Hocbigg - Communication Studies
Contents
Summary
The Communication Studies curriculum is a complete education in Communication Studies using online materials.
Organization
This repository is organized into three main components:
- Core Curriculum (this page): the foundational knowledge of the field;
- Advanced Topics: focused study in specific areas;
- Projects: support learning through practical application throughout the curriculum.
Process: Learners may work through the curriculum independently or collaboratively, and either sequentially or selectively.
- For simplicity, courses in the Core Curriculum are ordered according to their prerequisites.
- The Core Curriculum provides a shared foundation and is intended to be completed in full.
- Advanced Topics are optional; learners are encouraged to select one area of focus and complete all courses within that topic.
Practical work is integrated through the Projects section and may be undertaken alongside coursework.
Note: When there are courses or books that don't fit into the curriculum but are otherwise of high quality, they belong in extras/courses, extras/readings.
Communities
- Subreddits:
- Other:
- AoIR (Association of Internet Researchers) Mastodon
- STC (Society for Technical Communication) Slack (membership required)
- PR and Communications Pros Slack (request invite)
- You can also interact through GitHub issues. If there is a problem with a course, or a change needs to be made to the curriculum, this is the place to start the conversation. Read more here.
-
Join our Discord server (for discussions around this and other curricula):
Curriculum
How to use this curriculum
Core
Everyone should complete the following four sections in sequence (before moving to Advanced Topics). They form the essential foundation that every communication student needs:
-
Foundations of Communication
Start here. This section introduces the most basic ideas and skills you will use in every later part of the field. -
Human Interaction & Meaning
Move to this next. It builds directly on the foundations and focuses on how people create meaning and connect with each other face-to-face. -
Media, Culture & Power
Study this third. It expands your view from personal interaction to how large-scale media and cultural systems shape communication. -
Research Methods in Communication
Finish the core with this section. It gives you the practical tools to read, evaluate, and eventually carry out communication research yourself.
Foundations of Communication
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| What Communication Is | This gives you a clear map of how messages are created, sent, received, and interpreted in everyday life. | Communication in the Real World (LibreTexts) | CrashCourse: Media Literacy |
| Communication Models & Traditions | You will understand the major ways scholars have explained communication processes throughout history. | same | Crash Course: Introduction to Communication Concepts (search relevant) |
| Communication Ethics | You learn to recognize and reason about moral dilemmas that appear when people communicate, especially online and in media. | same as main book chapters + Ethics in Communication (LibreTexts) | — |
| Public Speaking & Rhetoric | You gain essential skills in oral presentation, argumentation, and persuasive communication — a universal foundational competency. | Stand up, Speak out: The Practice and Ethics of Public Speaking | TED-Ed Public Speaking |
| Academic Writing | You gain the skills to write clear, organized, and convincing college-level essays and papers. | OpenStax Writing Guide | Coursera: English Composition I |
Human Interaction & Meaning
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Interpersonal Communication | You develop practical skills for building, maintaining, and repairing close personal relationships through talk. | Interpersonal Communication: A Mindful Approach to Relationships (2nd ed., open) | Coursera SJTU |
| Symbolic Interaction & Identity | You learn how people use symbols and everyday interactions to build and constantly update who they are. | Communication in the Real World | Yale OpenCourses (Sociology of Self) |
| Listening & Dialogue | You build the ability to truly hear others, understand their messages deeply, and respond in ways that keep conversations constructive. | Worthington | Coursera Active Listening |
Media, Culture & Power
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media Systems | You understand how media industries are organized, financed, and regulated around the world today. | Media, Society, Culture, and You (open) | CrashCourse Media |
| Semiotics & Representation | You learn to read signs, images, and texts in media and discover the hidden meanings they carry. | Communication in the Real World (relevant chapters) | — |
| Culture & Communication | You gain tools to communicate effectively and respectfully with people from very different cultural backgrounds. | Intercultural Communication (LibreTexts) | FutureLearn |
Research Methods in Communication
| Subject | Why study? | Book | Videos |
|---|---|---|---|
| Research Logic | You understand the basic rules of how good social science evidence is created and evaluated. | Social Science Research (USF) | SOAS Methods |
| Qualitative Methods | You learn how to collect, analyze, and interpret rich non-numerical data such as interviews, texts, and observations. | Saldaña Coding Manual (free chapters) | Amsterdam Qual |
| Quantitative Reasoning | You gain the ability to read, understand, and perform basic statistical analysis of communication data. | OpenIntro Statistics | Amsterdam Quant |