About UsEstablished in 1928, the LSU department of Communication Studies is one of the oldest communication departments in the nation, granting the first PhD in the South. Today, we continue in the rich tradition of humanistic inquiry by drawing from the insights of art, social science, and philosophy to study the practice of communication. To study communication at LSU is to explore how we form, maintain, and transform the symbolic environments we inhabit through rhetoric, performance, and communicative interactions. Our department is committed to using scholarship to inform and thereby improve our practices of communication so as to enable the advancement of culture.
Coates Hall on the Quad, Home of the Department of Communication Studies
Louisiana State University situates academics within a rich cultural milieu. As a Research-Extensive university, LSU offers graduate degrees in over 60 programs with students from every state and over 120 countries. The LSU campus, called “a botanical joy” in a listing among the 20 best campuses of America, is located in the southern part of the city of Baton Rouge and is bordered on the west by the Mississippi River. Members of the LSU community can participate in a variety of events, from nationally touring art exhibits, speakers, and performers to a robust athletic scene and Mardi Gras parades that range from Cajun to contemporary. Just a short drive from New Orleans, Baton Rouge provides extended opportunities for soaking up local culture.
Three Areas of Research, One Great Tradition
Communication Theory: The research and analysis of intrapersonal, interpersonal, organizational and health communication.
Performance Studies: The interpretation and production of performance on stage, in art, and in ordinary life.
Rhetorical Studies: The theory and criticism of persuasive discourse that functions to instigate social change and critical public reflection.
Facilities and Programs
HopKins Black Box. This is the department’s state-of-the-art studio for experimental performance. The Black Box features faculty and student performances throughout the year, as well as public performances and workshop performances by visiting scholars and performers.d graduate courses in peormance studies and an annual season of public performances. Our course curriculum addresses three main trajecies in performance
Relation Station Matchbox Interaction Lab. This research space can be used to videotape individuals, couples, or small groups doing experiential activities such as mock job interviews. As reported in the LSU Daily Reveille, the lab is set up as a contemporary living room with comfortable seating, making it conducive to communication.
Mixon Lyceum Debate Program. Debating has been a proud LSU tradition since the late 1800s. The Speech and Debate Team offers opportunities for team and individual competition in several styles of debate and forensics. We host the Mardi Gras Classic Invitational, a college tournament.
Studio 151. In collaboration with Communication Across the Curriculum (CxC) and the Program for the Study of Film and Media Arts (FMA), the department is home to the Arts and Sciences Communication Studio. This studio is fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology for digital video production, screening, and web hosting. For more information about Studio 151, visit the CxC website.
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