Communication Arts

Learning Format

On-Campus

Types

Bachelor's, Minor
Communication Arts

Hone Your Communication Skills

Are you intrigued by social media, video production, performing, or music? Our department will prepare you to communicate effectively through all of these media, giving you the opportunity to harness your passion and talent to communicate in creative and constructive ways. Our program will make you a more critical thinker, able to adapt resourcefully to the complexity of a changing world.

Our department is unique in its breadth and versatility. You’ll be introduced to all facets of communication and related industries, from content production and social media strategy to performance and public speaking. As a Communication Arts major you will explore the full range of communication theory and practice, ultimately allowing you to focus on what interests you most.

We have partnerships with businesses in Boston and across Metro West to connect students with real world experience in the field of communication. A key site for student internships is our community partner, Access Framingham Television, where students gain experience with TV and audio production. For students interested in public relations, social media management, and related fields, there are multiple internship opportunities both on and off campus. Students pursuing theater and performance have done internships at Boston Casting and at the New England Theater Prop Co-Op. Other Communication Arts students have interned at the American Pavilion at the Cannes Film Festival.

Our students can improve their skills and resumes by participating in on-campus organizations including Hilltop Players, a performance and theater club, Framingham State’s award-winning campus newspaper “The Gatepost”, and the campus radio station, WDJM. 

Graduates have a range of career possibilities. Recent graduates are now advertising & public relations executives, speech writers, on-air personalities, film producers, commercial photographers, and more.
 

Students in podcast/recording studio

Communication Arts Learning Outcomes

  • Apply communication theories to interpret oral, visual, written, and electronically mediated texts. (Communication Theory)

    Analyze visual images using discipline-specific terminologies. (Visual Studies)

    Communicate effectively both verbally and nonverbally. (Performance Competence)

  • Communicate effectively in writing to inform, instruct, entertain, or persuade. (Writing Competence)

    Create and produce visual messages using fundamentals of design and aesthetics. (Visual Production)

Program Requirements

Program Requirements

The Communication Arts major includes training in social media and strategic communication, audiovisual production, music, performance, and communication theory. Students majoring in Communication Arts choose one of three concentrations: (1) Communication Studies; (2) Social Media and Public Relations; or (3) Film and Media Production and Performance.

All students take 17 Communication Arts courses — including one internship experience — to complete the Communication Arts major. (Note that the BA degree requires 32 courses in total, requiring Communication Arts majors to take 15 additional classes to graduate.)

The 17 courses required for the Communication Arts major break down as follows: 7 core requirements for the major, plus 10 additional courses for a student’s chosen concentration.

  • COMM 115 Human Communication
  • COMM 130 Visual Communication
  • COMM 145 The Creative Process
  • COMM 250 Media/Society/Self
  • COMM 450 Senior Seminar in Communication Media and Performance
  • COMM 495 Internship in Communication, Media, and Performance
  • MUSC 136 Pathways to Musical Understanding

All Communication Arts majors take these seven courses (note: COMM 495 is an internship or similar workplace preparation experience).

  • COMM 202 Global Media
  • COMM 214 Introduction to Acting
  • COMM 297 Communication and Social Media
  • COMM 324 Rhetoric and Popular Culture

In addition to these four required courses, students in the General Communication concentration choose six more courses, spread out evenly between three categories: Communication Studies, Media Studies and Production, and Performance. For details, see course catalog.

  • COMM 214 Introduction to Acting
  • COMM 280 Introduction to Film Production
  • ENGL 207 The Language of Film
  • MUSC 222 Music Technology and Production I

In addition to these four required courses, students in this concentration choose six more courses, spread out evenly between three categories: Film and Video Production, Performance Studies and Production, and Music Studies and Audio Production. For details, see course catalog.

  • COMM 231 Advertising Techniques
  • COMM 257 Public Relations
  • COMM 297 Communication and Social Media
  • COMM 357 Strategic Communication

In addition to these four required courses, students in the Social Media and Public Relations concentration choose six more courses, spread out evenly between two categories: Branding and Consumer Analysis, and Media and Design. For details, see course catalog.

Students must complete five (5) courses from the following:

Required:

  • COMM 115 Human Communication

Choose four (4) courses from the Communication, Media, and Performance curriculum, with the advice of a member of the Communication, Media, and Performance Department.
 

