College	Arts and Sciences
Academic Award	Bachelor of Arts
Credits Required	122 semester credits
Faculty Lead	Chrystal Helmcke
Concentrations	Digital Media Communication, Interpersonal Communication, and Strategic Communication
CIP Code	9.0100

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: Human Communication, Media and Society, and Strategic Communication. 

Major Outcomes

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

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

Digital Media Communication Concentration

Students who major in Communication Studies with a concentration in Digital Media Communication 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 Digital Media Communication 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 Digital Media Communication will be able to accomplish the following:

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

Interpersonal Communication Concentration

Students who major in Communication Studies with a concentration in Interpersonal 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 Interpersonal 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 Interpersonal Communication will be able to accomplish the following:

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

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. Design an effective, strategic communication plan for an organization.