Programs in communication and speech studies teach the theory and physiology of spoken communication. Students learn how people talk, listen, and persuade. They study the history and structure of argument. In addition, they write and deliver speeches.

Early tribal cultures valued the thoughtful speeches of elders. From the civilizations in Greece, Rome, and China came a more systematic study of spoken communication. Each placed special emphasis on the art of verbal persuasion and argument. This was the beginning of mass communication.

Shakespeare provides a famous example of verbal persuasion in "Julius Caesar." In Marc Anthony's apparently rambling speech about Brutus, Shakespeare demonstrates the techniques of repetition, irony, and double meaning. These are techniques that try to persuade listeners to change their views. In the speech, tone of voice becomes a significant device for persuasion.

Your course work teaches you the basics of writing and delivering speeches. You learn to listen critically, recognize and use techniques of persuasion, and evaluate the effects of these techniques. This can include working with groups and individually on speeches, debates, presentations, and other means of public speaking. You also study different communication theories that try to explain how people listen, understand, and think about what others say to them. You also take courses in semantics, nonverbal communication, and group dynamics. In addition, you can study how different people, including men and women and people from different racial and ethnic backgrounds, communicate differently and similarly.

With a degree in communication and speech studies, your career options are diverse. You can become a journalist, teacher, trial lawyer, advertiser, and with additional training, a minister! Many people choose to work in public relations, politics, or in academia as a professor. You can even become a motivational speaker!

Many colleges and universities offer bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in communication and speech studies. Most two-year colleges offer the first two years in programs such as mass communications or journalism. Students can often transfer these credits to a four-year school. Master's degrees typically take five or six years of full-time study after high school. Doctoral degree programs typically take three to five years after the master's degree.

Majors in communication and speech studies may choose focus areas in their junior and senior years of college. Many of these concentrations are also available as graduate programs. Some examples are:

• Argumentation
• Audience Analysis
• Political Rhetoric
• Rhetorical Criticism
• Rhetorical Theory
• Social Rhetoric