School of Communication

The Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, the Broadcast Education Association, and College Broadcasters, Inc., have recognized the outstanding work of our Broadcasting and Sports Communication students. This major encourages you to think creatively and critically when engaging in media and communication as audience members and as content producers serving the local community while establishing a strong theoretical base, we build practical skills through experiential learning.

Students can focus on Broadcasting for careers in traditional radio, TV and Multimedia Journalism. With this emphasis, an interest in sports is not required. Graduates are working as TV news anchors, TV reporters, TV news producers, morning radio DJ’s, podcasters, and in other media fields. Those with a strong interest in sports can also choose to focus in Sports Communications including sports broadcasting, sports reporting for the web and traditional newspapers, or sports information. Graduates are working as ESPN reporters and producers, operators of sports streaming networks, and in other sports-related fields.

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Creative Media Production is a hands-on major that encompasses video and design. It is a major for anyone interested in video, design, storytelling, and creating for media. From your first semester, you will learn to navigate equipment, interact with programs in the Adobe Creative Cloud, and bring your ideas to life through creative storytelling.

You will learn how to create content for a variety of purposes, including advertising and public relations campaigns, telling stories through print publication design, digital platforms, video production, and more. Experiences in this program address technical, creative, legal, and ethical principles to provide the opportunity for to you create effective narratives and messaging and the ability to analyze the meaning of stories and how those stories shape society.

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The Professional Communication and Leadership major provides a broad foundation in communication theory, opening students to a wide range of occupational choices. As a major, you will investigate the theory of human interaction in various contexts and learn to apply that theory in practical ways. The program of study emphasizes effective and ethical communication in professional contexts. You will learn to apply your knowledge in real world situations, including communication in interpersonal and group settings, public speaking, organizations, and mass media.

You will not only gain an understanding of theories in communication and leadership, but will apply them to real-world situations and will appreciate the importance of the ethics of communicative leadership. Also, you will develop a variety of communication and leadership skills for application in interpersonal relationships and group leadership in both the public and private sphere.

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Strategic Communication is mass communication used by organizations to inform, build relationships with, and persuade target audiences. As a major, you will consider how an organization can use tools like advertising, media, and public relations to position itself in the mind of its key stakeholders and in society.

The skills that students develop as part of the SCSM program are transferable to a variety of careers and are sought by employers. Our curriculum values hands-on experience and allows students to graduate with approximately six months of real-world experience and a professional portfolio that will distinguish them from other graduates in the field. Graduates are prepared for careers in advertising, public relations, corporate communications, social media, community relations, and more. Our alumni are working at Fortune 500 companies, PR and advertising agencies, non-profit organizations, professional sports teams, and some are running their own businesses.

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With this flexible interdisciplinary major, students combine environmental studies coursework with a second discipline of their choice to work on problems of the environment. For example, students could combine environmental studies with a communication major to prepare for a career in public relations for an environmental agency or in environmental policy.

As an Environmental Studies major, you will benefit from hands-on, collaborative learning and partner with local and regional environmental organizations and businesses to work on real-world environmental problems. A required internship and team-based capstone gives our students the skills for success in careers and graduate school. As a bonus, we get to study the environment on our expansive and diverse 300-acre campus.

 Major Requirements & Courses

 Minor Requirements & Courses