Instructor Alvin Felzenberg leads students in discussion in the Communication and Congress class

Communication and Public Service
(ComPS)

The concentration in Communication and Public Service (ComPS) engages students in public service through a special program combining individual research opportunities with hands-on experience in the public arena. Classes, seminars, internships, field experiences, and individual research projects provide students with opportunities to meet and learn from current and former officeholders, journalists, and public servants who have been leaders in government and civil society.

For more information about the concentration, please contact Mr. David Eisenhower, Director of the Institute of Public Service.

General Major Course Requirements

The program is closely matched to the undergraduate Communication major. ComPS students must complete the following 14 courses:

• Two introductory courses required for Communication majors
• One methods course required for Communication majors
• Two intermediate Communication courses
• Two advanced Communication courses

ComPS Specific Requirements

• One core course, either COMM 323 (Contemporary Politics, Policy and Journalism) or COMM 395 (Communication and the Presidency).
• Two specially designated ComPS courses, from the following:
  • COMM 226 Introduction to Political Communication
  • COMM 300 Public Space, Public Life
  • COMM 309 Washington Politics and the Media (Course taught as part of the Annenberg Washington Summer Program)
  • COMM 322 History and Theory of Freedom of Expression
  • COMM 323 Contemporary Politics, Policy and Journalism
  • COMM 385 Media Action and Social Change
  • COMM 374 Communication and Congress
  • COMM 375 Communication and Emergency Response
  • COMM 377 Philosophical Problems of Journalism
  • COMM 378 Journalism and Public Service
  • COMM 413 The Role of Public Opinion in Leadership Decisions
  • COMM 428 Conventions, Debates and Campaigns
• A cluster of three cognate courses from the following departments: Anthropology, Economics, Education, Health and Societies, History, Legal Studies, Political Science, Sociology, Urban Studies, and Women’s Studies. No more than one introductory class is permitted in the cluster.
• A capstone thesis project completed for credit in the senior year. Students choose the topic of the capstone thesis from a range of public policy or public service issues. Students graduating with a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or higher may designate the capstone as a senior honors thesis in public services.

How and When to Apply

Enrollment is limited to 20 students per year. Students interested in applying to the concentration should submit an application, including a statement of purpose outlining future goals and curricular objectives. Students may submit applications in either the second semester of the sophomore year or first semester of the junior year.

Interested students are encouraged to consult with Alison Berstecher, Director of Student Services and Registrar, and D. David Eisenhower, Director of the Institute for Public Service, as early as possible to match the requirements for the major and ComPS concentration to each student’s goal. No applications are permitted after the add period of the first semester of the senior year.

The Annenberg Washington Summer Internship Program (AWSIP) aims to develop skills and knowledge related to the use of communication in public service through internships at selected government, political, nonprofit, advocacy, media, and private organizations based in Washington, D.C. For more information about the program, please refer to the Internship link.