The Department of Communication at Augusta University recognizes that communication is an integral part of human behavior, and effective communication is essential for a civil society to thrive.

Our goal is to prepare our students for careers in the field of communication or to use communication in a productive manner in whichever industry they choose. We also aspire to help our students become leaders in the Augusta University community and in the professional realm.

Our curriculum helps students to develop effective and confident communication skills and a solid foundation in theory, supplemented by real-world experience through internships and senior projects. We encourage students to take advantage of our many internship opportunities with highly respected local, regional, national, and international organizations. These internships are carefully constructed to allow for students to be productive members of the organization, as well as to supplement their education.

We also advise or collaborate with students on professional and published work or research.

Find more information at http://www.augusta.edu/colleges/pamplin/comms/.

Collections in this community

Recent Submissions

  • How Do Culturally Constructed Identities Influence Musical Preference?

    Ramos, Lindsay; Department of Communication (Augusta University, 2020-05)
    Through surveys and interviews, this study takes an interdisciplinary approach from both the fields of anthropology and communication to analyze music preference in relation to aspects of identity that are culturally constructed, specifically sex, race, and sexuality. Initially, my research was solely focused on the anthropological aspects of this topic; however, having studied both disciplines, once the data collection began it became clear that the theories and practices can be intertwined, and both are needed in order to fully explain this study. While my research is based on theories and concepts in these fields that will be discussed below, my study sheds light on aspects of this topic that have not been widely studied before,specifically the roles that intersectional, personal, and collective identities play in music choice as well as stereotypes.
  • The Historical Emergence of Art Therapy, its Modern Day Usage, and Possible Alternative Application

    Owen, Connor; Department of Communication (Augusta University, 2020-05)
    This paper focuses on the evolution of art therapy from the founding of the field of Psychology under Freud to the current day’s use in a variety of populations. Art therapy is defined by the American Art Therapy Association as “an integrative mental health and human services profession that enriches the lives of individuals, families, and communities through active art-making, creative process, applied psychological theory, and human experience within a psychotherapeutic relationship.” (AATA, 2020) Art therapy falls within the field of client or patient based approaches with the addition of creative work. The paper also addresses a need in research surrounding effectiveness for college-aged students. It is important to note that in the research there appears to be two broad thought currents that descend from Jung’s research and reconvene as modern art therapy, leading to differing opinions on its path from conception to modern use. The paths are one of theoretical philosophy based interventions and practical handson approaches ultimately both utilizing art making as therapeutic practice.
  • Give Rise

    Visintainer, Rachel; Communications (Augusta University Libraries, 2020-05-04)
    This item presents the abstract for an oral presentation at the 21st Annual Phi Kappa Phi Student Research and Fine Arts Conference.
  • Coffee in Augusta

    Guajardo, Aleigna; Department of Communications; Department of History, Anthropology and Philosophy (Augusta University, 2019-05)
    For my Honors thesis, I produced a short documentary on local coffee shops in Augusta, focusing on local coffee shops that offer unique environments for their customers. After viewing several documentaries on coffee for reference, I filmed and edited my finished product to demonstrate the importance of supporting local coffee shops, the hard work that goes into opening up a shop in the coffee business, and bring awareness to a few of the different shops currently operating in Augusta. The documentary briefly covers the history of each cafe and incorporates footage of normal business taken from within the coffee shops; such as, cashiers taking orders and baristas making a variety of coffee drinks. The film communicates through interviews, b roll, and music the true ambience of the coffee shops and what qualities these cafes offer to customers that is distinct from larger franchises. Each coffee shop included in the documentary offers a unique environment that is key to what is referred to as the third space of society, a mainly social location that is neither home nor work. This concept of third space from anthropology is defined and explored throughout the film to show the importance of small local coffee shops.
  • Seventeen Year Cicada

    Panzella, Cynthia; Department of Communications (Augusta University, 2018-05)
  • Boobi: An Eight-Part Teleplay

    Garcia, Jasmine; Department of Communications (Augusta University, 2017-12)
  • Sex, Swimsuits, and Sports Illustrated: Visually Analyzing the Evolution of Style, Skin, and Place in the SI Swimsuit Edition

    ConKright, Lucia; Department of Communications (Augusta University, 2017-05)
    Of the countless magazines in circulation in the United States, the widespread popularity of the Sports Illustrated is obvious; in fact, one can hardly pass a newsstand without seeing one. Since 1964, when model Babette March appeared on the cover of SI in a white bikini against the tropical backdrop of an island paradise, the SI Swimsuit Edition has graced shelves annually during the winter months. Since receiving “special issue” status in 1997, the magazine has become the single best-selling issue in the magazine franchise of Time Inc., selling more than one million copies on newsstands and boasting more than three million subscribers (Spector, D., 2013). In 2016, the SI Swimsuit Edition once again appeared on shelves nationwide; this time with three separate covers. Notable about these covers was, for the first time in the history of the edition, the inclusion of a plus-size model and a professional athlete, both a noticeable step away from the traditional models featured on the cover of the Swimsuit Edition in years past. Whether a signifier of changing times or a precursor to evolving standards of magazine models, the 2016 covers of the SI Swimsuit Edition marked a dramatic change in the magazine. In investigating this development, this study covers the history of the SI Swimsuit Edition magazine and asks the question: how has the magazine changed in terms of swimwear, setting, and cover model from the first cover in 1964 to the three covers released in 2016? [Introduction]