About the Department of Communication Studies

The Department focuses on human communication in a wide variety of contexts (e.g., interpersonal, family, small group, organizational, political, intercultural, international).

Graduates with majors in Communication Studies choose careers in a wide-variety of fields, including: management, sales, public relations, advertising, marketing, broadcasting, teaching, law, human resources, training, lobbying, labor negotiations, mediation, event planning, fund raising, campaign management as well as many others.

The Department is also home to SF State's award winning Speech and Debate Team. The Team is open to all SF State students regardless of their major.

Those who are interested in mediated communication may wish to look at the course offerings in the Departments of Journalism and Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts. Those who are interested in speech therapy should contact the Communicative Disorders Program in the Department of Special Education.

Woman in front of class reading and smiling

Our Goals

  • Employers identify effective communication skills as the number one criterion for hiring.
  • Our multicultural society requires knowledge and appreciation of diverse communication styles.
  • Democracy depends on participants who can communicate effectively with others.
  • Important values are communicated in speeches, stories, and other oral performances.
  • Communication affects how we view the world around us.
  • Effective communication enhances personal and professional relationships.
  • Communication influences what others think of us and how we perceive ourselves.

At San Francisco State University, the Communication Studies Department offers more than 50 courses related to these goals.

A Recent Snapshot

  • 13: Tenure and Tenure-Track Faculty
  • 49: Lecturers
  • 7: Teaching Associates
  • 1,.300: Approximate Undergraduate Majors
  • 25: Approximate Graduate Students
  • 4: Average Graduate Courses per Semester
  • 40: Average Undergraduate Upper Division Courses per Semester:
  • Communication Studies is the second-largest department in the College of Liberal & Creative Arts in terms of the number of students taught, and the third-largest in terms of the number of faculty and number of B.A. degrees awarded.
  • In recent years, Communication Studies was among the top ten programs to grant the B.A. degree at SF State.