DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNICATION

Students study the complexities and intricacies of communication within our increasingly intercultural and mediatized world, emphasizing communication’s role in creating a just and equitable society.
Our undergraduate and graduate programs embrace the centrality of communication in all aspects of personal, professional, and public life as well as the centrality of culture to communication. The curriculum approaches Communication as a practice of and means toward achieving social justice, primarily via multifaceted forms of storytelling and dialogue. We offer courses that reflect the entirety of the discipline, rather than two or three areas; we consciously commit to providing Villanova students with a comprehensive education that spans the range of the discipline from a critical perspective, including rhetorical studies, media production and media studies, journalism, interpersonal and intercultural communication, organizational communication, performance studies, public relations and advertising.
Chair
Professor
610-519-8944
Undergraduate Program Coordinator
Garey Hall, Room 28
610-519-7488
Administrative Assistant
Garey Hall, Room 28
610-519-4750
Administrative Assistant, Graduate Program
Garey Hall, Room 28
610-519-6434
WATERHOUSE FAMILY INSTITUTE
The Waterhouse Family Institute (WFI), highlights the centrality of Communication in the creation of social change. Our goal is to serve as the center of an international network of Communication scholars, practitioners, and activists working to create a more just social world.
NEWS & EVENTS
NCA
Recent grads Grace Dwyer ('24 Comm Major), Jackie Carroll ('23 Comm Minor) and Communication Professor Dr. Heidi Rose collaborated on a paper at the National Communication Association (NCA), "Performance as Joyful Resistance." as part of the Performance Studies' Contributed Papers session.

PPRA Gold Medal Award
The Philadelphia Public Relations Assocation honored Coach Jay Wright with its Gold Medal Award, which goes to an individual or organization who has had a positive impact on our region. Pictured (l to r) with Coach are his wife Patty; Communication Seniors Elise Tugander and Gabriella Raful who were student members of the planning committee; and Dr. Cowen, who is a Past-President and Hall of Fame member of the organization. MORE...

DR. TERRY NANCE AWARD RECEPIENT
Associate Professor and VU Alumnus Hezekiah Lewis (class of '99 & '02), was the recipient of the 2024 Dr. Terry Nance Award for Inclusive Excellence. At the VUAA Alumni Awards Ceremony, Communication's own Dr. Terry Nance presented her former student and current colleague Hezekiah Lewis with this prestigious award. Heze's capacity to serve, his depth to give, and his commitment to hold his communities accountable to the spirit of UNITAS are unmatched. Professor Lewis ended his speech with these words: "Never forget where you came from but please be open to where you’re going." MORE...

"SANKOFA" WINS GOLD
The Villanova University student-produced social justice documentary, "Sankofa," was one of 16 Student Academy Award winners for 2019 and earned the gold medal in the Documentary/Domestic Film Schools Category. This is the first Student Academy Award for Villanova in the University’s fourth time selected as a finalist for one of its films in the documentary category. (Photo Credit: Valerie Durant / ©A.M.P.A.S.) MORE...

MURAL DEDICATION
On November 13th, 2024, the Global Philadelphia Association hosted the unveiling of a mural dedicated to SDG #12: Responsible Consumption and Production. The mural, designed by Communication Department Professor and artist Margaret Hobson-Baker, captures the essence of these critical issues through compelling visuals. The mural is located at the Connelly Center on Villanova's campus, offering a powerful reminder of the need for responsible consumption and environmental stewardship. MORE...

EDUCATION WITH IMPACT
AN EDUCATION IN THE LIBERAL ARTS AND SCIENCES promotes intellectual curiosity and rigor; instills the fundamentals of critical insight, mature judgment and independent thinking; and strengthens students’ sense of their moral responsibility for others and for the betterment of society.