Learn About Our Areas of Study

Why Communication? A Degree With Experience.

Employers agree. A communication degree is in high demand.

Skills Valued By Industry

In 2015, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) surveyed hiring managers about the skillsets they were looking for when recruiting graduates. Relevant skills include ability to

work in a team structure
make decisions and solve problems
communicate verbally inside and outside an organization
plan and prioritize work
obtain and process information
obtain proficiency with computer programs
create and edit written reports
influence others

Good news if you decide to pursue a Communication Degree at UTA.

LinkedIn Study

LinkedIn Learning recently published an article on the top "soft" and "hard" skills needed by companies in 2019. Again, fantastic news if you are are interested in a degree in Communication. All of the top 5 soft skills are covered when you get a degree in Communication at UTA. Creativity. Persuasion. Collaboration. Adaptability. Time Management. The are core values in a Liberal Arts education.

Out of the top 25 hard skills, 12 are skills that are either specific courses or an integral component of courses in the Department of Communication.

Analytical Reasoning

Analytical Reasoning refers to using data to make decisions. Students in Advertising and Public Relations conduct research as part of their campaigns classes. Communication Technology students collect data from surveys, analytics, user testing, and interviews and then analyze results to solve client needs.

People Management

People management refers the ability to lead, coach, and train others to be effective contributors in a variety of organizational settings. Several of our Communication Studies focus on this very skill, in particular Training and Development.

User Experience Design

User Experience Design is a multi-disciplinary field. Our Communication Technology primarily focuses on principles of User Experience Design across several beginning courses (Web Design and Development 1, Multimodal Communication), culminating in the User Experience Research and Design class. Our Communication Technology students gain experience researching, prototyping, coding, testing, and developing human-centric solutions for real clients.

Mobile Application Development

Since 2014, more than 50% of traffic comes through mobile phones. Since 2012, our Communication Technology faculty have been teaching a "mobile first" workflow, anticipating the future needs of users. Our Communication Technology major are well-versed in designing for mobile contexts. From the very beginning, we teach a mobile-first, responsive design workflow. This includes smart, optimized workflows for creating digital assets for a variety of form factors.

Video Production

We have multiple opportunities for you to learn video production as a Communication major or minor. In our Broadcast sequence, you can take 2 courses in TV reporting and production. Additionally, the Broadcast sequence offers courses in Multimedia Production and Corporate Communication. Multimedia Production is one of the core courses for the Digital Media Certificate. You can gain additional experience with audio-visual production techniques in Communication Technology's Multimodal Communication course.

Audio Production

We have multiple opportunities for you to learn audio production as a Communication major or minor. In our Broadcast sequence, you can take the Radio Production course. Audio production techniques are covered in other courses as well, including Multimedia Production and Corporate Communication. Multimedia Production is one of the core courses for the Digital Media Certificate. You can gain additional experience with audio-visual production techniques in Communication Technology's Multimodal Communication course. Additionally, students can gain additional hands-on experience working for UTA Radio.

Journalism

Journalism and trained journalists are more important than ever in today's society where it is hard to know where to turn to for factual information. We also crave a good story. A Journalism major isn't solely for people who want to work for traditional newspapers and news media. There is a significant demand for people who can write compelling narratives.

Communication Graphics

As the world has transitioned from analog to digital, from print to screen, employers expect graduates to have digital literacy skills. The Department of Communication recognizes this need and requires majors in Advertising, Communication Studies, Communication Technology, and Public Relations to take an introductory course in Communication Graphics. In Advertising, you have the opportunity to develop your communication graphics skills in the Digital Advertising Design course. In the Communication Technology sequence, students will gain extensive opportunities to develop a wide range of communication graphic skills, from compositing techniques, User Interface (UI) development, interactive prototyping, social media content creation, graphics for video, and digital design workflows.

Corporate Communications

Organizations rely on people who know how to get the word out to key publics, influence public opinion, establish goodwill, and manage crises that arise. Knowing how to develop and maintain a coherent brand identity creates long-term value for businesses and organizations. In the Public Relations sequence, students gain hands-on experience in developing these valuable skills through courses like Public Relations Methods, Strategic Social Media Strategy, Public Relations Case Studies, and Public Relations Campaigns. Brand Identity and Brand Management is a fundamental component across several Advertising courses, including Digital Ad Design and Advertising Campaigns.

Ways to Get Involved

current internships

In addition to gaining additional experience through involvement with student organizations, we have several internship opportunities available throughout the year. In Academic Year 2018-2019, there were 45 internships available for students to apply.

Browse our current internships

student organization

The Department of Communication has 8 student organizations that give you the chance to practice what you are learning in class and get a jump start on honing your skills. Many of our student organizations have won regional and national awards.

Learn more about our student organizations

How To Apply

After enrolling at UTA, your next step is to meet with an academic advisor who can help you plan your next steps. If you have specific questions about a major, you are encouraged to reach out to one of the sequence coordinators.