Communications Degree

A communications degree teaches students how to craft a compelling, effective and persuasive message tailored to a specific audience. This message could take many forms; it might be written, oral, non-verbal or multimedia-based. Students analyze the fundamental principles and theories of effective communication and form communication strategies that work across academic disciplines.

A strong liberal arts program forms the base for a communications degree. Beyond that, students receive dynamic professional preparation that puts them in the position of being able to enter the information industry in any number of roles. The sophisticated abilities in the gathering, analysis and dissemination of information they develop while at school are applicable in fields as far ranging as business, human resources, psychology and law. Graduates work in such settings as corporations, nonprofit agencies, government and educational institutions.

Due to the broad range of career options available, students pursuing a communications degree benefit from taking classes outside of their major as well. Two strong options are psychology and sociology courses. Understanding people, their motivations and thought processes can only improve a student's ability to communicate effectively. A communications degree with a focus in psychology lends itself well to careers in human resources, social work and management.