Department Information
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF THE COMMUNICATION ARTS PROGRAM:
- A professionally active, accessible, and tech-savvy faculty who are enthusiastic instructors with terminal degrees in multiple disciplines.
- A hybrid department (with four main areas of study) employing a wide-range of instructional methods that give students enhanced learning opportunities and a competitive edge in the workplace.
- Core critical studies courses that engage students in constructive criticism, writing, oral presentation, and analysis in small, informal settings.
- Production courses with a 16:1 class ratio, meeting 6-hours per week in intensive studio learning environments.
- Dedicated classrooms and production labs outfitted with the latest software and hardware.
- Dedicated equipment checkout room allowing students ready access to resources in support of media production class projects.
- An integrated curriculum whose requirement of 14 courses allows students to easily meet their General Education requirements outside the Major, and provides students the opportunity to develop a broader appreciation for inter-disciplinary study via open electives and a strongly encouraged completion of a Minor.
EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNICATION, MEDIA, AND PERFORMANCE STUDENTS:
- Single or double-credit internships
- Directed Study and Independent Study course options closely mentored by faculty
- Transfer course equivalents for most courses
- Opportunities to study abroad and transfer credits into Major
- Capstone Seminar course in Communication, Media, and Performance
- Production Portfolio Capstone course
- Freshman “creativity” seminar
- Advisor-led student clubs (Hilltop Players, WDJM-FM radio, the Gatepost student newspaper, etc.)
- Academic Excellence and Service Excellence Awards offered annually to outstanding majors