Bachelor of Arts in Communication Studies

at Concordia University, St. Paul USA

The English major is an excellent choice for people who enjoy reading and writing. Contrary to popular belief, an English major does not doom graduates to a life of starvation or menial labor. In fact, our graduates go on to find success in a variety of occupations, including journalism, marketing, magazine writing, creative writing, public relations, web content creation, technology, management, and more. English majors also go on to graduate school in a variety of areas, including education, business, literature, creative writing, law, library science, and fashion history.

In the English major, students will gain broad-based knowledge of literature from all periods and from around the world. They will learn to write clearly and persuasively, think independently, create original works, present alternative viewpoints, and solve problems. Students can choose from four emphasis areas within the English major: literature, creative writing, journalism, or professional writing.

This program is designed to prepare students with practical marketing skills and knowledge that will be directly applicable to the business world upon graduation. Students learn marketing theory and apply concepts in activities such as electronic commerce, direct marketing, advertising, sales presentations, case analysis and marketing plans. These activities expose students to the practical, challenging and interesting projects and situations they will encounter in their careers. Students develop leadership skills and explore ethics and environmental sustainability. In addition, students earning a BS gain a strong foundation in consumer behavior, social media, and global marketing.

The Community Arts program fosters students’ involvement, engagement, and service within the local arts community. In this interdisciplinary program, students learn both traditional and new media techniques, grounding them in practical applications. In the classroom, they gain a foundation in western and global art history and are introduced to community arts history and concepts. The program emphasizes social justice through arts applications. The 45-credit major starts with core studio requirements that familiarize students with various materials and concepts used to understand the nature of visual language. Students then take studio courses to enable a general and versatile art skill base. Students are also encouraged to add electives in theatre, graphic design, or specialize within studio arts. All community arts majors at Concordia take the foundational community arts class and during their final year, complete 8 credits of an internship. Students will be prepared to pursue a variety of career options upon graduation, from advanced degree in the arts to a variety of art-centered careers within community development and engagement. As a community arts major, you will be taught by an experienced faculty of active professionals with close ties to the vibrant Twin Cities art community. You will have complete facilities for ceramics, photography, digital art, printmaking, sculpture, as well as painting and drawing.

This program is designed to prepare students for service in a ministry setting (with an option for certification as a Director of Christian Education or Outreach for LCMS students). Students will gain an understanding of Christian and Lutheran doctrine, beliefs, teachings, history, practices, ethics, church organization and strategy, vocation, and outreach. Upon completion of this program, students will recognize their personal identity in Christ, the broader ministry of the Gospel, and their philosophy of ministry.

The BA Public Health degree involves learning the science of protecting the safety and improving the health of communities through education, policy-making, and research for disease management and prevention. Being a public health professional enables you to work around the world, address health problems of communities as a whole, and influence policies that affect the health of societies.

Students graduating with a Family Science major develop lifelong skills in scientific thinking and understanding human thought, behavior, and family interaction. The educational outcomes in combination with the internship experience prepare students to enter a career of choice or graduate school.

This program is designed to prepare students for creative professions like graphic design and other communications-related fields that rely on visual imagery. Students will gain an understanding of design theories and practices related to production in all areas of graphic design for traditional and emerging digital media. Upon completion of the program, students will have advanced craft, theory, process, and technical skills, and the ability to produce thoughtful and informed work in such areas as institutional branding and identity, new media, web development and interactivity, package design, publication design, advertising, illustration, signage and exhibition design, sustainability, spirituality, or social change.

Depending on their career goals, math majors can choose to earn a Bachelor of Science degree or a Bachelor of Arts degree in mathematics at Concordia University, St. Paul. In earning either degree, students will develop the critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary for today’s technological world.  The BS degree is more credits and offers students more opportunities to explore math applications within the math major, while the BA degree is fewer credits and is designed to be paired with a minor or a second major such as secondary education, computer science, business, science, or a variety of other possibilities.  All of the courses in the math major are offered face-to-­face in small classes (usually less than 20 students) and the emphasis is on actively solving problems in class. Throughout the curriculum, students will learn to use technology, including computer algebra systems, geometry modeling software, spreadsheets, 3D printers, and computer programming to model and solve problems. In some courses students investigate topics and learn to present their ideas professionally.  Some of these topics lead to independent research projects that students can present at undergraduate research conferences and help the students earn honors in the major. There is also an active Tri-Pi math club that offers social events to build comradery amongst the math students. Our math majors have followed a wide variety of career paths and are currently working as data analysts, risk analysts, inventory analysts, high school teachers, college professors, statisticians, health professionals, lawyers, and researchers.  Instead of asking “What can I do with a math major?”, you should ask yourself “What can’t I do with a math major?”

The Music Business major is a joint offering of the Music and Business Departments. The major is designed for students who wish to work as promoters, marketers, assistants, or managers of musical organizations and individual artists in either the commercial or non-profit realms.  The degree provides students a foundational knowledge base in music and business, culminating in an internship with a professional musical organization in the Twin Cities.  The skills obtained in this degree prepare graduates for entry level positions in a variety of music and arts organizations.

The public relations major provides students with the concepts, skills, and expertise needed to help organizations build mutually beneficial relationships with the diverse public. The knowledge and tools students develop through the P R curriculum prepare students in fields such as corporate communication, social media, government affairs, and public relations firms. The professional internship experience, coupled with graduate and elective coursework, provide opportunities for students to practice and refine their skills.