Abstract
This article compares the administration of communication studies programs in the United States and Australia, using a faculty exchange between the University of Kansas and Kuring-gai College of Advanced Education as a case study. The analysis identifies three major areas of difference: historical development, philosophical orientation, and administrative policies. In the United States, communication programs largely evolved from speech departments with strong rhetorical and skills-based traditions, while in Australia the field developed more recently with interdisciplinary and critical orientations. Philosophical divergences are evident in curricular emphases, with American programs often stressing public speaking and skills training, and Australian programs incorporating mass media, semiotics, and critical approaches. Administrative contrasts include differences in academic calendars, teaching loads, tenure expectations, and the prevalence of doctoral qualifications. The article concludes that faculty exchanges provide opportunities to bridge these structural and cultural differences, fostering mutual understanding and institutional collaboration.
Recommended Citation
Kaye, Michael and Patton, Bobby H.
(1987)
"A Comparison Between the USA and Australia in the Administration of Communication Studies in Higher Education,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 60, Article 28.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol60/iss1/28
