What do you get when you combine advertising, public relations and marketing?
Strategic communication is a new major in the communication and journalism department and will be available to students in the fall. The major combines marketing, public relations and advertising into one area of study.
C&J adviser Gregoria Cavazos said students shouldn’t worry about the transition.
“The change hasn’t really affected advisement,” she said. “I’ve given all the students their substitute courses and no one is losing out on any courses.”
The department also combined print and broadcast journalism concentrations into one multimedia journalism track last year.
Students under mass communication from 2006-09 catalogs or journalism and mass communication from the 2010 catalogs must substitute required or elective advertising and public relations courses with strategic communication courses starting in the fall.
Students in earlier catalogs are encouraged to complete the major, but are not required, according to a C&J fact sheet.
Student Valene Mitchell said she switched majors so she wouldn’t have to deal with the change.
“I was frustrated because they just changed all the major stuff for journalism and mass communications, and I didn’t want to have to mess with another change,” she said.
The department announced the area of study in early April, a move it believes will better prepare students for careers or graduate school.
“With this concentration you will receive a well-rounded education with the understanding of theory, strategy and application,” the fact sheet states. “We believe this approach will make you extremely marketable and allow for the better possibility of acceptance into graduate Strategic Communication programs across the country.”
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