Why Major in Communication Studies at UNL?

Kathy Castle Author

05/12/2016 Added

206 Plays

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Creative Producer: Aliza Brugger

Full Version: Faculty, Alumni, and Students talk about the value of a degree in Communication Studies from UNL.

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[00:00:00.000](slow electronic music)
[00:00:07.836]I think students should pursue the major
[00:00:09.637]in communication studies because
[00:00:10.968]it's going to help explain the world
[00:00:12.633]and make them a better person in their personal,
[00:00:15.200]professional, and private lives.
[00:00:16.912]Communication is the number one skill
[00:00:18.869]that employers look for.
[00:00:20.185]We're the number two major
[00:00:21.755]that they are looking for right now.
[00:00:23.426]We are going to teach them to be critical thinkers,
[00:00:25.101]better writers, public speakers, learn how to advocate.
[00:00:27.839]We are going to teach them to negotiate conflicts
[00:00:30.244]in organizational life.
[00:00:31.558]We are going to help them to learn to relate to one another,
[00:00:33.554]to build stronger, more meaningful relationships.
[00:00:35.756]And all of that is going to result in a better person
[00:00:38.255]and a more marketable person who is really going to have
[00:00:40.426]both the skills and knowledge that employers seek.
[00:00:43.814]A student should consider studying communications
[00:00:46.439]here an UNL for a number of reasons.
[00:00:48.613]First, a major in communications studies is a major
[00:00:51.928]that prepares a student for careers across the board.
[00:00:55.246]We've has students be successful in a wide variety
[00:00:58.307]of industries and professional pursuits.
[00:01:00.817]When people are considering a major,
[00:01:03.680]I think one of the benefits of our department,
[00:01:05.642]why people should consider
[00:01:06.683]communications studies, is the faculty.
[00:01:10.947]I have an incredible group of colleagues
[00:01:12.594]that are great researchers, great scholars,
[00:01:14.466]they are also incredible teachers.
[00:01:16.427]They are incredible student centered
[00:01:18.179]and they are also very innovative.
[00:01:19.803]And so I think when students come
[00:01:21.423]to our department and take our courses
[00:01:23.526]they are not only learning about concepts and ideas
[00:01:26.903]and theories that can apply to their professional lives,
[00:01:29.532]their personal lives, but they are going
[00:01:31.239]to be doing it in a way that is incredible engaging.
[00:01:33.378]It's just going to be a great experience for them.
[00:01:36.133]What could be more important than becomes a confident,
[00:01:41.156]effective expert in communcations.
[00:01:44.613]It is pervasive in our lives.
[00:01:47.186]Our personal lives, our professional lives, our civic lives
[00:01:50.916]and every single career requires expertise in communication.
[00:01:56.024]So, it's a major that students can pursue
[00:02:00.103]when they don't know exactly what they want to do,
[00:02:03.161]but they want to make sure that they are going
[00:02:05.429]to be successful in whatever pursuits they choose to follow.
[00:02:10.138]So what a communication major does is give students
[00:02:13.060]a set of understandings, a set of knowledge,
[00:02:16.054]that they can take and apply in a variety of careers.
[00:02:19.456]So you have an important set of knowledge and skills
[00:02:22.404]and then maximum flexibility with what you
[00:02:24.605]are going to do with that.
[00:02:25.867]To me, it is the central process.
[00:02:28.769]It's the thing that is most important to us
[00:02:30.833]in our lives and our relationships.
[00:02:32.950]It makes us who we are.
[00:02:34.365]So I think students here at UNL can benefit
[00:02:36.802]from a major in communication because they are able
[00:02:40.168]to apply it to any career field that they are interested in.
[00:02:43.062]This could be if it's a pre-health field
[00:02:45.192]such as wanting to be a physician, wanting to be a nurse,
[00:02:48.372]but this could also be wanting to be in business.
[00:02:51.066]This could also be wanting to be an archaeologist.
[00:02:54.130]I think it can really apply in terms of just learning how
[00:02:58.447]to take information and communicate it more effectively
[00:03:01.545]to your audience.
[00:03:03.498]Well, the nice advantage about communication is
[00:03:06.060]it provides a liberal arts education
[00:03:09.262]that a lot of areas where,
