Merritt Communication

Department Overview

With hands-on practice of effective listening, public speaking, and discussion of the cultural implications of verbal, nonverbal, and mass communication in a diverse world, students will become better citizens of a global population. Additionally, this communication training will improve students’ potential to acquire, maintain, and advance in their careers and relationships, transfer to four-year colleges, and navigate through an increasingly intercultural landscape of interpersonal and group associations.

Career options include advertising, broadcasting, community relations, consulting, counseling, education, film, foreign service, fund raising, human resources, journalism, international relations, law, management, marketing, mediation, ministry, politics, public relations, sales, speechwriting, social work, and other related fields.

Communication Studies 2.0 – AA-T Degree

The Communication Studies 2.0 program prepares students to transfer to a four-year college or university to obtain a degree in Communication or a related Social Science field.

More Info

Pamela Thomas

Hilary Altman, Ph.D.

Department Co-Chair
Building A-201
haltman@peralta.edu
(510) 436-2510

Hilary Altman, Ph.D., has been teaching at Merritt College since 2002. Dr. Altman’s passion for student success and social justice keeps her busy on- and off-campus. She developed the Communication AA-T degree to enable students with an interest in Communication as a major to easily transfer to a four-year college and complete their Bachelor’s degrees. As a Disability Advocate, Dr. Altman has worked with East Bay Innovations (San Leandro, CA), the California Autism Foundation (Richmond, CA), and the Center for Independent Futures (Evanston, IL) towards facilitating independent living for people with physical, developmental, and mental differences.

In pursuit of her interest in Health Communication, Dr. Altman has worked with the U.S. Dept of Health & Human Services (Washington, DC) and conducted research at the Center for Health Professionals (Saginaw, MI). She is a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in the state of California. Dr. Altman co-wrote “Asset-Based Strategies for Faith Communities” as part of the Asset-Based Community Development Institute. Early in her career, she served as the Executive Director (as well as Music Director and Morning Drive disc jockey) for a small alternative radio station in upstate New York.