Communication (multiple concentrations)

Purdue University in West Lafayette

The Brian Lamb School of Communication curriculum prepares students for careers in public relations, social media, broadcast media, political persuasion and health campaigns, just to name a few. Students start as "pre-communication" because all new students take the same set of core courses to get a good foundation in some of the basics of communication studies. After successfully completing these three required courses with a 2.67 GPA or higher, students proceed to the upper-level Communication major and choose from one of the following eight concentrations:

• Media and Mass Communication - students create content, write and produce for various media, from traditional to online formats.
• Public Relations and Strategic Communication - in addition to learning theories and strategies, students work in teams with nonprofit clients on PR projects. They can also be part of the award-winning student PR agency, Boiler Communication.
• General Communication - students assemble their own selection of courses to match their specific goals. 
• Business Communication - highlights team processes, decision-making and social network analysis.
• Health Communication - students will learn theories explaining what works and doesn't work in health communication, and they will apply that knowledge by working on actual health campaigns.
• Communication of Science and Technology - students learn to translate technical information for broader audiences.
• Interpersonal Communication - students focus on managing conflict, supporting and influencing others in contexts including romantic relationships, friendships, and families. 
• Political and Civic Communication - capitalizing on the Lamb School's close relationship with C-SPAN, students will learn how political persuasion and campaigns work, and they will also have opportunities to see political communication up close through events, internships, and speakers both on campus and in Washington.

Both inside and outside classrooms, Lamb School students have opportunities to apply career-oriented skills. Our students write, produce, edit and host content for The Purdue Channel. In our award-winning student-run agency, Boiler Communication, students work with clients on meaningful communication campaigns with real-world impact and earn credit toward their degrees. In other classes, students work in teams with local nonprofits to get real-world experience in public relations and other communication fields. Lamb School Co-curricular Engagement prepares students for their careers by extending the classroom curriculum by adding engaging experiences through different opportunities like student organizations, internships and mentorships with Lamb School alums.

One of the greatest strengths of the communication program is its international opportunities. Students take advantage of communication-specific study abroad and internship programs (both short-term and full-semester) in diverse locations regularly offered such as London, England; Sydney, Brisbane and Perth, Australia; Singapore; Copenhagen, Denmark; and Siena, Italy.

A communication major with any of the eight concentrations can be completed in just three years.  

Degree in 3