[00:03:11.242]if you are going into a professional field,
[00:03:13.278]require communication as part of their background
[00:03:16.012]or at least look for it.
[00:03:17.361]Over the years, I have talked
[00:03:18.801]to a lot of different employers in the city of Lincoln,
[00:03:21.409]and throughout the country, and almost all of them say
[00:03:24.754]they look for people who are intelligent,
[00:03:27.530]can communicate effectively,
[00:03:30.057]and are people that are willing to learn and try new ideas.
[00:03:34.310]I think communication studies majors
[00:03:36.109]really fall into that category.
[00:03:38.154]The most important thing I have learned
[00:03:40.723]in my communications study courses,
[00:03:42.499]is that I can make a difference just by using my voice
[00:03:46.175]and I can advocate for people and I can negotiate things
[00:03:50.010]around myself and I relate to people so much better
[00:03:53.456]with all of the tools that you are provide with
[00:03:55.402]in communication studies classes.
[00:03:57.117]Every job in the work force requires communication
[00:04:00.138]and all of the courses that you will take
[00:04:01.789]in a communication studies degree
[00:04:03.711]will prepare you to effectively communicate with other
[00:04:07.104]individuals about different topics.
[00:04:10.107]And these are the things that you will learn in any class.
[00:04:13.527]I think it's a great major for people
[00:04:16.623]who also might not know what you want to do exactly
[00:04:21.432]after graduation, 'cause it just allows you to develop
[00:04:24.412]and acquire a skill set that is extremely marketable
[00:04:27.418]and super versatile in the job market.
[00:04:31.527]So I would say, whatever it is,
[00:04:33.307]think about what that issue is for you
[00:04:35.023]or what that thing is for you
[00:04:36.353]that you are most passionate about,
[00:04:37.914]that you want to wake up every day
[00:04:39.385]and talk about and do and connect people and see it grow.
[00:04:43.023]And whatever that is, just go full speed ahead
[00:04:45.606]and know that the skills that you have learned
[00:04:47.706]in the classroom are going to be the things
[00:04:49.966]that set you aside from other people that apply.
[00:04:53.229]I believe that my communications studies degree
[00:04:55.711]has helped me to stand out from my peers
[00:04:57.333]and colleagues through my confidence.
[00:05:00.712]When people hear the way that I am able to communicate
[00:05:03.767]with all walks of life, throughout our company,
[00:05:07.270]and be truly engaged and interested in what they have to say
[00:05:10.542]I think that goes beyond any type of skill.
[00:05:14.453]I think the possibilities with
[00:05:15.701]a communications studies degree is essentially endless.
[00:05:19.662]By really learning to understand my clientele,
[00:05:23.382]being able to negotiate different contracts
[00:05:25.708]has helped me succeed in the business
[00:05:28.487]and also being able to really dive into
[00:05:32.348]different relationships with people
[00:05:34.229]and make long lasting relationships pretty quickly.
[00:05:37.333]It's something that will always benefit me in the office
[00:05:39.801]and has helped me rise to success today.
[00:05:42.265]One of my most common answers to
[00:05:44.836]"What can I do with a comm major?" is anything.
[00:05:49.040]You know, you have options available to you.
[00:05:51.565]That's the best part about it.
[00:05:53.197]You are not limited to what you can do.
[00:05:56.583]Well, the advice that I give to students
[00:05:58.171]that are studying communications today is,
[00:06:00.494]first of all, you have made an excellent decision and choice
[00:06:03.227]and secondly, I would encourage them
[00:06:04.859]to not limit their vision of where this
[00:06:07.283]education can take them.
[00:06:09.275]Frankly, it doesn't matter what background you're in
[00:06:12.549]ultimately, where you aspire to go,
[00:06:14.917]the ability to effectively communicate
[00:06:16.584]will be critical as you move forward.
[00:06:19.230]It's really interesting to me, as I go through my day,
[00:06:22.410]each and every day and I look back
[00:06:24.331]and many of those critical areas that I find benefiting me
[00:06:27.594]today were areas that I learned, studied
[00:06:30.569]and benefited from as a communication major at UNL.
[00:06:34.487](slow electronic music)

Why Major in Communication Studies at UNL?

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