Our collective goals are to articulate the variety and complexity of communication phenomena and the co-creation of social realities that grow out of this process. As researchers of this process, we use social scientific and humanistic methods in order to describe, explain, or critique communication practices.

The roots of our discipline extend back to the classical study of rhetoric, most notably Aristotle. Two of the earliest known rhetoricians, Corax and Tisias, residents of the ancient city of Syracuse, were the first to theorize on the practice of persuasion. While the study of rhetoric and oratory continue to be a central feature of the discipline, researchers have extended the purview to examine other forms of communication, such as interpersonal, group, and organizational communication; argumentation; and political and mediated discourse.

The study and practice of communication is a prominent feature of the educational mission at Syracuse University. In conjunction with this mission, the mission of the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies is to engage with colleagues, graduate, and undergraduate students in innovative, inclusive, and collaborative inquiry into the various theories, perspectives, and methods constituting human communication, rhetorical, and cosmopolitan processes.

The department’s mission blends a traditional liberal arts education with discipline-based knowledge, critical thinking, and the development of communication and rhetorical skills. The approach of communication and rhetorical studies seeks to inform the practice, understanding, and critique of communication primarily with the spoken word, but also with nonverbal, written, or electronic formats.

The department’s curriculum integrates theory and practice. Students assess communication theories, perform theoretically-grounded critiques of communication practices and situations, evaluate and employ research methods, engage in supervised performance-driven experiences, and assess issues of ethics and social justice thereof.