Students interested in careers like broadcast journalism and even advertising often choose to pursue communications degrees in Alabama. The state that has over 30 public and private colleges and universities is currently known for its contributions in education, aerospace, financial services and health care. Many of these Alabama industries employ people with professional communication skills to manage their workforce, recruit talent, and market their products or services. Alabama which is still known as the Heart of Dixie experienced some difficult economic hardships until after the second world war, but it has since worked to build a growing economy that provides its people with hope for higher standards of living.
University of Alabama
College of Communication and Information Sciences
The roots of the University of Alabama’s (UA) College of Communications and Information Sciences began during the 1970s. The UA faculty and scholars realized that communication competency is a fundamental skill needed by everyone in their personal and professional lives so they developed a comprehensive Communications Studies program designed to give students broad-based training in the skills needed to communicate in a variety of industries. Later, the communications school was combined with the information sciences program because of their closely related missions. Today’s College of Communication and Information Sciences at UA offered students degrees in Communications Studies, Journalism, Telecommunication and Film, Public Relations and Advertising.
Bachelor of Arts in Communications
UA’s undergraduate degree in Communications is broken out into three concentration areas including Rhetoric and Public Discourse, Communication and Culture and Organizational and Interpersonal Communication. The Rhetoric and Public Discourse specialty emphasizes persuasive public communication techniques that influence social, political and legal environments. Students who have aspirations to enter law school often pursue this degree concentration. The Communication and Culture concentration instructs students in public speaking from a community perspective that is often used by professionals working in social and human service careers. The Organizational and Interpersonal Communication specialization focuses on developing business professionals skilled in conflict resolution, inter-cultural communications and efficient meeting facilitation; this concentration area is usually the preferred one for those pursuing careers in human resources. Before graduation with a degree in Communications from UA, students must complete 36 hours of courses within the major, and a percentage of classes must be taken in residence on the Tuscaloosa campus. Communication majors may choose a minor within the College of Communication and Information Sciences, and they may also minor in a concentration sponsored by the UA business school.
Contact
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
205-348-6010
cbmills at ua.edu
Website
University of South Alabama
College of Arts and Sciences
The University of South Alabama’s (USA) College of Arts and Sciences has 19 departments offering 24 undergraduate majors in the humanities, social science, fine arts, and natural sciences. Talented instructors with industry experience teach the college’s degree and certificate programs at the undergraduate, graduate and doctoral levels. For undergraduate students, the college requires the successful completion of several prerequisite courses like language arts writing, history, mathematics and science. The college’s mission is to develop community and business leaders who think critically, solve problems analytically and operate with empathy for society. The program outcomes are to help students become socially responsible, ethical leaders who operate with academic excellence.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication
The USA undergraduate degree in Communication provides a solid foundation that prepares students for public speaking dominated career fields like politics, ministry and law. Since written and verbal communication skills are used in all companies, the lessons taken from the Communication degree coursework are readily used by graduates upon entering the workforce. Also, many business professionals identify poor communication skills as the most common cause of workplace conflict which is why some human resource managers choose to take an undergraduate major or minor in Communication Studies. In addition to subject matter expertise, Communication degree coursework is also beneficial to those who want careers in academia. USA offers five tracks within its Communication degree program to suit student interests, and they include Advertising and Brand Communication, Communication Studies, Journalism, Digital Cinema and Television, and Public Relations.
Contact
University of South Alabama
Department of Communication
6021 USA Drive South, CB 108
Mobile AL 36688-0002
251-380-2800
commdepartment@southalabama.edu
Website
Master of Arts in Communications
The USA graduate level degree in Communications guides students to take a closer look at how skillful communication impacts societies, industries, organizations and personal relationships. The graduate Communication degree curriculum contains research, theory and practical application components that prepare students for career advancement and personal development. The primary areas of study include mass communication, rhetoric and organizational communications. For successful completion of this degree program, graduate students must demonstrate analytical, problem solving and critical thinking skills. Requirements to enter the graduate Communication degree program at USA include department approval, qualifying aptitude test scores and a minimum grade point average of 3.0 in an undergraduate level degree related to Communication. Students who already have a graduate degree in another concentration area may substitute their degree for the required aptitude test score requirement.
Contact
University of South Alabama
Department of Communication
6021 USA Drive South, CB 108
Mobile AL 36688-0002
251-380-4213
miaanderson@southalabama.edu
Website
University of Montevallo
Department of Communication
The University of Montevallo’s (UM) Department of Communication was founded in 1925 and is one of the oldest communication schools in the region. Its practically-applied, liberal arts based programs help to prepare students for popular careers in the media, business and teaching. The two programs that make up UM’s Department of Communication is the Communications Studies and Mass Communications concentration areas. While each program addresses a different market place need, both instruct students to identify and manage communications issues within an organization or society. The department also offers a series of minors like Public Relations, Journalism, Mass Communications and Communications Studies for non Communication degree majors.
