Career Opportunities

Today’s society consists of a vast network of interrelated mass communication services and industries that offers numerous career opportunities. In the print media, there are positions in the newspaper, magazine, and book publishing fields for reporters, editors, and copy editors as well as in sales and media management. In the broadcasting industry, there are positions in radio, television, and telecommunications. Job opportunities include television and radio producer/
director, videotape editor, and broadcast journalist. For businesses, institutions, and industries there are positions in public relations, advertising, and sales as well as numerous other communication services.

Globally, there are intercultural challenges faced by employees of governmental and nongovernmental organizations, the military, diplomats and people in multi-national businesses, international students, international research teams,
Peace Corps volunteers, immigrants, and missionaries. Domestically, there are opportunities in managing diversity in the workplace, interethnic and interracial relations, community organizing, political campaigns, and the management,
production, and research of media.

With the rationale that the ability to communicate adequately and effectively is of prime importance to each individual’s personal development, social growth, Christian witness, and professional success, the programs are designed for students who:

1. Plan to pursue careers in one or more of the fields of communication: broadcast media, intercultural communication, journalism, and public relations;
2. Have career plans and other majors that may be aided by study in areas of communication;
3. Plan to do graduate work.

Practical experience may be obtained in the following ways:

1. The department provides experience in broadcast operation and production through the use of a television studio, an audio production suite, and two nonlinear Avid editing suites for post-production work.
2. Students may intern and work at network affiliates, post-production houses, and local, national and international media organizations to complete their professional development. WGTS-FM, located on the campus of Washington Adventist University, also provides a professional on-air experience, broadcasting over the Washington metropolitan area.
3. Students gain experience in writing, editing, graphic design, and Internet research in the department’s journalism lab. Additional experience can be obtained through campus publications and internships with business, government, and denominational institutions, along with television and radio stations, newspapers and public relations agencies.
4. A darkroom gives students experience in developing their own photographs and digital workstations introduce them to techniques of photography.
5. Through the department, students have access to professionals and experts in all fields of communications. Guest lecturers, adjunct teachers, and speakers at departmental functions provide a rare opportunity for insight into the media and invaluable contacts for internships and jobs.
6. Students are required to complete internships to develop a portfolio as evidence of their professional growth. The department is committed to education that moves easily between the classroom and the workplace. As some have put it, “Experiential education seeks to make ‘knowledge’ into ‘know-how.’” Catula, Richard A. and Threnhauser, E., (1999) Experiential education in the undergraduate curriculum, Communication Education, 48, 239-255.

Programs Offered

Public Communication (BA) Concentrations in: Intercultural Communication, Journalism/PR (BA) Concentrations in:
Broadcast Journalism or Print Journalism

Minors: Broadcast Journalism, Intercultural Communication, Print Journalism, Public Relations

Read the Department of Communication & Journalism section in the Academic bulletin.