Academic Programs
The Department of Communication is committed to communication for the public good.
Communication takes as its subject matter the history, processes, and effects of human communication. The departmental curriculum is designed to provide a liberal education in the arts and sciences of human communication as well as preparation for career opportunities in business, government, education, and related fields. Within the curriculum, students may pursue academic courses that emphasize many disciplinary areas, including organizational communication, public relations, intercultural communication, political communication, conflict management, cognition and persuasion, rhetorical theory, history of rhetoric, and criticism of public discourse.
Faculty members and graduate students in the department pursue and produce research that spans a wide range of the Communication discipline, generally focused in three broad curriculum areas: Communication Science & Social Cognition, Public Relations & Strategic Communication, and Rhetoric & Political Culture.
Undergraduate Programs
Graduate Programs
Minors and Other Programs
Rhetoric Minor
The minor in rhetoric is an interdisciplinary program supported jointly by the Department of Communication and the Department of English and open to undergraduates entering any discipline, field, or career.
Oral Communication Program
The Oral Communication Program is dedicated to helping students achieve the general education learning outcomes for oral communication.
Internship Program
The academic internship program allows communication majors to gain experience and build a professional portfolio while earning academic credit.
Offerings and Accolades
Community Dialogues Facilitator Badge
This digital badge helps UMD students develop communication skills involved in dialogue and deliberation, including its facilitation within and among various communities and organizations on campus and beyond.
New Department Ranking: Top 35
Department named to "Education A-List" for advancing the careers of PR and communication professionals in the United States.
Our Undergraduate Program in PR is CEPR certified
Certification in Education for Public Relations (CEPR) is achieved by meeting standards in curriculum, faculty, students, resources and facilities, assessment, professional affiliations, relationships with the total unit and the university, and diversity and global perspectives.
We are proud to have earned this certification in 2026!