Communication Department

College of Arts and Humanities
Ellensburg
Lind Hall, room 109
Mail Stop 7438
509-963-1066
Fax: 509-963-1060
https://www.cwu.edu/academics/communication/

Faculty and Staff
Chair
EunYoung Lee, PhD

Professors
Mark Meister, PhD, communication
Francesco Somaini, PhD, media and journalism

Associate Professor
Eun Young Lee, PhD, communication

Assistant Professors
Seokhoon Ahn, PhD, communication
Joshua Nelson-Ichido, PhD, communication

Senior Lecturers
Yong Cao, PhD, communication
Jennifer Green, PhD, media and journalism
Nicholas Temple, PhD, communication

Lecturer
Mary Jeanette Eberhardinger, PhD, communication

Staff
Getchen Lohse, secretary supervisor and student media 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
Admission to the majors in communication, media and journalism and public relations, and to the Department of Communication minors and certificates, is selective. Students need to complete the application form and submit it to the department office in Lind Hall 109; online applications through the web form available on the department website are strongly encouraged. Only students with a minimum overall grade point average (GPA) of 2.7 will be accepted into the Communication BA program. No minimum GPA is required for the media and journalism BA and public relations BA. Should students wish to change majors within the department, they must reapply to the new major.

Graduation Requirements
Once admitted to the major, students must take COM 201 and COM 207 as soon as possible. An overall average of B in these two foundational courses is required. In all other courses counted toward fulfilling major or minor requirements, a minimum grade of C- is required. Students pursuing the communication BA must also maintain an overall 2.7 grade point average. Excluding the communication foundation core courses (COM 201 and COM 207), no more than 8 (eight) credits may be counted twice in fulfilling an internal or external minor.    

Financial Obligations
Production courses required for broadcast journalism have associated lab fees.

Communication Foundation Core Requirements
COM 201 - Introduction to Mass Communication Credits: 5
COM 207 - Introduction to Human Communication Credits: 5
Total Core Credits: 10

Course Offerings
Frequency of course offerings can be found at the department website: https://www.cwu.edu/academics/communication/ or by contacting the department directly.

Programs

• Communication Major, BA
• Media and Journalism Major, BA (Large Plan)
• Media and Journalism Major, BA (Small Plan)
• Public Relations Major, BA

• Advertising Minor
• Communication Minor
• Entertainment and Lifestyle Writing Certificate
• Journalism Minor
• Non-profit Organization Management Certificate (COM)
• Non-profit Organization Management Minor (COM)
• Organizational Communication Minor
• Public Relations Minor
• Radio Broadcasting Certificate

Courses

• COM 699 - Seminar