Communication Studies, BA

Introduction

The Communication Studies Program prepares students for careers in journalism, media production, and public relations and advertising. Students engage in pre-professional training within a critical thinking framework. Through high impact and experiential learning opportunities, students develop skills that are in-demand and adaptable, preparing them for success in an ever-evolving world.

The program supports students from all backgrounds, such as first-generation students, transfer students, and adult learners, and strives to remove barriers to achievement, engagement, and professional access. Faculty foster rigorous analysis, imaginative problem-solving, and thoughtful production across written, oral, visual, and digital communication forms. The program values applied practice as these experiences deepen learning and prepare graduates to thrive as professionals.

Program Organization

The Communication Studies Program consists of three concentrations— Journalism & Community Storytelling, Media Production, and Public Relations & Advertising. In each concentration, students develop the skills of professionals in their field while learning to think critically about their practice and the media they encounter in the world around them. Students may also take classes in other Communication Studies concentrations as cognates, enhancing their skills and broadening their knowledge base. All students take core program courses in media writing, communication theory, and a senior seminar as well as a professional development course and an on-campus or off-campus internship.

 Admission to the Program

The program in Communication Studies is open to any student with an interest in the discipline. Students wishing to major in the program are encouraged to declare their intentions no later than the beginning of their junior year.  Intended majors are expected to consult with a Communication Studies faculty member, who will explain the nature of the program and its specific requirements. (Students must already have credit for, or be enrolled in, COMM 1201 Introduction to Mass Communication to declare the major) 

Graduation Requirements and Program Overview

There are three categories of Communication Studies credits—Core Courses (24 credits), Major Concentration (20 credits) and Cognate Courses (20 credits). 

In addition to the University’s 64-credit general education requirement for the B.A. degree, 64 credits in program and cognate courses are required. A minimum grade of C is required for all program and cognate courses counted toward graduation.

Program Structure

The major requires 44 credit hours of Communication Studies courses: 24 credits of core program courses, and 20 credits within a concentration. Students are also required to have 20 credits in a related cognate area.  

Full degree requirements, including curricular offerings, can be explored by using the Degree Works web-based tool. Full details about curriculum are accessible on the Communication Studies website.

 Cognates

 Students are required to have five cognate courses (20 credits). The cognate area is comprised of electives that are related to the student’s course of study and their professional goals. 

Cognates may come from a declared minor or include courses, such as Communication Studies courses from other concentrations, selected with a preceptor. At least one cognate course must be taken at the 3000 or 4000 level. Approved cognate courses are outlined in the Degree Works web-based tool.

Graduation with Distinction

A Bachelor of Arts degree with distinction in Communication Studies may be awarded to the student who earns at least a 3.80 GPA in both the COMM program, and the cognate courses taken at Stockton and an overall GPA of 3.50. At least 50% of program and cognate course work must be completed at Stockton.  

Career Opportunities

Students pursuing degrees in Communication Studies may prepare themselves for careers in journalism, media production, and public relations and advertising, as well as opportunities in administration, civil service, consulting, event planning, government, marketing, and teaching. Majors who wish to pursue graduate school in Communication Studies or a related area of study should inform their preceptors of their plans as early as possible.  

Special Opportunities

Students may obtain pre-professional experiences through internships with local and regional corporate, media, and non-profit organizations. The proximity of Stockton University to Atlantic City and Philadelphia makes possible internships in journalism, media production, and public relations and advertising.

Communication Studies skills also apply to internships in arts and culture, government, health care, public affairs, and sports. Students may opt for an on-campus internship with Stories of AC, TV Community Partnership, or the university radio station WLFR. Hands-on journalism experience is available through an internship with the Press of Atlantic City. An internship is required in Communication Studies, and students may take up to two internships for credit. Students may also join the award-winning Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter or the growing Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ) chapter, host their own radio show on WLFR, or contribute to Stockton University’s student-run newspaper, The Argo.

Interested students should contact the Communication Studies Internship Coordinator after discussing possibilities and requirements with their preceptors. Students who wish to be certified to teach in elementary or secondary schools may do so by satisfying the requirements for a degree in Communication Studies and the additional requirements necessary for teacher certification.

The Communication Studies curriculum worksheet is on the next page. Full details about the curriculum are accessible on the Communication Studies website.