Organizational Communication
Organizational communication examines the relationship between communication and organization through the study of discourse, meanings, symbols, and information flow. Specific areas of research include power and politics, organizational cultures and symbols, civil discourse, feminist theory, gendered identities, socialization, diversity, employee health, career issues, small group communication, and technology.
Reasons to Study Organizational Communication at Purdue
- Participate in stimulating courses covering a wide variety of areas
- Work with respected and productive scholars in the discipline
- Design a personally-tailored plan of study that best suits your interests and draws on Purdue's strengths both inside and outside the department
- Collaborate with faculty members and fellow graduate students on research projects
- Teach or assist with undergraduate organizational and small group communication courses
- Obtain a degree from one of the top-ranked communication programs in the nation.
Program Strengths and Faculty Interests
Feminist theorizing, career discourses, work-family issues, gendered workplace identities: Patrice Buzzanell
Health communication, health organizations, ethics: Marifran Mattson
Communication abilities, civility, case studies, evaluation research: Beverly Davenport Sypher
Organizational conflict, dispute resolution: Tyler Harrison
Identification, leadership in geographically distributed organizations: Stacey Connaughton
Selected Course Offerings
Organizational Communication (COM 574)
Small Group Communication (COM 520)
Communication in the Scientific Community (COM 561)
Research & Assessment of Organizational Communication(COM 583)
Special Topics in Small Group Communication Theory (COM 620)
Special Topics in Organizational Communication (COM 674)
Interdisciplinary Connections
The organizational communication faculty is connected to several schools and interdisciplinary programs on campus, including:
Center for Education and Research in Information Security and Assurance (CERIAS)
Engineering Projects in Community Service (EPICS)
Students have the opportunity to develop research and professional connections through these programs.