College	Arts and Sciences
Academic Award	Bachelor of Arts
Credits Required	125 semester credits
Faculty Lead	Renee Bourdeaux
Concentrations	Dramatic Studies, Human Communication, Media and Society, and Strategic Communication
CIP Code	9.0101

We live in a communication-oriented society. Our world is significantly influenced by both the personal and mediated communication of individuals from diverse social, political, professional and religious groups. Never before has there been such a demand for leaders with advanced communication skills and knowledge.

Northwest University Communication Studies Major Overview

Competence in communication is fundamental to success in many professions. The major in Communication Studies provides the student with the knowledge and skills needed to fulfill his or her calling to serve Christ in communication-related professions. The major offers courses for aspiring servant leaders who seek to integrate their faith with their communication skills, creative abilities, and appreciation of the arts.

Apart from the practical value of communication studies for future employment, the major also helps students improve their personal quality of life. Becoming an effective communicator is a process that touches every area of our lives—both at home and at work.

The program offers many advantages, including the freedom to tailor courses to meet student’s personal or career interests. After completing the core courses, students choose among one of four concentrations for focused study: Dramatic Studies, Human Communication, Media and Society, and Strategic Communication.

Major Outcomes

Graduates with a degree in Communication Studies will be able to:

1. Create compelling verbal presentations.
2. Effectively evaluate messages.
3. Evaluate communication research.
4. Investigate praxis between communication studies and their personal Christian faith.

Dramatic Studies Concentration

Students majoring in Communication Studies with a Concentration in Dramatic Studies will develop competence in communication with a focus in the theatrical arts. Such competence includes familiarization with various communication theories and practice with dramatic literature, theory, history, and practical application.

The primary focus of the Dramatic Studies concentration is on the craft of acting. Within this focus, students come to appreciate human experience as presented in dramatic literature, with critique or analysis from a Christian aesthetic or world view.

Students pursuing this concentration learn valuable personal and social skills—from self-discipline and confidence in public communication to risk-taking and successful navigation of group endeavors. Competence in a concentration in Dramatic Studies will prepare students for success in a variety of career areas including the performing arts, education, media, and the ministry, as well as prepare students for graduate study.

Graduates with a concentration in Dramatic Studies will be able to accomplish the following:

1. Demonstrate proficiency in practical, creative skills related to theater production.

Human Communication Concentration

Students who major in Communication Studies with a concentration in Human Communication focus on the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively use communication in their personal, work, community, and church life. Drawing on the fields of business and psychology, this concentration provides an understanding in how humans interact and communicate effectively.

Knowledge of the theories and practices of communication permits students to appreciate the complex processes of human relations through the framework of Christian faith and values. The Communication Studies major with a concentration in Human Communication prepares students to work in variety of career fields, in addition to preparing students for graduate studies or seminary.

Graduates with a concentration in Human Communication will be able to accomplish the following:

1. Create communication goals to improve interpersonal communication in personal and professional life.

Media and Society Concentration

Students who major in Communication Studies with a concentration in Media and Society seek to understand how storytelling is changing our world.

They are interested in how the news media function, what role government messaging and policy plays in our collective understanding of current events, and how public relations informs our perception of capitalistic enterprise. The Communication Studies major with a concentration in Media and Society helps prepare students with the requisite skills to succeed in careers in government, mass media, and journalism.

Students in this concentration will learn theories that underpin mass communication, communication technology, and public relations. They will learn basic and advanced concepts for media literacy, becoming adept consumers but also producers of messages. Students in this concentration will understand how businesses and governments alike create and convey ideas through complex media content. Coursework includes such topics as mass communication, public relations, journalism, media law, media history, and communication technology.

Graduates with a concentration in Media and Society will be able to accomplish the following:

1. Analyze how media and technological development influence mass communication.

Strategic Communication Concentration

Students who major in Communication Studies with a concentration in Strategic Communication focus on the knowledge and skills necessary to direct, represent, promote, or serve in organizations. Drawing on the fields of communication in addition to public address, the concentration provides an understanding of how humans communicate in organizations.

Knowledge of theories and practices of organizational communication permits students to appreciate the complex processes of human relations in organizations through the framework of Christian faith and values. The Communication Studies major with a concentration in Strategic Communication helps students to understand the process of communication between organizations and their stakeholders.

Course work includes an internship in which students serve as interns at professional, faith-based, or other community organizations. Students pursuing this major gain a broad-based liberal arts education and acquire valuable leadership skills—from confidence in public communication to group communication.

Graduates with a concentration in Strategic Communication will be able to accomplish the following:

1. Demonstrate mastery of public relations principles.