In an information society, the ability to communicate is an essential skill. Writing, speaking, and making a cogent argument are useful on the world stage, in virtually every field, and in all aspects of life. Mastery of communication can give students a competitive edge in gaining employment in fields such as business, law, and media—anywhere writing, and critical thinking skills are required. The ability to communicate effectively is a lifelong skill that gives students the power to inform, persuade, inspire, and foster change.
Nazareth College's new major in Communication and Rhetoric prepares students to become versatile communicators in spoken, written and visual forms. They also become familiar with the technology and design of print and digital media. Coursework is both research-oriented and project based. Some students even present and defend their work at conferences within the field. Students are required to take two semesters of Classical and Modern Rhetoric, the art of using written language and oratory persuasively, in the foundation courses for the major. The skills acquired in these courses are particularly useful in the fields of law, business, advertising, or public service.
Program Highlights
- A lively mixture of lecture, small group work, case studies and hands-on work build strong background and practical experience.
- All students receive direct pre-professional training in the form of internships and seminar projects conducted in consultation with local businesses.
- For majors, an internship is required. Students have interned within a variety of businesses and organizations ranging from advertising agencies to not-for-profits.
- Majors have the flexibility to pick their areas of interest, such as, marketing and public relations, journalism, screenwriting, video production, digital imaging and technical writing.
- Students have continually presented their scholarly research at the annual Conference for Undergraduate Research in Communication, hosted at RIT, with a Top Paper awarded in the area of Criticism.
- Students have been winners of the Ralph Kepner Memorial Scholarship Award for technical writing from the international professional organization of the Society for Technical Communication.
- Students have a high success rate for placement in employment or graduate school.
Resources
Student Communication Resources
National Communication Association
Founded in 1914, the National Communication Association: "is the largest national organization dedicated to communication. Researchers, educators, and professionals, work to understand and better all forms of human communication. Through publications, resources, conferences, conventions, and services, NCA contributes to the greater good of education and society." Therefore, as both a scholarly and professional society, NCA provides its members with a wealth of information about the ever-changing and multifaceted world of communication within contemporary society.
Students can take advantage of membership opportunities through the website as well as a host of resources and information about the discipline, national and international conferences, career opportunities, and current trends within the field.
For more information on the NCA, visit: http://www.natcom.org
Lambda Pi Eta - Honor Society for Communication Studies
Lambda Pi Eta is the official honor society of NCA, recognizing academic excellence in undergraduate and graduate students within the field of Communication. Nazareth Communication and Rhetoric students will have the opportunity to participate in many of the rewarding benefits of becoming a member of Lambda Pi Eta.
To meet the requirements for membership, all students must conform to the following responsibilities:
- Complete 60 semester credit hours (90 quarter credit-hours).
- Have a minimum cumulative GPA of at least 3.0 for all courses taken.
- Have at least a 3.25 GPA for all Communication and Rhetoric courses
- Currently enrolled as a student in good standing
- Display commitment to the field of Communication.
- Exhibit high standards of personal and professional character and support the purposes of the honor society.
For more information on Lambda Pi Eta, visit: www.natcom.org
Internships
The opportunity to engage in an internship not only allows students to take the skills and knowledge they have learned in the classroom and apply them within a professional environment, but internships also provide students with the chance to explore particular careers through hands-on work in their fields of interest particular careers through hands-on work in their field of interest while simultaneously earning three credits toward graduation.
Students have a wide range of potential locations and professions from which to obtain an internship. Rochester and western New York alone provide numerous outlets for exploring the field of Communication, including, but by no means limited to: marketing, public relations, broadcasting, print journalism, video and film production, and publishing just to name a few.
Internships are typically carried out between the sophomore and senior year and students are required to perform 120 hours in the position as well as participate in the internship seminar.
Internship opportunities are also available during the summer, but prior arrangements must be made before the end of the spring semester. Students are not limited in the number of internships they take part in (schedule permitting), and there are also non-credit bearing opportunities available.
For more information regarding internship opportunities and requirements, contact:
Dr. Carlnita Greene, Internship Coordinator cgreen4@naz.edu or 585-389-2440
Mr. Albert Cabral, Director of Internships acabral8@naz.edu or 585-389-2571
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