Digital Communication and Social Media Major

The Digital Communication and Social Media major is designed to prepare students for a variety of careers in the rapidly changing field of digital communication and social media. This major focuses on what are widely called New Media.

Every aspect of communication has been changed by New Media, from marketing communication, advertising, and public relations to all forms of journalism—whether in video, audio, print, or web, to entertainment and interpersonal interaction. Every aspect of communication is undergoing radical transformation.

Today, we are no longer just recipients of media messages. We are both media consumers and media producers. In both our personal and professional lives, we capture and share audio, visual, and text-based messages via new social and mobile technologies.

Audiences for these messages have evolved into digital communities in which the value of relationship building has replaced the importance of agenda setting.

Given these radical changes, this Digital Communication and Social Media major educates students about the rapidly changing models and on-going digital transformation of mass communication and prepares them to take a leadership role in the change.

Requirements for the Major in Communication
(all courses 3 credits unless noted)

Foundation Courses:

COM 101 - Introduction to Media Communication Leadership
COM 250 - Journalism Reporting and Writing (4 credits)
COM 251 - Journalism Digital/Web Production (4 credits)
COM 270 - Video Production (4 credits)
COM 301 - Multimedia Storytelling
COM 365 - Advertising
COM 369 - Integrated Marketing Communication
COM 103, 203, 303, & 403 - Communication Professional Development
(half-credit per semester, 4 credits total)
COM 487 - Career Preparation
COM 472 or 474 and 475 - Senior Convergence Project

Advanced Courses:

COM 352 - Advanced Journalism Reporting and Writing
and
COM 353 - Advanced Journalism Digital/Web Project Production (8 credits)
or
COM 373 - LOQation Project Production (two semesters, 6 credits)

Advanced Social Media Courses:

COM 220 - Social Media Marketing
COM 221 - Social Media Management - Strategy and Campaigns
COM 322 - Social Media Planning and Evaluation
COM 323 - Advanced Digital and Social Media

Total Credits for Major: 52-57

Internships
An extensive internship program encourages all students to work during several semesters or summers at the many digital communication and New Media organizations in the Philadelphia area.

Students are eagerly sought after to work in—and in some cases lead—an organization’s digital communication and social media efforts.

Students have worked at most of the traditional Philadelphia-area media, ad agencies, and public relations firms, as well as in many cutting-edge digital communication departments.