Communication Major

The communication degree prepares students for work in areas that require excellent written, interpersonal, organizational, oral, and media production skills. Students who graduate with this degree can expect to work in media industries, businesses, non-profit organizations, and ministries both locally and globally.

Majors > Communication

Digital Journalism

Public Relations

Media Production

Media Communication

Student Media

Speech and Debate

Careers

Choose Your Emphasis

Public Relations

Public relations prepares students for careers in PR, integrated marketing communication, technical writing, and corporate communication. Courses and practicums include Public Relations Writing and Technology; Public Relations Planning; Social Movements; and Public Speaking.

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Media Production

Media production expands students' production skills and industry knowledge across radio, print, video and audio, news, and online platforms. Courses and practicums include Independent Video Production; News Writing and Reporting; Media Production Perfect Practices; Video and Audio Production; and Media Production.

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Media Communication

Media communication teaches students how to become excellent communicators across all platforms. Courses and practicums include Political Communication; Speech and Debate; Public Speaking; Journalism; Sports and News Broadcasting, and News Writing and Reporting.

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Digital Journalism & Civic Engagement

Digital journalism and civic engagement prepares students for careers in newspapers, magazines, sports, and broadcast as well as online writing, reporting, and editing. Courses and practicums include Social Movements; Faith, Media, and Calling; Masterpieces of Film; and Online News Bureau.

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Hear what our professors and students say about the JBU communications program

Opportunities in the Communication Department

1

Threefold Advocate

Write for the award-winning student newspaper, The Threefold Advocate, in the newly remodeled newsroom. The bi-weekly publication develops students in writing, reporting, editing, photography, design, and more.

2

KLRC 90.9 FM

Work at JBU's professional radio station, KLRC. Located in downtown Siloam Springs students have easy access to the facility and programs. The station broadcasts with an impressive 100,000 watt signal to multiple states.

3

Real FM.online

Be a DJ for KLRC's online station Real FM. Real FM plays a mixture of Christian and secular music, giving a message of hope without glossing over the dark and difficult stuff in the world.

4

Sports Broadcasting

Work closely with JBU athletics to broadcast and commentate at home games. You can help run the video of the games by capturing key moments of soccer, basketball, and volleyball. Additionally, each season brings opportunities to commentate the games.

5

Speech and Debate

Join the Pi Kappa Delta speech and debate team and compete against other schools to build public speaking and persuasive skills.

6

The Nesher

The Nesher is JBU's yearbook and has been a part of our university since 1926. Operating under the name Nesher since 1982, the yearbook highlights the academic year through a beautiful display of photography, print, and graphic design.

Alumni Profile

Shelby Lawson '17

Shelby spends 40+ hours a week a 40/29 News in Rogers, Arkansas working as an editor and a producer. She works on live news broadcasts behind-the-scenes and is part of the team that builds the show from scratch. This includes researching the latest content that viewers will care about, writing the scripts that the anchors read on-air, and editing the video that keeps you captivated while watching the news from your couch. Shelby said, "JBU’s Communication Department, namely Dr. Marquita Smith, prepared me for the intense workload, non-negotiable deadlines and journalistic integrity required in the newsroom."

Matt Dye '13

Matt Dye knows all about the need to communicate well both in and out of the classroom. “My speech and debate class taught me skills that I use in my current job,” Matt said. “People want to hire individuals who can quickly outline what they want to say, articulate well, influence others and think on their feet. If you learn how to speak well, people will listen." What stands out to Matt about JBU’s communication major? “I love how versatile each of the classes are,” he said. “Learning to use different forms of media gives you an advantage."

Meet the Communication Faculty

Josiah Wallace

Associate Professor of Speech and Theatre

Josiah Wallace grew up as a missionary kid in Tokyo, Japan. He has a BA in Theatre from Seattle Pacific University, an MFA in Directing from Baylor University, and studied commedia del’arte performance and mask making at the Scuola Internazionale Dell’Attore Comico in Reggio Emilia, Italy.

Mr. Wallace worked professionally at Taproot Theatre Company in Seattle Washington as the Director of Outreach, and spent six years teaching, directing, and designing at Dordt College in Sioux Center Iowa before joining the JBU faculty in 2018. He has received multiple awards in design and directing from the Kennedy Center American College Theatre Festival, and is privileged to mentor students in the study and practice of theatre and communication at John Brown University.

JWallace@jbu.edu