Abstract
This essay examines the historical development and administrative philosophy behind the integration of speech and mass communication programs at the University of Alabama, Birmingham. It situates the merger within broader debates over the relationship between professional and liberal arts education, arguing that the disciplines share enough theoretical and pedagogical ground to justify collaboration at the undergraduate level. Through a detailed account of departmental structure, curriculum, faculty composition, and tenure policy, the essay demonstrates how institutional design can balance academic and professional objectives. The author advocates for a liberal arts orientation rooted in rhetoric, hermeneutics, and language-based theory, even within career-oriented programs. Persistent tensions between speech and mass communication are acknowledged but framed as productive when managed through shared scholarly standards and curricular integration. The essay concludes by proposing a five-year program culminating in a master’s degree in public communication as a means to fuse theory, research, and professional training while aligning communication studies with broader academic reform movements in higher education.
Recommended Citation
Clark, E. Culpepper
(1986)
"Speech and Mass Communication: Together Again,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 57, Article 3.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol57/iss1/3
