Make A Minor Decision That Has A Major Impact On Your Career
Choosing a major or minor can be very difficult for some students, if this is the case for you, here is some advice that may very well help you in choosing the major or minor that's best fit for you and your future plans.
When choosing a major first consider which courses you've done fairly well in before and decide which major they have prepared you for. It is important to consider how much your possible major interests you. Just because you did well in math in high school, doesn't mean you're going to be a mathematician when you grow up. Make sure it's a field of study that you feel will keep you interested enough to get you out of bed every morning.
Your academic advisor is a great person to talk these decisions through with. Our advising coordinators are very experienced with helping students find their best fit major, and can be a good source for information regarding your questions about your major or minor. Some good things to bring up in your advising meeting would be to ask your academic adviser which departments are well-regarded in their fields, and in those fields, which professor would best help you in your academic career. Also, if possible, see if your advisor could give you some contact information of students who are majoring in these subjects, and see if they are satisfied with their respective courses and professors.
Next it is important to consider if your possible major or minor can be completed in four years or if they require graduate studies, and think about whether you would be willing to spend the extra necessary time and money. Look at the different fields to which your major can be applied, and be sure to consider the growth of the field that interests you. Is the field expanding? Are graduates with your major being hired right out of college, or do they need additional training? Contemplate the earning potential and base salary (found at www.payscale.com) of jobs that are related to certain majors. Think of the lifestyle you would like to maintain and if your desired salary is obtainable in this field of study.
Ask yourself whether you have what it takes to succeed in your major. Think about whether you would be happier having a job you love with little pay or having a job you can tolerate with substantial pay. Be flexible; you have time to change your major if you are unhappy with it. Choosing a major of minor is an important decision, but with a little research and some help from the faculty, you'll be able to find the major or minor that is best fit for you and your future.
Below is a list of the majors within the Communication Department. Within each emphasis lists its designated contact(s) and suggested minors for each career path option. For further inquiries and advice, please get in touch with the listed emphasis contact(s).
Communication Major |
Advising Contacts |
Career Option |
Potential Minor(s) |
Kris Kranenburg
Ginny Stuesser
Kathy Brady
| Account Management |
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Creative Services |
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Media |
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Research |
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Public Relations |
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Peter Conover
Jim Mead
| Television/ |
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Internet |
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Advertising |
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Sam Martino
Jim Kates
David Wachanga
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Newspaper, Magazine, Book |
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Peter Conover
Jim Mead |
Television/ |
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Internet |
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Advertising |
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Sue Wildemuth
Ray Baus
Sally Vogl-Bauer
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Business |
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PR/ |
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Media |
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Law/ |
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Bill Lowell
S-A Welch
Sally Vogl-Bauer
Mary K. Casey
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Human Resources |
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Management |
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Sales |
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Customer Service |
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Ann Knabe
Gary Myers
Ed Frederick
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Public Relations |
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Elena Bertozzi
Jeff Herriott
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Digital Arts |
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Communication Major
Students interested in advertising careers, either in agencies, or within companies, should explore the Advertising Emphasis. This program prepares them to work as account executives, “creatives,” media planners or buyers.
The Ad Foundations course provides students with an overview of the ad industry, while the Copywriting and Layout course teaches them to write and create ads. In other elective and required courses, students in this emphasis also study how to use different types of media to achieve advertising objectives. The capstone course, Advertising Campaigns, gives students the opportunity to be practitioners of what they've learned.
The Broadcast Journalism emphasis develops strong writing skills and prepares students to work in the electronic media industries, both on-camera and behind the scenes, to gather and present news to defined populations. Students receive actual hands-on experience gathering, editing and presenting news at the Communication Department's stations: WSUW-FM radio, a broadcast station serving Whitewater, Palmyra, Fort Atkinson, East Troy and Watertown; and Cable 19 television, serving over 100,000 households in central Wisconsin.
