Communication Department

Ellensburg
Bouillon Hall, room 232A

509-963-1066
Fax: 509-963-1060
www.cwu.edu/~comm
See Web site for how the communication programs could be used for educational and career purposes.

Faculty and Staff
Chair
Lois Breedlove, MA

Professors
Philip Backlund, PhD, communication studies
James L. Gaudino, PhD, public relations
Michael R. Ogden, PhD, journalism, film and video studies

Associate Professors
Lois J. Breedlove, MA, journalism
Robert C. Fordan, MA, journalism

Assistant Professors
Xiaodong Kuang, PhD, public relations, advertising
Cesar Garcia, PhD, public relations
Steve Jackson, MA, journalism, convergent media
Cynthia Mitchell, MBA, journalism
Maria Sanders, MA, film and video studies

Lecturers
Patrick Deffenbaugh, BA, advertising
Katherine Horowitz, MA, communication studies
Toby Staab, MA, journalism

Staff
Kristina Owens, secretary senior
Michele Graaff, Bridges administrative assistant
Veronica Gomez-Vilchis, Bridges project coordinator
Michael Richard, Observer business manager

Department Information
The Department of Communication prepares students to become active participants in communicating with – and the shaping of – modern culture in a global society. The department emphasizes student-centered instruction in gathering and disseminating written, spoken, and visual information, as well as course-work in the processes, effects, and theories of human communication. The department is committed to a liberal education in written, oral, visual, and convergent media communication, as well as to training in diverse professional fields.

Department Standards
Admission Requirements

Students accepted into a major must meet with their assigned departmental faculty advisor at least quarterly.
At the time of application, students must have completed COM 189, COM 201, and COM 202 with a combined 3.0 average or better. All potential majors must have a grade point average of at least 2.4 overall from CWU and have a passing score on the required grammar, spelling, and punctuation test.
Students must submit a major application form, a current CAPS report, a letter of application, outside cognate or minor plan, and test scores from the departmental admissions test in accordance with department policies.
The communication department reserves the right to modify these requirements as the needs of the department change. Such modifications would supersede policies previously published in this catalog.

Exit Requirements

Students must maintain a 2.4 GPA with a minimum grade of C- in all courses counted toward fulfilling any major and/or required outside cognate or minor requirements.
All communication department majors must complete at least 20 credits in an outside cognate or a recognized external minor. To qualify as an outside cognate, courses must be 300 level or above. The student’s major advisor MUST approve the outside cognate or external minor at the time of admission to the department.
No course may be counted twice in fulfilling an internal or external minor or outside cognate. However, students may propose, with advisor approval, an additional course as a substitution to fulfill minor or cognate requirements (see department handbook).

Financial Obligations
Production courses required for broadcast journalism and/or film and video studies have associated lab fees.

Bachelor of Arts
(NOTE: Students seeking a BA degree must complete one year college/university study or two years high school study of a single foreign language.)

Programs

• Advertising Minor
• Communication Minor
• Communication Studies Major
• Journalism Major
• Non-profit Organization Administration Certificate (COM)
• Non-profit Organization Administration Minor (COM)
• Organizational Communication Minor
• Professional Writing Certificate (COM)
• Public Relations Major