My.EOU Portal Current Students Faculty/Staff
Apply Visit Request Info Give Now
Communication Studies is an affordable, flexible and efficient degree with a wide range of interconnected courses guiding you toward success!
Spring commencement takes place in two ceremonies on June 15 in Quinn Coliseum.
Benjamin Mann (Program Chair) is an Assistant Professor of Communication at EOU, whose expertise lies at the intersection of health communication, rhetoric, and critical/cultural studies. His education includes a Ph.D. in Communication from the University of Utah (2020), an M.A. in Communication from the University of the Pacific (2016), and a B.A. in English from Lewis & Clark College (2014). In Ben’s teaching and research, he focuses on how marginalized populations advocate for their needs in new media and health environments, employing critical, rhetorical, and qualitative approaches to examine these issues. Ben’s research has been published at national and international journals, such as Health Communication and Disability Studies Quarterly. In addition to over seven years of experience teaching a range of college courses, Ben supports Communication curriculum through Eastern Promise and assists with evaluating APEL student portfolios.
Kevin Roy is a Professor of Communication Studies, new media artist and experimental filmmaker exploring the intersections of digital technologies and analog media. Professor Roy received a BA in Art History from the University of Georgia (1995) and following a decade of professional work in the film and interactive media industries, received an MFA in Studio Art with a concentration in digital media and filmmaking, also from the University of Georgia (2005).
Professor Roy’s films and new media work forms at the confluence of analog and digital media —a blending of lens, light, emulsion, soundscape, browser interactivity, and JavaScript, investigating permutations of beginning, middle, and end; the web browser as both canvas and screen; the imposition of power amongst subject, audience and artist; the film frame as a structure of confinement; and surveillance capitalism. His creative practice contemplates the convergence of interactivity and cinema, by coding unpredictability and randomization, and thus non-linearity, into virtual exhibition spaces to energize the visuals and encourage viewers to discover the work’s temporal form while surfacing the topics, feeling, concerns and attitudes that were the genesis of the work.
His work in film and new media has been exhibited in national and international film festivals and venues including SXSW, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Atlanta Film Festival. www.kevinroy.com
Xiaowei Chen is an associate professor of communication and journalism and considers himself a generalist in media studies. His education includes a B.A. in Chinese Literature (1987), an M.A. in Journalism (1994) and a Ph.D. in Mass Communication & Public Affairs (2006). He worked as a reporter, editor, designer and public relations writer in Beijing for seven years before he moved to the US in 2002. In the past 10 years, he taught over 10 courses in mass media and human communication. His research interests include international public relations, media technology and cultural studies. He published a research paper in peer-review journals and presented 15 papers in national and international conferences.
Graduating EOU seniors complete a capstone experience or senior project in their majors. These culminating experiences tie together the objectives of their programs, the general education outcomes, and often career-related applications of learning and doing. Ultimately, EOU ensures all of its graduates are prepared for the world of work or for continued study in graduate programs.
“As a long-time Cove resident, I was so blessed to receive a big-city education within a 20-minute drive from my rural home! I don’t think Union County realizes how fortunate it is to have this gem of a university. The professors see students as individuals instead of numbers, and really work to hone each person’s potential. I am so thrilled to use my communication degree to better my community in my role as the Outreach Coordinator for a small nonprofit. Thanks to my education at EOU, I can now write grants, news articles and other written copy with ease. I can also plan complex events to inspire students to take an interest in science and rural health careers, assist regional high school instructors in the delivery of online health occupations curriculum, and so much more. Thanks Eastern!”
Brittany HargroveCommunication StudiesCove, Ore.
Communication Studies can be paired easily with other fields of study like:
A degree in Communication Studies is valued highly in today’s competitive work environments, and when you learn from professionals with strong backgrounds in communication and media, you create a successful path to a career or graduate school. Be engaged – verbally and nonverbally – and gain the skills and knowledge foundation to craft effective and powerful messages for any audience. Team-building, skill-building and global messaging are all strengths this degree will enhance.
Communication Studies can also be paired easily with other fields of study. Our program offers three tracks or primary areas of interests in business, media and teaching. Whether you are an entrepreneur building a new business or interested in the healthcare field, digital technology, education, advertising, marketing or politics, our program will help you prepare for your future!
With our online option, enjoy flexibility in earning a quality degree while building strong connections and skills through interactive, cutting-edge media delivery options.
Discover your true nature with the Eastern Edge. Learn more.