Contact Information

Department of Communication Studies
University of Wisconsin-La Crosse
4206 Centennial Hall
La Crosse, Wisconsin 54601-9959
608.785.6719 FAX

Department Chair: Dr. Linda Dickmeyer
Centennial Hall 4210 

Academic Department Associate: Nhouchee Yang
Centennial Hall 4206 


Effective and successful communication is essential to human life and human endeavors. The 21st century communication environment is becoming increasingly complex due to the rapid evolution of electronic media. Urgent demand for increasingly sophisticated communication competencies is driven by this evolution. People process more messages and have more information available to them than ever before in human history. Therefore, the mission of the CST Department is to pursue and provide opportunities for increasing understanding of the communication process and developing communication competencies required by a wide variety of personal and professional contexts, both currently and in the future. Our primary constituencies are UWL students, faculty, and staff; the La Crosse community; and the Coulee region. Our primary function is to field a competitive and rigorous curriculum for majors who wish to pursue communication intensive careers; for minors who wish to enhance communication competencies demanded by other chosen career paths; and for all UWL graduates who require basic skills in public communication as prerequisites for success in their personal and professional lives.

CST Department Student Learning Outcomes

Communication Studies students will achieve the following learning outcomes after completing coursework and practical experiences in the department:

Message Creation: Create messages appropriate to diverse audiences, purposes, and contexts

Message Analysis: Critically analyze messages

Communication Theory: Employ communication theories, perspectives, principles, and concepts

Ethical Communication: Demonstrate the ability to accomplish communicative goals ethically

Diverse Perspectives: Articulate and adapt to diverse perspectives and the ways they influence communication

Communication Research: Engage in communication inquiry


CST Research Core Student Learning Outcomes

Communication Studies majors engage in a series of four courses leading to an independent scholarly research project.  The student learning outcomes for this valuable experience are:
Communication Discipline:  Describe the communication discipline and its central areas of study

Communication Theory: Identify, explain, and apply communication theory in various communication situations

Communication Research Methods: Identify and employ basic research methods in communication

Independent Research:  Conduct and present independent and ethical research that answers a question about communication

Scholarly Writing: Demonstrate scholarly and professional writing using correct APA format