The Department of Communication is a national leader in the study of communication as a social science, ranked among the top five by the National Research Council.

Our faculty and students are dedicated to understanding the role and enhancing the effectiveness of communication processes, systems and infrastructure in society. We explore communication in its many forms and contexts as a fundamentally social phenomenon. Our faculty members are recognized for developing and applying novel theoretical perspectives to the most pressing social and policy issues of the day.  

Our Programs & Research

Undergraduate

Our carefully constructed curriculum provides a core of contemporary communication knowledge, theory and practice: Students learn how communication influences attitudes, opinions and behaviors; how communication systems work in society; and how to apply this understanding of communication to solve problems, sustain the environment, reach the public with new knowledge, and manage the intricate networks of technologies.

Graduate

Our faculty and associated Graduate Field of Communication ensure that students are familiar with a wide range of tools, theories and methods, and can use these skills in original empirical research that asks and answers theoretically driven, socially relevant questions. Drawing from Cornell’s outstanding scholars and resources in the social sciences, natural sciences and humanities, our students find new ways to investigate how communication shapes society.

Research

We engage in a rich variety of research at the cutting edge of the field of communication and related disciplines, conducting research in many different areas. We encourage undergraduate and graduate students to explore faculty research areas and contact individual faculty members if interested in getting involved with research. Students must have a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA to do research.

COMM Updates

News

COMM Updates - 11/5/2025
November 5, 2025 Grants Associate Professor Neil Lewis, Jr. received a $1,694,600 grant as Principal Investigator for his project, “Evaluating New York State Early Childhood Programs and Policies” from the New York State Council on Children and...
group of students stand in front of poster boards, smiling

News

September 24, 2025 Awards Graduate student Rosie Nguyen received the Adam Smith Fellowship from the Mercatus Center at George Mason University. This one-year fellowship is aimed at doctoral students from any university and discipline who are...

News

September 17, 2025 Awards Professor danah boyd received an Honorable Mention, Star-Nelkin Best Paper Award from the American Sociology Science, Knowledge, and Technology Section. The award is in recognition of her co-authored article “ The...

Communication in the News

Beach landscape in VR

News

Pain tolerance increases during social interaction in VR

Researchers in the Virtual Embodiment Lab found that engagement in social virtual reality, whether with loved ones or total strangers, enhances pain tolerance.

  • Communication
Person typing on keyboard

News

In two recent papers, Cornell researchers identified seven distinct strategies commenters employ when objecting to content online, noting that reputational attacks are most common but that moral appeals are viewed more favorably.

  • Communication
Campaign graphic for the McClintock Letters, featuring an illustration of Barbara McClintock

News

In a nationwide campaign led by Cornell students, more than 500 scientists have committed to writing letters and op-eds in their hometown newspapers across all 50 states – each one a personal appeal on why public investment in research matters.

  • Communication

Contact Us

450 Mann Library Building
phone: (607) 254-6278
email: communication [at] cornell.edu (communication[at]cornell[dot]edu)
We are located on the 4th floor of Mann Library, accessible only by the stairs/elevators within the library, which are just past the circulation desk.

Department Hours:
Monday - Thursday, 8am to 4:30pm
Friday, 8am to 3:30pm