UW Department of Communication

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UW Department of Communication

We foster and teach equitable and ethical communicative practices in an intellectually diverse, innovative, and interdisciplinary environment.

The Department of Communication at the University of Washington is committed to rigorous, relevant scholarship that speaks to public challenges and promotes social progress. Communication is foundational to our political, cultural, and economic systems; our interpersonal relationships; and to the constitution of our individual and collective identities in an increasingly diverse and globalized world. The ability to connect, communicate, and collaborate on issues and ideas has never been more critical. As such, Communication as a field of study has never been more relevant, with partisan rhetoric dominating the news; social media and data analytics reshaping public life; seismic paradigm shifts transforming journalism and politics; and our personal, familial, and community interactions facing new challenges. Our department is a leader in the field for relevant, engaged scholarship that advances our discipline, prepares our students for a changing professional and civic landscape, and fosters connections within and outside the academy. We share the University of Washington’s commitment to “being public,” and we embrace our role as global citizens, rooted in a dynamic local community.

10/14/2026

What does a PhD program look like when it is built around students' own questions? Professor Adrienne Russell says ours focuses on "what they want to do and what they're interested in." Meet three students doing exactly that: Nicole Zhang compares how democratic and authoritarian news media cover the same events, Brooke Fisher studies public records requests and private equity ownership of local newspapers, and Jennifer Zheng studies Asian American food creators on TikTok. All three bring their research into undergraduate classrooms. Read the full story:

https://com.uw.edu/post/driven-by-students-backed-by-community-inside-communications-ma-phd-program/

10/12/2026

Calling all Dawgs! The Alaska Airlines Dawg Dash is this Sunday, October 18, and the College of Arts & Sciences has a team for the 10K run, 5K run/walk, and Husky Pups Run. Everyone who joins the team gets a one-of-a-kind A&S bandana, and part of every registration supports the UW Alumni Association's general scholarship fund. Registration usually sells out, so sign up soon!

09/09/2026

UW Communication professor Adrienne Russell and teaching professor Dominic Muren co-teach "Communication, Design and the Environment" in UW's Communication Leadership program. They were recently featured together in UW News on what today's energy crisis reveals about contemporary societies' dependence on fossil fuels and how we might build something different.

Russell puts it this way: "Every energy crisis seems to produce the same script. We talk about restoring flows rather than asking why our societies are organized in ways that make them so vulnerable to disruptions in the first place."

Read the full article from UW News at the link below.

https://www.washington.edu/news/2026/08/21/qa-uw-professors-explain-how-were-misreading-the-energy-crisis/

07/13/2026

Congratulations to the UW Department of Communication Class of 2026! On June 9, we celebrated the students who worked so hard to reach this milestone. We could not be more proud of each and every one of you. The world needs communicators, and you are ready. Go make your mark!

07/11/2026

This spring, the UW Department of Communication celebrated its 2026 Excellence Awards Ceremony at Kane Hall, honoring outstanding students for their hard work and achievements. Congratulations to all of this year's recipients. We are so proud of you!

07/01/2026

Knowing how to leverage AI as a strategic tool is quickly becoming one of the things employers look for.

Open to undergraduates, the Communications and Storytelling in the Age of AI course begins on August 03 — a two-week intensive that is designed to answer the key questions around using AI as a creative tool.

You'll learn how AI is reshaping the way we tell stories, and leave with skills you can use right away.

Register by July 17: https://forms.gle/FSTeRMcnVgDV6f8y8

06/26/2026

The University of Washington Department of Communication proudly celebrates the graduating Class of 2026.

Recorded on June 9, 2026, at Alaska Airlines Arena, this ceremony honors the achievements, perseverance, and accomplishments of our undergraduate and graduate students as they complete their studies and begin the next chapter of their professional and academic journeys.

Watch the full video here: https://youtu.be/1klH0lXH8xo

06/25/2026

Congratulations to Jennifer Zheng, PhD student in the UW Department of Communication, on receiving the 2026 University of Washington Excellence in Teaching Award!

Jennifer has served in multiple teaching roles, including instructor of record, TA, and most recently lead TA for COM 200. As lead TA, Jennifer advises and mentors other TAs through their first teaching experiences. She is also the graduation student editor for the Communication Center Journal, collaborating with undergraduates on making higher education more accessible and equitable for all. We are so proud of you, Jennifer!

Read more about Jennifer and the UW Communication MA/PhD program below.

https://com.uw.edu/post/driven-by-students-backed-by-community-inside-communications-ma-phd-program/

06/17/2026

DEADLINE EXTENDED: Apply for NYC Career Exploration Trip by June 22!

UW COM is headed to NYC October 21-24, 2026!

Interested in exploring communication careers, meeting industry professionals, and building your network? Apply for the Autumn 2026 Career Exploration Trip to New York City.

What to know:
- Open to UW Communication undergraduate students
- Limited spots available
- $250 student cost (travel, lodging, and meals covered!)
- Apply by June 22 at 11:59pm at the link in our bio!
- Questions? Email [email protected] or stop by CMU 102A

06/15/2026

How is artificial intelligence shaping the future of communication? Our faculty are taking the lead to find out! We are thrilled to announce that two UW Comm research projects have received funding from the new AI UW seed grant program!

Huge congratulations to Katy Pearce, along with Mert Bayar for their grant to scale a classroom-tested AI tutor for research methods instruction. 👏 Congratulations as well to Ekin Yasin, Matt Powers, and Lara Bradshaw for their grant to study how we can best prepare our students for an AI-integrated professional and civic life.

Read more about these exciting projects on our website: https://www.ai.uw.edu/aiuw-awards-36-seed-ai-grants-in-its-inaugural-funding-call/ 💜💛

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4109 E STEVENS Way NE Ste 102
Seattle, WA
98105

Website

https://com.uw.edu/, https://linktr.ee/uwcom

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