College of Communication

• Communication is the core of the human experience; essential for the health, well-being and advancement of society. College of Communication students explore the diverse discipline of communication across multiple contexts and from multiple perspectives. The faculty are a community of dedicated scholars and professionals, grounding students in theory and providing hands-on practice and experiences that apply across multiple contexts. College of Communication students graduate ready from day one for a broad array of career paths and prepared for advanced study.
• Effective written and oral communication skills are what 80 percent of employers seek when making hiring decisions. College of Communication graduates have the competitive edge - ready from day one for a broad array of career paths. Over 80 percent of our degree recipients are employed within six months of graduation.  
• The College of Communication offers eight undergraduate and seven graduate degree programs with flexible curriculum and a wide range of day, evening, and online course offerings.
• Located in the Richard C. and Maggie M. Daley building at 14 E. Jackson Boulevard on DePaul’s Loop Campus, the College of Communication is in the heart of Chicago’s business and media communities, providing proximity to hundreds of internship opportunities through our highly successful Communication Internship Program.   More than 300 students interned in 2014-2015, with companies and organizations large and small, gaining professional experience in their chosen fields while earning course credit toward degree completion.
• The College of Communication is home to the latest facilities and technologies including the new Innovation Lab, or iLab, premiered in summer 2015. The iLab provides students with the software and hardware for social media tracking and analytics.  This newest resource is the college’s response to the current skill sets that are highly valued in the marketplace.
• The diverse array of extra-curricular options in the college provides students with active, hands-on learning opportunities with award-winning student media outlets like The DePaulia campus newspaper, TV news magazine Good Day DePaul, campus radio station Radio DePaul; as well as through campus chapters of professional organizations like the Society for Professional Journalists, the Public Relations Student Society of America; and with special interest groups such as AdVentors and the DePaul Documentary Project.  
• DePaul communication graduates have launched their careers in major corporations, media outlets and organizations including Apple; The Tribune Company; Leo Burnett; Chicago affiliates of CBS, NBC and ABC; Rotary International; Groupon; National Geographic, the American Medical Association and Edelman public relations firm, to name a few.  Graduates from our programs secure roles as Communication Coordinators, Digital Marketing Consultants, Marketing and Social Media Managers, Public Relations Specialists, Writers, Associate Editors, Communication Consultants and Multimedia Journalists.   
• The College is supported by the esteemed Dean’s Advisory Council, made up of more than 30 distinguished leaders in the fields of journalism, advertising, public relations, corporate communication, new media and higher education.  Members help the college stay abreast of trends and innovation in the business world, as well as bring experienced and pragmatic perspective to support the College of Communication. 

• The College of Communication offers eight undergraduate and five graduate degree programs with flexible curriculum and a wide range of day, evening, and online course offerings. Programs explore communication from historical, theoretical, critical, cultural, and personal perspectives.
• Undergraduate programs provide fundamental knowledge and understanding of communication processes and practices while allowing for an area of specialization. Bachelor’s degree options include Communication and Media, Communication Studies, Intercultural Communication, Journalism, Media and Cinema Studies, Organizational Communication, Public Relations and Advertising and Relational Communication. Minors and concentrations in different areas such as International Communication, Documentary Studies and Latino Media and Communication help complement and broaden the majors.
• Graduate programs attract working professionals, recent college graduates and “career changers” – all seeking perspective, skills and an interdisciplinary education that blends theory and practice. Graduate degree offerings are in Communication and Media, Digital Communication and Media Arts, Health Communication, Journalism, Media and Cinema Studies, and Public Relations and Advertising. 
• High-achieving undergraduates may apply for early admission to one of five Bachelor of Arts/Master of Arts (B.A./M.A.) combined degree programs. Admitted students begin graduate study during their fourth year of undergraduate coursework, completing the remaining requirements for an MA in a fifth year. This option maximizes time and reduces overall tuition costs. Additionally, student pursing this option are eligible for DePaul’s Double Demon scholarship.
• Students supplement their studies with hands-on experiences acquired through a myriad of extra-curricular options
• Award-winning student media outlets, such as campus weekly newspaper The DePaulia, television news magazine Good Day DePaul, campus radio station Radio DePaul and digital magazine 14 East allow students to refine their journalistic skills.
• Chapters of professional associations, including the Society of Professional Journalists/Online News Association and the Public Relations Student Society of America sponsor workshops, speakers and conferences that facilitate learning and networking.
• adVentors advertising club where students who share a passion for great advertising and communication solutions come together, network, and share experiences. 
• Lambda Pi Eta honor society celebrates academic excellence in communication studies.
• the Graduate Student Association, where graduate students can get involved in networking and social events, as well as philanthropic service.
• The College of Communication is located in the heart of Chicago’s business and media communities, providing proximity to hundreds of internship opportunities through our highly successful Communication Internship Program. Over 250 students intern each year with companies and organizations large and small, gaining professional experience in their chosen fields while earning course credit toward degree completion.
• The College of Communication faculty is known for its mix of active scholars and seasoned professionals whose expertise spans the spectrum of the discipline:  
• Journalists Carol Marin and Don Moseley, the award-winning news team from WMAQ-TV Channel 5, joined the college as faculty and directors of the Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence.
• Director of the MA in Health Communication Elissa Foster combines her extensive research and experience as a medical educator to inform the curriculum and ensure a unique educational experience for students.  
• Professors Lexa Murphy and Dustin Goltz two of many faculty members whose scholarship takes in service beyond the classroom to a global scale.  Both partner with support organizations in Kenya and Vietnam to provide media advocacy training.
• Media and Cinema Studies professor Paul Booth’s scholarship in fandom inspires an annual pop culture conference with topics such Dr. Who, Star Trek and Harry Potter.
• PR veteran Ron Culp not only brings insight and experience to the classroom from previous high profile roles at Ketchum, Sears and Sara Lee, but facilitates opportunities for students to network and learn from industry heavy-hitters.    
• Courses in interpersonal relationships taught by professors such as Tim Cole, Breanna McEwan and Leah Bryant regularly draw students within and outside of the disciple seeking to increase knowledge in managing social, professional and personal relationships.
• Film and culture are explored from multiple perspectives with Media and Cinema professors such as Michael DeAngelis, through his popular Italian cinema and culture Study Abroad Rome summer program and Luisela Alvaray’s Study Abroad program in Madrid.
• Advertising maven and New Yorker cartoonist Ken Krimstein both teaches and mentors students through adVentors, an advertising club that develops campaigns for a variety of  stakeholders.  
• Urban communication and audio documentary professor Daniel Makagon’s most recent book, Underground: The Subterranean Culture of DIY Punk Shows, explores the dynamics of the punk community. 

