Communication Studies

LMU Communication Studies majors explore five key areas of communication: organizational communication, relational communication, rhetoric, intercultural communication and media studies. Our students explore the social, cultural, political, and organizational consequences of small and large scale communication phenomena. Students gain insight into how messages shape personal and public perceptions of the world and govern our interactions with each other, as we strive to create a just and equitable society consistent with the Jesuit values of Loyola Marymount University.

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Our Program

We encourage self-reflection and critical engagement with disciplinary subject matter and contemporary social and political events at the local and global levels.

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Admissions

We welcome students from a diversity of academic interests and backgrounds.

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Academics

We are cultivating communication leaders and professionals—forged through academic excellence and an education of the heart, mind, and spirit.

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Featured Alumni

Our graduates go on to pursue careers marked by intention, ingenuity, and unlimited opportunity.

Curricular and Co-curricular Highlights

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Public Relations Minor

Students will gain an understanding of the basic principles of public relations, develop professional writing and research skills, and have internship opportunities in the field.

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Digital Media, Cultures & Industries Minor

Students will develop expertise in digital media topics and skills from a social sciences and critical-cultural perspective.

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Debate Team

Our engaging co-curricular offerings include a renowned debate team that competes across the United States and beyond.

Lambda Pi Eta

We encourage students to develop leadership skills through participation in departmental, university, and community events.

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Career Pathways

LMU Communication Studies fosters the development of the whole person, promotes a commitment to social justice and cultural diversity, and confronts the most pressing contemporary political, social, and ethical issues of our time.

Popular Outcomes:

Nonprofit organizations
Public advocacy
Public relations
Social and digital media
Graduate programs in communication, law, and business

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Podcasting in the Classroom

Three people sitting around a rectangular table speaking into podcasting speakers

Podcasting in the Classroom

In The News

Outdoor photo of Professor Meng Li, wearing a light colored shirt.

How the Family of Origin Concept Has Become a Cultural Touchstone in China

Professor Meng Li received a grant from the prestigious Chiang Ching-Kuo Foundation for International Scholarly Exchange to support her current book project titled: Family of Origin: How an American Idea Became a Chinese Social Ill.

Photo of Paola Martin sitting on top of a tractor at a farm.

Faculty-Student Research Illuminates Crucial Issue Affecting the Farming Industry

CMST alumna Paola Martin ’23 recently presented her research project about the use of media for farmers and agricultural businesses at the recent Broadcast Education Association in Las Vegas.

LMU Journalists Scooped Up By New York Times, Los Angeles Times

Journalists, as a rule, work hard to avoid becoming the story. But when it comes to three LMU writers and editors, there’s no way around it: The accomplishments of Francesca Bermudez ’23, Emma Fox ’24, and Catherine Galanti ’25 are big news. Each spent the summer – at a minimum – affiliated with the leading news outlets in the land.

Two people using an app to create an augmented reality experience.

Amplifying Place-Based News via Augmented Reality

A new course offered in the department encourages students to bring awareness to a local social issue or concern using augmented reality techniques. Resulting projects tackle issues that include gentrification in Portland, street vendors’ legal rights in Los Angeles and pollution in the ocean on the Oregon coast.

Delany Ball '27 with her scooter by the Bluff.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Athletes

From the classroom to the skate park, Delaney Ball ’27 is one to watch.

As one of the few female professional scooter riders in a male-dominated sport, Delaney emphasizes the importance of mentoring young female athletes and fostering inclusivity.