Denise Polk, Ph.D.

Denise M. Polk, Ph.D. holds the rank of Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication Studies. Dr. Polk's teaching and research areas focus mainly in the areas of interpersonal communication, work-family integration, conflict resolution, and health communication. She has focused mostly on marital, dating, and family relationships and has been able to integrate the area of health into her research with studies surrounding Alzheimer's disease. She also serves on Faculty Senate and is a volunteer for the Domestic Violence Center of Chester County.

In addition to presentations at national and regional conferences, her publications include:
Intersecting work and family: The influence of relational beliefs and behaviors on work-family integration in Journal of Management and Organization, Teaching nonverbal communication using children’s reading material in Teaching Ideas for the Basic Communication Course, Speaking the language of relational maintenance: A validity test of
Chapman’s (1992) five love languages in Communication Research Reports, When dysfunction complicates caring: Critiquing a family caregiving model for Alzheimer’s dementia in Qualitative Research Reports in Communication, and Communication and family caregiving for Alzheimer’s dementia: Linking attributions and problematic integration in Health Communication.

Dr. Polk is a lifetime member of the National Communication Association as well as a member of the Eastern Communication Association. Before coming to West Chester University, Dr. Polk taught at Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, VA. She holds a B.A. from Baldwin-Wallace College, an M.A. from Miami University, and a Ph.D. from Kent State University. Dr. Polk joined the faculty of West Chester University in 2005.