The Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies (CRS) creates skilled and versatile communicators prepared for the diverse professional and personal contexts they will come to understand, pursue, and influence.
[CRS alumna Asa Goldstock ’20 shares her Syracuse University story]
318+
Faculty research publications
Books, journal articles, book chapters
12
Areas of emphasis for undergraduates
Unlimited career opportunities
78
Faculty and student awards
Given at the campus, national and international levels
A Degree that Grows with You
Our undergraduate program is ideal for those students who wish to acquire communication skills that are highly valued by employers across numerous industries, including the media, business, politics, law, education, public affairs, public relations, and marketing. Our graduate program provides first-rate training in communication research and pedagogy, preparing graduates for competitive careers within academe or for diverse career opportunities outside it.
Learn from Experts
The CRS faculty is made up of active scholars who are absorbed in the study of communication and rhetorical studies. They conduct original research, present their work at national and international conferences, and write books or publish essays in scholarly journals. This enables them to share cutting-edge perspectives with students and keep their teaching up-to-date with current trends in the field of communication studies.
A Vibrant History
We’re proud of our department’s long history at Syracuse University. Launched in 1910 as the Department of Oratory, CRS is one of the nation’s first academic programs devoted to the study of communication and rhetoric. Throughout our evolution, our department has been housed in the College of Visual and Performing Arts, where our programs have benefited from close association with the disciplines of art, design, transmedia, drama, and music.
Recent CRS News
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Featured News
CRS Junior and Entrepreneur Ben Delmarsh is ‘Syrazy’
Ben Delmarsh, a junior in the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies, created the apparel company "Syrazy" (a combination of the phrase "Syracuse going crazy") while in high school. Today he continues to build the Syrazy brand and takes advantage of Syracuse University's Blackstone LaunchPad for student entrepreneurs.
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Faculty News
Why We’re Still ‘Chasing the White Whale’ and Using Other Media References: An Interview with CRS Professor Sylvia Sierra
We do it all the time, sometimes without even thinking. In our everyday conversations we often quote or reference a wide array of media from songs, movies and TV shows to video games, memes and TikToks. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. In fact, Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies Professor...
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Featured News
VPA Student Team Wins Silver in International Creative Solution Competition
A student team from the College of Visual and Performing Arts’ course DES 204: Creative Problem Solving in the School of Design won a silver award in the Creative Conscious Competition, an international platform that allows students to compete by proposing creative solutions that uniquely address an array of problems. Read More...
