Create Messages that Matter
A strategic communications degree prepares you to design, deliver and analyze messages in today’s fast-changing media and technology environments. Graduates are employed in public relations, marketing, video production, social media and broadcasting, fields that require expertise in digital storytelling and message strategy. Our faculty build strong mentoring relationships as they guide students toward personal and professional goals.
What to Expect
Master the skill of customizing messages for specific audiences.
Practice writing, designing, and producing multimedia messages.
Apply research techniques to measure whether messages are successful.
Courses
You’ll take courses that teach you to design, produce, and evaluate messages in different environments, using different technologies. The curriculum focuses heavily on writing, research, and professionalism. Your degree will emphasize career development, but the skills you learn as a strategic communications major will also help you build strong relationships in all aspects of your life. In addition to core courses, you will take courses in message design and analysis.
Required Courses Meet the Faculty
BCVoice: Real-world media experience on campus
Students gain real-world publishing experience through BCVoice, Bridgewater’s student-run campus media outlet. From news and reviews to podcasts and videos, students produce content in written, visual and audio formats—while learning ethical journalism, team collaboration and audience engagement.
Field Experiences
Making connections and putting your classroom work into practice are key to making sure you are ready for the job market. Students are encouraged to complete a field experience during their junior and/or senior year. During your field experience, you will work in a professional environment under the guidance of a person with experience in the field that you choose. Recent off-campus field experience sites have included: Sports Illustrated, Valley Pike Farm Market, Skyline Literacy, Virginia FC and Bluestone Vineyard. Recent on-campus sites have included: Athletic Media Relations, Admissions, Marketing and Communications, and Alumni Relations.
Senior Capstone Course
The senior capstone course helps students to take all of their communication expertise and find effective ways to search for jobs, design resumes and cover letters, and learn effective interviewing skills that will help advance their professional goals. This class also addresses professional communication behavior. Additionally, every strategic communications major has the opportunity to develop a personalized project in our capstone course that showcases their communication strengths. Recent projects have included sports-related podcast series, social media campaign for the BC women’s basketball team, a short dramatic film and a blog series based on job shadowing experiences.
Master of Arts in Digital Media Strategy
Students can apply for the Master of Arts in Digital Media Strategy program at the end of their junior year. This innovative interdisciplinary program allows students to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in just five years. Strategic communications majors are particularly well-prepared for this program that focuses on advanced message design, production and analysis, as well as project management and consulting strategies.
Careers
Pursue careers in advertising, broadcasting, public relations, event planning, higher education, marketing, sales and customer service. Our alumni have landed in places such as Carnival Cruise Line Entertainment, Klett Consulting Group, University of Virginia, James Madison University Alumni Association, HOVA Flight Services and Japan Tobacco International among others. Their career paths include:
- Digital Marketing Specialist
- Territory Sales Manager
- Program Manager
- Web Designer/IT Content Creator
- Communications Coordinator
- Vice President of Marketing
- Digital Marketing Analyst
- Communication Director
- Marketing Specialist
- Photojournalist
- Copy Writer
- Marketing Consultant
- Editor
- Campaign Director
Chart your path
Learn more about the options for employment and advancement in the field of communication from the National Communication Association.
Megan Huffman was Student Body President and is the permanent President of the Class of 2003. She interned with the college’s Marketing and Communications Office and at WHSV TV 3 where she engaged in Creative Services. She travelled abroad to Australia as well as participated in trips to NYC and LA to experience the television industry first-hand. Megan earned a Master of Science in Public Relations concentrating in the International Nonprofit Sector from Boston University. She completed a graduate program in Mass Communications in London and interned with Special Olympics Great Britain Public Relations. Megan has had many leadership positions in the non-profit sector and is currently Executive Director for SHARE Greater Lynchburg. “The liberal arts curriculum provides a vast landscape of learning. I took full advantage of the diversity of leadership, nontraditional trips, and unique academic opportunities. I found my voice at Bridgewater, and it has led to leadership roles in my career in the non-profit boardroom and in entrepreneurship and social justice advocacy. My pursuit of justice and advocacy for the marginalized is rooted in my faith which was affirmed at Bridgewater, and has led me on a lifelong journey of truly seeking purpose and impact in all that I do…“I’ll forever be indebted to such an impactful place on my journey, and I want to keep connecting with students and continue serving as a proud alumna.”
Jennifer Midgette played field hockey and lacrosse throughout her BC experience. She took an Interterm trip to Los Angeles where she experienced the media industry up close. She earned a second bachelor’s degree in Television and Film from Full Sail University and started her career working for NBC as a digitizer, transferring tape to digital records. At NBC for ten years, she is now a Technical Media Manager and one of thirteen people in this position on call 24/7. She is the first contact for technical issues and solves software and server issues as well as assisting editors in post-production. Jennifer’s advice is to start early in the student’s college career to find connections, internships, and potential job opportunities for the future. “It is never too soon to start looking for a job so start making connections into the working world.”
Questions? Contact Us!
Dr. Melanie K. Laliker, Department Chair
540-828-5473
mlaliker@bridgewater.edu
