NSU communication studies bachelor's degree students communicate clearly and confidently because they're trained to think critically - an asset for any employer.
About The Program
Effectively presenting yourself and your ideas is crucial, regardless of your profession. As a student in Northern's communication studies bachelor's degree program, you'll learn to understand and practice communication, developing insight into and ability in effective expression and listening.
In this compact, agile communications program, we'll help you tailor experiences and projects to your special needs and interests.
Our communication studies degree also prepares you for professional schools in law, journalism, public relations, and organizational communication; or graduate studies in speech communication, rhetoric, public relations, mass media, and others.
You can also test your abilities and sharpen your competition skills on Northern's Speech and Debate team, which places competitively in state and regional meets and whose members have qualified for national competition.
Public Relations Emphasis
Public relations specialists read, research, write and speak well - they're doers who have a creative flair. NSU's Communication Studies program offers a focus on public relations, opening opportunities for you if you're interested in preparing and sharing information that keeps people informed.
Critical Practice Emphasis
With an emphasis on pragmatic applications, this emphasis is designed to make sure you can work well with others on an interpersonal, group, or mass communication level.
The communication studies degree program provides a foundation for many careers. You'll learn the skills needed to obtain positions in business, industry, education and government service. Other potential career areas include sales and marketing; artists, broadcasters, editors, entertainers, public relations specialists and writers; and management- and administration-related occupations.
Public Relations Specialists
Public relations specialists work for private firms, educational institutions and government agencies, or are self-employed. They also have positions in sales and marketing or as artists, broadcasters, editors, entertainers, and writers, and work in management and administrative occupations.
For more information on careers in your major or help choosing a major, contact Career Services.
Communication Studies students gain valuable real-world experience through a required a 3-credit internship.
For more information about this degree, contact Jessica Ness, or call 605-626-2272 or 605-626-7900. Or, contact NSU Admissions at 605-626-2544 or admissions@northern.edu.
Our Faculty
M.A., Spanish, Arizona State University
M.A., Communication, University of North Dakota
B.A., Spanish and English Philology, Kiev National Linguistic University, Ukraine
In her Spanish, linguistics, and communication classes, Tetiana (Tanya) White gives students opportunities to develop new and various lenses through which to see themselves and other cultures. She enjoys watching students gain the confidence to speak publicly and carry that skill into their future careers.
Ms. White’s research interests lie at the intersection of linguistics and communication. Her latest master’s thesis studied critical cultural awareness of students, the structure of their mental lexicon, and their cultural values and beliefs. Her scholarly…