Students must complete five (5) courses from the following:

Required:

  • COMM 226 Writing for Visual Media
  • COMM 280 Introduction to Film Production

Plus choose three (3) of the following:

  • COMM 206 Experimental Film Production 
  • COMM 262 Television Studio Production
  • COMM 309 Video Editing & Effects
  • COMM 312 Screenwriting
  • COMM 317 Video Production: Vlogging
  • COMM 366 Documentary Filmmaking
  • COMM 380 Advanced Film Production

To declare a Science Communication minor, students must complete the appropriate form and obtain the signature of one of the following department chairs: Communication, Media, & Performance, English, or Environment, Society, & Sustainability. Students should meet with an advisor in the minor to design a plan for completing the minor. The specific courses taken depend in part on the student’s major. To complete the minor, four (4) of the five (5) courses must be taken outside the student’s major department. No Science Communication minor will be awarded without compliance with the above format.

The minor in Science Communication consists of three (3) required courses, one (1) additional course in written, oral, or visual communication, and one (1) additional science course beyond the General Education requirements of Domain II-B, as follows:

The minor requires five (5) courses as follows:

A. Three (3) required courses:

  • COMM 215 Science Communication
  • ENGL 311 Writing about Science
  • SCOM 495 Internship in Science Communication

* Upon request, internships will be arranged for students who meet the prerequisites for SCCO 495.

 

B. One additional course in written, oral, or visual communication: Note: Science Communication is an interdepartmental minor, and as such, students may only take one course from their major to count toward this minor. Accordingly, Communication Arts majors may not take courses in this group with a COMM prefix and English majors may not take courses with an ENGL prefix to satisfy requirements for this minor.

  • COMM 107 Effective Speaking
  • COMM 130 Visual Communication
  • COMM 201 Oral Interpretation of Literature
  • COMM 213 Advanced Public Speaking
  • COMM 214 Introduction to Acting
  • COMM 226 Writing for Visual Media
  • COMM 260 Voice and Articulation
  • COMM 280 Introduction to Film Production
  • COMM 328 Argumentation and Advocacy
  • ENGL 225 Introduction to Journalism
  • ENGL 280 Persuasive Writing
  • ENGL 286 Professional Writing
  • ENGL 335 Feature Writing
  • ENGL 372 Technical Writing
  • ENGL 377 Writing for Online and Social Media

C. One (1) additional science course beyond the General Education requirements of Domain II-B:

Upon completion of Domain II-B General Education Requirements, students must take one (1) other science course from the list below. The course must have a prefix different from their major and from the other General Education courses they have completed.

  • ASTR 128 Solar System Astronomy
  • ASTR 230 Stars and Galaxies
  • BIOL 101 / 101L Biological Concepts with Lab or
  • BIOL 109 / 109L Introduction to Biological Science with Lab or
  • BIOL 130 / 130L Principles of Biology with Lab
  • BIOL 103 Biological Perspectives on Environmental Issues
  • BIOL 114 A Human Perspective on Genetics
  • BIOL 142 / 142L Introduction to Human Biology with Lab
  • BIOL 160 / 160L Introduction to Organismal Biology with Lab
  • BIOL 203 Plants and Society
  • CHEM 101 The Chemistry of Life
  • CHEM 103 / 103L Introductory Chemistry with Lab
  • CHEM 107 / 107L Principles of Chemistry with Lab
  • CHEM 108 / 108L Principles of Chemistry and Quantitative Analysis with Lab
  • CHEM 131 / 131L Science – Environment and Health with Lab
  • EASC 101 Climate Change is Now: An Introduction to Earth Systems
  • EASC 108 Understanding the Weather: Introduction to Meteorology
  • EASC 118 Our Blue Planet: An Introduction to Oceanography
  • ENVS 101 Introduction to Environmental Science and Policy
  • FDSC 151 Principles of Food Science
  • FDSC 161/161L Introduction to Food Science and Technology with Lab
  • GEOL 108/108L Our Dynamic Planet: Introduction to Physical Geology with Lab
  • GEOL 208/208L Principles of Physical Geology with Lab
  • NUTR 110 Fundamentals of Nutrition Science
  • PHSC 109 Introduction to Physical Science (with Lab)
  • PHYS 111/111L Physics, Nature and Society with Lab
  • PHYS 201/201L Physics with Applications to Earth and Life Systems with Lab
  • PHYS 211/211L Principles of Physics I with Lab

NOTE: Students in this minor are also recommended to take a course in statistics.

