Department Facts

Mission Statement

The Mississippi State University Department of Communication, Media & Theatre prepares students through scholarship, creative practice, and ethical and cultural awareness to be empowered professional artists and communicators.

Vision Statement

Graduates of the Mississippi State University Department of Communication, Media & Theatre will excel in diverse professional landscapes and will contribute to an ever-evolving global society as critical thinkers, savvy consumers, life-long learners, storytellers, content creators, and audience-focused artists and communicators. 

Annual Reports

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2024-25

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2023-24

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2022-23

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2021-22

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2020-21

Department of Communication Annual Report: 2019-20

Assessment

Assessment Plan

Assessment Map

Alumni

2019 Communication Alumni

Student Media Awards

Sample or Recent Student Media Awards
 

Enrollment

Enrollment by Concentration    
  Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023 Fall 2024 Fall 2025
Broadcast & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 47 85 113 125 142 133 112
Broadcasting 146 142 147 157 94 44 24 3 1 0 0
Communication & Media Studies 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 37 47 50 54
Communication & Media Studies (Distance) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 10 21 16 22
Communication Studies 23 23 27 35 43 63 66 35 7 1 0
Journalism 78 77 61 55 36 20 7 1 0 0 0
Print & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 35 35 37 37 29 25 20
Public Relations 283 270 277 290 288 263 228 190 186 176 163
Public Relations (Distance) 0 0 0 0 0 0 5 15 20 19 19
Theatre 12 17 13 15 24 25 26 28 23 23 23
CO Majors without Concentration 17 20 19 10 10 3 2 2 5 0 0
Graduate 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 28 26 23
Total 559 549 544 562 577 538 513 496 509 469 436
Enrollment by Gender    
  Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023 Fall 2024 Fall 2025
Male 165 148 160 184 192 168 175 156 159 138 126
Female 394 401 384 378 385 370 338 327 350 331 310
Enrollment by Ethnicity    
  Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023 Fall 2024 Fall 2025
Am Indian or Alaskan Native 2 5 3 2 3 2 4 3 3 5 5
Asian 3 1 3 1 3 6 2 2 2 4 3
Black or African American 134 143 132 125 108 107 91 82 80 75 74
Hispanic 9 5 8 11 16 16 8 12 14 13 15
Multiracial 8 8 12 18 16 8 10 9 10 9 8
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
Unknown 6 5 2 0 1 4 5 5 5 2 3
White 397 382 384 404 429 395 393 383 395 361 328
Retention by Ethnicity  
  Fall 2014 Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023 Fall 2024 Fall 2025
Am Indian or Alaskan Native N/A N/A N/A 0.0% N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A  

 
Asian N/A N/A 0.0% 100.0% 100.0% N/A 100.0% N/A N/A 100.0%    
Black or African American 66.7% 63.6% 78.9% 87.5% 75.0% 55.6% 91.7% 70.0% 75.0% 100.0%    
Hispanic 50% 100% N/A N/A 100% 100% 50% 0.0% N/A 66.7%    
Multiracial N/A N/A 100% 50% 50% 100% 100% N/A 66.7% 0.0%    
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A    
Unknown N/A 100.0% N/A 50.0% N/A N/A N/A 50.0% 100.0% 50.0%    
White 91.5% 86.7% 77.8% 95.2% 83.3% 100.0% 85.5% 91.3% 90.7% 88.1%    
Overall 84.8% 83.3% 77.3% 89.1% 81% 93.7% 86.0% 82.0% 87.3% 85.5%    
Graduation by Ethnicity
  Fall 2014 Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023 Fall 2024
Am Indian or Alaskan Native N/A N/A 0.0% N/A N/A N/A *MSU calculates six year graduation data rates. Subsequent year data will be available in the fall of each year.
Asian N/A 0.0% 100.0% 100.0% N/A              
Black or African American 45.5% 47.4% 50.0% 50.0% 55.6%              
Hispanic 100.0% N/A N/A 100.0% 0.0%              
Multiracial N/A 100.0% 0.0% 0.0% 50.0%              
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A              
Unknown 100.0% N/A 50.0% N/A N/A              
White 80.0% 70.4% 81% 73.8% 88.2%              
Overall 75% 64% 68.8% 67.2% 81%              

First-time Freshmen

First -Time Freshmen by Concentration    
  Fall 2015 Fall 2016 Fall 2017 Fall 2018 Fall 2019 Fall 2020 Fall 2021 Fall 2022 Fall 2023 Fall 2024 Fall 2025
Broadcast & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 22 19 24 18 27 23 22
Broadcasting 21 20 15 19 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Communication & Media Studies 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 6 9 8 8
Communication & Media Studies (Distance) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0
Communication Studies 0 2 1 4 5 8 3 0 1 0 0
Journalism 19 10 11 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Print & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 19 7 9 8 3 5 2
Public Relations 24 20 17 23 32 22 14 17 18 22 13
Public Relations (Distance) 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 0 0 0
Theatre 2 3 4 0 2 3 3 5 1 7 5
CO Majors without Concentration 9 9 10 7 6 2 1 0 1 0 0
Total 75 64 58 63 86 61 54 72 61 65 50
                       
Retention 83.3% 77.3% 89.1% 81.0% 93.7% 86.1% 82.0% 87.3% 85.5% 85.2% 92.3%
Graduation 65.3% 68.8% 67.2% 81% 74.4%            
Average Composite ACT 24.59 23.90 25.13 25.59 25.36 23.93 23.88 24.58 23.76 22.8 23.8

Degrees Awarded

Degrees Awarded by Concentration    
  2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025 2026
Broadcasting 40 35 35 35 29 15 18 3 0 0 0
Broadcast & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 0 11 21 25 13 30 23
Communication Studies 7 8 6 7 16 20 33 3 1 1 0
Communication & Media Studies 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 9 13 13
Communication & Media Studies (Distance) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0 5 4 5
Journalism 19 14 18 19 14 6 9 2 0 0 0
Print & Digital Journalism 0 0 0 0 0 9 5 10 4 8 2
Public Relations 94 97 99 75 95 91 86 68 48 61 34
Public Relations (Distance) N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 5 4 2 4
Theatre 3 3 4 3 6 10 5 7 7 5 6
Graduate Program 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 3 18 3