The purpose of the degree is to provide students with the awareness, knowledge, motivation and skills to develop communication strategies to address the problems of a global society, and the emphasis is on all forms of civic engagement. The program examines the strategic role that symbol systems play in constructing meaning in a fast-changing, information-based, media-saturated, and culturally diverse world. Courses examine how meaning informs and persuades individuals, and introduce students to the history and theories of how communication operates in societies. The goal is for students to demonstrate a high level of oral and written communication, critical thinking, and analytical problem-solving skills, and to become active in civic life.