Communication Programs: Majors & Degrees

It’s simple. Your college education should prepare you well for life after graduation. It should position you for success in your personal and professional development. Build your skills and competencies in your target occupation. Empower you to contribute meaningfully to your local, national and global community. Spark your passion for lifelong learning.

The Communication Department at Cabrini University can help you achieve these outcomes in a close-knit, hands-on, project-driven environment.

We offer two majors:

Digital Media and Communication
Communication

The Digital Media and Communication major has extensive degree requirements that prepare students for a broad range of communication careers in high demand today. The Communication major has fewer degree requirements and is primarily designed for students who want to double major.

Students in both majors develop the ability to research and analyze information, design and develop content, and communicate ethically and responsibility. These are essential skills for a range of communication careers, including those in digital communication and social media, integrated marketing communication, public relations, advertising, event management, journalism, media production, podcasting, sports communication, and more.

A unique feature of the Communication Department is its four student-run media agencies - Cavalier Radio, House 67 Productions, Loquitur News Media, and Social Nexus. Each agency is advised by a COM faculty member and places students in an immersive, real-world experience that builds their career competence, as well as their technical and transferable skills. Students in the department rotate through at least two of these agencies, building a digital portfolio of their work while gaining valuable experience creating media for internal and external audiences. Students can also advance into leadership roles in each agency, learning how to manage both people and projects in preparation for the corporate workplace.

Contact Information

Dawn M. Francis, EdD
Chair, Communication
Associate Professor
Founder’s Hall, Room 272
610.902.8379
dawn.francis@cabrini.edu

Digital Media and Communication Program Details

The Communication Department’s forward-thinking curriculum is informed by an Advisory Board of 20-plus accomplished industry professionals who represent a broad spectrum of media and communication fields. These experts advise the faculty on current trends and the latest technologies used everywhere from newsrooms to boardrooms today. They also serve as classroom speakers, networking contacts, and internship providers who are deeply invested in students’ success.

The department’s project-driven curricular and co-curricular experiences are team-based and highly inclusive of a diverse set of learners. The hands-on nature of the program means that students build strong bonds with one another, as well as with their Cabrini COM faculty and COM alumni who frequently mentor students to succeed in media and communication careers.

Another hallmark of the department is its four-year professional development program. This holistic and developmentally targeted curriculum strengthens students’ career readiness and contributes to their 95% job placement rate after graduation.

Students’ work in this department often tackles the important social issues of our time, and many of their projects win prestigious regional and national awards from organizations like the College Media Association, Columbia Scholastic Press Association, and the Pennsylvania News Media Association. Students’ solutions-oriented stories consistently impress contest judges and the public alike for their social impact and storytelling merit.

Employment Outlook

Department majors, upon graduation, are well prepared to enter graduate or professional schools or pursue a variety of target occupations in media and communication. Some of these occupations include:

Digital and Social Media Marketer
Digital Content Creator
Multimedia Journalist
Live Event/Streaming Media Producer
Public Relations Professional
Event Marketer
Play-by-Play Sports Broadcaster
Podcaster/On-Air Personality
Videographer/Documentarian

Program Highlights

Be hands-on from day one building a strong and varied portfolio of work
Build close relationships through project-based learning experiences & media agencies
Tell stories that matter that win prestigious awards and inspire audiences to act
Get career-ready through internships and the department’s holistic four-year Professional Development program

Skills Learned

Communicate ethically and responsibly in multiple media
Produce goal-driven digital media products individually and as part of a project team
Gather and analyze data about media users and media content to discern insights and use them for problem solving purposes
Use media to promote understanding, compassion, and action for the common good
Demonstrate a superior level of competency in written communication
Exhibit professionalism and emotional intelligence through verbal and non-verbal communication