COMMUNICATION MAJOR
at Meredith College
A communication major will prepare you for a career in many areas, including business, journalism, public relations, media, nonprofit, government, law, and education. Whether you’re writing, teaching, working with clients, or disseminating information to the public, our program will provide you with the skills and knowledge necessary for professional achievement.
Our Bachelor’s in Communication
Meredith’s core communication curriculum equips students with knowledge of communication theories and practices to prepare them for a multitude of careers. Majors develop the skills to analyze and interpret contemporary media, influence attitudes, beliefs, and values through written and oral communication, and problem solve.
Students will be prepared for their career through hands-on experiences in the classroom and internships with prestigious companies in the Triangle area. Small class sizes allow them to work one-on-one with their professors, and receive support and professional guidance throughout their time at Meredith and their career. Communication majors also have access to a modern academic building featuring advanced technologies and tools to develop and refine their knowledge of the field.
In addition to the core curriculum, specific tracks within the communication major empower students to dive deeper into their academic interest in one of three areas of communication.
Our Bachelor’s in Communication
Interpersonal Communication Program
Communication focus: Theories of Relational Communication, Methods of Improving Success in Social Interactions
- Students who follow this track will gain specialized instruction in the subject matter relevant to social relationships, genders and cultures, nonverbal communication, and communication in business settings
- Students must complete 25 hours of core requirements and 18 hours of interpersonal communication courses for a total of 43 credit hours
Mass Communication Program
Communication focus: Functions and Effects of Mass Media
- Students of this program will investigate many areas of mass communication, including journalism, media in society, and media law
- Those who follow this track must complete 25 hours of core requirements and 18 hours of mass communication courses for a total of 43 hours
Public Relations Program
Communication focus: Process of Public Relations Practice, Public Relations Theories
- Students of this program can expect to investigate public relations writing and techniques, social media strategy, public relations campaigns, and digital media production
- Those who follow this track must complete 25 hours of core requirements and 18 hours of public relations courses for a total of 43 hours
Why Study Communication at Meredith?
- Meredith’s communication program differs from other area programs because it focuses on real-world learning through professional internships and hands-on experience in the classroom. All communication majors are required to complete at least one internship.
- Students will work a minimum of 120 hours during the semester of their internship and earn three hours of academic credit.
- Recent internships have been at businesses and organizations such as Iconic Heroes, Curtis Media Group, Trifilm Society, Time Warner Cable/News, InterAct, Emerging Women of NC, and more.
- A brand new communication, health, exercise & sports science academic building featuring the latest tools and technologies, including
- Recording studio
- Podcast studio
- Recording rooms
- Unparalleled support from industry-experienced faculty and staff ensures students succeed no matter their career path.
- Students will learn to critically examine the format, content, meaning, and production of messages distributed across media.
- Examples of student success in Meredith’s communication program include
- Alison Bunce, ’22, gained an internship at Bath Cats & Dogs Home while studying abroad in Bath, England. During her internship, she planned social media content, honed her videography skills, and created promotional videos of pets available for adoption.
- Mariana Alvarez Gonzalez, ’22, gained social media marketing experience through three semesters of internships while attending Meredith. She plans to combine her love of storytelling with the communication skills she gained to pursue a career in sports social media marketing.
Communication, Health, Exercise & Sports Science Building
A state-of-the-art building opened in fall 2022 that allows students to gain the skills, knowledge, and experience needed to succeed in the fast-paced and ever-changing field of communication.
With both communication and exercise & sports science programs in the same building, there are opportunities for interdisciplinary work, including sports communication coursework and student-based projects spanning both areas of study.
Building Features
- The building includes a modern recording studio, podcast room, three editing rooms, a human performance lab, and more.
- It is fully accessible and has energy-saving features such as LED lighting and a unique roof to reduce building cooling needs.
- The contemporary lobby contains a water feature, a fireplace, and patios on the front and side of the building to provide additional gathering spaces for all students.
Student Benefits
- Students benefit from innovative spaces that allow for creativity, collaboration, and flexibility, hallmarks of the dynamic landscape of communication in the digital age.
- Classrooms are conducive to experiential learning, preparing communication majors for careers through an applied learning method.
“We are eager to have students learning in a high-quality environment replete with the kind of equipment they will need on the job.”
Careers in Communication
Exceptional communication skills are a requirement for any job. Majoring in communication will prepare students for a career in many areas, including business, public relations, media, nonprofit, government, law, and education.
Meredith’s program provides the skills and knowledge necessary for professional achievement, whether writing, teaching, serving customers, disseminating information to the public, or managing workers. Specific tracks allow students to specialize in the following areas of communication.
Interpersonal Communication Careers
Communication focus: Theories of Relational Communication, Methods of Improving Success in Social Interactions
- Potential jobs for graduates with an Interpersonal Communication focus: human resources manager, recruiter, community manager, event planner, management analyst, sales representative, lawyer, market research associate
- The average salary in N.C. for an individual working in the interpersonal communication field is $47,681 in 2022
Mass Communication Careers
Communication focus: Functions and Effects of Mass Media
- Potential jobs for graduates with a mass communication focus: broadcast reporter, video producer, sports marketer, journalist, web content specialist and producer, marketing director, marketing specialist, social media manager, graphic designer, copy editor
- The average salary in N.C. for an individual working in the mass communication field is $58,053 in 2022
Public Relations Careers
Communication focus: Process of Public Relations Practice, Public Relations Theories
- Potential jobs for graduates with a public relations focus: social media specialist, public affairs specialist, public relations manager, community relations coordinator, publicist, social media strategist, copywriter, media relations manager
- The average salary in N.C. for an individual working in the public relations field is $54,324 in 2022
Thanks to a competitive scholarship opportunity, Communication major Mariana Alvarez Gonzalez, ’22, built on her strengths at Meredith College.
Alison Bunce, ’22, used the skills she learned as a communication major to help pets find new homes.
Neali Healms, ’21, learned how to become a strong leader at Meredith through serving in roles such as Cornhuskin’ co-chair. She plans to use the skills she gained from campus leadership in her future career in public relations.
Communication News
Students from the Meredith College Department of Communication attended the MediaFest journalism convention in Washington, D.C. from October 27-30, 2022.
Meredith students had the opportunity to attend an opening celebration for the College’s new Communication, Health, Exercise & Sports Science (CHESS) building on August 29, 2022.
Assistant Professor of Communication Alan Buck has been selected to complete a project at the University of Eswatini in Eswatini through the Fulbright Specialist Program. Buck’s selection for the University of Eswatini project was recently announced by the U.S. Department of State and the Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board.
Contact Information
Teresa Holder
Head, Department of Communication
(919) 760-8803
tlholder@meredith.edu
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