How our program prepares you for the field

Provides a balance between a theoretical and critical understanding of communication processes in a variety of cultural contexts. You can customize the major or follow specific career tracks or pre-professional degree programs.This is the only program with a public relations emphasis.

Public Relations Pre-Law & Political Liberal Arts Corporate & Professional

Develop competencies in the creation and presentation of messages and ethical appraisal of communication. This program is recognized for meeting student needs through individualized attention and for its research in instructional, interpersonal, rhetorical, cultural, and organizational communication.

Students complete a senior seminar, assessment portfolio, career portfolio, and senior project as part of the program.

Use the Laase Laboratory and Speaking Lab to hone your communication skills.

The faculty have repeatedly been recognized for excellence in teaching by receiving the prestigious College of Arts and Sciences Distinguished Teaching Award and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Parent and Student Recognition Award, among others. For example, Dr. Dawn O. Braithwaite is nationally known for her work in family communication, Dr. Kathy Krone is respected nationally as one of the leading scholars in organizational communication, and Dr. Ronald Lee is well-known for his work in the critical analysis of political discourse.

Participate in the National Communicators Association and other clubs

Our student club is attached to the National Communication Association (NCA) and is open to all majors and minors. Elected officers and club members handle the agenda and committees, and the club sponsors guest speakers, conducts discussions of Department undergraduate issues and concerns, and holds social events.

You may also join the NU Marketing Club, the NU American Society for Training and Development, or the Kappa Epsilon Chapter of Lambda Pi Eta, official honor society of the NCA.

Nationally recognized forensics & debate program

Husker forensics has won four national championships in the past seven years. The team has placed among top twenty teams nationally for the past twelve years in a row. Forensics (competitive speech) is nationally renowned and consistently rated as one of the top 10 programs in the nation. Members of the Forensics Team have earned national championships in debate, extemporaneous speaking, oratory, student congress, and oral interpretation.

Get practical experience or more instruction in business, industry, or government with an internship

The Department of Communication Studies and the Student Employment and Internship Center (SEIC) at NU work together to provide students practical internship experience in a variety of contexts and organizations. The Department also offers instructional internships for students interested in education.