<p>Yes, communications studies is a vague area and the focus varies depending on the college or university one attends. A student at Syracuse’s Newhouse School of Public Communications will get a very different education than a student who majors in Communications Studies at the University of Michigan.</p>
<p>I am really more interested in (1) whether Carleton integrates an emphasis on public speaking and presentation into its regular coursework, similar to the Hamilton College model and (2) whether Carleton offers a course in the study of classical rhetoric.</p>
<p>The answer to (1) seems to be no, but I assume that a graduate of Carleton picks up enough public speaking skills along the way to become pretty effective at the podium.</p>
<p>The answer to (2) is yes. After my original post I found this course in the classical languages department.</p>
<p>CLAS 100: Power and Persuasion</p>
<p>This course will examine rhetoric–the art of speaking well–in the classical world. Students will gain an understanding and appreciation of the theory and practice of rhetoric in a writing-rich environment designed to teach the elements of argumentation and persuasion. While the course will draw upon primarily ancient texts, we will also consider how this art has survived into the modern world. 6; S/CR/NC; Arts and Literature; offered Fall 2008 – C. Hardy</p>
<p>For example, here is an online version of Aristotle’s Rhetoric, one of those ancient texts.</p>
<p>[Aristotle’s</a> Rhetoric](<a href=“http://www.public.iastate.edu/~honeyl/Rhetoric/]Aristotle’s”>http://www.public.iastate.edu/~honeyl/Rhetoric/)</p>
<p>I assume that writing papers about these ancient texts and making oral presentations will help a student become a more effective speaker.</p>