Communication is the right major at the right time. With the changing landscape of digital media, globalization, social activism and employment—the world needs people who can communicate. In fact, in a study conducted this year by The National Association of Colleges and Employers, verbal communication is the #1 most important skill for job candidates, regardless of the career.
A degree in Communication is not only about getting a job. Knowledgeable, skilled communicators are able to enhance their relationships, communities, and personal lives.
Many people don’t know what a communication major is until they arrive at college and they have some of the following questions:
What do you study in communication?
In Communication, we study how people make meaning of symbols—like words, pictures, and behaviors. We study how we make meaning and how to create messages using those symbols. Not every person is the same, so we look at how different people make meaning. Your ethnicity, nationality, gender, sex, age, geography and religion can all influence how you make messages and receive messages.
Communication is an umbrella term that includes a great number of areas including Advertising, Public Relations, Journalism, Broadcasting, Organizational Communication, Health Communication and Relational Communication.
Our discipline asks questions like: Why do some advertisements end up producing more sales than others? How do we best use social media to promote a health campaign? Why is a political candidate’s speech persuasive for some voters, but not others? How can I have a conflict with a friend without destroying the relationship?
What kind of job can I get with a Communication degree?
A Communication degree is flexible. Your knowledge and skills from this program can carry you to any career path. Some of our graduates work in the communication industry -- communication consulting, public relations, advertising, broadcasting, human resources. Other graduates bring their knowledge to careers such as law, politics and business.
Each of our students has an internship and reflective capstone to build their portfolios, network with professionals and prepare for the world of work.
What classes would I take?
Our department offers three majors and five minors. Each major has the same core, then provides the flexibility for students to focus on the areas that most interest them.