• For four consecutive years, the Public Relations and Advertising graduate program has been ranked in the top five nationally for PR Education Program of the Year by industry leader PRWeek.
• Employers hire candidates with solid communication skills and College of Communication graduates are no exception; sought by corporations, agencies, media outlets, non-profit organizations and accepted into advanced degree programs.  In fact, for 2015 (the most recent data available) graduates from the College of Communication were employed or enrolled in continuing education at a rate 7% higher than the national average.  
• The Center for Journalism Integrity and Excellence focuses on promoting the highest ideals of journalism through theory and practice, offering training, teaching, expertise and professional outreach.  Peabody award-winning news team Carol Marin and Don Moseley are directors of the Center and mentor students.  
• College of Communication student media and student organizations are recognized on the local, regional and national stage for excellence in scholarship, leadership and competition. 

• Since launching in 2015 the Innovation Lab, or iLab, sees healthy use.  Faculty use this resource to teach social media tracking and analysis and the college hosts community and global organizations to conduct workshops and seminars in the iLab. 
• The College of Communication regularly partners with the School of Continuing and Professional Studies to offer practical communication skill training to professionals in all fields. Offerings include crisis communication and building an advertising portfolio.
• In the past year alone, more than 300 scholars and professionals shared their expertise with College of Communication students, from classroom lectures to panels, workshops and seminars.  Communication also enjoys a healthy relationship with the Chicago community, where students are invited to major media outlets, advertising agencies, government corporations, non-profit organizations and corporations to meet and network with principle decision-makers while gaining experience in the field.
• The College of Communication is a destination for scholarly professional development because of its collaborative environment and established partnerships.  This year alone the College hosted the Council of International Programs to host and train journalists from the country of Georgia, job fairs with the Association of Hispanic Journalists and the Association of Black Journalists.  In 2018 the College will host the International Association of Intercultural Communicators conference.

Alexandra G. Murphy is a professor of communication and acting dean of the College of Communication. She teaches undergraduate and graduate courses that focus on cultural and political issues within organizations such as organizational communication and culture, multiculturalism in the workplace, power and politics in organizations, and assessment and intervention in organizations.

She received her BA and MA from the University of Utah, and her PhD from the University of South Florida. Her research centers on organizational communication and culture, focusing on the risks that can occur in organizational and social contexts when taken-for-granted communication practices are unquestioningly reproduced and institutionalized. In particular, she has a strong interest in organizational and social contexts where lives are on the line.

Murphy has worked on organizational development issues and improving communication among airline crews and medical staff in hospital emergency rooms. She has also worked extensively on public health communication programs for HIV/AIDS education in Kenya, Africa.

Her work has been published in Communication Monographs, Text and Performance Quarterly, Management Communication Quarterly, Journal of Applied Communication Research, and Journal of Contemporary Ethnography, as well as edited books.