Now more than ever, effective communication must cut through a lot of noise to reach an audience before it’s received and understood.
We prepare students for the evolving demands of a career in professional communications by providing students with strategies, skills, and training to succeed in television and media production, podcasting, marketing, public relations, and advertising.
Why Communications?
You’ll acquire the skills, knowledge, and technique you can use right away.
Although Purchase College has several majors related to media and communications, the BS in Communications provides an integrated approach to the study of message strategy, multimedia storytelling, content production, public relations, and advertising and helps students gain practical skills they can use in the creation and sale of television entertainment and corporate products and services.
Choose from Two Concentrations
See a sample of the paths you’ll take through each.
TV Laboratory
Hands-on work in the TV studio from conceptualization to post-production to gain practical understanding of writing, camera work, editing and working with on-camera personalities.
Podcasting and Audio Storytelling
Learn different styles of podcasting, best practices for developing and pitching a show, how to use professional audio recorders, basic audio editing techniques and how to distribute a podcast once it’s complete.
Documentary Production
Examine the history, cultural impact, and aesthetics of documentary film and video production and learn to research, write, interview, direct, shoot, and edit a documentary. Using camcorders and editing equipment, produce your own short documentaries
Crisis Communication
Analyze case-studies, leverage best practices, and develop campaigns to explore how brands must communicate during times of crisis, touching on reputation management, spokesperson training and press conferences, rich and social media, and more.
Public Communication Campaigns
Learn to inform and influence large audiences about noncommercial issues such as the environment, health, human and animal welfare, and disaster prevention through a series of purposeful communication activities. Examine cases to differentiate successful from unsuccessful campaigns then learn to craft and distribute appropriate mediated messages.
Management and Communication
Study the roles and theories of communication and leadership, together with the skills and traits of effective managers. Examine how managers use behavioral modification and motivation techniques, develop coaching skills, manage change and conflict, and create a vision for their employees.
Art Direction
Interested in pursuing a creative career as an art director? Analyze case-studies, leverage best practices, and develop creative advertising campaigns.
Media Literacy
Explore the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media. Learn to critically examine visual, audio, and online media while understanding the media’s effect on culture and society.
Visual Communication
Learn the fundamental principles of design and how these relate to effective visual communication. Explore the role that advertising plays in society and how to create effective visual advertisements while learning the basics of Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, and how to shoot and edit photos.
Hands-On Learning
An integral piece of the Communications program is the practical experience and technical expertise you’ll gain through internships and other applied learning opportunities in the classroom, on campus, and beyond. You’ll build a portfolio to showcase your work as you move into whatever field you choose.
Students have completed internships at places such as: