized for.
Geoffrey Ostrove
Communication
Faculty Geoffrey Ostrove, Communication
Published the article, Theme parks, labor, and the Dark Lord: A political economic critique of the Walt Disney company’s relationship with the City of Anaheim. International Communication Gazette, 87(1), 60-70. Ostrove, G. (2025)
https://journals.sagepub.com/eprint/22JATYHNJKMRRJQMRGAD/full
James Floss
Communication
James Floss, who taught Oral Interpretation of Children’s Literature at HSU for 3 decades recently gave a workshop called “Dynamic Read-Alouds for Children” to future K-3 teachers in Oaxaca, Mexico, for the 25th Anniversary of the “Escuela Normal Bilinguae e Intercultural de Oaxaca.”
James M. Floss
Communication
The purpose of the JAMES M. FLOSS SCHOLARSHIP FUND is to support students majoring or minoring in Dance, Music, and Theatre Arts or other performing arts, with a focus on Theatre Arts including acting, directing, and storytelling. A $2,000 award will be given annually for a period of five years. Recipients can receive the award only once. Recipients will be selected by the Department of Dance, Music, and Theatre, and awarded by the Financial Aid office. Donations can be made to the fund at https://giving.humboldt.edu/james-m-floss-theatre-arts-fund-0