Beginning fall 2021, The Department of Communications and Media are dividing into two separate departments. They will be separated as the Department of Communication and the Department of Media. The goal behind this change is to enhance students opportunities, programs and overall experience, according to media arts Professor Rick Moore.
The Department of Communication will focus on the understanding behind enhancing the quality of communication used in relationships, organizations and within society. The Department of Media will focus on pre-professional with an emphasis on integrated media as well as strategic communications.
“The Department of Media faculty have taken this opportunity to think seriously about what our students might need, and we re-organized a number of our core classes. For example, there are courses in social media, media audiences and analysis, and media content and programming. There’s something exciting about change, even when it is not exactly the change we anticipated or desired,” Moore said.
For the 2021-2022 academic year, these two programs will be managed by new departments. Students who have been working on a Bachelor of Media Arts degree will continue to do so through the new Department of Media. Students who have been working on a Bachelor of Communications will continue to do so through the new Department of Communications
Freshmen Kaelyn Adams is a communications major and believes the department change is a positive decision.
Photo by Abbey Nimegeers | The Arbiter
“I do believe that Media Art and Communications should be two different departments because they are two signficigant factors when applying for jobs. I feel like in the real world they are two different things and can help people narrow down on the path they want to take with a more specific major,” Adams said.
Students within the departments are encouraged to work closely with the expert advising office throughout the transition. Students are also encouraged to pay attention to emails that come from the Department of Communication and Media as well as the department Advisor Mary Rohlfing.
“I think the change will be beneficial because as a media arts major, my interests are specific to media arts. I think the change will bring each student exactly what they need academically,” said sophomore media arts major Annie St. George.
To ensure students have a smooth transition, the departments have created a system where some new courses being offered will automatically substitute for courses that were part of requirements in the Department of Communication and Media. Therefore, students continuing these degrees will meet their remaining degree requirements.
The Department of Communication and Media will continue to prepare students through experiential learning while guiding them to launch successful careers in Media and Communication, according to Moore.