The Minor in Strategic Communication focuses on the theories, concepts, and practices related to communication in diverse organizational and professional settings. Students explore a broad range of topics, including public relations, advertising, organizational  communication, crisis communication, campaigns, multimedia content creation, and social media. This minor aims to help students practice creating and implementing effective communication strategies designed to achieve commercial, non-profit, or governmental institutional goals. Courses encourage students to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills by analyzing case studies, engaging in group projects, and co ducting research. Students also exercise their written and verbal communication skills by producing a range of communication materials, including press releases, social media posts, multimedia contents, speeches, and reports.


Students must complete five (5) courses from the following:

Three (3) core courses:

  • COMM 3575 Strategic Communication
  • COMM 297 Communication and Social Media
  • COMM 231 Advertising Techniques or COMM 275 Public Relations

Choose One (1) of the following courses:

  • ENGL 280 Persuasive Writing
  • ENGL 282 Creative Writing
  • ENGL 286 Professional Writing
  • ENGL 311 Writing About Science
  • ENGL 335 Feature Writing
  • ENGL 338 Grant Writing
  • ENGL 377 Writing for Online and Social Media

Choose One (1) of the following courses:

  • MRKT 181 Marketing Principles
  • MRKT 218 Personal Branding and Business Etiquette
  • MRKT 240 Consumer Behavior
  • MRKT 301 Brand Management
  • MRKT 308 Digital and Social Media Marketing
  • MRKT 310 Marketing Research
  • MRKT 313 Advertising and Promotions
  • MRKT 480 Strategic Marketing
  • MGMT 215 Legal Environment of Business
  • MGMT 280 Organizational Behavior
  • MGMT 308 Managing Across Cultures

Students must complete five (5) courses from the following:

Required:

  • COMM 180 Introduction to Theatre Studies


Choose four (4) of the following:

  • COMM 201 Oral Interpretation of Literature
  • COMM 214 Introduction to Acting
  • COMM 264 Theatre Production*

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Communication, Media, Framingham State University Undergraduate Catalog 2024-2025 & Performance

  • COMM 364 Aspects of Theatre*
  • COMM 414 Scene Study

Career Opportunities

Communication Arts majors will be prepared to pursue career opportunities across a wide range of exciting fields, including:

Student working on a computer

Advertising & Public Relations

Create ad campaigns, plan events, communicate with the media, and track impressions or sales leads.

Speech Writers

Write speeches for business leaders, politicians, and others who must speak in front of an audience.

On-air Talent

Any performer or reporter who is recorded live on radio or television.

Film Production

Facilitate the entire movie production process, from script selection and the hiring of staff.

Social Media Manger

Create and track campaigns across platforms, combining visual and written media.

Legal Communications Consulting

Provide advice and suggest communications and marketing solutions tailored to customers' needs.

Meet Your Faculty

Niall Stephens

Niall Stephens

Department Chair, Associate Professor, Communication, Media, & Performance Department
508-626-4058
nstephens@framingham.edu
Whittemore Library
Mary Kate Caffrey

Mary Kate Caffrey

Associate Professor, Communication, Media, & Performance Department
508-626-4999
mcaffrey1@framingham.edu
O'Connor Hall
Audrey Kali

Audrey Kali, Ph.D.

Professor, Communication, Media, & Performance Department
(508) 626-4677
akali@framingham.edu
Whittemore Library
Sarah Cole

Sarah Cole

Professor, Communication, Media, & Performance Department
(508) 626-4215
scole@framingham.edu
O'Connor 321
View All
Winnie Akoury

Winnie Akoury, ’15, Communication Arts, Kiss108

After graduating from Framingham State with a degree in Communication in 2015, Winnie Akoury never imagined that in just a few years she’d be a producer with one of the top-rated radio shows Boston.

Mike Neilan, ’16, Communications Arts, Co-Founder

"The biggest value in the Communication Arts Program at FSU was the people; my fellow students and my professors."

Mike Neilan

Learn More

If the Communication Arts major sounds like a good fit but you would like to learn more, contact Admissions at admissions [at] framingham.edu (admissions[at]framingham[dot]edu) or 508-626-4500.

 Apply 

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