Welcome to the Department of Communication & Media—a place where your voice, vision, and curiosity can shape the future. Whether you're passionate about understanding human interaction, exploring and improving global interactions, telling impactful stories through journalism, or crafting clear and compelling technical content, our programs in Communication Studies, Global Communication, Journalism and Communication, and Technical Communication and Rhetoric offer you the tools to make a real difference. Here, you'll gain practical skills, critical insight, and a strong ethical foundation to launch a meaningful career in a world that needs thoughtful, creative communicators more than ever.
Degrees
Graduate Undergraduate Major Minor Associate Certificate
Highlights
USU Senior features new Olympic team on ABC4 News
LOGAN — River Rock, a Senior at Utah State University, was featured on ABC4 News this past weekend for a story he produced highlighting Skimo, the newest Olympic sport set to debut at the 2026 Olympic Games.
The story focused on Skimo, short for ski mountaineering, a sport that combines uphill climbing on skis with fast downhill racing.
Athletes race against the clock while transitioning between climbing and skiing, making it one of the most physically demanding winter sports.
Rock’s story highlighted how Skimo is growing in popularity in Utah and across the country as it prepares for its Olympic debut.
Rock went up Logan Canyon with team members to film the story with his drone.
“I loved getting involved in the community,” Rock said. “It was so cool to give attention to what these kids are doing and help out a local team.”
Assistant Professor Erin Cox mentored Rock’s work and helped him prepare it for broadcast.
“Rock put a lot of passion into this story and it was so rewarding to see him bring this story from pitch to broadcast,” Cox said.
USU has a partnership with ABC4 News, providing local stories while giving students practical opportunities to work on stories with real audiences.
Technical Communication and Rhetoric PhD student Cara Haderlie published a book review in the journal Programmatic Perspectives
Technical Communication and Rhetoric PhD student Cara Haderlie published a book review in the journal Programmatic Perspectives titled "Review of Amplifying Voices in UX: Balancing Design and User Needs in Technical Communication”.
Abstract of the review:
Amplifying Voices in UX: Balancing Design and User Needs in Technical Communication introduces the term equilbriUX, which is a model to achieve agency and balance. Lancaster and King argue a lack of balance between diverse users’ voices and the agency and needs of diverse users. The book is a collection of various TPC authors whose chapters are foregrounded on users’ cultural differences and marginalized experiences rather than the content. Lancaster and King call that TPC and UX must embrace the global and post-pandemic emphasis on all audiences worldwide. In addition, the concept that culture and communication are intertwined as a common thread throughout the chapters uniting the field to “dignify all users, all voices, and all communities” (p.13).
Waterhouse featured Dr. Seulgi Park’s dissertation
The Waterhouse Family Institute for the Study of Communication and Society at Villanova University featured the publication of Dr. Seulgi Park’s dissertation, the outcome of her WFI-funded 2024-2025 research project, in its social media spotlight mini-series. Dr. Park’s dissertation project examined patient-centered communication in primary care among older Korean immigrants in the U.S. within an ecological framework of medical encounters. Her dissertation, titled "Applying the Ecological Model of Medical Encounters to Understand Patient-Centered Communication for Older Korean Migrants in the U.S.", was published online in Summer 2025.
2025 Top Paper Award Winner
Dr. Aggrey Otieno was honored with the Top Paper Award by the Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters on November 7, 2025, during an awards ceremony at Brigham Young University (BYU). His paper, first presented at the Academy’s March 2025 Conference in the Division of Humanities, was celebrated for its intellectual rigor and profound social impact.
CPTSC and SIGDOC 2025 Conferences
Technical Communication and Rhetoric faculty, students, and alumni represented USU well at the national conference for Council for Programs of Technical and Scientific Communication (CPTSC) and the international conference of Association of Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Design of Communication (SIGDOC). Faculty member Chen Chen served as SIGDOC secretary-treasurer, and many students, faculty, and alumni presented their research, connected, and networked.
Three Journalism Students Contribute to ABC4, KUTV, and KSL News
Today, during their Midday newscast, ABC4 (KTVX) ran a complete news package created by Journalism Newscast student Kaylee Moss. Professional Practice Assistant Professor Erin Cox helped with writing and story development; Professional Practice Professor Brian Champagne helped with writing, shooting her standup, and placement; Professional Practice Associate Professor Chris Garff mentored the technical side of Kaylee's work.
Additionally, Journalism Bootcamp student Keira Lifferth contributed footage to ABC4's Beehive Blitz sports show. She trained with Champagne on high school sidelines, then went out on her own for ABC4. She shot additional footage for KUTV September 19, 2025.
Last but not least, Journalism Bootcamp student Brian Kirk contributed a radio story that ran on Phenomecon and on KSL Newsradio. It aired on the afternoon drive newscast.
Great work, Kaylee, Keira, and Brian, and great job faculty!
Communication Lab
The Speakeasy
The USU Communication Lab (COM Lab) helps students improve their communication skills through personalized support, mentorship, and hands-on learning opportunities. It offers workshops and guidance based on current research in Communication Studies to ensure students develop effective, durable skills for academic, professional, and personal success.
Get Involved
Aggie Radio is Utah State University's student-run radio station, available to listen to online and throughout Cache Valley. The station broadcasts music, radio plays, sports events and a host of other programs.
Learn the process of creating high-quality television programs and gain hands-on experience with professional broadcasting equipment.
The journalism and communication department's internship program is designed to help students enrich their education, gain practical experience, and earn credit towards their degrees.
The new studio will be cutting-edge, multimedia hub that will give current and future students the tools to compete and lead in today’s fast-paced media world.
The Public Relations Student Society of America's mission is to provide exceptional service to our members by enhancing their education, broadening their professional network and helping launch their careers after graduation.
Join other award-winning journalists through developing student-produced journalistic writing and broadcasts.
The Eagle student newspaper has been in production since 1937 as the college voice on the Price campus.
Join the award-winning publication dedicated to covering the interests of USU students, the campus community and overall news of Cache Valley.
Utah Public Radio is an NPR-member radio station and service of USU. Students can create broadcasts and gain experience running a professional radio broadcasting station.