Abstract
Placing a speech communication department inside a professional college instead of a liberal arts unit reshapes curriculum, identity, and stakeholder ties. This case study describes the transition to a College of Professional and Public Affairs and reviews impacts after three years. Alignment with practice focused disciplines expanded internships, joint degrees, and employment networks, while prompting clear learning outcomes and a capstone jury course. Faculty gained applied research partners, consulting invitations, grants, and salary equity through a broadened view of scholarship that values community projects alongside journal work. Department benefits included a sharper niche in human resource development, rising enrollments, and stronger community visibility. Challenges remain such as defending the liberal education purpose of the required basic course, operating without external accreditation, and communicating a precise professional identity. The experience suggests that strategic relocation to a professional setting can significantly enrich communication programs when reflective planning addresses both opportunities and tensions.
Recommended Citation
Brenton, Angela Laird and Gray, John
(1992)
"Seeing Our Discipline Through a New Lens: Speech Communication in a Professional College,"
Association for Communication Administration Bulletin: Vol. 81, Article 3.
Available at:
https://stars.library.ucf.edu/aca/vol81/iss1/3
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