Skip to main content

Brigham Young University. Department of Communications

 Organization

Dates

  • Existence: 1963 - 2015

Administrative History

The Department of Communications (1963-2015) was responsible for communications courses under the College of Fine Arts and Communications at Brigham Young University.

The Department of Communications at Brigham Young University was established in 1963. Functioning under the College of Fine Arts and Communications, it was responsible for teaching public relations, advertising, marketing, journalism, and communications. Previously, communications courses were part of the Department of Journalism in the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The organization functioned to provide a professional program in communications which includes a broad base of general education, thorough orientation in the processes, functions and responsibilities of mass communication, and the development of skills in fact finding, analysis, and communication through the mass media. The department also sought to provide service courses to help students from other departments develop desired communication skills. Department chairs included: Oliver R. Smith (1964-1966), J. Morris Richards (1966-1972), Edwin O. Haroldsen (1972-1975), M. Dallas Burnett (1975-1980); Brent D. Peterson (1980-1983), J. LaVar Bateman (1983-1986), Ralph D. Barney (1986-1987), Gordon Whiting (1987-1991), David P. Forsyth (1991-1996), Leonard L. Bartlett (1996-1998), Laurie J. Wilson (1998-2002), Michael K. Perkins (2002-2004), Edward E. Adams (2004-2008; 2012-2015), Bradley L. Rawlins (2008-2012), and Edward E. Adams (2012-2015).

In 2015 the department was renamed the School of Communications.

Citation:
BYU Organizational History Project, May 4, 2012: Dept. of Communications (1963, College Fine Arts and Communications, public relations, advertising, marketing, journalism, and communications, previously Department of Journalism in College of Humanities and Social Sciences, professional program, broad base general, orientation, mass communication, fact finding, analysis, service courses, chairs Oliver R. Smith (1964-1966), J. Morris Richards (1966-1972), Edwin O. Haroldsen (1972-1975), M. Dallas Burnett (1975-1980); Brent D. Peterson (1980-1983), J. LaVar Bateman (1983-1986), Ralph D. Barney (1986-1987), Gordon Whiting (1987-1991), David P. Forsyth (1991-1996), Leonard L. Bartlett (1996-1998), Laurie J. Wilson (1998-2002), Michael K. Perkins (2002-2004), Edward E. Adams (2004-2008), and Bradley L. Rawlins (2008- ))

BYU Organizational History Project, February 1, 2024 (department chairs, Bradley L. Rawlins (2008-2012), Edward E. Adams (2012-2015); renamed as School of Communications in 2015)

Found in 3 Collections and/or Records:

Department of Communications chair records, 1960-1974

 Series
Identifier: UA 560 Series 2
Scope and Contents note

Contains administrative files, including grade summaries, academics standards, memorandums, correspondence, invitations, articles, seminar and workshop files, book lists, brochures and pamphlets, bibliographies, curriculum materials, meeting minutes, and employment and enrollment data.

Dates: 1960-1974

Oliver R. Smith Brigham Young University memoranda, 1950-1979

 Series
Identifier: MSS 2087 Series 3
Scope and Contents From the Collection: The six series in the Oliver R. Smith papers are arranged according to genre type. The first series contains Smith's correspondence. The second includes various family newsletters as well as writings by and about Smith. The third series is comprised of university memoranda from the '50s, '60s, and '70s. Another small series contains various photographs, including several of BYU. The largest series is Smith's subject files which contain information on BYU student clubs such as Delta Phi,...
Dates: Other: 1950-1979

Oliver R. Smith papers

 Collection — Multiple Containers
Identifier: MSS 2087
Abstract Includes correspondence, family newsletters and news clippings, university memoranda, photographs, artifacts, and a few Hill Cumorah Pageant files. Subject files contain information on BYU student clubs, including Delta Phi, Kappa Tau Alpha, Omega Nu, and Sigma Delta Chi, and information on organizations with which he was affiliated, such as the US Air Force Reserve, Association of Educators of Journalism, Rocky Mountain Collegiate Press Association, National Council of College Publications...
Dates: 1935-1979