Communication and Theatre

Mission Statement

As communicators, all humans are part of an ongoing conversation. Communication is inevitable, irreversible, and continuous. The messages we send and receive shape our attitudes, build our relationships, and impact the environment in which we live. The mission of the Department of Communication and Theatre is to empower students with a meaningful Christian voice in the ongoing conversation of the world in which we live. We strive to meet this mission through learning, growing, and serving.

Learning Informed by our Faith in Christ

• Students will learn basic theory about the discipline of communication, organizational communication, media communication, broadcast journalism and theatre.

Growing in a Christ Centered Community

• As students understand the process of communication, they will be challenged to use communication competently in a variety of complex environmental and social contexts.

Serving in a Context of Christian Faith

• Students will participate in the disciplines of Communication and Theatre in the collective community around them.

The Department of Communication and Theatre is committed to helping each student learn, grow, and serve so that they may contribute meaningfully to the ongoing conversation of all humans and seek to make a positive impact in the world through their communication abilities. The power to communicate is the power to transform our world one conversation at a time.

Purposes

• To instruct students in the philosophy, content, methodology, skills, and responsibilities of communication;
• To provide specialized training for those entering communication-centered professions including: management, sales, public relations, training; broadcasting and electronic media; and theatre and the performing arts; 
• To provide background courses for those desiring to enter communication related fields including ministry, law, education, government, social services, journalism, and graduate studies; 
• To help students develop skills through involvement in a nationally competitive forensics program, internships in major corporations, law firms, radio and television stations, and professional theatre companies. 

Tradition of Excellence

The Department of Communication and Theatre is a comprehensive and dynamic department that prepares students for leadership in a variety of communication-intensive careers. Classroom instruction is enhanced by the smaller class sizes and individual attention from faculty who are committed to the academic and personal success of each student. There are five programs of study to choose from: Communication (general), Managerial and Organizational Communication, Theatre, Media Communication and an interdepartmental major in Broadcast Journalism. As a part of the curriculum, a 120-hour internship must be completed; often, internships can result in full-time jobs upon graduation.

Career Opportunities

Experiences in the classroom are greatly enhanced by the department’s co-curricular and professional opportunities. Point Loma Nazarene University has one of the most respected and award-wining speech and debate teams in the nation. The Theatre program has been the home for more than 115 stage productions in the last 30 years including Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, My Fair Lady, The Sound of Music, Waiting for Godot, You Can't Take It With You, and The Caucasian Chalk Circle.

The department also supervises an on campus cable television channel – CCTV-3 and an Internet-based radio station, KPLR. Both stations are student-managed, creating original productions for on-campus audiences. The stations are based in well equipped facilities which include a multi-camera studio, digital audio and video editing, field production cameras and radio broadcast booths. Recent showcase productions include independent films, a game show and an all day Christmas music request show raising money for local charities. Students also have opportunities to work in PLNU publications such as the student newspaper, yearbook, and literary magazine.

Communication students seeking further academic opportunities have presented original research at professional conferences and gained successful admission into graduate schools.

A degree in Communication and Theatre can prepare a student for a career in media communication and business, public relations, theatre and performing arts and other related careers in politics and government, lay, social and human services, journalism, and ministry.

Majors
Broadcast Journalism
Communication
        Concentrations
        Public Address
        Societal Communication
Managerial and Organizational Communication
Media Communication
        Concentrations
        Film Studies
        Multimedia
        Performance
        Production
Theatre

Minors
Communication
Media Communication
Public Relations
Theatre

Course Descriptions

Faculty

Paul R. Bassett, M.F.A., J.D., Chair
Southern Methodist University

Bob Brower, Ph.D.
University of Kansas>

Kathleen C. Czech, Ed.D.
University of Nevada, Reno

G. L. Forward, Ph.D.
The Ohio State University

Clark F. Greer, Ph.D.
Bowling Green State University

Alan C. Hueth, Ph.D.
University of Dayton

Skip Rutledge, Ph.D.
Regent University

Walter O. Williams, Ph.D.
Regent University

Ronda R. Winderl, Ph.D.
New York University