Public communication careers can take many forms. Graduates of UVM’s public communication program have landed jobs in government, corporate communications, brand management, advertising, music, nonprofits and everything in between.
New this spring, students majoring in the discipline can hone their skills by choosing one of three new concentrations being offered by the Department of Community Development and Applied Economics (CDAE): Strategic Communication, Communication Design, or Community Media and Journalism.
“The concentrations help students find their way within the general field of communication and help them be more focused in their future job search,” said Jane Kolodinsky, CDAE professor and chair of the department.
Public communication is one of the fastest growing majors in UVM’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences. Over the past ten years, growing demand has led to increased course offerings in strategic communication, community media, community journalism and communication design. The courses have been designed in response to faculty members’ areas of expertise, students’ career goals and the continually evolving landscape of communications as a professional field.
While faculty members have long been advising students how to strategically pick electives to cluster around sub-disciplines, the new concentrations make it easier for students to make informed choices about their academic journey and set career goals more clearly.
“We have always been passionate about teaching students how to be responsible, relevant and creative communicators,” said CDAE associate professor Sarah Heiss, who was involved in developing the concentrations. “Now, we can accelerate that growth by focusing students’ experiences and helping them gain depth in a particular area of public communication. This strengthens their ability to secure internships and launch into rewarding careers.”
The concentrations offer students the ability to enhance their resumes with more targeted skills employers are seeking for specific communications jobs.
“I’m excited the PCOM major is making it so easy for me to gain the real-world skills and experiences I need to be a public relations specialist,” said junior Rosey Lambert who recently declared a concentration in strategic communication.
Beginning this fall, all new public communication majors will be required to select a concentration, which will help guide their academic experience at UVM.
Current public communication students interested in adding a formal concentration should talk with their advisor to determine whether a concentration is right for them. Non-majors considering a public communication major with a concentration area are encouraged to set up a meeting with one of CDAE’s academic advisors.
Source: UVM News