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The Department of Communication Arts


Communication Arts is in the College of the Arts along with the Departments of Music and Art.

The Department of Communication Arts is a multidisciplinary department with the academic disciplines of Speech Communication: General Speech, Intercultural Organizational Communication, and Public Relations Emphases; Theatre: Performance, Production and Musical Theatre Tracks; Dance; and Mass Media.

The programs in the department are designed to give students the basic knowledge, skills, and values that build on the foundation provided by the University Core Curriculum and are required for professional careers in theatre performance and management, radio and television, public relations, personnel management, public presentation, and dance. Moreover, the department’s programs stress the importance of critical thinking skills, an appreciation for diverse cultural perspectives, and the application of knowledge to the specific areas found in the department.

Valdosta State University is an accredited institutional member of the National Association of Schools of Theatre. The Public Relations emphasis is the only program certified by the Public Relations Society of America in Georgia and Florida.

The Speech Communication Area and the Mass Media Area have a minimum GPA of 2.5 for transfer into those majors, and students in those areas must maintain the minimum GPA of 2.5 to continue as majors in the program. (See the program pages for more information.)

Physically we are located principally in Nevins Hall, as well as the Fine Arts Building, and in the new Mass Media building on Patterson Street. The departmental office is in Nevins Hall 1011. We also have several classrooms, a speaking lab, a debate squad room, and a computer lab in this building.

We also have classrooms and a dance studio in the University Center.

The new Mass Communication building houses state of the art media facilities.

The Department programs lead to three Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) degrees:

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Speech Communication with emphases in General Speech, Intercultural Organizational Communication, and Public Relations

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theatre with tracks in Performance, Production, and Musical Theatre

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Dance

  • Bachelor of Fine Arts in Mass Media

The Department offers three certificate programs: Institutional Cross-training, Sports Broadcasting, and Health Communication.

We also support minors in Dance, Mass Media, Speech Communication, and Theatre Arts.

The Department supports several organizations and activities:

  • A seven-production Theatre Season on campus

  • The Peach State Summer Theatre

  • VSU Dance Club

  • VSU TV, Cable Channel 20 in Valdosta

  • WVVS 90.9 FM (the student station)

  • Lambda Pi Eta, The honorary society in Communication

  • Alpha Psi Omega, The honorary Fraternity in Theatre

  • The VSU Debate Team

  • The Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA)

  • The National Broadcasting Society and AERho

  • The Society of Collegiate Journalists, The honorary society in Broadcast Journalism

  • Women in Communications

You can write to us at:
Dept. of Communication Arts
College of the Arts
Valdosta State University
Valdosta, GA 31698 Email: ccates@valdosta.edu
Phone: (229) 333-5820
FAX: (229) 293-6182