Communication

Major: Communication
Degree Awarded: Bachelor of Arts (BA)
Calendar Type: Quarter
Total Credit Hours: 180.0
Co-op Options: Three Co-op (Five years); One Co-op (Four years); No Co-op (Four years)
Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) code: 09.0401; 09.0900; 09.0908; 09.9999; 09.0199
Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) code: 11-2011; 11-2031; 27-3022; 27-3041; 27-3042; 27-3043

About the Program

The Department of Communication is committed to helping students become broadly educated and professionally competent communicators. Students are exposed to a variety of media and are guided in the development of their interpretive and expressive skills.

Students may complete the BA in Communication with a concentration in public relations or journalism. Those who want to keep their options open may concentrate in communication.

The Department also offers a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Communication.

All communication majors take a common core of courses that emphasize communication theory and methods. Students in the BA program also study a modern language. Students in the public relations concentration take courses and pursue careers in public relations, event planning, media relations, social media, and corporate communication. Journalism students take courses and pursue careers as reporters, copywriters, editors, and media specialists. Students in the communication concentration have the flexibility of crafting their path through the major and thus have career possibilities in any of the areas listed here. Many communication graduates also go on to law school, business school, or graduate school.

Additional Information

If you would like to learn more about the Department of Communication, please visit the Department of Communication website.

Degree Requirements: Communication Concentration (BA)

Students who select the communication concentration take courses in all of the existing concentrations, as well as other communication courses to prepare them for any communication-related career, or professional post-graduate options.

Sample Plan of Study: Communication Concentration (BA)

4 year, no co-op

4 year, one co-op

5 year, 3 co-op

Degree Requirements: Journalism Concentration (BA)

Journalism provides students with the skills and theoretical perspective they need to be a journalist in today’s swiftly changing media environment. An extension of the program's core curriculum, the concentration hones the student's ability to write, edit, and produce audiovisual content while at the same time exposing the student to new and evolving aspects of the field.

Sample Plan of Study: Journalism Concentration (BA)

4 year, no co-op

4 year, one co-op

5 year, 3 co-op

Degree Requirements: Public Relations Concentration (BA) 

The concentration in public relations covers a broad range of activities that help an organization and its public communicate with one another. The field includes public relations, media relations, event planning, publication design, employee and customer communication, social media, and government relations.

Skills in this field include written, oral, and visual communication. A public relations specialist might be called on to write articles for an in-house newsletter, to research and write an annual report to shareholders, to publicize a special event, to write a speech for an executive, to plan a press conference, to develop a media plan for an organization, or to script a video for an employee orientation session.

Sample Plan of Study: Public Relations Concentration (BA)

4 year, no co-op

4 year, one co-op

 5 year, 3 co-op

Co-op/Career Opportunities

Public Relations Concentration

Students with a concentration in public relations find employment in a wide variety of fields, including public relations, advertising, special events planning, writing and editing, and public information. In addition, the strong communication and management skills stressed by this concentration enable students to find positions in management, human resources, marketing, consulting, and publishing.

Although graduate study is not necessary for those who pursue careers in public relations, students have used the major as a basis for graduate work in a variety of areas, including communication, business, and law.

Co-op Experiences in Public Relations

Cooperative education opportunities are available with a variety of corporations and nonprofits in such positions as corporate communication specialist, public relations assistant, and newsletter writer. The following are samples of co-op experiences:

• Advertising and Promotions Assistant, CoreStates Bicycle Championships, Philadelphia.
• Corporate Communications Co-op, Philadelphia Electric Company, Philadelphia.
• Advertising/ Promotions Co-op, U.S. Marketing Division, Mobil Oil Corp., Fairfax, VA.
• Assistant Coordinator, Communications Bureau, United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Philadelphia.

Journalism Concentration

Journalism students pursue careers in journalism, broadcast media, and news. Given the rapidly changing nature of these fields, graduates may also find work in new types of publishing platforms, such as social media or mobile, or involving audiovisual content creation. Journalism graduates may also choose to pursue graduate study, whether in journalism or another discipline.

Co-op Experiences in Journalism

Journalism students have held co-ops with a number of media, news, and information companies, including the following:

• Production assistant, WPVI-TV (Channel 6) Philadelphia
• Staff writer, Delaware County Daily Times
• Promotions department, WPLY-FM (Y-100)
• Production assistant, sports department, FOX-29 (WTFX-TV)

Technical and Science Communication Concentration

Students who study technical and science communication are prepared for a variety of career options. Many students become technical writers and editors who produce manuals and reports about high-technology products and services. Students may also go on to write specifications and in-house organs for business, industry, and government. Other students conduct and interpret surveys for business. In addition, this program is excellent preparation for graduate study in a number of fields, such as law and medicine.

Co-op Experiences in Technical and Science Communication

Communication students have worked for corporations and nonprofit organizations. The following are some samples of past co-op experiences:

• Technical writer, Unisys Corp. and Hewlett Packard
• Web page writer, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
• Pharmaceutical writer, GlaxoSmithKline
• Medical writer, Medcases Corp.

Communication Concentration

Students in the communication concentration develop a focus that fits their interests in the field of communication and will thus be ready for a variety of career options that require strong writing and research skills, as well as graduate or professional school. 

Co-op Experiences in Communication

Students in this concentration can choose from the variety of co-op opportunities open to any student in communication.

Visit the Drexel Steinbright Career Development Center page for more detailed information on co-op and post-graduate opportunities.

Communication Faculty