- Digital marketing specialists
- Entertainment publicists
- Executive directors
- Marketers
- Multimedia journalists
- Professors
- Public relations specialists
- Reporters
- Social media managers
- Sports information directors
- Sports information directors
- Sustainability coordinators
Communication and Media Studies
- Bachelor of Arts
- Minor
-
In This Section
Shape Ideas. Make an Impact.
As a communications and media studies major, you’ll explore the many ways people connect, share ideas, and create impact through communication and media. As the National Communication Association explains, we focus on “how people use messages to generate meanings within and across various contexts,” examining the forms, modes, and consequences of communication and media. You will gain a deep understanding of media’s influence on society, learn principles of ethical communication, and develop research skills in both qualitative and quantitative methods—equipping you for graduate programs or careers in market research. Creating social media campaigns, developing public relations strategies, and assisting local nonprofit organizations with communication initiatives will give you hands-on experience with real-world challenges. You will gain a strong foundation in theory while developing practical skills in a concentration of your choice in one of the following three areas:
- Communication and Media: Focuses on how messages are created, shared, and interpreted across various media platforms, exploring the impact of media on society and culture.
- Public Relations: Concentrates on building and maintaining positive relationships between organizations and their audiences through strategic communication, reputation management, and media outreach.
- Sports Communication: Specializes in communication within the sports industry, including media coverage, team branding, fan engagement, and storytelling in athletic contexts.
Undergraduate Programs
Program Highlights
REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE
Our students gain real world experience and college credit through internships on campus and outside of SVC at a variety of different organizations such as the Pittsburgh Pirates, PPG, Falling Water, A to Z Communications, C-SPAN and Make-a-Wish Foundation, among others. Other students serve as department ambassadors throughout the year working on social media, event planning, recruiting, and tutoring students.
EXPERT FACULTY
Our full-time faculty all hold doctorates from some of the top graduate programs in the country and have real-world experience working in industry. Our adjunct faculty, some of whom work as news anchors, sports journalists, and media relations experts, bring a wealth of knowledge about current trends and practical experience from industry to the classroom.
RELEVANT SERVICE LEARNING
Students engage in service-learning projects like teaching media literacy education and online safety practices to children and grandparents in the community.
ORIGINAL STUDENT RESEARCH
Each year a group of our majors receive Palumbo Grants, fully funded trips, to present their social scientific research projects at the regional Eastern Communication Association conference—the oldest academic conference in the discipline. Our students conduct original research annually and have twice won the top undergraduate research awards at the Eastern Communication Association.
Careers and Outcomes
Students graduate from our program with the abilities and confidence to successfully pursue entrance into graduate programs and careers that draw upon skills in creating and interpreting messages and critically examining human communication.
Alumni will go on to successful careers as:
Our students have secured jobs and internships at a variety of companies in their field and enrolled in prestigious graduate schools such as:
Companies- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Dick’s Sporting Goods (corporate headquarters)
- Federated Investors
- NBC
- PPG
- Pittsburgh Cultural Trust
- Pittsburgh Penguins
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Schell Games
- The Daily Courier
- UPMC
- United Way
- Chatham University
- Duquesne University
- Franciscan University
- Full Sail University
- Purdue University
- Saint Leo University
- The Ohio State University
- University of Wisconsin
- West Virginia University
Student Success Stories
Suzi Cool, '15
“Saint Vincent College prepared me for the real world by providing a well-rounded education and equipping me with the confidence to take on anything I set my mind to. In the world of sports, adaptability and quick thinking are essential BUT thanks to SVC and its liberal arts foundation, I was ready to hit the ground running when it came to my profession in such a fast-paced and ever-changing environment.”
Sports Broadcaster
Greta Edgar Borza, C'14
“Saint Vincent College shaped the foundation of my career in global corporate communications by teaching me how to think critically, write with purpose, act ethically and approach challenges with curiosity. The close knit liberal arts environment always encouraged me to prioritize human connection and explore diverse perspectives, which is essential when communicating across cultures, departments, and time zones.”
Senior communications leader, PPG
Curriculum Requirements
The communications and media studies major is part of the School for Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences and supported by our core curriculum, where students delve into diverse academic subjects at both foundational and advanced levels to explore how different disciplines connect, fostering deeper self-understanding and proficiency in their chosen field of study.
