INFORMATION FOR
The award-winning Department of Communication helps students unlock their creative potential in fields such as communication studies, media studies, journalism, film, video, audio and radio production, and public relations.
Beatrice Amune, Master of Arts in Professional Communication
El Barba, Communication Major - Concentration in Media Production
Rochelle Estrada, Communication Major - Concentration in Journalism
Christal Fernando, Master of Arts in Professional Communication
Andrew Herbst, Communication Major - Concentration in Journalism
Vont Leak, Communication Major - Concentration in Media Production
Hunter Long, Communication Major - Concentration in Media Production
Maureen O’Brien, Communication Major - Concentration in Communication Studies & Elementary Education Major
Esma Senman, Communication Major in Public Relations
Alumni in arts, humanities, and social sciences are employed or in graduate school within 6 months after graduation
Average starting salaries in Communication fields (NACE)
Noteworthy Communication Jobs and Mid-Career Salaries with 8+ Years of Experience 8+ Years of Experience (PayScale)
The BA in Communication lays the groundwork for crafting messages, understanding audiences, working with modern media technologies, learning key communication theories, honing intercultural skills, and developing critical thinking and creative competencies. Students combine critical thinking and creative skills with writing and audio, visual, and digital communications, enhancing their interpersonal and intercultural competencies and providing a platform for ongoing engagement with today's media-driven world. Students examine the relationship of communication with other humans, with culture, and with society, taking a critical eye to the constant flow of messages that surround us — messages from the news media, other humans (social media and digital communication,) advertising and marketing, governments, and non-profits, and more. To understand contemporary issues in human communication and media, students also develop an understanding of the history of media and the digital landscape and cultural, ethical, and legal considerations for professional practice. The BA in Communication gives students the freedom to explore a variety of communication topics, while teaching the skills necessary to be adept, versatile, and highly employable communicators in an extensive range of careers.
View academic program requirements and course descriptions in the University Course Catalog:
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The communication studies concentration provides students with the opportunity to study human interpersonal communication from behavioral, humanistic, and scientific perspectives. This includes instruction in the theory and history of communication, the development and application of intercultural and international communication practices, as well as relational, team, and leadership communication competencies in business, education, and social settings. Enhanced competency in written and oral expression is supported through the examination of oral and nonverbal and current technology-based messaging formats.
Accelerated Program:
The BA in Film, Television, and Audio provides students with the opportunity to pursue a degree that integrates across media (film, television, audio, radio, podcasting, digital streaming). With a BA in Film, Television, and Audio, students develop foundational knowledge in media theory and production while choosing a distinctive media focus, specializing in audio/radio, filmmaking, television production, or integrated media. Each specialization is designed to further a student’s specific career path.
The journalism track prepares students for professional careers in the newspaper and related industries and for advanced study. In a fast-moving digital era, the curriculum enables students to become sophisticated consumers of news media and includes instruction in news writing, reporting, editing, and media law/ethics. Emphasis is placed on integrating new media throughout the concentration's curriculum. Students prepare for internships and entry-level positions at on-line news organizations as well as at traditional newspapers through writing for the student newspaper, The Pioneer Times, an excellent training ground for future journalists.
The public relations track prepares students for careers in a variety of increasingly integrated marketing communications industries. Public relations knowledge and skills apply to virtually all industries and interest areas. Careers in public relations-related fields continue to grow faster than the national average and are listed as a top-8 growth industry by Fortune magazine. Public relations programs help support an organization's business objectives and increase corporate reputation, drive sales and even build a brand. We offer a rigorous public relations curriculum which includes integrated communication planning, digital and social media marketing, strategic multiplatform writing, event promotion, and program development. Learn more >
Communication minors are available in communication studies, film studies, international cinema, journalism, media studies, public relations, theatre and comedy, and visual communication.
The public relations minor provides marketable skills and knowledge to benefit any major or discipline area. The PR minor courses focus on integrated marketing communication planning, digital and social media management, strategic multiplatform writing, event promotion, and PR campaign development. Public relations activities support reputation and brand building, advocacy, corporate social responsibility and play a key role in setting and supporting an organization's business objectives.
This graduate program fosters excellence and imagination in poetry, fiction and creative nonfiction, with emphasis on professionalism, pedagogy, and publishing. More Info »
The Audio Broadcasting Certificate develops newsgathering and interviewing skills and teaches students: to create content that engages, informs and influences audiences; to acquire high quality audio using mobile devices as well as industry-standard technology; to distribute content across audio and digital platforms; and to practice legal and ethical behaviors when creating television video news content. Learn more »
• Current students sign-up here: Declare Certificate• If you are not currently enrolled as a student, please apply here.