B.A./B.S. In Mass Communication
The advancements in information technology has birthed many changes in the world of media advertising, and the undergraduate degree in Mass Communication from UM helps students prepare for those changes. Students enrolled in the Mass Communication degree program are taught the fundamental skills to begin careers in broadcast media in television, radio, magazines, newspapers and the online. Students often get expert classroom instruction that is followed up by hands on, practical projects like producing campus television shows and news broadcasts as well as interviewing campus celebrity sports figures before and after important events. UM’s Department of Communication offers Mass Communication majors the opportunity to minor in public relations. Students enrolled in this program are required to take several general studies courses related to fundamentals of writing, behavioral sciences, history, mathematics, natural sciences and fine arts. These foundational courses prepare students for the core Media courses like those relating to mass media production, writing,management and law. Students may also choose electives in broadcasting and journalism based upon their interests and career goals; some of these courses include producing video in the field, photojournalism, newscast production and publication layout.
Contact
Station 6625
Montevallo, Alabama 35115
205-665-6625
ebrahimi@montevallo.edu
Website
Troy University
College of Communication and Fine Arts
Troy University’s (TU) College of Communication and Fine Arts is the ideal interdisciplinary blend of creativity, interpersonal skills and technical precision needed to create an effective learning environment for students aspiring to communications related careers. The college includes departments in fine arts, journalism and communication. Throughout these departments, competent and creative instructors lead students on an experiential journey that includes classroom theoretical concepts and real world projects. The talented faculty share the core values of the College of Communication and Fine Arts and guide students to use their new skills to promote positive social change.
Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts
TU’s undergraduate degree in Communication Arts gives students the foundational skills to successfully enter broadcasting, journalism and even human resource management positions. The TU Communication Arts curriculum includes general studies courses that help prepare students with the proper background in written and verbal communication as well as context through humanities and natural science courses. During the core curriculum courses, instructors teach students the specialized techniques for journalism news writing, design and publication as well as broadcast media production. These lessons are reinforced through campus newspaper, magazine, internet media, radio and television media outlets in which students actively participate. Students also have the opportunity to customize their Communications Arts degree program to an extent through the electives offered through the College of Communication and Fine Arts. For example, students interested in broadcasting and journalism from a global perspective may want to enhance their inter-cultural communications skills by studying a foreign language or culture through courses offered by some of the college’s other departments.
Contact
Troy University
Troy, Alabama 36082
334-983-6556 ext. 220
djeffr@troy.edu
Website
Jacksonville State University
College of Education and Professional Studies, Communication Department
The distinctive Communication Department at Jacksonville State University (JSU) is one of only three university Communication programs in Alabama that is accredited by the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. Qualified staff instruct students in state of the art, multimedia environments that mimic today’s real world, industry facilities. Keeping their programs fresh whether through information technology upgrades or curriculum updates is one of the TU Communication Department’s main strengths. Promotion of student career goals is one of the expected outcomes of the Communication Department programs, and its graduates often gain entrance to jobs that vary from public relations to website design.
B.A. in Communications
The JSU B.A. in Communication offers students concentration areas in Public Relations, Digital Journalism and Broadcasting. In addition to the traditional coursework emphasizing written and verbal communication skills, each area of study within the Communication degree program teaches students specific, practical skills that they are able to put into practice throughout the school year, during internships and special projects. For example, the Public Relations specialization requires students to participate in courses pertaining to communication law, public relation campaign management and a special internship. Curriculum updates for this area of study reflect the impact of the Information Age on the career field as well as the industry demand for public relations graduates with professional research skills. Digital Journalism gives students the framework to identify and write newsworthy stories for digitized published media. Broadcast students benefit directly from working at the school’s radio and television stations.
Contact
700 Pelham Road North
Jacksonville, AL 36265
256-782-5300
tmize@jsu.edu
Website
Spring Hill College
Communication Arts Department
Spring Hill’s Communication Arts Department offers students the opportunity to specialize in popular communication degree subjects like Journalism, Digital Production or Public Relations and Advertising. The programs within Spring Hill’s Communication Arts Department reflect the college’s commitment to ethical media reporting and the promotion of the welfare of the global human community. While the school’s program instructs students on the technical aspects of their chosen profession, the coursework always has a service oriented flavor designed to encourage students to project their human side when meeting the challenges they will face in communication related career fields.
B.A. in Communication
Spring Hill’s undergraduate degree in Communication gives students the tools to approach each communication program assignment systematically utilizing their learned skills to conceptualize, plan, research, analyze and present their findings. Classroom theory within the available concentration areas is quickly followed up with interactive projects that allow students to demonstrate learning objectives. Some learning objectives that students are expected to know upon graduation is how and to what extent communication from the media impacts society. Communication majors will also learn what communication tools are appropriate during each media encounter. Additionally, students participate in special projects in which they demonstrate the application of their newly acquired skills to better the communities in which they live.
Contact
4000 Dauphin St.
Mobile, Alabama 36608
251-380-3840
sbroussard@shc.edus
Website
When deciding on a major of study, prospective students often overlook the degree that emphasizes one of the most important skills used across all industries. However, those who choose to pursue undergraduate communication degrees in Alabama have a foundation to move into careers like business and advertising as well as advanced academic studies in law.
