Communication Major & Minor
Earn your Communication Degree at Carthage
At Carthage, we introduce you to the nature of human communication. We’ll help you discover the track that appeals most to you, but everyone will leave with a stronger, focused voice. And the world will listen.
While you will develop the skills required for your field, our goals go beyond technical proficiency. Students examine classical and contemporary theory as a foundation for a critical understanding of an increasingly mediated world.
Abundant professional experiences in communication
The Carthage faculty actively support students in finding appropriate internships that challenge and extend their classroom learning. Carthage’s location in the Chicago-Milwaukee corridor — minutes from the corporate headquarters for such companies as SC Johnson, Jockey International, and Snap-On Tools — offers unique access to internships and jobs. Carthage students have recently held internships at such companies as Equity Creative, Remy Bumppo Theater, Weblinx, Pivot Design, WSSP The Fan, and Sports Radio.
All communication majors are expected to demonstrate their intellectual grasp of the discipline and their own artistic and communicative competencies by successfully completing the senior capstone seminar, which involves a major thesis, project, or exhibition.
Competitive advantage for communication majors
As a Carthage communication major, you’ll develop excellent interpersonal communication, group problem-solving, creative thinking, and organization skills, making you more competitive in the job market, no matter your career path. Employers consistently rank communication as one of the top skills they look for in potential employees. Recent graduates have gained employment or pursued graduate studies in graphic design, public relations, media, journalism, sales, education, and law.
Carthage communication alumni hold positions with employers such as:
- GFX International
- Sacramento Kings
- Sprint Corporation
- CareerBuilder
- Prudential Financial
- Peace Corps
financial aid for Communication Majors
More than 90 percent of Carthage students receive financial aid. The Communication and Digital Media (CDM) Department holds an annual scholarship competition, with awards available to prospective communication, graphic design, and public relations majors. Recipients are chosen based on the application for admission and a portfolio review.
original research in communication
Research is built into the Carthage experience through the required senior thesis and options such as the paid Summer Undergraduate Research Experience. Students in the department have taken on projects such as “Modern Advertising Modes and the American Adolescent,” “Effects of Technology on Early Childhood Education,” and “Visual Persuasion in Political Imagery.”