Department Facts

Mission Statement

The Mississippi State University Department of Communication prepares students through scholarship, creative practice, and ethical and cultural awareness to be empowered professional artists and communicators.

Vision Statement

Graduates of the Mississippi State University Department of Communication will excel in diverse professional landscapes and will contribute to an ever-evolving global society as critical thinkers, savvy consumers, life-long learners, storytellers, content creators, and audience-focused artists and communicators. 

Annual Reports

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2023-24

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2022-23

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2021-22

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2020-21

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2019-20

Strategic Plan

Department of Communication Strategic Plan (Updated Fall 2024)

Assessment

Assessment Plan

Assessment Map

Alumni

2019 Communication Alumni

Student Media Awards

Sample or Recent Student Media Awards
 

Enrollment

Enrollment by Concentration
  Fall 2013 Fall 2014 Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023
Broadcast & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 0 0 47 85 113 125 142
Broadcasting 154 136 146 142 147 157 94 44 24 3 1
Communication & Media Studies 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 37 47
Communication & Media Studies (Distance) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 21
Communication Studies 10 24 23 23 27 35 43 63 66 35 7
Journalism 67 67 78 77 61 55 36 20 7 1 0
Print & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 0 0 35 35 37 37 29
Public Relations 277 296 283 270 277 290 288 263 228 190 186
Public Relations (Distance) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 15 20
Theatre 21 22 12 17 13 15 24 25 26 28 23
CO Majors without Concentration 23 20 17 20 19 10 10 3 2 2 5
Graduate 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 28
Total 552 565 559 549 544 562 577 538 513 496 509
Enrollment by Gender
  Fall 2013 Fall 2014 Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023
Male 167 172 165 148 160 184 192 168 175 156 159
Female 385 393 394 401 384 378 385 370 338 327 350
Enrollment by Ethnicity
  Fall 2013 Fall 2014 Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023
Am Indian or Alaskan Native 2 3 2 5 3 2 3 2 4 3 3
Asian 4 3 3 1 3 1 3 6 2 2 2
Black or African American 118 132 134 143 132 125 108 107 91 82 80
Hispanic 6 11 9 5 8 11 16 16 8 12 14
Multiracial 11 12 8 8 12 18 16 8 10 9 10
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
Unknown 7 11 6 5 2 0 1 4 5 5 5
White 403 392 397 382 384 404 429 395 393 383 395
Retention by Ethnicity
  Fall 2014 Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023 Fall 2024
Am Indian or Alaskan Native N/A N/A N/A 0.0% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Asian N/A N/A 0.0% 100.0% 100.0% N/A 100.0% N/A N/A 100.0% N/A
Black or African American 66.7% 63.6% 78.9% 87.5% 75.0% 55.6% 91.7% 70.0% 75.0% 100.0% 55.6%
Hispanic 50% 100% N/A N/A 100% 100% 50% 0.0% N/A 66.7% 100%
Multiracial N/A N/A 100% 50% 50% 100% 100% N/A 66.7% 0.0% 0.0%
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A
Unknown N/A 100.0% N/A 50.0% N/A N/A N/A 50.0% 100.0% 50.0% N/A
White 91.5% 86.7% 77.8% 95.2% 83.3% 100.0% 85.5% 91.3% 90.7% 88.1% 92%
Overall 84.8% 83.3% 77.3% 89.1% 81% 93.7% 86.0% 82.0% 87.3% 85.5% 85.2%
Graduation by Ethnicity
  Fall 2014 Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023 Fall 2024
Am Indian or Alaskan Native N/A N/A 0.0% N/A N/A *MSU calculates six year graduation data rates. Subsequent year data will be available in the fall of each year.
Asian N/A 0.0% 100.0% 100.0% N/A            
Black or African American 45.5% 47.4% 50.0% 50.0% 55.6%            
Hispanic 100.0% N/A N/A 100.0% 0.0%            
Multiracial N/A 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0%            
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A            
Unknown 100.0% N/A 50.0% N/A N/A            
White 80.0% 70.4% 81% 73.8% 88.2%            

First-time Freshmen

First -Time Freshmen by Concentration
  Fall 2013 Fall 2014 Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023
Broadcast & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 0 0 22 19 24 18 27
Broadcasting 26 14 21 20 15 19 0 0 0 0 0
Communication & Media Studies 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 9
Communication & Media Studies (Distance) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
Communication Studies 1 4 0 2 1 4 5 8 3 0 1
Journalism 11 9 19 10 11 10 0 0 0 0 0
Print & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 0 0 19 7 9 8 3
Public Relations 30 22 24 20 17 23 32 22 14 17 18
Public Relations (Distance) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0
Theatre 4 4 2 3 4 0 2 3 3 5 1
CO Majors without Concentration 7 7 9 9 10 7 6 2 1 0 1
Total 79 60 75 64 58 63 86 61 54 72 61
                       
Retention 79.1% 84.8% 83.3% 77.3% 89.1% 81.0% 93.7% 86.1% 82.0% 87.3% 85.5%
Graduation 74.7% 75.0% 65.3% 68.8% 67.2%            
Average Composite ACT 24.35 24.68 24.59 23.90 25.13 25.59 25.36 23.93 23.88 24.58 23.76

Degrees Awarded

Degrees Awarded by Concentration
  2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Broadcasting 46 35 40 35 35 35 29 15 18 3 0
Broadcast & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 21 25 13
Communication Studies 5 9 7 8 6 7 16 20 33 3 1
Communication & Media Studies 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9
Journalism 18 17 19 14 18 19 14 6 9 2 0
Print & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 5 10 4
Public Relations 68 94 94 97 99 75 95 91 86 68 48
Theatre 5 5 3 3 4 3 6 10 5 7 7
CO Majors without Concentration 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 5 0
Graduate Program 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0