Bachelor's Degree in Communication

Baldwin City Campus

The Communication major at Baker University will provide you with knowledge and practical experience in preparing, performing and analyzing communication for effective interpersonal and public communication as well as for problem-solving.

According to the National Communication Association, “Competence in oral communication – in speaking and listening – is prerequisite to students’ academic, personal and professional success in life. Students who cannot clearly articulate what they know may be wrongly judged as uneducated or poorly informed. Beyond the confines of school, oral communication competence can contribute to individuals’ social adjustment and participation in satisfying interpersonal relationships. … Employers identify communication as one of the basic competencies every graduate should have, asserting that the ability to communicate is valuable for obtaining employment and maintaining successful job performance. The communication skills essential in the workplace include basic oral and writing skills, and the ability to communicate in work groups and teams, with persons of diverse backgrounds, and when engaged in problem-solving and conflict management.”

Our programs cater to these professional and academic goals. The major has two possible emphases – Conflict Management and Communication Studies. Two minors are also available in these same focus areas. Each area includes theory and application for interpersonal, public and problem-solving communication. Group and team communication and cross-cultural communication competence are also emphasized here.

In this major, you will study how to develop the most effective messages, how culture affects communication, and how communication techniques can affect individuals, organizations, political systems and entire societies. Methods of conflict management are vital in the modern world, and the major in Communication allows you to focus on methods such as negotiation and mediation to manage conflict on a personal level, in the workplace and in the outside world.

In an age when communication is key, you will graduate from Baker with the ability to enter any workplace or graduate program with confidence, knowing your message can be heard loud and clear.