-
Major: Required Courses
Major Requirements
Students majoring in communication and media studies are required to take 30 credits in the department’s core curriculum and 21 elective credits. If interested, students can choose a concentration in
public relations or sports communication by taking the 10 required core courses in Communication and Media Studies and 7 courses (21 credits) in that concentration.Communication Core (30 credits)
- CA 100 Introduction to Communication and Media Studies
- CA 110 Introduction to Organizational Communication
- CA 120 Public Speaking
- CA 140 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
- CA 201 Research Methods
- CA 218 Intercultural Communication
- CA 230 Writing for Media
- CA 303 Communication Ethics
- CA 307 Media Literacy
- CA 451 Senior Capstone
Communication and Media Studies Elective Courses (21 credits)
If not selecting a concentration, choose 7 elective courses within the major:
- CA 221 Communication, Sport, and Society
- CA 222 Broadcast Journalism
- CA 236: Sports Writing
- CA 240 Public Relations Strategies
- CA 271 Special Topics in Communication
- CA 281 Children, Teens, and Media
- CA 291 Facts, Persuasion, & Argumentation
- CA 302 Collegiate Athletic Communication
- CA 304 Social Media Strategies
- CA 311 Race, Gender, Class and Media
- CA 321 Sports Media Culture
- CA 340 Nonprofit Communication
- CA 344 Sports Analytics
- CA 351 Media Effects
- CA 355 Advanced Public Relations
- CA 385 Advanced Interpersonal Communication
- CA 401 Communication Projects
- CA 440 Criticism of Media and Society
- CA 550 Communication Internship
Electives - Public Relations Concentration
Required Courses (12 credits)
- CA 240 Public Relations Strategies
- CA 291 Facts, Persuasion, & Argumentation
- CA 304 Social Media Strategies
- CA 355 Advanced Public Relations
Elective Courses (9 credits)
Choose any 3 of the following elective courses:
- CA 221 Communication, Sport, and Society
- CA 222 Broadcast Journalism
- CA 236 Sports Writing
- CA 271 Special Topics in Communication Studies
- CA 281 Children, Teens, & Media
- CA 302 Collegiate Athletic Communication
- CA 311 Race, Gender, Class, and Media
- CA 321 Sports Media Culture
- CA 325 Digital Deliberation and Remix
- CA 340 Nonprofit Communication
- CA 344 Sports Analytics
- CA 351 Media Effects
- CA 385 Advanced Interpersonal Communication
- CA 401 Communication Projects
- CA 415 Creative Campaigns
- CA 440 Criticism of Media and Society
- CA 550 Communication Internship
- BA 211 Sports Media, Promotion, and Marketing
- DA 120 Digital Layout & Design
- DA 150 Digital Video Production
- DA 190 Web Design
- DA 350 Advanced Video Editing
Electives - Sports Communication
Required Courses (12 credits)
- CA 221 Communication, Sport, and Society
- CA 236 Sports Writing
- CA 304 Social Media Strategies
- CA 321 Sports Media Culture
Elective Courses (9 credits)
Choose any 3 of the following elective courses:
- CA 222 Broadcast Journalism
- CA 240 Public Relations Strategies
- CA 271 Special Topics in Communication Studies
- CA 281 Children, Teens, & Media
- CA 291 Facts, Persuasion, and Argumentation
- CA 302 Collegiate Athletic Communication
- CA 311 Race, Gender, Class, and Media
- CA 325 Digital Deliberation and Remix
- CA 340 Nonprofit Communication
- CA 344 Sports Analytics
- CA 351 Media Effects
- CA 355 Advanced Public Relations
- CA 385 Advanced Interpersonal Communication
- CA 401 Communication Projects
- CA 415 Creative Campaigns
- CA 440 Criticism of Media and Society
- CA 550 Communication Internship
- BA 209 Sports Administration
- BA 211 Sports Media, Promotion, & Marketing
- DA 120 Digital Layout & Design
- DA 150 Digital Video Production
- DA 190 Web Design
- DA 350 Advanced Video Editing
-
Minor: Course Requirements
Minor Requirements (18 credits)
Required Courses (12 credits)
- CA 100 Introduction to Communication and Media Studies
- CA 110 Introduction to Organizational Communication
- CA 120 Public Speaking
- CA 140 Introduction to Interpersonal Communication
Elective Courses Choose 2 courses (6 credits) from the following:
- CA 201 Research Methods
- CA 218 Intercultural Communication
- CA 221 Communication, Sport, and Society
- CA 222 Broadcast Journalism
- CA 230 Writing for Media
- CA 236 Sports Writing
- CA 240 Public Relations Strategies
- CA 271 Special Topics in Communication Studies
- CA 281 Children, Teens, & Media
- CA 291 Facts, Persuasion, and Argumentation
- CA 302 Collegiate Athletic Communication
- CA 303 Communication Ethics
- CA 304 Social Media Strategies
- CA 307 Media Literacy
- CA 311 Race, Gender, Class, and Media
- CA 321 Sports Media Culture
- CA 340 Nonprofit Communication
- CA 344 Sports Analytics
- CA 351 Media Effects
- CA 355 Advanced Public Relations
- CA 385 Advanced Interpersonal Communication
- CA 401 Communication Projects
- CA 415 Creative Campaigns
- CA 440 Criticism of Media and Society
-
Key Courses
Broadcast Journalism: The class will focus on writing and reporting well-balanced, comprehensive and visually compelling stories. You will research, write, and report stories. Course objectives also include learning how to meet deadlines, learning to be a critical observer and listener, and learning how to consolidate and prioritize large volumes of information into meaningful, relevant, time-sensitive presentations.
Sports Writing: This course examines the history and different contexts of sports writing, with particular focus on narrative construction, coverage of sporting events, and analysis of teams and athletes. In addition, students will learn the skills to produce original pieces of sports writing in these different genres.
Social Media Strategies: Focused on the use of social media by professional communicators, this course focuses on understanding consumer interactions with social media, which channels are available for communication and marketing initiatives, how to develop an outcomes-focused social media strategy and how to track effectiveness of social media campaigns. You will also work through an online analytic simulation creating social media copy that drives sales, engagement, and targets specific demographic audiences.
Media Literacy: Media literacy has been defined as "the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create, and act using all forms of communication." It can empower people to be critical and mindful media users, as well as engaged citizens. This course will introduce you to the broad field of media literacy, while engaging you in activities that promote mindful media use, and encourage mindfulness as a practice and lens with which to better understand media literacy and media-related behaviors.
Our Faculty
Professor | Department Chair
Communication
724-805-2821 | Prep Hall 221
Resources and Facilities
The Writing Center
The Saint Vincent College Writing Center helps students become confident, independent writers through personalized support at every stage of the writing process. Students can also become writing tutors, gaining valuable experience while assisting their peers. Rooted in Benedictine Hallmarks, the center fosters a welcoming and constructive environment that celebrates individuality and collaboration.
The Mac Lab
Located in Prep Hall, the Mac lab features 16 Macintosh Apple computers equipped with Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop) necessary for video production and print design and production.
Recognitions and Accreditations
Student Chapter of the Public Relations Student Society of America
Chapter of the Lambda Pi Eta Communication Honor Society