The certificate in Podcasting prepares students to produce, edit, and share engaging podcasts using a range of audio digital content. Students will develop narratives, learn best practices for conducting interviews and storytelling, learn how to write effectively for the podcast medium, and acquire skills for how to engage audiences and distribute their finished content to a mass audience. Working with state-of-the art equipment, students will acquire the technical skills needed to produce substantive audio content. The certificate is designed to serve students in any major looking to deepen their knowledge and practice of the podcasting medium as well as adult learners and professionals who wish to explore podcasting and create their own.
The Sport Journalism certificate is designed to prepare students from a range of majors to be competitive in the expanding sports media job market. Most of the courses taken in the certificate can also be applied to the Journalism BA degree. But this certificate can add value to a number of other majors such as Sport Management, Exercise Science, English and others. Professionals already working in the sport media industry can use this certificate to develop broadcast news skills to support a career change or advancement.
The Television Broadcasting Certificate develops newsgathering and interviewing skills and teaches students: to create content that engages, informs and influences audiences; to acquire high quality audio and video using mobile devices as well as industry-standard technology; and to practice legal and ethical behaviors when creating television video news content. Individuals who complete the certificate will learn the technical skills necessary to obtain (shoot) high quality video in the field and edit that content independently or in collaboration with a reporter. Learn more »
» Current students sign-up here: Declare Certificate» If you are not currently enrolled as a student, please apply here.
Our communication students write news, conduct research, make films, produce and broadcast TV and radio shows, launch PR campaigns, create and manage social media content, and much more. They learn in state-of the-art facilities, including our HD TV broadcast studios, radio station, film production lab, digital audio production lab, several digital video and audio editing rooms, and our new Social Media Applications Research and Teaching SMART lab.
In our communication programs, students learn in-demand skills that employers have identified as critical for job candidates, including:
Our graduates work at major marketing, public relations, and media companies, have been accepted into top graduate programs, and have won awards, including the Emmy Award.
Our professors are proud practitioners in their fields and love to share their expertise beyond the classroom. Mentorship is at the core of our department, and it’s our goal that every student work directly with a faculty member to expand their knowledge and worldview.
Media production and public relations major, landed a full-time job at NBC Universal right out of college. Prior to graduation, she completed a production internship at Discovery Communications.
And we're ready to help you grow. At William Paterson, we provide students with the skills, knowledge, and experience they need to forge forward as a powerhouse—both in the classroom and in their careers. Apply today to discover your potential.
Every month during the academic year, we will spotlight a different member of the WP faculty or staff who plays a powerful role in student success.
Name: Sharmila Pixy Ferris
Title: Professor of Communication
Years at WP: 31
Tell us about yourself: Who am I? I don’t define myself by a single role so much as by the combination of interests and values that shape my work and life. That combination includes my work as a teacher and scholar of organizational communication, alongside commitments and interests that extend well beyond the classroom: a lifelong reader and writer, an animal and nature lover, a hiker, an executive coach, a Zen practitioner, and a foodie. I’m married to an environmental scientist whom I met while we were both earning graduate degrees at Penn State. At the heart of my work is a deep commitment to teaching and learning, and in my spare time I volunteer in animal rescue and with the New Jersey Botanical Gardens.
Describe your role on campus: I am a Professor of Communication, teaching and conducting research in Communication Studies, a field that examines how meaning is created, negotiated, and contested across interpersonal, group, organizational, cultural, and mediated contexts. These skills are foundational to every discipline and every profession. At William Paterson University, I have served as Director of the Center for Teaching Excellence, Director of three graduate programs, Faculty Lead for the WP Online Communication program, and Chair of the Institutional Review Board. In these roles, I have worked closely with faculty and administrators on curriculum design, mentoring, inclusive and evidence-based teaching, and the ethical dimensions of research and learning, particularly during periods of institutional uncertainty and technological change.
A defining moment at WP: There have been many defining moments over the years, but two stand out. One was when a former student, John Rivera, was hired as Director of Annual Giving and took the time to tell me how much my teaching and mentoring had shaped his life and career. Another was learning that a former student, Jessica Hand, helped found Tabby’s Place, an extraordinary cat sanctuary whose mission reflects compassion, care, and sustained commitment. Moments like these remind me that teaching is not only about what happens in the classroom, but about the lives students go on to build and the values they carry forward.
Favorite part about your job: What I love most about working at William Paterson University is the opportunity to integrate research, teaching, and service in meaningful ways. I care deeply about my students and about scholarship, and WP has always been a place where both commitments are genuinely valued. My research agenda, which explores multiple facets of organizational communication, from leadership and mentoring to institutional change in complex, technology-rich environments, informs my teaching, and my teaching, in turn, informs my research. It’s a rare and deeply rewarding balance.
Fun fact: I love food! For me food has always been a form of communication; what we cook, share, and eat tells stories about who we are, where we come from, and how we make meaning together. Traveling through 43 countries and across 45 states in America has only deepened my love for food.
Finish this sentence: "WP is a powerhouse of opportunity." For me, that’s reflected in the 360 support students receive and the success I see after they leave campus.
