BA in Communication
The Communication major at Hawaii Pacific University (HPU) is a comprehensive program of study that develops the skills and confidence necessary to present ideas in various formats in a variety of situations. The Department of Communication (DOC) seeks to create an integrated environment for the study and production of communication and media content. Our students study how to communicate effectively, ethically, across multiple platforms and with people from diverse backgrounds. The DOC provides a rigorous curriculum in a stimulating environment that addresses the history, theories, mechanisms and techniques of communication.
Communication focuses on how people use messages to generate meaning in various contexts, cultures, channels and media. Known as “rhetoric” in the Western academic tradition, communication pedagogy has been a central concern of Greek, Roman, Medieval, Renaissance, Asian, Indigenous and modern culture. Today, the study of communication embraces telecommunications, the Internet, e-commerce, mobile communications, global diplomacy, advertising, public relations, journalism, broadcasting, intercultural and interpersonal communication, as well as public speaking, semiotics, digital mechanisms and media studies.
Living and learning in Hawai’i is a stimulating experience. Honolulu is a major hub of activity for business, education, government, the arts, the leisure industries, sports, and health services. These sectors provide students with a variety of local and transnational opportunities to conduct research, network with professionals, and experience on-the-job training.
Program Objectives for the Department of Communication:
- Students will recognize, understand and be able to apply basic communication theories.
(This objective is the focus of COM 3000-Mass Media, COM 6000-Introduction to Communication Studies, and COM 3900-Communication Theory. Theories specific to disciplines such as advertising, or public relations, are explained in the introductory courses of each degree program.) - Students will develop the ability to apply communication principles in various practices.
(Each discipline in the Department of Communication offers formats and techniques applicable to the practice of that form of communication.) - Students will demonstrate dynamic, effective, and persuasive oral communication skills.
(This objective is developed throughout the program of study in all disciplines.) - Students will write clearly, concisely, correctly, and in an appropriate style for the communication objective.
(Writing is stressed in all DOC curriculum. A variety of written formats are presented in COM 3400-Professional Writing, COM 6400-Scholarly Communication, and courses specific to disciplines such as advertising, public relations, and journalism.) - Students will be able to employ appropriate research techniques and analyze, interpret, and present data effectively.
(COM 3250-Communication Research and COM 3420-Business Communication focus on these skills. Courses specific to the disciplines develop research skills, and present methods and materials, appropriate to each field.) - Students will demonstrate an appreciation of the global diversity of communication and its impact in the world.
(All courses in the communication curriculum offer an international perspective.)
