Culture and Communication

Faculty

Professor:
Kathryn D. Marocchino

Associate Professor:
Julie K. Chisholm (Interim Chair)

Assistant Professors:
Colin D. Dewey; Amy C. Parsons

Lecturers:
Elisabeth A. Carmichael; Natalia Clarke; Christopher L. Frick; Linda J. Guo; Lauren Hartman; Nolan Higdon; Robert D. Manheimer

Professor Emeriti:
Bunny Paine-Clemes, A. René Viargues

The Department of Culture and Communication hosts Cal Maritime’s writing program, foreign language offerings, and courses that have traditionally been hosted by humanities and arts departments. The writing program is an integral component of the ABS School of Maritime Policy and Management, and it provides CSU depth and breadth requirements in General Education areas A, C, and E.

The department serves Cal Maritime’s mission through its commitment to intellectual learning. To be successful and enlightened citizens in today’s world, students must learn to understand other cultures, whether through speaking a foreign language or studying another culture’s literature, beliefs, arts, and institutions. The student learning objectives in the study of culture are to:

develop global awareness and international preparedness through learning about the cultures, ethnic groups, and languages of other peoples and civilizations, and through direct participation with these cultures
cultivate affective and cognitive faculties through studying great works of the human imagination; establish relevancy between art and one’s personal values, ethical behavior, and aesthetic judgment; read and think critically about psychological, social, aesthetic, and cultural processes and how they are constructed and articulated within a variety of human institutions

Students must also learn to communicate clearly, whether in English or another language, with those whose assumptions may be very different from their own. To write and speak well are the hallmarks of an educated person. The objectives of the study of communication are to:

write and speak effectively, with emphasis on mechanics, content, organization, purpose, audience awareness, and appropriate documentation style
use print and online research tools needed to support oral and written communication

In addition to an interdisciplinary commitment to cultural awareness and communication, this program also strives to instill the following habits, traits, and affective dimensions:

learn independently and take responsibility for one’s own learning, exhibit intellectual curiosity, develop a commitment to lifelong learning and growth, and make judicious use of mentors, teamwork, and other resources where needed
use ethical reasoning to foster self-awareness, truthfulness, integrity, and service to the community
cultivate successful attitudes, such as self-confidence, self-discipline, respect for self and others, and cooperation with a group or team
commit to critical and creative thinking and expression and be able to apply these skills flexibly to new situations

Courses

Community Service Learning

English and Communications

Humanities

Languages

Performing Arts

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