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

COMM UPDATES from the Department of Communication

News

COMM Updates - 2/25/2026
February 25, 2026 Awards Professor danah boyd was selected as a Sloan Research Fellow by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, an honor recognizing the most promising early-career scholars in the United States and Canada. Awarded annually to...
5 individuals stand and smile for a selfie

News

February 11, 2026 Awards Professor danah boyd was selected as a Non-Resident Fellow by the Center for Democracy & Technology, an honor recognizing leading scholars who contribute expertise on technology policy, civil rights, and democratic...
four students stand holding a plaque saying "peoples choice" in front of their poster

News

February 3, 2026 Announcements The Department of Communication is pleased to announce the Marshall Engaged Scholars Program. Thanks to the generous and visionary support of Cornell Alumni Terry and Ann Marshall, the program will support a...

Communication in the News

Alfred P. Sloan Foundation logo

News

Five from Cornell named 2026 Sloan Research Fellows

Five Cornell faculty members are among 126 early-career researchers across North America who have won 2026 Sloan Research Fellowships from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

  • Communication
Single lit candle

News

Dawn Schrader, associate professor in the Department of Communication in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, known for her intellectual rigor and deep humanity, died Jan. 6 at age 67.

  • Communication
Hauwa Otori headshot

News

Hauwa Otori ‘08 is the guest on the new episode of Startup Cornell. She's the creator of the Founders International Network and host of the Building Black podcast, which shares stories about the experiences of under-resourced entrepreneurs from...

  • 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