Abstract
This essay examines the role of speech communication programs within undergraduate liberal arts institutions and argues that their long term vitality depends on articulating a clear connection between communication study and the distinctive character of each college. The discussion responds to broader critiques of undergraduate education that identify fragmentation, excessive professionalism, and a diminished sense of intellectual coherence as threats to the liberal arts. The essay outlines several guiding questions for departments seeking to define or strengthen their educational mission. These include clarifying why communication belongs in the liberal arts, identifying principles that organize a coherent curriculum, and determining how to respond to increased student interest in media related careers without sacrificing liberal learning. Additional questions concern the need to support ongoing faculty development and to consider how small colleges will cultivate the next generation of broadly trained communication generalists. The essay concludes that communication departments must intentionally develop their own forms of academic character aligned with institutional values. Such efforts require sustained attention to curriculum, faculty roles, and the broader purposes of liberal education.
Recommended Citation
Smitter, Roger
(1985)
"Speech Communication Departments and the College of Character,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 54, Article 2.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol54/iss1/2
