Provides personal and historical background concerning the development and success of early doctoral programs in communication education at Purdue University and Florida State University. Discusses critical events that shaped the focus and image of communication in the past two decades. Discusses five trends in communication education from a…

Describes the masters and doctoral programs offered by West Virginia University (WVU) that focus on communication in instruction for secondary and elementary teachers. Discusses the antecedents of the programs, the beginnings at WVU, the assumptions underlying the programs, and the nature and benefits of each program. (SR)