Communication How to Apply & FAQs

Before declaring, you must have taken TCOM 201: Media and Society or TCOM 230: Media and Global Citizenship and passed with a minimum grade of 2.5. You can contact the Communication advisor for help with the declaration process and choosing a track. The Communication advisor has more specialized expertise with the Communication major than the University Academic Advising team, so we strongly recommend getting in touch with them as early as possible.

To declare the Communication major, you need to take one of the prerequisite courses (TCOM 201: Media and Society or TCOM 230: Media and Global Citizenship) and pass with a minimum grade of 2.5. All students, regardless of track, must take one of the Communication Foundation courses – TCOM 444: Gender, Ethnicity, and Class in Media or TCOM 453: Critical Approaches to Mass Communication).  

Students will select either the Professional Track or Research Track. Any of your Communication professors would be happy to answer questions about the major, but for detailed guidance and help planning courses associated with your chosen track you should contact the Communication advisor.

The good news about the two tracks: either one will set you up to be successful in graduate school or in the industry. The course requirements are different, though, so if you want support in determining which track is best for you, reach out to your academic advisor or to any of your communication faculty members.

The research track is intended primarily for those interested in preparing for graduate school, with a focus on classes that teach you how to conduct critical research and improve your writing skills.

The professional track, which is primarily intended to prepare you for a media-related career, requires a mixture of research-based and skills-based course work. You should choose your track based on your current career or academic goals.  

The main differences between these two tracks are the course requirements for each.

While we don’t require an internship, the communication faculty highly recommend that you do one or more internships during your time with us. Prospective employers privilege graduates who have done internships because it shows that you have taken initiative to do more than just take classes and because internships introduce you to and prepare you for working in a real-world environment.

The communication major is designed to set you up for success whether you are looking to find a media-related job, continue your education in various fields, or move into areas outside of media and communication. Our Communication faculty bring their past professional media backgrounds and scholarly research interests into the classroom to give you all the skills you will need to further your career goals.

Want to know more about what careers or educational options might specifically be of interest to you? Just reach out to one or more of your communication faculty members and we will be happy to talk with you about your options and help you determine what paths might be best for you.

Learn more about options after graduation

The process for finding a job in the field of communication will be different for everyone depending on the field you want to enter and your specific needs and interests. For example: Are you place-bound? Do you need a flexible time schedule? Do you want to work remotely? Do you want to work in the private sector or the public sector?  
In all cases, you’ll want to start early, work with your communication faculty members and the UWT career center, and visit hiring sites online.
A few good online sites include:

• Media Job Board: For careers in media and broadcasting, ‎PR and advertising, journalism, and sales
• JournalismJobs.com: Journalism and media job listings for online media, newspapers, TV, radio, magazines, nonprofits, and academia.
• Indeed.com: A worldwide employment website that includes job listings for positions in every area of communication and media.
• Ziprecruiter.com: An American employment marketplace for job seekers and employers that is used heavily by communication professionals.

Tips for making you more competitive in the market 

• Whenever possible, choose your classes to optimize your career interests. Talk with your academic advisor and/or communication faculty members for additional guidance. Current research shows that effective written communication skills are one of the top predictors of success and advancement so consider taking one or more of the List B writing-based courses.
• Do one or two internships while you are a student and start the process of looking for them as soon as possible.
• Take advantage of opportunities on campus to get experience with writing, video production, social media, etc.  
• Make contacts within the professional world where you think you might like to work. Don’t be shy. Reach out to people. Ask about internship opportunities or just ask if they would be willing to meet for coffee or over zoom to give you advice.  
• Write a clear and compelling cover letter and keep your resume updated. The career center at UWT can help you craft both.
• Be persistent, be patient and, when possible, be flexible. Finding the job of your dreams might take a little time and effort and it could be that the perfect job is one you haven’t even considered yet.