Students in the Print Journalism emphasis learn how to organize, write and edit stories for print media. They also learn copy editing and page design techniques. Feature writing and sports journalism can be pursued through elective courses. News gathering strategies and coverage of public affairs serve as capstones to the program. An understanding of the historical and contemporary impact of the media on society and the foundations of the print media business also are required for print journalism students. Print journalism graduates are prepared for careers in reporting or editing for newspapers and magazines, and they are ready to meet the new demands of media companies by incorporating a wide variety of new technology in their work. A print journalism graduate also has the skills to succeed in public relations or any other occupation that requires strong writing skills.
The Electronic Media emphasis is ideal for students interested in producing and delivering electronic media messages, including television programs, radio announcing, video documentaries, client video projects, and multi-track audio recording. Students in this emphasis develop critical evaluation skills to analyze other electronic media messages. They also learn how to operate a variety of production equipment and put these skills to use as they produce programs for the Communication Department's stations: WSUW-FM radio, a broadcast station serving Whitewater, Palmyra, Fort Atkinson, East Troy and Watertown; and Cable 19 television, serving over 100,000 households in central Wisconsin.
The Interpersonal Communication emphasis focuses on skills training in listening, nonverbal communication, persuasion, intercultural communication, small group, leadership, gender, health communication, and family communication. Students interested in this area of study choose from two tracks: Applied Persuasion and Health and Wellness. The Applied Persuasion track is ideal for students who are interested in areas such as law, diplomacy, civil service, advertising, sales, fundraising, marketing, politics, lobbying, and/or non-profit work. This track focuses on studying how messages can best be crafted and delivered to elicit desired outcomes from various audiences. Students interested in careers in health care, family support and advocacy, and/or community education and programming should choose the Health and Wellness track. It focuses on studying how strong interpersonal communication skills can enhance relationships between service providers and receivers, thus increasing the effectiveness of social and commercial programs.
Interpersonal Communications Major Checklist
The Organizational Communication emphasis allows students to explore the communication-side of how organizations operate. Business-based minors are often combined with the organizational communication emphasis to enhance students' understanding and application of workplace messages. Students take courses such as Introduction to Organizational Communication, Communication and Interviewing, Small Group Communication, Listening, Cross Cultural Communication and Communication Needs Analysis. In addition, students often select electives such as Communication Conflict Resolution, Persuasion, Public Speaking, and Communication Training to expand their skill sets in organizational settings. Internships are also strongly encouraged. This particular emphasis is very flexible, in that some students explore managerial-based or human resource positions, while others pursue paths related to customer service or sales.
Organizational Communication Checklist
Public relations is important to a democratic society and is employed by public and private, for-profit and not-for-profit organizations. UW-W's Public Relations emphasis helps students develop their writing and presentation skills, both of which are critical for entry and success in the field. Students will learn what it takes to conceive, plan, execute and evaluate public relations programs that are designed to inspire cooperation between an organization and its publics. Graduates of our program serve in specialist and management positions in PR agencies, corporations, government and nonprofits. Our graduates handle the full range of public relations activities that, for example, focus on news media, employees/members, communities, investors, crisis- and issue-management, event planning, product/service promotion, industry dynamics, and public policy.
Multimedia Digital Arts (Comm Track)
Students in the Multimedia emphasis — Communication Track are trained in the constantly evolving field of integrated interactive media development. Students learn how to take content from all forms of traditional media (non-fiction, news and creative writing, photography, illustration, 3D modeling, video, audio and games) and transform it into a variety of interactive forms. Learning opportunities include designing, building and testing websites, Flash driven applications, CD ROMS, Game levels on PCs, consoles and handheld devices, and applications on emerging platforms.
Career options for students graduating with this degree include: Web designer, Flash designer, Interactive journalism, Exhibit developers for museums and conventions, Game/level designers/developers, Instructional Systems development, Usability testing for all interactive media, Interactive storytelling/hyperfiction, Interactive advertising, Human/Computer interaction, and Sound design for interactive media.