Ohio Wesleyan University is adding a communication major in fall 2017 with concentrations available in three areas: media production studies; organizational, interpersonal and group communication; and strategic corporate communication.

The communication major will be part of Ohio Wesleyan’s newly renamed Department of Journalism and Communication, said Charles L. Stinemetz, Ph.D., provost.

“The new major was created by university faculty to blend the intellectual breadth of a liberal arts education with a deep understanding of communication strategy and experience in digital media production,” Stinemetz said.

The major will include classes in areas such as digital media skills, research methods in communication, and inter-cultural communication, with students learning to write and speak with clarity and use communication technology effectively.

As part of their studies, communication majors will be required to complete an internship as well as an in-depth, portfolio-building senior capstone project, mentored by a faculty member, Stinemetz said, reflecting Ohio Wesleyan’s institutional emphasis on theory-to-practice learning.

In addition to completing core courses, majors also will be able to focus on specific fields, such as political, health, or business communication, he said, allowing them to pursue targeted interests and career goals.

OWU’s Department of Journalism and Communication will continue to offer both majors and minors in journalism, Stinemetz said, providing students with the strong writing, research, and interviewing skills that have resulted historically in university graduates earning Pulitzer Prizes, local and national Emmys, the Edward R. Murrow Award, Journalist of the Year honors from the National Association of Black Journalists, and multiple other awards.

“Our journalism program continues to remain in staple in our curriculum, providing OWU students with a well-rounded liberal arts education that prepares them to think critically, communicate effectively, and work collaboratively,” Stinemetz said. “This background, combined with hands-on opportunities that include writing for the nation’s oldest independent student newspaper, The Transcript, prepare our journalism majors and minors for success and leadership within the field.”

Learn more about Ohio Wesleyan’s new communication major at www.owu.edu/communication and more about the university’s journalism major and minor at www.owu.edu/journalism.