Mission Statement
The mission of the Department of Speech Communication, Theatre and Dance is to expand knowledge, enrich cultural understanding, and develop human potential through a high quality program of undergraduate and graduate teaching, research, artistic endeavor, and public service in the communication arts and sciences.
Teaching
Our instructional mission is to afford all students at Kansas State University a high quality educational experience through innovative teaching that promotes active learning, course work that addresses the needs, interests and backgrounds of a diverse student population, and extra-curricular activities that enable students to develop communication skills in a wide range of applied settings (e.g. theatrical productions, dance concerts, internships, intercollegiate forensics). We seek to prepare our undergraduate and graduate majors for employment, advanced professional training, and graduate study in their chosen fields through informed, individualized advising and through a rigorous and comprehensive academic and production program in the liberal arts tradition. We offer service course-work, including a university-wide public speaking course, that equips non-majors with concepts, skills, and experiences that will enable them to become more discerning and effective communicators in professional, civic, and social situations, and more informed and articulate participants in a democratic society. Service course-work in the theatre and dance is designed to enhance students' life-long enjoyment and understanding of the arts.
Research/Creative Endeavor:
Our research mission is to make a significant contribution to the body of scholarship and artistic work in our faculty members' respective disciplines through original research and creative activity in the communication arts and sciences. Scholarship and creative activity reflect the variety of disciplinary perspectives housed in the department. Faculty in the Rhetoric/Communication program investigate the nature and function of human communication in contexts ranging from interpersonal relationships, to small group and organizational settings, to political campaigns, to inter-cultural exchanges. Faculty in the Theatre and Dance programs explore historical and critical dimensions of performance art and pursue a wide range of creative endeavor, from performance, to play writing, to directing, to choreography, to theatrical design and stagecraft.
Service
Our service mission is to provide a program of performance and educational activities that enrich the cultural environment of the university community and contribute to the quality of life for the people of Kansas. We pursue this mission by maintaining an active schedule of public performances, produced through the creative efforts of our faculty and scores of K-State students for the benefit of several thousand members of the university and local communities each year.
We also serve the university and public through workshops on topics such as leadership,
listening skills, and public speaking, through our annual high school debate institute,
through special educational events for high school theatre and dance students, through
consultation with governmental bodies on speaking and listening skills for Kansas
schools, and by providing expert commentary for the media on political communication
and rhetoric. SCTD faculty participate actively in the life of the University through
service on departmental, College and University committees. Several faculty members
serve on the Gerontology, Ethnic Studies and Women's Studies programs; another is
the founding Director of the University Honor System. Still others serve as faculty
advisors for student organizations such as Ebony Theatre. Finally, the SCTD faculty
are committed to disciplinary service, serving as
officers in their professional associations, editing disciplinary journals, reviewing
manuscripts and making conference presentations.
The faculty and staff of the Department of Speech Communication, Theatre and Dance are committed to achieving excellence in the areas outlined above and through these efforts, to promoting the mission of Kansas State University as a land grant institution.