Bemidji State University is offering a new major this semester in communication studies.
According to a release, as of Spring 2022, BSU will offer a 36-credit degree in the study of human communication as it applies to interpersonal, organizational and community settings.
This program is within the Department of Sociology and Communication Studies.
It was first launched as a 21-credit minor in the Spring of 2018 by Dr. Donna Pawlowski.
Since then, the program has been built with the help of adjunct instructor Cindy Nelson and Dr. John Perlich, an associate professor who joined the program in Fall 2019.
“As a discipline, communication studies revolves around human connection and the shared meaning of communication; how do we create messages for each other and how do we understand those messages,” Pawlowski said.
“We create messages for different contexts like relational, organizational or applied contexts.”
Communication competency is an important skill that employers are increasingly seeking when hiring new employees, Perlich said.
“When you look at surveys about what employers want from applicants, the importance of strong communication skill and ability is off the charts,” he said.
“We have a market here that no other local college has, and there is a need for people who know how to communicate in the local area.”
