The six core pathways available to Communication students suggest particular career paths that students may pursue. The suggested courses that make up each pathway are content courses in the Communication curriculum that are particularly relevant to developing skills and knowledge in that field and focus on applying communication in specific contexts.
Some courses in the curriculum, however, cross all pathways and provide skills and knowledge applicable to any area. They provide a broader view of the nature of communication and its functions. They are useful for students who are specializing in any of the pathways, students pursuing a career different from the suggested pathways, or those who want to go on to graduate school. These are the toolbox courses that are the equivalents of hammers, nails, screwdrivers, levels, lumber, steel, putty and paint in that they allow a solid foundation to be built for knowledge about communication and the effective application of communication in a variety of settings.