Please ensure Javascript is enabled for purposes of website accessibilityAbout the Department - Communication - La Sierra University
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About the Department

Communication students and professors posing for a photo.

The faculty members of the Department of Communication recognize that communication, on both the personal and social levels, is the foundation of human interaction. Our mission is to understand ourselves and our world more fully by returning again and again to those linguistic forms which have continually shaped and reshaped us, which define and limit us and then wonderfully set us free—recast in new forms. We take language seriously as a tool of self- and social-understanding, as a means of entry into the life and responsibilities of the adult, the church member, and the citizen, and as a means to professional advancement, yet not so seriously as to overlook the important roles language plays in recreation and entertainment. Finally, the department emphasizes the importance of a liberal arts education with a firmly grounded knowledge of the communication process to prepare students for graduate education and for success in a wide variety of occupations.

Student Learning Outcomes

The Communication Department has four core learning outcomes for all majors. Students graduating should be able to:
  1. Demonstrate knowledge of the theory and practice of communication.
  2. Analyze the influence of various communication tools on different audiences.
  3. Write effective messages for different audiences.
  4. Deliver effective presentations for different audiences.
Additionally, students with the Media Studies emphasis should be able to:
  • Articulate and produce messages through the use of visual and digital media.
  • Analyze the construction and impact of visual and digital media.
Students with the Public Relations emphasis should be able to:
  • Demonstrate communication knowledge and skills to create, enhance and maintain credibility and trust.
  • Write, communicate and present materials appropriate to the practice of public relations.
Students with the Strategic Communication emphasis should be able to:
  • Understand communication theories and research methods.
  • Effectively gather and analyze data to provide productive communication outcomes.

Meet Our Majors

What do our Alumni Do?

Here are some of our alumni and what they currently do. We can hardly wait to add YOUR name to the list! Marla O. Anderson (1981) is a judge in the Superior Court of California, County of Monterey Rebecca Barcelo (2011) is a Recruiter at La Sierra University Ali Ostrander (Tasvibi) is an attorney in Orange County Tabitha Rommens (2009) is a Marketing Administrator at California Association of Community Managers Laura Samano (2009) is an Assistant Editor at Review and Herald Publishing Association Emily Thornton (2003) is a journalist at The World Newspaper, Coos Bay, Oregon Keith Ybanez (2011) is at Pepperdine Law School, and is one of the editors of the Law Review Journal

What do students say about our courses?

  • "Professor was very nice, funny, and outgoing. Class was not boring and lecture was all on point."
  • "I like how the class is small because it is less stressful and scary to go up to the front and talk."
  • "I enjoyed the professor’s teaching style. It was very interactive and made use of the readings. I learned a lot and used the information I learned in class in everyday situations."
  • "This was my favorite class that I have taken at La Sierra so far. I really liked the professor, I think she did an excellent job of teaching the material and presenting it in an interactive way. I did a lot of work and papers but I learned a lot as well."
  • "I loved both of the field trips we took. I felt that they were relevant to the class and were helpful. Same with the videos we watched in class. The articles we presented on were useful as well because they gave us new perspectives on gender communication."
  • "The course was a real eye-opener."
  • "I enjoyed this class a lot. I learned how to analyze media in a different way and to look at the world around me from a different perspective. The instructor did a good job making the class feel like a comfortable environment and encouraged discussion."
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