The Communication Studies Major
If you become a CST major during or after Fall 2007, you will refer to the requirements found in the 2007-2009 course catalog and be among the first to use our new emphases areas:
- Interpersonal Communication
- Organizational and Professional Communication
- Advocacy and Cultural Criticism
- Broadcast and Digital Communication
The requirements for the new emphases areas will be available on our website soon.
If you were admitted into the CST program prior to Fall 2007, you will still follow the requirements listed under the previous emphases areas. The descriptions for the previous areas and links to course requirements are here for your convenience.
For further details on the requirements, see the UW-L course catalog.
2003 - 2005 Catalog - http://www.uwlax.edu/records/03-05/UG-Cat/cst.html
2005 - 2007 Catalog - http://www.uwlax.edu/Records/05-07/CST.htm
The focus of this emphasis area is on the relationships people establish with each other as they search for meaningful communication in an increasingly complex world. Students who emphasize in Interpersonal Communication often minor (and sometimes double-major) in psychology. Students who emphasize in Interpersonal Communication are interested in male-female communication, family relationships, dispute mediation and other areas that involve a lot of sensitivity, compassion, and attention to detail. Many of our graduates from this emphasis area have gone on to work in hospital, clinic, or school settings. Others have gone on to graduate school to work on a master’s degree in counseling, social work, or college student development.
Students who emphasize in this area are interested in learning about how organizations create and maintain their image, and communicate that image in the public sector to bring about specific results (that’s the PR part). Students are also interested in how organizations communicate internally with employees to develop plans and goals (that’s the organizational communication part). Our curriculum has elective options, so students who are more interested in PR can take courses more specifically geared to that profession, and students more interested in organizational communication can take courses more focused in that area. The number of opportunities for graduates with this kind of background is growing rapidly. In recent years, we’ve had graduates from our department get positions with the Target Corp., the Green Bay Packers, the Minnesota Timberwolves, and numerous PR agencies throughout the U.S.
This emphasis area focuses on the use of communication as a tool to accomplish specific goals in the public sector. Many of our students who work in Rhetoric and Public Communication are interested in careers in law, government, or politics – because they want to be opinion leaders who make the world a better place for all of us. This emphasis area will involve students in multiple opportunities to build their writing and speech-making abilities. Students will also learn about public issues and the debate/ discussion of those issues in the public sector. It’s quite common to have one of our students intern with U.S. Rep. Ron Kind (D-La Crosse). After graduation, many of our students have gone on to work in Congressional offices in Washington, or have found employment with foundations or non-profit organizations. Others have gone to work in the lucrative field of pharmaceutical sales.
Telecommunication involves the study of how people communicate with others through electronic means – primarily radio and television. Of course, the development of the Internet and other forms of electronic communication has allowed us to broaden our definition of telecommunication to include a variety of new media. Our department has responded by developing new course work in Computer-Mediated Communication. Students who emphasize in Telecommunication will learn about the ‘hands on’ work that takes place in a radio station, television studio, or in a web development lab. They’ll get opportunities to produce and appear in broadcast and webcast programming. Equally important, though, students also learn about what’s needed behind the scenes. We offer a huge array of courses dealing with issues of audience analysis, finance, management, and other subjects that graduates need to be well versed in to work successfully in a changing media marketplace. Recent graduates are working in telecommunication management positions all across the U.S.
The Communication Studies Minor
Students who minor in Communication Studies may select a scholarly interest area from one of the four offered by our department. The course requirements for a MINOR in our NEW emphases areas will be available on the web soon.
The requirements for minors PRIOR TO the emphases area changes are provided here for your convenience:
Students who major in CST and also minor in CST may not choose a minor that duplicates the emphasis they have selected for their CST major. Courses counted toward the 39 credit CST major, while they may fulfill requirements for that minor, may not be counted in the minor. An additional elective course or courses in the minor must be taken to complete the 24 credits required in that minor. Students who combine a CST major with a minor also offered by the CST department must complete 60 credits of courses in CST programs. |